I pull my tie off and throw it on the floor. When she comes back with my drinks I take my phone from my pocket and drop it into the glass of water. “Sorry, Eli Walker cannot be reached at this time.”
The last thought that is my own is if I’ll ever find my way back, but more to the point, will I ever care to?
Chapter Forty-Six
Impossible Redemption
Carl
Standing in a storage unit at the port in Tampa, this is where all of the clues have led me. Bailey’s either really here or it’s a trap. I’m prepared for either. There’s a makeshift desk in the corner. I turn on the light to reveal a series of drawings and four or five notebooks similar to the ones that Trish gave me.
What is in those notebooks is disturbing to say the least, and I’ve seen a lot of fucked up shit in my time. I thumb through the top notebook; it contains various crime scenes, and all of them have happened, all of them have been blamed on Shay.
The second notebook depicts Shay in various states of undress with the final page being an image of her dead body. Each line is carefully drawn and illustrates, with precision, a series of cuts all over her body like when she was tortured. After reading his grand plan to get Glass framed for the kidnapping to eliminate him as a threat, I knew what had to be done. I know it now with even greater resolve after reading the caption on this page. “I’ll have her as my bride forever, unchanging, un-aging. I’ll preserve her skin and her youth, and then I will consume her heart, body and soul.”
To see what else is in the unit I angle the desk lamp upward to reveal a series of fluid-filled jars containing various organs. They are all labeled. “Lobster, Squid, Kevin, Cecil,” the list goes on.
I turn my attention back to the desk and pick up the pen that matches the rest of Shay’s pens. I shake my head at the horror of it all.
“Carl?” His voice sounds small coming from the front of the unit.
I turn around to see him pulling the door down behind them. “Bailey, you weren’t nearly as easy to find as I thought you’d be.”
“Well you’ve found me.” He walks past me to his desk, unaffected by my being here. There’s a resolution in his voice.
“Bailey, you have to stop this,” I warn. “We can get you help, we can help you stop this.”
“I knew you’d say that, but I have to tell you that I can’t. I’ve been deep in darkness for so long I don’t know that my soul could ever adjust to the light.” He sits in the chair and stares at his trophies on the shelf. “I don't want to get better, I don't want to give up this power.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you keep hurting her.” I take two steps toward him, but he’s not moving nor intimidated, which is a little unnerving.
“I love her, Carl; I love her as much as you do.” He tries to appeal to me.
“I love her like a daughter, very different from your obsession,” I point out and take two more steps.
“Have you even tasted her blood? Her flesh is delicious.” His eyes spark with anger. “You know nothing of our love.”
“I do, Bailey, I know why it exists. I know why you have this fascination and I know why it makes you dangerous.” I hold my position. I know this kid isn’t going to give me a choice.
He hangs his head, but not in shame; it’s almost as though he’s tired. “I was created to love her. I won't stop.”
“I know, Bailey, but I can help you. I can help you stop all of this.” My voice is metered and soothing. I’m trying to break into his mind.
“Can you make the pain go away of not having her as part of me? That’s not something you can make up, not something you can ignore.” He pleads with me.
“Yes, Bailey.” I break through his mental wall and see a series of horrific images of all the things he has planned for Shay. Her body in states of dismemberment, him performing sick sex acts with her postmortem.
He stands and takes a step toward me, then stops. “Can you make the pain stop?”
“I can, and I will.” In that moment I search his eyes one last time for any indication that he can be salvaged. That he will stop the killing, but I know he won't. I know that no jail will hold him, no distance can stop him. We’re close enough that I rest my hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me with a childlike expectation. I know what I must do, and I do not want to do it. The weight of the lifelong regret that I will live with is already heavy in my belly.
“I love her; I want her to be happy. Can you help me make her happy?”His eyes convey a message of darkness that will never subside in him. I know this, I feel it.
“Yes, Bailey.” I pause for a moment and ask him, “Have you read Of Mice and Men?”
He looks at me, confused. “Yes?”
“Good, then you’ll understand.” I slide the scalpel out of my pocket and jab it into his leg, severing his femoral artery; he won’t feel any real pain. “This will help.”
The look of shock, in his eyes will haunt me until I die. His gaze then conveys a sense of knowing before he stumbles backward in the chair as the life drains out of the hole I just put in his leg. He puts his hand over the wound but knows he doesn’t have long. The color drains from his face as he holds onto his last breath. In the last seconds of his life it’s as though he’s realized that this is what had to happen, that this was the culmination of his actions.
He opens his mouth to speak but is unable to make a sound. He mouths the words “Thank you.” And for the last split second of his life the humanity has returned to his eyes. Then he is gone.
I take two steps back and look down at the mess of blood on my hands. I wipe them on a rag and take my phone from my pocket.
I dial McNab. “You’ve got McNab—”
I cut him off. “It’s done.”
“What’s done? Carl? I need you here.” The pain and haunting of what I’ve done begins to seep from my pores.
“It is just done,” I say in monotone.
“Carl?”
To be continued…
INK: Sketches (Book 0 - Part 2)
Coming June 2014
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A Note from Bella
Bringing the INK Series to life has been an amazing journey for me and I’m so glad you decided to come along with me. I hope you have enjoyed delving into the lives of Shay, Aiden and Eli as much as I have.
There is so much more in store for our favorite characters including a special announcement about McNab coming soon. To stay current with all of my news and get the skinny first please join my mailing list. I promise I’ll only send email when I have big news and you’ll be the first to know. Sign Up here.
Also, please consider leaving an honest review for INK: Vanishing Point at your point of purchase and Goodreads. Reviews are often instrumental in helping other readers find stories they will enjoy. Reviews are also very important to indie authors; we really do listen and appreciate every review.
If you would like to keep up with me and my day to day madness I’m very active on Facebook & Twitter and would love for you to join the discussion!
Attending author/reader events is one of my favorite parts of being a writer. I’m in complete awe of my readers and getting to meet you face to face is incredibly exciting! To find out if I’ll be coming to a city near you please visit my event page. If there’s event near you that you would like me to attend please feel free to contact me via email ([email protected]) or Facebook.
Thank you again for taking the time to enter my madness! I hope you continue to enjoy reading the series as much as I’m enjoying writing it!
Book List
INK: Sketches (Book 0)
INK: Fine Lines (Book 1)
INK: Vanishing Point (Book 2)
INK: Abstraction (Book 3)
INK:
(TBA) Coming Fall 2014
Acknowledgements
To my readers, you amaze me beyond belief! So many of you have taken a chance on this new series and have given me such wonderful feedback. Getting to know so many of you through social media has been one of the best parts of writing for me. So thank you so much for all of your amazing support!
Thanks my amazing street team captain and number 1 cheerleader! She’s kept me going through the dark times. To “The Bros” who inspired and continue to encourage me and make me feel like the coolest old lady ever. To one of my dearest friends Chris Marks who is a pillar of strength when all else feels lost. To Ellen, we-are-one-body, who continues to cheer me on. To Misha, who never leaves my side, who still tolerates me running over her tail more times than I can count, Allison Hope who is just really freakin’ cool and has been so helpful.
Sarra Cannon who is an amazing inspiration to me. She has really helped me get my legs under me in an ever changing industry that's loaded with pitfalls. She's helped me avoid quite a few. I love and respect her as a friend, mother and writer! If you haven't yet read her books, you're missing out and really should look her up!
All of the amazing authors I’ve met over the last year online and in person at events. You guys ROCK!
Special thanks to an incredible lady who I will forever consider the “Waterer of Dreams” Addison Moore who unknowingly sent me my “sign” when disaster stopped me in my tracks. This book and any other book I ever write were made possible by her. Addison’s encouragement and support is what kept me going when all hope was lost. “Thank You” feels so insignificant in comparison to what you’ve done for me. You are an angel!
About the Author
Bella Roccaforte grew up near Cape Cod, Massachusetts where her brother, sister and wonderful nieces and nephews live, but has lived all over the country. She currently calls Atlanta, GA home with her husband, five children and her stalwart dog Misha.
She loves to answer emails and interact with readers! Contact her anytime [email protected].
For more information please visit her website.
BellaWrites.com
INK: Abstraction Page 29
