by Mary Abshire
“Some people are just evil, my friend.”
“That I can believe,” Kurt said as he rubbed his infant’s back.
Andrew hoped the investigation would lead them to believe Susan caused the baby’s death. In the long run it wouldn’t matter since he planned to kill her, but it would give Susan a bad reputation and image. Her death deserved to be cheered for, not mourned.
“They haven’t spoken to me since the first night after the death, but as you know, I’ve been gone a while,” Andrew said.
“Hey guys,” Susan said and they both turned to face her. “How’s it going?”
Kurt lowered the baby he’d been holding upright. The little girl had fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful and beautiful.
“I’d say someone got tired of hearing you talk,” Susan said to Kurt.
Neither he nor Andrew cracked a smile.
“I’m going to put this one back in her bed.” Kurt passed Susan with the infant, leaving Andrew to deal with Susan.
“Need any help?” she asked.
“No thanks. I’ve got this one taken care of.” He took the nipple from the babe’s tiny lips. The infant continued to move them as if he was still sucking, but he looked as if he were sleeping.
She crossed her arms. “I heard about your wife. How is she doing?”
Andrew tightened his grip on the bottle in his hand. The fake look of concern on her face infuriated him. He pressed his lips together, trying to remain calm. Surely he could put on an act better than any demon.
“She’s doing well. I think she was tired of seeing me, so she insisted I come back to work,” he said. “How are your kids doing?” A change of subject seemed appropriate.
“They’re fine. They’re home with their dad tonight. Brian and Sara had nice things to say about you. Brian keeps asking when he can visit again.”
“They’re welcome to come over. We don’t mind. Excuse me while I put this little one up,” he said before he walked away from her.
His body had started to tense as the ire built within him. He didn’t want to accidentally hurt the infant in his arm, so he needed to put him down in his little bed. His best option was to stay away from the demon as much as possible to avoid spontaneously punching her. He still needed to figure out how to kill her without getting caught.
Andrew lowered the babe into his bucket. The little guy’s lips continued to twitch. Andrew grinned at the cute baby before he walked away.
He stopped at the cabinets where the clipboard was lying on the counter. After checking the time, he jotted it down on the chart next to the baby’s name. He also noted the amount eaten. As he finished writing, his cell buzzed in his pocket. He put the pen down before he withdrew his phone. The screen displayed Emily’s name. His pulse jumped as he answered her call.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Emily said. “I thought I’d call to check on you. Are you busy?”
Kurt headed toward him. He held out his hand and directed his gaze at the clipboard. Andrew handed it to him and then mouthed “Carrie”. The pen fell onto the floor. Kurt nodded before he bent to get the pen.
Andrew strolled into the closet. “Just feeding babies and changing diapers at the moment.”
“That sounds not exciting.”
“You know what I’d rather be doing.” He turned to face the door so he could see if someone was nearby.
“I have a pretty good idea.”
“Oh really? Then you know I’d rather be mopping the floor right now.”
She chuckled. “Mop the floor?” Her laughter brought a smile to his face. “Maybe I don’t know you as well as I thought, which is fine. If that’s what you’d rather do, then who am I to stop you?”
“Well, you’re my wife. I’m sure you can think of some way to stop me.”
“Oh, I am sure I can too,” she said in a sexy tone that made his cock come alive.
“Maybe you can share your ideas with me after work.”
“I’ll make a list to have ready for you.”
He loved her sense of humor. Could he have met a better woman? Absolutely not.
“Are you behaving tonight while I’m not home with you?” he asked.
“I did some cleaning and I’ve been watching the house across from us. Mark is home with the kids. I’m guessing the demon is at work with you.”
“She is.”
Speak of the devil, or demon, Susan walked in the closet.
“Hey, can I call you back in a few minutes? I’ll see if I can go on my break,” he said.
“Yeah, that’s fine. No rush.”
“Love you, babe.”
“Love you back.”
He confirmed the call had ended before he slipped the cell back into his pocket. A sense of joy swam through him from hearing her voice. She sounded happy and playful. Even better, she’d said she loved him.
Susan collected a stack of diapers from a box. “Everything okay with the Mrs.?”
“She’s fine. Just checking in. I think I’ll go on break.” He walked out of the room before she could say anything else.
Andrew strode toward Kurt who was picking up a different baby from one of the little buckets. Although Andrew still had six hours to go in his shift, he doubted Kurt or anyone else would mind if he took his hour break early.
“Hey,” he said as he reached Kurt. “I’m going to take my break now.” He looked around the room and didn’t see a baby in need. “Think you can manage for a bit?”
“Yeah, no problem. See you in a bit.”
“Thanks, man.”
Andrew left the NICU and headed for the stairwell. The halls were empty given the early morning hour. He could’ve taken the elevator, but he chose the stairs for exercise. Since he hadn’t jogged or done much exercising over the last several days he felt guilty. He definitely needed to get back into a workout routine.
After he took the stairs, he strode into the cafeteria. A few doctors sat a table and three nurses were at another near the window, all sipping drinks and chatting. Andrew withdrew his phone as he headed to the back, the farthest point from everyone. Reaching a rectangular table, he dialed Emily’s number. He pulled back the chair to sit as the ring tone started. To his surprise, she answered immediately.
“Is she anywhere near you?”
Emily’s question stunned him. He decided to keep standing. “No, I’m in the cafeteria. Why?”
“There’s something going on. I went to use the bathroom and when I came back to check on her house, I saw an ambulance stopping at it. A police cruiser is now parked on the side of the street near the home. I can’t see much, but I saw the med tech guys and two cops walking inside the house.”
Andrew’s pulse kicked up a notch. “Did you see where they went?”
“I’m not seeing them downstairs, so I’m guessing they’re upstairs. Sara and Brian’s lights are on, but the curtains are covering the windows.”
Andrew lowered onto the chair. “This is strange. I just left the NICU and she seemed fine. She even smiled and was asking about you.”
“Something’s happened. I think I should walk over to the house and find out if Mark needs any kind of help with the kids.”
Worry pricked Andrew. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. The cops will think you’re a nosey neighbor.”
“If one of the kids is seriously hurt…”
He ran his hand over his head. The idea of one of them hurt bothered him too. The only way to know for sure would be for Emily to talk to Mark or one of the officers. “See if you can find out what’s going on. I’ll run back and check to see if Susan has heard from her husband.”
“If she acts normal, don’t tell her anything.”
“Why?”
“First of all, I don’t know what the hell is going on. You don’t want to get her panicky, if the demon can even do that. Secondly, if one of the kids is hurt, don’t you want to see how she responds when she finds out?”
“She’ll put
on an act.”
“Of course she will. If she doesn’t know anything yet, then Mark will probably call her soon.”
“Okay, check to see what’s going on, then call me back. I’ll go back to work and keep an eye on her.”
“Got it.”
He rose from his chair. “Be careful, Em. We don’t know much about Mark other than he doesn’t defend the kids against her.”
“I think he’s harmless. He’s a big wimp.”
“We can’t take any more risks. I’m okay with you going over there since there are other people there, but don’t stay long. I don’t want you alone with him.”
“Fine.” She sounded defiant.
“I want to hear back from you within an hour. If I don’t, I’m coming home.” He headed back the way he’d come in.
“I’ll be in touch, dad.”
“Is that how were going to play? I’ll be more than happy to come home and give you a spanking.”
“I bet you are. Maybe later. I’m heading over now.”
“Please be careful,” he said as he left the cafeteria.
“I will. Talk to you soon.”
He lowered the phone to see she’d ended the call. Anxious to return to work to check on the demon, he stopped at the elevator. It would get him back to his floor quicker since there weren’t any visitors using them. He hoped the kids were okay, but a bad feeling in his gut warned him they were likely the ones to have a problem requiring medical attention, not Mark. Andrew didn’t suspect him of foul play. It was Susan who had every intention of harming the kids. She already had. The fact she had her hair down and seemed more cheerful than normal added to his suspicion she’d done something. And since she was working, the police wouldn’t consider her a suspect right away. The demon had timed everything perfectly.
Anger ran through him, accelerating his heartbeat, as he rode the elevator. He wished he’d brought a tube of poison with him to work. All he needed was five to fifteen minutes alone with her in a closet or supply room. He could hide her body until he could get one of the big laundry carts. Then he could put her dead body inside one, cover her with linens, and wheel her to a room in the subbasement. Nobody would find her for a long time. His plan could work during a night shift when things were quiet and traffic in the hospital was low.
The elevator dinged and within seconds the doors slid apart. Andrew smiled as he strode onto the floor. He had a new plan and it would work. Confidence built within him. He hoped his next shift with the demon would be tomorrow so he could finally put an end to her evil.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Emily parked the Jeep near the end of the street leading to the demon’s house. She could’ve walked since she felt better, but the hour was after one in the morning. She didn’t want to draw too much attention from any neighbors who were awake or from the police. At the same time, she didn’t want to park too close to be in the way. She’d split the difference and had parked a few houses down, not too close and not too far away.
The breeze cooled her hands, one of the few parts of her body exposed, as she walked down the sidewalk. She’d thrown on sweatpants, sneakers, and a jean jacket to go with her t-shirt. She’d grabbed the jacket to hide the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra. Now she was glad she had the extra layer of clothing since the air felt chilly.
The neighborhood was quiet with most of the homes dark. Lights glowed in the darkness from the house next door to the demon’s home. The engines from the medical van and the police car hummed even though nobody was inside. Mark stood with his arms crossed outside by the door, talking to a cop who jotted in his notebook. Mark shifted his attention to Emily. The exterior lights helped her to see his distraught expression. A knot in Emily’s stomach tightened. Something had to have happened to one of the kids.
The cop saw Emily approaching up the driveway. He said something to Mark and the upset man nodded. The cop went inside the home. Mark pushed his glasses up as he wiped his eyes.
Emily strolled up to him near the door. “I saw the cars near your house and I got concerned. Is everything okay?”
“I went to feed Justine at Susan’s scheduled time. She wouldn’t move. I couldn’t feel her breathing or her heartbeat.” His voice cracked near the end.
A rush of anger flowed through Emily. The bitch managed to kill another baby. Emily tried to control her temper by clenching her fists. Now was not the time to spew bad words or release her ire.
“I’m so sorry, Mark. Are Sara and Brian okay?”
He looked away from her, inside the home. “They’re fine. I thought Justine was doing better. She’d been quiet lately. I guess I should’ve known something was wrong.”
The baby had been adopted, but clearly he still cared very much about her. Emily felt sad for him, but at the same time she was mad. He’d seen Susan beat the kids and had done nothing. He should’ve protected the kids.
She put her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
She slid her hand away. “I hate to ask, but do the EMTs think she died in her sleep?”
“They uh…” He cleared his throat. “They think she’s been dead for a little while. They have to do an autopsy to determine cause of death.”
Emily put her hands inside the pockets of her jacket. “Hopefully they will find out what killed her.” She figured it was a drug overdose or poison, probably the same drug that had almost killed Emily.
“The police asked me questions about the mark on Sara’s arm and a couple of bruises on Brian.”
The news gave Emily a touch of hope. If the police suspected abuse in the house, maybe they could take the kids away.
“What did you tell them?” she asked.
“I told them the marks were an accident. My wife got upset and she sometimes forgets her own strength. She didn’t mean to hurt them.”
Emily bit her tongue from saying something mean or hurtful. He had to be blind. How could he think such a thing? Why was he protecting her?
“They’re good kids, Mark. When Spencer and I watched them, they were well mannered and quiet. We didn’t have a single issue with them. What have they ever done to be punished so harshly?” The question slipped from her.
His lip quivered and he shook his head. “They’re always good with me. Always. I don’t know why she gets so upset with them.”
If Mark suspected his wife might be abusing the kids, then maybe he would start defending them. Emily couldn’t resist encouraging him.
“Kids are young and defenseless. They look up to adults for love and protection. If they are harmed verbally or physically from the ones they think will protect them, how do you think that makes them feel?”
His eyes widened and he swallowed hard.
“I’m not suggesting anything, Mark. All I’m saying is that kids need help and guidance. Hurting them verbally or physically is not the way to mold them into a responsible people. They need discipline, but there’s a way to do it without leaving marks or tearing down a child. If you think for a second your wife should stop whatever she’s doing, then stop her. You are a parent too.”
He lowered his gaze briefly before he directed it back into his home. “She has a bad temper. Sometimes she lets it get out of hand.”
“Then you need to stop her before that happens.” Frustration blossomed within Emily. The man seemed to be missing a set of balls to deal with Susan. “Have you tried talking to her?”
“She doesn’t listen to me.”
“Then you need to make some choices. Take the kids away if you need to figure out what to do. If you want me and Spencer to watch them for a while, we can. But don’t let her continue to beat them down. Sara and Brian look up to you. They need your help.”
Ideas were popping into Emily’s head. If she could convince him to get the kids to stay somewhere, then Susan would be alone in the house at some point. Andrew might have a chance to kill her with the kids gone. Even if she had to watch them for a while, she would
so he could destroy the demon.
Mark inhaled a shaky breath. Fear lurked in his eyes. “I don’t want to lose her.”
Love was a powerful emotion. Emily understood that, but life was more precious. And saving lives took a higher priority over love.
Emily took a step closer to him. “If she loved you, she’d listen to you. If she loved the kids, she wouldn’t hurt them. If you love the kids, then protect them. Take them out of the equation and talk to her. At least try.”
Mark stared at her with his lips pressed together. She sensed he was weak emotionally and she hoped her words would give him something to consider.
Movement inside the home collected their attention. Medical technicians appeared from the staircase with a gurney. A black bag half the size of an adult was strapped to the gurney. Seeing the bag gave Emily a chill. The cops and EMT guys started heading for the front door.
Emily stepped to Mark’s side. “I should get going. I hope you think about what I said.”
Mark nodded. “Thank you.”
“I’m happy to watch the kids anytime,” she said as a cop opened the door.
“I’ll let you know,” Mark said, his attention on the gurney heading toward him.
Emily began crossing the lawn. She didn’t want to watch them taking a dead baby away. Had Mark stood up to his wife, perhaps the baby would be alive now. If Andrew had destroyed the demon sooner, another life would’ve been saved. Bottom line, Justine’s death could’ve been prevented.
Determination fueled Emily’s steps as she headed back to her Jeep. One way or another, Andrew had to kill Susan soon. She hoped he had a plan because she was willing to do whatever it would take for him to destroy the demon. She loved Andrew, but she couldn’t handle seeing another child hurt or killed. If she had to expose herself for him to finish his task, then so be it. If the police caught up with her, at least he could move on and complete the terms of his sentence. At this point, she would do anything for him to take down the demon once and for all.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Andrew sat at the workstation, typing his notes for his last report. Carol sat behind him at another desk and was talking to one of the doctors, a female one named Nandini, Nandi for short. Kurt had left two hours ago. Carol and a newly hired nurse named Pat had arrived to replace Kurt and soon Andrew. He glimpsed at the time on the monitor as he had so many times over the last hour. The time showed he had a little over five minutes left on his shift. He tried to hurry to finish his report, but his fingers weren’t moving fast enough.
