Kathryn's Justice

by Marianne Spitzer

  “You need to deal with her. If we’re going to make it, she can’t do this again.”

  “If, you said if, don’t you mean when?” Nick stammered.

  Kathryn shook her head. “I mean ‘if.’ We have a lot to work through and rebuild the trust we had in each other.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” he mumbled.

  “I’m not sure you trust me. You watched me, followed me, and practically stalked me. You accused me of sleeping with Joey Coyle. Nick, you should know that if I were the type to sleep around, I sure wouldn’t have picked Joey. He and I are friends now only because he was there for me, and I helped him get his job back. It was never physical and never will be that way. Your turn.”

  “I saw you accidentally the morning you slept on Coyle’s couch and it drove me over the edge. My anger and frustration grew, and I let it all out that day in the cafeteria and then I punched Joey after you called me out. I thought my life was over if you went to Human Resources and I blamed Coyle.” He shrugged.

  “I think you should know that hospital security wanted to call the police and have him press charges, but Joey refused. He knew you were hurting.”

  “Really? Coyle has changed. So where do we go from here?”

  “Not back to square one because I’m still in love with you, but we have to take time to rebuild the trust and see if we can do it. I still will not allow your mom to walk over me. If you don’t think you can stand up to her and stand by my side, we’re over here and now. That is the most important thing. I can’t go through that again. I’ll be polite to her, but she can’t hurt me that way again.”

  “I understand. I’ll try.”

  “You need to do more than try. We talked about always. We talked about forever. We can’t have forever because that means marriage and kids. If your mom is going to keep putting me down, we’ll break up at some point. She can’t do that in front of Connor and Leah or any kids we might have. Think about this before you decide you want to try again.”

  “I’m still in love with you. I meant always and forever. I don’t know what to do without you in my life. Of course, I want to try again.” He gave her that endearing puppy dog look.

  “Well, then we can start with dinner tomorrow evening.”

  “Tomorrow evening? Not tonight? You want me to go home?”

  “Part of me wants you to stay, but if you do, we won’t go through the rebuilding process. I think that’s important. You also need to let your mom know we’re dating. If she’s going to make you more miserable than you can handle, you should find that out now. Mac told me he had a difficult mother-in-law, and I need to be sure I love you more than your mom can hurt me. I do. I love you more than I ever thought possible. I need to be certain you love me enough not to let her come between us.”

  “Okay, we’ll go slowly to start, but can I hold you now? I need to hold you to be sure this is real. I love you Kathryn. I always will and I will make that clear to mom. A husband is supposed to protect his wife from any and all danger. I want us to make it through this, and that is my goal. I want to wait for you at the front of the church aisle on our wedding day.”

  Tears ran down her cheeks as she nodded. Nick scooted over next to her and wrapped her in his arms. Kathryn felt as if she were home, but she knew this was only the first step back.

  ~ * ~

  The next three weeks flew by faster than Kathryn expected. She and Nick dated nearly every evening he didn’t have class. They spent most weekend days together. She helped him study, and they discussed the future. They had dinner with Nicklynd and Brenda at a nice family restaurant. Brenda was civil, and that was all Kathryn expected at the moment.

  After dinner, Nick drove Kathryn home. He told her, “I had a heart to heart talk with my folks. I told them I’m in love with you, and we’ll get married one day after I finish school. My mom’s face began to turn an odd shade of red, but before she could speak, I told her that we were a couple. She needed to accept us that way or not at all. I made sure she knew I loved her, but she needed to understand I love you, too.”

  “Oh my,” Kathryn answered. “How did she take it?”

  Nick laughed. “She was typical mom. She smiled and said ‘whatever.’ Then she brought up the hospital charity ball.”

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “Indifferent for mom so I told her I already asked you to marry me and we were making plans. She has to accept you or I won’t invite her.”

  “Nick you didn’t? We aren’t discussing marriage plans. We aren’t engaged. We haven’t discussed engagements much less wedding plans. Your mom will hate me.” She covered her face with her hands.

  “No, she won’t. I know mom, and it worked. She was quiet and then told me to ask you not to pick green as a wedding color because she doesn’t look good in any shade of green and wouldn’t know what to wear.” He laughed again. “It was a backhanded acceptance. That’s what dad said.”

  “Well, things have come a long way. I think we might make it through this.” She smiled at him.

  “Does that mean I can spend the night? I miss you terribly.”

  It was Tuesday evening. Kathryn had her last execution planned for Thursday evening. Her mind searched for the best answer. Her knee was healed and life could get back to normal.

  She reached for his hand and said, “That sounds wonderful. Why don’t we order in pizza or food from Manuel’s’ Friday night and discuss it more completely.”

  He sighed and agreed. “Okay, I’ll bring food. You buy dessert and whipped cream.”

  They both laughed, and she whispered, “Oh my God, don’t ever mention whipped cream in front of your mom. I will crack up, and she’ll think we did things we didn’t.”

  He winked at her and then pulled her in for a long, deep kiss. “Sorry, we were supposed to go slow, but that kiss needs to last me until Friday.”

  “That one may last you, but I need one to last me.” She leaned closer and they kissed again longer and both pulled apart nearly out of breath.

  Nick grinned. “You better get out of the car and go in before I don’t let you leave.”

  Her hand hesitated before she opened the car door and said, “Don’t tempt me.” She blew him a kiss and ran up to her front door.

  Inside her house, she leaned against the door and caught her breath. She murmured, “I love him more now than before. How is that possible?” She pulled out her phone to call Pam for sisterly advice.

  ~ * ~

  Kathryn sat with Karla in the cafeteria for lunch. She and Nick had decided to avoid each other at work to keep the gossip mills quiet.

  Kathryn confided her hopes and fears with her best friend. Karla told her almost the same thing Pam did.

  “If it’s meant to be, it will be,” Karla said as she sipped her lime green smoothie.

  “That’s what Pam said. I’ll take it one day at a time, but I’m not sure about the nights.” Kathryn smiled. “What awful thing did you put in that smoothie to get that color this time?”

  “It’s all fruit. Banana, pineapple, kiwi, and lime, of course. Want some?”

  Kathryn shrugged and tried a sip. “This one is good.”

  Karla nodded. “Next time I make one, I’ll bring one for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Joey Coyle’s voice broke into their conversation. “Hi ladies,” he said as he dropped into a chair at their table.

  “Hi, Joey,” Kathryn said. “I’m surprised to see you here on first shift.”

  Karla sipped her smoothie watching him with suspicious eyes.

  “Thanks to you, Kathryn, and the letters, Bronden was impressed by my old-fashioned sincerity and way of apologizing. She is giving me one first shift day a week to see if things work out. I have promised not to hit on hospital personnel so it’ll be good. Gotta run.” He left as fast as he appeared.

  “Was that the same Joey Coyle or an updated clone?” Karla asked.

  “He’s a changed man,” Kathryn answered.

  ~
* ~

  Kathryn planned on spending a quiet evening at home. Pam’s near hysterical phone call changed her plans.

  “Pam, tell me what’s wrong. Please stop crying. I can’t understand you. Is it Rob?” Fear gripped Kathryn’s chest as she waited for her sister to calm down enough to speak.

  “No,” Pam managed to say between tears. “Someone tried to kidnap a child from the playground where I take Connor and Leah. It’ll be on the news. A few people chased him, and he dropped the child. Thank God, the child is safe. What’s happening to our world? I can’t wait for Rob to get home. I’ll feel safer.”

  Kathryn answered, “I can come and spend the night. It might help you feel safer.”

  “That’s okay. Grace heard the news report, and she’s sending Roger over to pick us up. They promised Rob to do everything they could to care for me and the kids. Grace is terrified.” Pam tried to stop her tears and explain. “I need to let them be close to the kids tonight.”

  “I understand. Call me if you need me. Love you. Hug the kids,” Kathryn said before she hung up the phone.

  She sat crossed legged on the sofa and turned on the local news. The attempted kidnapping was the top story. The obnoxious reporter that bothered her at the morgue reported the story. This time she appeared softer and more concerned.

  Her voice calm, but determined flowed from the TV. “This afternoon at approximately three, a jogger veered off the normal jogging path and seemed to take a short cut through the playground. However, on his way through, he stooped and grabbed a three-year-old girl. Two adults began chasing him as he headed for a path in the woods and he dropped the child before entering the woods. A thorough search didn’t reveal any clues. We have rough, amateur cell phone video. Perhaps one of our viewers might recognize the male.”

  Kathryn sat and stared at the screen. She rewound the video and watched again. The third time she watched she stammered aloud, “That’s Justin Creswell. He’s wearing his old high school baseball jacket and cap, but that bit of red hair is a dead giveaway. He lived next door. We dated in high school. I went to the prom with him. I’d know him anywhere. I can’t believe he did this. Sure he was a little weird, but so was I and most kids. Maybe I should have believed Amy when she told me she saw him kill a cat. What was he going to do to that precious little girl?”

  She dropped her head in her hands and cried. Her thoughts drifted from high school to the present. “What should I do? I could call Detective Wayne. Would I draw too much attention to myself as just an identifying witness? I can’t be the only one to recognize him. They’ll arrest him by morning. If he isn’t by tomorrow evening, I could execute him after Derek. Would that be a good idea?”

  Kathryn mulled over her choices as she prepared dinner.

  She spoke to Pam before bed. Pam had watched the news and saw the video. Pam didn’t mention Justin. Kathryn assumed she didn’t remember him as a teen because she was away at college when Kathryn dated him.

  The late news showed the same video and the reporter stated she had not received any new information from the police.

  Kathryn mused, “Either the police have an idea and are putting together a case, or they’re stumped. Someone has to stop Justin. It might have to be me.”

  She turned off her light and tried to sleep while thoughts of what to do plagued her.

  Chapter twenty-five

  Kathryn heated two frozen waffles in the toaster and sat on the couch to eat and watch the early news. The morning anchor reported they did not have any new information about the previous day’s attempted abduction.

  Kathryn frowned.

  Her mind still conflicted; she hadn’t decided whether or not to address the situation.

  The quiet day at work did little to help her come to a decision. She had too much time to think. Each idea and scenario played out in her mind.

  Justin lived in the garage apartment at his parent’s home. The house was next door to where she and Pam grew up. She was familiar with the neighborhood. Getting in and out wouldn’t be a problem. She could visit Justin as herself. No pretenses or false persona. After Derek’s execution, Shelly would no longer exist. Could she execute Justin as herself? Her thoughts eventually gave her a headache. Two aspirin and lunch helped.

  During lunch, she came to the conclusion that she needed to keep as far away from the executions as possible. That meant she wouldn’t call Detective Wayne. She would execute Justin since the police haven’t arrested him. It was her only choice. That decision helped ease her mind a bit.

  While the decision gave her clarity about what she needed to do, it also brought her doubt. Would she be able to pull the trigger when it was time? If he looked at her with the green eyes she remembered, could she pull the trigger? How many times had she looked into those eyes before he kissed her? They held hands walking to school, snuggled at the movies, and she nearly lost her virginity to him on prom night. Feeling her neck tighten and pressure in her temples, she forced herself to stop thinking about the situation. She did not need another headache.

  ~ * ~

  Kathryn sat in front of her TV watching the evening news with a bottle of water and a microwaved turkey dinner. Absent mindedly stirring the mashed potatoes as she listened to the anchor repeat what she heard before, she groaned when he said, “No arrests or suspects have been picked up in the attempted kidnapping of a local child.”

  She blew on the forkful of potatoes before she slid the fork between her lips. Kathryn shook her head back and forth as she listened and continued to eat.

  She thought, “I don’t understand why the police haven’t picked him up. Someone else must have recognized Justin. Could they be watching him? If they are and they catch me, what will happen? After Derek’s execution, I’ll check out the neighborhood closely. I grew up there. I should be able to spot any surveillance.”

  Satisfied she had covered all her bases, Kathryn cleaned up her dinner dishes and dressed for her evening.

  Justin’s house was mid-way between her home and Derek’s apartment. She drove past out of curiosity and a sense of need to be sure this is the course of action she was going to take. The house was dark, but she saw lights in the garage apartment. She hoped he would still be home on her return trip.

  Derek lived in a larger apartment building than the other men. His building was part of a six building complex. She chose a spot on the street a half block away rather than the visitor parking area near the complex. A brisk walk cleared her head and readied her for whatever might happen. She was on guard for any situation after the two violent encounters.

  Derek served time for statutory rape. His victim denied their relationship, and he swore he didn’t know her age. A paternity test proved he was the father of her unborn child, and he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge to save the pregnant girl the stress of a trial. He was under suspicion in a neighboring state for serial rape. Two of his alleged victims couldn’t positively identify him, and two were dead. One by her own hand and the second from the beating she endured. Kathryn knew that the odds of him reoffending before they could find sufficient evidence was high. His execution would end the worry and bring closure to the victims.

  Kathryn knocked on apartment number fourteen, and Derek answered. He looked older than his forty plus years. She smiled and slipped into her Shelly persona and asked for a donation.

  He smiled at her, and her skin crawled. She walked in and closed the door behind her after his invitation to wait inside while he looked for change.

  As he approached her with a hand full of change, her throat tightened, and fear gripped her. She was face to face with a convicted rapist, and they were alone.

  She coughed, and her voice squeaked. “Could I have a glass of water, please? It’s been a long day.”

  “Sure my dear, have a seat and rest a bit.” He smiled and turned to walk to the kitchen.

  Kathryn’s view of the kitchen was ideal.

  Derek pulled a few ice cubes from the freezer and began to fil
l the glass at the sink. “Hope you don’t mind tap water. I’m out of bottled water.”

  “Tap water is fine,” she called from the living room.

  He turned to finish filling the glass. Kathryn pulled the gun and shot. One quick shot to the temple before Derek knew she pulled the gun. He fell to the floor. The sound of breaking glass and clinking ice cubes filled the small apartment.

  A quick check to be sure he was dead and Kathryn left the apartment. There were too many apartments in the building for her to stick around for long. The street lights were far apart in the neighborhood, and she didn’t see anyone on her dark walk back to her car. She drove down the street knowing Derek had been her last stranger execution.

  Justin was a friend or was in her youth. Kathryn knew what she needed to do, but prayed she was making the right decision.

  Kathryn’s apprehension grew as she approached the street where she grew up, and Justin lived. She felt a shiver crawl down her spine. Not sure what bothered her, she drove around the block and approached the house from the opposite direction. Kathryn knew most of the people that lived on the block. She visited two elderly former neighbors at least once a month. Something felt off about the street. Kathryn noticed a late model dark sedan and a van parked across the street from Justin's house. Neither vehicle parked close enough to draw suspicion, but they didn’t look as if they belonged in the neighborhood. A second shiver inched down her spine and Kathryn decided she couldn’t face Justin. The odd feeling that surrounded her was one she couldn’t explain, but she knew she needed to drive away and head home. She’d call the anonymous crime line in the morning from a phone at work.

  Pulling into her garage and feeling safe as she heard the door close behind her car, Kathryn knew she had made the right decision. Derek was her last execution. She’d quit, retire, or whatever the proper term for ending the executions was and put it all in her past.