INK: Vanishing Point (Book 2)

by Roccaforte, Bella

  Her eyes zero in on me fast and full of spite. “No, no nerves. No heels. No jail and no more questions.” She gets up from the table.

  What the hell is that supposed to mean? “What?”

  Garner stands with Eddins and Shay. I’m losing the room. “No, we aren’t done. I have more questions.”

  Shay stares blankly ahead like she can’t hear me. Eddins slides his notepad into his briefcase. “Yes, we are.”

  There’s a knock on the door. “Give me one minute.” I hold one finger up. God I hope this is my warrant.

  Preston is standing on the other side of the glass when I walk into the hallway. “Do you have the warrant?”

  “Yes and no.” He inhales a deep breath.

  “You either have the warrant for her arrest or you don’t?” I demand.

  “Here is the thing; if she is cooperative and there’s no PC then we can’t arrest her.” He explains this with a pained expression on his face. “Detective, the evidence is pretty damning against her. But I’m telling you, I don’t think she’s responsible for the murders. Look at her for Christ’s sake, she can barely keep her head up.”

  “Okay what if she isn’t cooperative?” I ask eagerly.

  “Then I’ll have no choice but to assume that she’s hiding something. If she is then I’ll push harder for the warrant.” Preston says simply.

  “Got it.” Walking back into the room I’m feeling quite invigorated knowing that she won’t be cooperating. She thinks she’s leaving and there’s no way that arrogant little twat is getting out of here tonight, that is if Preston holds true to his word.

  “Miss Baynes, I do have a few more questions for you if you don’t mind.” My tone is laced with loathing.

  “Of course, detective.” She sits up in her chair like a dutiful student; what the fuck is this?

  “Detective, as we’ve said before we are happy to cooperate.” Garner pipes in. “But can you tell us how many more questions you have or how much longer you think we’ll be? Miss Baynes has to check in with her doctor and take her medication.”

  The door to the interrogation room opens and Preston comes in. “It shouldn’t be too much longer. Detective, please continue.”

  The sudden change of heart is throwing me off. I need to recover fast. “So, Miss Baynes, lets discuss a few other things. Can you tell me what happened the night you were shot?”

  “Honestly, Detective, I wish I could but I don’t remember much of anything.” She answers sweet as pie.

  “You really have no idea what happened?” I ask her.

  “No, I really don’t. Everyone keeps saying that Aiden shot me, but just can’t believe it. Aiden and I had a…” She pauses for a moment, “Strange relationship, but he has never been violent toward me.” I can almost see the lump forming in her throat; whether or not she’s upset about him shooting her or her killing him is still unclear.

  “Did you attack him?” I walk around behind her and lean on the back of her chair. Eddins eyes me suspiciously.

  “I don’t know.” She answers quietly.

  “You don’t know?”

  “No, I’ve told you before I don’t know what happened. I mean I can’t actually imagine the scenario where I would attack Aiden, but because I have no memory of the night I can’t say for sure.” She pulls a tissue out of the box on the table and blows her nose and dabs at the tears in the corner of her eyes.

  There’s no way I’m falling for the waterworks. I pick up the heel. “So this isn’t yours?”

  She shakes her head.

  “Have you heard from Mr. Roth since you were shot?”

  Sadness fills her eyes and she slouches making herself seem small. After what seems like a long time she finally answers, “No.”

  For a moment I feel sorry for her. I snap out of it fast, but I’ve been quiet too long. Preston chimes in. “Is that all we need for now?”

  Right now I know better than to push for more. If I want another chance with her I have to wait until we have more to go on. She’s too smart to make a stupid mistake.

  She looks relieved and gives Preston a thankful look. Then she looks to me, “Detective Glass, is there anything else, am I done?”

  “For now, but we’ll be in touch.” I start for the door and stop. “If we need to contact you where will you be staying?”

  “I’m staying with Eli Walker for the next few days; I’ll let my attorneys know if I’ll be elsewhere.” Her tone is sickly sweet; there’s something up.

  Preston speaks up. “Thank you for your cooperation and I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  For a second I think they are going to hug, but Preston takes a step back and walks out the door. Garner heads for the hallway and Eddins holds the door open for her. Shay stops in the doorway, turns around smiles and winks. That little bitch.

  Chapter 17

  Dissolution of Matter

  Shay

  We meet Carl in the hallway, but we don’t stop walking. Keeping in step with Jason is proving difficult. Jason is wearing a nasty scowl, like someone just took a dump in his briefcase. I look at him with a sheepish look. “How did I do?”

  “Great’ up until that little stunt on the way out; we could have done without that,” He scolds.

  “Sorry.” I hang my head.

  When we walk out of the police station Jason turns to Carl. “While I appreciate the heads up, it really wasn’t a good idea for you to be listening at the door.”

  “I wasn’t.” Carl states simply.

  “Then how did you know about them pushing for a warrant if she was uncooperative?” Bob asks brimming with curiosity.

  “I just did; leave it at that.”

  “Okay, so can I go home?” I ask, because right now all I want to do is lie down.

  “Yes you can go to Eli’s. We aren’t expecting anything more from them unless they find some other evidence.” Jason looks at his watch.

  “Or if there’s another body,” Bob snorts, amused with himself.

  We all marvel at his poor taste in humor. “Not funny.” I say what everyone else is thinking.

  “We’ll call you if anything comes up,” Jason says while still glaring at Bob.

  “Thanks Jason, for everything.” I turn to Carl. “Is there any chance I could get you to take me to my car?”

  Carl answers simply. “No chance at all today.”

  The car ride to Eli’s is silent. I have to figure some way to get out from under all of this. The thought of having to wait to find out what happened to Aiden is going to push me over the edge.

  When we arrive at Eli’s, I’m relieved that there are no cars in the driveway. Eli’s still at work and I’ll have some time to myself. Exhausted, I sit down hard on the couch and give Carl a pleading look. “Carl, please tell me what’s going on.”

  Keeping it simple is the best approach; it’s not like he doesn’t know what’s going on in my mind. At first it was charming, but now it’s just another invasion of what privacy I had left.

  Carl pulls at his suit pants to sit comfortably across from me. “Even though McNab and Eli think it’s a bad idea, I’m going to tell you what I can. But you have to try to stay calm.”

  He’s giving me that look that says he knows I’m going to freak out anyway, but I agree.

  “That night when I got there I was sitting in my car because of the rain. But I’m pretty well in tune with you so I knew you were doing okay. Well you were doing more than okay.” His face flushes red, remembering the events of that evening, which makes me want to know all that much more what happened.

  “Knowing that you were fine and dandy tuning you out for a bit became a priority. Being privy to that sort of activity is uncomfortable to say the least.” He squirms in his seat as he says the words.

  “Wait, what activity?” I ask fascinated to know.

  “You know what activity.” His eyes round out bigger with each word.

  “You mean Aiden and I were doing it?” This I want to hear. I thought
I was going to hold out longer, but hey I’m only human and my feelings for Aiden run deep. Then again, so do my feelings for Eli. My mind continues to wander and I realize that maybe I am “in heat” like McNab said.

  Carl clears his throat to bring me back to the conversation. “Could you try not to do that?” he asks.

  “Sorry.” I bat my eyelashes and cross my legs, wanting to hear more but forcing back the rampant thoughts of sexplorations out of my head.

  “Anyway, I was meditating and I felt a sudden surge of terror from you. I came into the house to see Aiden shoot you the second time.” He has to stop himself from reliving that moment.

  “So he totally just shot me.” My throat dries out and nausea tugs at my insides.

  “He did, Shay, but it was because he thought you were the Specter. He couldn’t see.” Carl folds his hands together in front of him.

  “Did I stab him?” My voice is quiet and pained.

  “You did, but it was an accident. Aiden explained to me that you tripped while holding the knife and you caught him in the side. You didn’t really ‘stab’ him, you pretty much just dropped a knife on him; well, in him.”

  “Was he hurt badly?” I wish numbness would take me away.

  “No darlin’, he just needed some stitches. There was a lot of blood, but the wound really was superficial.”

  “Why did he leave?” My questions are quick and to the point. I just want to get this over with.

  “You have to stop torturing yourself over this. It’s not that he doesn’t care about you…” He trails off because I know he really has nothing left to say.

  “Is he coming back?” There’s no real hope in that question. I know the answer.

  “No, he isn’t coming back.” Carl tries to console me with his tone. The ache I feel for Aiden now has been multiplied by infinity and I may die from the sadness. My breath ekes from my lungs trying to expel the last traces of life. Wishing I had the balls that Elise had to do what she knew was the least painful way out.

  Funny how I’m giving her props for killing herself since I understand her now. The weight of incredible hopelessness on my chest makes me feel like things will never untangle and be normal again. Tears stream silently down my cheeks, no sobs, there are none left in me, only a waterfall of an ever-expanding despair that radiates from the center of my soul and reaches out beyond me.

  Carl has tears in his eyes and shakes his head “I’m so sorry for your pain, Shay.”

  “I’m going to go lie down. I think that’s enough for now.” Hoisting myself off the couch, I turn back to Carl. “Please let me dream. I need this.”

  ***

  Shay

  The door closes with a soft click that echoes in my mind. I reach into my backpack to get my phone to try Aiden’s number one last time. A lump forms in my throat when I hear the familiar tone followed by, “This number is no longer in service…” I let the phone fall to the floor in submission to the realization of his permanent absence.

  My body falls hard on the bed I pull the comforter around me and sob into it. Screams trapped in my belly are released in a violent series of sobs. Pieces of my soul ride out on incoherent utterances of emotions and words that would only make sense to Aiden, but he’s gone. He’s gone forever.

  My brain is on repeat, reciting his absence. My heart’s broken rhythm knows it to be true even though everything in my being wants to deny it. It doesn’t matter how bad things have been between us, it doesn’t matter how many times he’s left. I’ve always known he was coming back, until now.

  I don’t even bother trying to convince myself that Carl is wrong, because something deep inside me knows he’s right. It’s done. This is the only forever that Aiden will ever gift me.

  My sobs subside when I lack the energy to shake, cry or feel anything. I sit for what seems like hours, willing my heart to stop beating. A few times I feel the pulse of blood through my neck slow to barely noticeable. But it just keeps going. I just want to die; how do I die?

  I’ve already died inside a million times without him and here I am staring at the final death of our love. My love for Aiden will live on through eternity alone, in darkness and despair.

  My lungs fill with a burst of air to let out one last scream to try to rid myself of the agony. My scream resonates through the fibers of everything around me causing unnatural vibrations. The air around me grows heavy with humidity and a thick swirling smoke forms around me.

  There’s a tear in the middle of the smoke, as a hand reaches out of the fissure for me. I’m not afraid, just astounded. I raise my hand to meet it. Gently the fingers interlace with mine and pull me into the void of darkness.

  ***

  Carl

  Watching Shay walk to the bedroom, her emotions already weigh heavy on me. This is going to be rough. I need to disconnect from her. I can’t take it; what she’s about to release I can’t be near it.

  McNab isn’t answering his phone and I can’t leave her here alone. Bracing myself for the onslaught of pain she’s about to feel, I lean back on the couch. For a solid twenty minutes my body aches with the anguish she feels. I feel it too. She loves him; what she needs to know is that he loves her. He’s been feeling the same thing being away from her. McNab says Aiden is barely holding it together. Above all else he loves her and I understand why he’s not coming back. It’s because of his love for her and has to let her go if she’s ever going to be free of the Specter.

  McNab has yet to explain it to me why it has to be this way, but I trust him. The throngs of despair are shooting through me like hot knives. I almost envy her for being able to love the way she does. Almost.

  Finally I succumb to the sorrow. Sobs are crashing against me uncontrollably. Eli comes in the back door and rushes to me.

  “Carl, what’s wrong?” He’s alarmed.

  “I’m okay.” I manage through the physical pain streaming through my body.

  “Where’s Shay?”

  “Bedroom.” I grab his arm when he tries to head for her. “Leave her. Promise me. Let her alone until she comes to you.”

  Eli looks at me like I’m crazy, probably because I’m clutching my heart from the pain. “Do you need an ambulance?”

  “No. I need to leave. But don’t go in there. She’ll come out.” I’m doubled over trying not to fall to the floor.

  “I need to check on her.” Eli’s torn on what to do, stay with me or go to her.

  “No, leave her. Promise me.” I grab at his shirt.

  “I promise. I’ll let her come out.” He’s exasperated and scared.

  With each step away from her I regain a small bit of strength to continue creating the distance. Before I walk out the door I tell Eli, “Call McNab.”

  I leave the house and stumble down the street until my heart no longer feels like it’s being squeezed and I can breathe again. More distance needs to be put between us to break the bond so I continue to walk and try McNab again on the phone.

  ***

  Eli

  Looking over the screened-in pool, I contemplate my future, or lack thereof. My legal career has been tanked in less than three years, even though I’ve only lost two cases. Shay is totally screwed. I don’t even know if she really wants me, or if she’s so desperate to get laid one last time before she goes to jail she’s willing to settle for me. Pondering her love for Aiden, I always have to remind myself that he’s been part of her life for as long as I have. She never asked for all of the complications that puberty brought our collective friendship. I often wonder if she would have been better off not knowing either one of us, or at least not falling in love with both of us. He and I are both permanent fixtures in her life. Neither of us has had the balls to give her an ultimatum that she has to actually choose between us. I should have. Probably what she was waiting for was one of us to grow a spine and demand that she make a choice.

  Now it’s too late for either of us. Well, for me, since it’s looking like I’m the only one left. They may b
e able to pin this on her. She’s just too stubborn and volatile to listen to anyone.

  Kevin’s dead. Jesus. “Kevin’s dead.” It just doesn’t seem possible or real. What the fuck is going on? The bottle of Johnny Walker stares back at me. I didn’t bring a glass, as though that would deter me. I’m not above drinking that bitch straight from the bottle. Wrapping my fingers around the bottle’s neck feels good, it feels right.

  This back yard represented what I thought was Shay and my future. It’s where we talked about putting the play fort for the kids, laying paver stones and painting stripes down the middle as roads so that they could ride their bikes in the safety of the fenced-in yard. We sat out here talking for hours about the two beautiful kids we’d have. A boy and a girl. We both agreed to name the boy Oliver and the girl Falon. It was a perfect life we’d planned. Now it’s all gone, gone, gone.

  There’s a noise in the house. It catches me by surprise, because I thought I was alone. I’ve been out here since I got home. Panic rises in me. I recognize that it’s Shay, and she’s screaming.

  When I reach the living room, Carl is on the floor in front of the couch. He tells me he has to go and to leave Shay alone. How can I leave her alone? Can he not hear her?

  Carl makes his way out the front door and I’m left standing here listening to her screams. I don’t even know what’s wrong. There’s obviously a reason she’s supposed to be left alone, but I can’t take this anymore. Her screams are going right through me, pulling at my soul. When I get to the hallway, her screaming stops. Replaying Carl’s words in my head, I stop and slide down the wall next to the bedroom door. If I can’t go in, at least I can be closer to her if she needs me.

  The echo of her screams hangs in the air. I want to go to her, pick her up and hold her. Kiss away the pain. I’m sure this is mostly because of Aiden. She needs to go through this alone until she’s ready for me.

  A disturbed laugh rattles in my chest. Figures; as soon as Aiden is really out of the picture, she’ll be making a grand exit from my life. I have nothing to offer her but love. She needs more than that. She needs someone who can take care of her.