“Here I am now,” a little short Asian man said with a smile. “Dr. Brice. I’ve heard a lot about you. Dr. Hann.”
He squeezed my hand.
“How are you feeling?”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure. What were my injuries?”
“Well. You initially presented with a broken rib, but after further testing we found the broken rib caused the pneumothorax. The chest tube was removed after inflating the dropped lung. You also suffered a pretty severe concussion. Now, with all that being said, the thing that worried us most was the poisonous spider bites. We tried several anti-venoms; one finally worked. “
He shined a light in my eyes.
“You’ve been out for over forty-eight hours thanks to the morphine.” He smiled.
“Two days?”
No one was here. I had no one. I closed my eyes allowing reality to set in. I’d let two people in over the past twelve months—Miranda and Adam—and both had lied to me.
“A little over actually. We did do a SART.”
“I wasn’t raped,” I added quickly. “He touched me with his hands but he didn’t rape me.”
The doctor’s expression clouded. “But, Dr. Brice, I did the exam. You had some small tears around the tissue…”
“I’d had sex…with someone else the night I was taken.” Tears pooled.
“Listen. I want you to relax and rest. As soon as you wake from the fog and can sign your release, you’ll be free to go.”
I nodded. “Who was the man in the suit?”
He flashed a look toward the door. “FBI. You’ve had a guard on you since your arrival.”
“Thank you. Would you mind telling him to come in here?” I asked, pointing at the hall and referring to the FBI guy.
“Sure.”
Dr. Hann walked out, and within a second, the guy in the suit came in.
“Yes, Ma’am?” His brows rose with his words.
“Why are you guarding me?”
He nervously shrugged his shoulders. “Ms. Brice. Once you are released, I will be taking you in for some questioning.”
“Questioning?”
“Questioning isn’t the right word. Follow up. The agency has some questions.”
Shifting my body upright, stole the air from my lungs as pain rocketed through me. I hissed a sharp intake of air as a lightheaded spin followed.
“Ms. Brice, please. If something happens to you on my watch…”
The guard didn’t finish his words, only shook his head and drew in the deepest of breaths.
Laying my head back on the pillow, I closed my eyes.
The next day, I held my head high as I walked into the FBI headquarters. It wasn’t until I walked out of the hospital that I realized I was in a big city. Chicago to be exact.
When I sat in a chair at a table in the middle of the room, my reflection looked back at me from the gigantic mirrored window—one I’d seen in movies thousands of times.
For the longest time, I stared at it wondering if Adam hid behind the glass. Wondering what he thought of my swollen face. Even though the external wounds would heal—the excruciating ache in my heart with his absence and lack of words was intolerable. Plus, he’d taken any power I had away by not even allowing me a goodbye. I inhaled as deep as the pain would allow before stopping and exhaling my breath.
I know now that I was just an assignment to him. I shook away the thoughts making myself dizzy again—I was so ready for that to go away. When Michael was taken from me—there was no other choice but to accept the hand of fate that was dealt to me. There was no closure. No goodbye. No second chance. But with Adam, he turned his back on me. Without thinking, I covered my heart and pulled my shirt away from my chest trying to alleviate the painful pressure of heartbreak.
I looked away from the window not wanting him to see the agonizing grimace on my face as the thoughts of us being together that night came slowly back.
“Dr. Brice.” An older, distinguished-looking gentleman came through the door and extended his hand.
I shook it.
“I’m the assistant director, Jay Walker. Thank you for coming in.”
“Is TJ dead?” I’d wanted to know that for the past twenty-four hours.
He sat across from me. “No. He isn’t.”
A slight gasp escaped my throat and irritatingly, tears spilled over. He retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to me.
“Where is he?” I managed to ask.
“Dr. Brice. This is an ongoing investigation and getting TJ was only the tip of the iceberg.”
“Getting TJ? What do you mean?”
After he shifted his posture and crossed his legs, he said, “I have a few questions first if you don’t mind.”
“OK.” I nodded.
“Your husband Michael was killed almost a year ago.”
“My son was killed as well, Mr. Walker. It was 360 days ago.”
He gave a simple head nod. “I’m sorry. You’re right. That was inconsiderate.”
“How were they killed?”
My tears instantly dried up and anger replaced all emotion.
“You’re the Assistant Director of the FBI, you tell me.”
He cocked his chin upward. “Touché, Dr. Brice. Well, I assure you it wasn’t a drug deal gone bad. And I assure you he wasn’t involved in something criminal as you have been made to believe.”
I blew out the longest, deepest breath as for the first time I found relief in Michael’s death. “Thank you, “ I whispered to myself and maybe God. I just wasn’t sure He and I were on speaking terms again.
“We believe Michael had delivered some prescriptions a day or two before into a situation that he wasn’t to see…therefore making himself a witness. TJ was involved in that…and we believe that he either killed your husband himself or he had someone do it.”
I covered my ears as if that could prevent me from hearing the truth.
“The entire thing was set up once they knew Michael was going to be dressed as a policeman for Halloween. TJ set it up to make it look like he was shot on the roadside, and then he told you about the drugs. He covered himself fairly well.”
“TJ,” I said softly, thinking about him coming into my home that night and telling me the news. HOLDING ME! My stomach churned as I tried to catch my breath. I’d borrowed the damn uniform from TJ!
“Your son, Jack, was collateral damage to TJ.”
Fresh tears erupted knowing how senseless yet how premeditated it actually was.
“What is it that Michael saw that was worth killing him over?” I asked sniffing.
“Dr. Brice. What do you recall hearing once you got to the house and were put down into that hole underground?”
“Nothing. Just footsteps. Why?”
“Well. That is the part that is still under investigation. But TJ is involved in some other activity as well. There was a point in our investigation where we needed to make sure you weren’t involved. For certain reasons, we were also trying to protect you. We had reason to believe that TJ might try to take you.”
I shook my head in confusion and the damn woozy feeling was there again.
“Take me?”
He rolled his lips under and maintained steady eye contact but didn’t answer.
“Dr. Brice. I’d like to ask you about Agent Stroud.”
Agent Stroud… “Adam,” I corrected.
He cocked an eyebrow at my correction.
“Yes.” His tone was condescending. Immediately I took a disliking to Mr. Walker. “I am aware that you and Adam had formed a relationship. Was there at any time a period where he was inappropriate?”
Slowly, I twisted my neck to stare at the mirrored window again wondering if it would cost him his job if I ran my mouth…
“No,” I whispered, turning my attention back to the Assistant Director.
“Did he behave in a way that was unethical or unprofessional?”
This question pulled at the strings to my
heart—an unimaginable ache invaded my chest like an unwanted trespasser. I wanted it out. I wanted it gone. I wanted him.
“No.” My voice cracked and I tried to sit taller.
The asshole’s lips curled up in a sly grin. Fuck you!
“Mr. Walker. I’m not sure if you’re aware—but I spent nearly twenty-four hours in a dirt hole with poisonous spiders. I was in that hole with a concussion, a ruptured lung, broken rib and a fractured eye socket because someone that I trusted beat the shit out of me after he killed my husband and son. Now, somewhere along the line…I fell for one of your agents because I thought he was someone else. I’m crazy about the man I met, but sadly, he doesn’t exist. But honestly, if anyone is being unprofessional, it’s you Mr. Walker. Good bye.”
Staring him down with narrowed eyes, I stood, turned toward the mirrored glass and said, “The man I knew wasn’t a spineless coward.”
Chapter 23—Adam
Without thinking…I punched the fucking glass in front of me causing the entire window to jolt. Her head snapped back toward me and a telling smile crossed her face; it never touched her eyes.
I’m crazy about him… The words were like a mantra in my head. Walker was trying to fuck me over by going through her…hurting her.
“Adam. Don’t,” Miranda said from behind me. “You’re exhausted.”
My eyes never strayed from Anna as she stared back at the glass. They skidded over the deep purple bruises covering her face. And her wince, when she turned back around, didn’t go unnoticed.
I’d been punched, kicked, tazed and shot in my shoulder, and never had the pain been so searing…so agonizingly brutal as what it was right now as I watched her leave.
“Stroud. You’ve spent the last three days at the hospital. Go home. Take some time. Get some rest.”
The AD came through the door, and throwing all caution to the wind, I grabbed fistfuls of his white, starched shirt and popped him with my fist directly in the mouth. Blood spewed onto the wall first then dripped onto his pristine shirt.
“Fuck you for doing that to her!”
Hamilton trapped my arms to my sides in a giant bear hug as Miranda stepped between Walker and me.
“What’s the matter, Stroud? Still have a boner for the good doc?”
If Hamilton didn’t have me completely constricted, I’d have punched his sorry ass again.
Walker spit blood onto the carpet and eyeballed me. “I’ll let that punch go—only because I know you’ve never behaved in such a way before. But Stroud, you touch me again and you’re fired.”
Breaking free and brushing Hamilton off me, I started out the door.
“By the way Stroud, I get it. I do. Just looking at her, I wanted to fall a little deeper into those big brown eyes myself.”
Every single hair on my neck stood on end as both fists clenched again.
“Adam. Where you going?” Miranda asked.
“To see TJ.” I slammed the door behind me.
When the local PD brought him in to me, I signed the paper after requesting a room with no video. TJ’s hands were cuffed behind his back, and I really liked it that way.
“So. Human sex trafficking. Were your plans to sell her?” My lips pulled into a snarl.
TJ cocked his chin to the side, shaking his head.
“You can sit quiet all you want. Why do you think we were there? We knew you killed Michael and Jack, you dumbfuck. A baby…really?”
My fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly waiting for my opportunity.
“That stupid fucker grabbed Jack!” he spat out.
I backhanded him without a second thought.
“You killed her kid!” I gritted. “Then you graced her doorway with your presence and told her the news. Where do they grow scumbags like you?”
He chuckled. “Scumbags like me? You were sent to the town to what…watch her? Protect her? Fuck her?”
Casually laughing off his speculation I said, “You know what, TJ…when I do fuck her someday, I’ll be sure to make a visit to you in prison and give you a play by play since you’ll be tossing some guy’s salad.”
All he did was tilt his head to the side. “Wow, Stroud. Are you a fucking rookie? I watched you fuck her in your bed, at your house, from your window, from your porch.” Then he tilted his head the other way.
Before my conscience could get the best of me, I lunged across the table and forced his chair to tip over backward. I landed on top of him.
“AAAAHHHH!” he screamed, landing on his cuffed hands behind his back.
“That’s why you took her that night isn’t it, you crazy bastard?”
“Like I said to her…if she wanted to fuck other men, she’d go someplace where she was fucked all day and night long. Every. Single. Day.” he chuckled.
Grabbing fists full of his gray jumpsuit, I yanked him upright and cold cocked him without consideration of consequence.
“You’re gonna go down, TJ. Kidnapping, rape, trafficking…”
His head fell backward as he listened to my words. “I didn’t kidnap those women. You know that as well as I do.”
“Probably not. But you raped them. Repeatedly. And, you did kidnap the wrong woman. You took…the wrong woman.”
He ran his tongue over the split in his lip then swallowed the blood.
“And TJ. We’re not dumb. We know that you’re the middle guy. You’re not smart enough to be the leader. They kidnap. You hold ‘em. Then they sell them. But…if you’re willing to talk, I’m sure we are willing to make a deal.” I grinned.
“Bullshit. You’ll never let me go free.”
My grin widened by a mile. He was right. I knew I would never let him touch her again. I stood, brushing myself off.
“What have you got to lose?”
As I left him…the only thing on my mind…was what I had to lose. What I had already lost.
Chapter 24—TJ
When the heavy metal door clanged shut, I stood for a few minutes simply staring out the little 6 X 6 inch window in the door. Pain radiated through my wrist from where the fucking chair landed on it. If I ever saw the light of day…I would hunt Adam Stroud down and kill him. I had plenty of time to think about how I would do it and there was no doubt it would be a slow and torturous death.
As I lay down on the paper-thin mattress that stunk, the springs squeaked beneath it and I thought about the lives that had been taken by my hands.
Thinking back about that night…I never would have killed Jack. Bringing Anna back to life after that was nearly impossible. Seeing her face when I told her what had happened…knowing it happened at my hands. I rubbed my head wishing for the millionth time that it would have worked out differently.
When Michael brought the Ambien and Valium to me that night…I wasn’t prepared when the fucking bitch screamed out from the bedroom from where she was tied up. I’d sedated her enough to nearly kill her and yet she woke up somehow. Never, never did I keep the women at the city house…ever; and that particular night…Halloween…I got the call.
I heard voices outside the cell and a different door clanged shut. Halloween! Of all nights to get the call. So, I’d brought her to the house, sedated the shit out of her with what I had in stock and waited for Michael to bring me the prescription. The look on Michael’s face when he heard the scream… Instantly, I knew what I was going to do. I couldn’t chance him talking.
I slammed the cement cell wall with my already possibly broken and throbbing hand. Michael dressed like a police officer for Halloween and it couldn’t have been more perfect. When I pulled him over, he actually got out of the car to talk to me…laughing a little; but I could see in his eyes that he knew something was off which only concreted my plan.
It was when he spotted the silencer on the end of the gun that his eyes went wide; and he threw open Jacks door and pulled him into his chest. The act was honorable but stupid. I wouldn’t have killed the kid. I’m not a fucking monster. Besides, I thought the kid was ok. Outside
of Michael crying out his name…there was nothing. Not a single cry.
Scraping the build up of gunk off my teeth with my fingernail, I laughed out loud in my cell at how easy it was to explain to everyone what had happened. Threw in some heroin for good measure…a made up stop…left the bodies along side the road. Boom…the girl I’d fallen in love with years ago was mine for the taking.
Adam Stroud’s god damn, mother-fucking, model-perfect face flashed in my head. Anna’s face when he touched her. The thought of her tasting him…touching him. It wasn’t until the hair was in my hand that I realized I had pulled my fucking hair out because of him.
I hopped off the bed and glanced in the mirror, if that’s what it could be called. My reflection coming off the steel was fuzzy but the bald spots were visible. As I glanced around the cell for another way to hurt myself—I knew I needed to do anything I could to prove mental instability. The quicker I could get out of this fucking hellhole, the better. And the faster I’d be able to get back to Anna and kill Adam.
When the cell door opened, I spun around as a guard stepped in. Fuck.
“You have any concerns or questions about what you should or shouldn’t say?” he asked and I raised my brows.
“I’m not sure what you mean?” I said wanting to back step but I held my ground.
When his fist rocketed into my gut sending me to the ground, he bent next to me. “Belinsky needs to know that you stay quiet. In fact, if there is any question as to why you might not want to do that, I will fuck you in the ass with a chainsaw just for a simple reminder. You got that?”
I nodded from all fours still trying to catch my breath. His shoes were still next to me.
“Do we need to discuss this further?”
I shook my head and watched as his foot shot backward then blasted into my ribs. And as I lay there in agonizing pain, I heard the cell door clang shut and I knew he was gone.
Chapter 25—Anna
Halloween day…a year anniversary. Twelve months. Fifty-two weeks. Three-hundred-sixty-five days. I’d been through every holiday without Michael and Jack and yet now—I would be starting a new count down. One without Adam…
A Haunted Heart Page 9
