Visions Of The Past

by Elizabeth Mahood

  “Because no matter what he did Ellie, he is still your father. I imagine you always had some sort of hope that he would change.” Cade said, kissing her temple. They sat in silence for a little while longer.

  “I would like to start going back to church, just not here. I don’t think I can ever come back.” She said, more tears flowing. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and take away the pain but he couldn’t. It was something she was going to have to work through herself, but he would damn well support her the best he could.

  “We can do that. We will find a place together. Maybe in a different town where no one knows you are Pastor Ridley’s daughter, only Ellie.” He said, squeezing her close again. She nodded.

  “I’d like that.” She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and then stood. “Let’s get out of here.” She said, turning to look at him. He stood and followed her out of the church. A few days later, Ellie had called him and asked him to meet her out at the cabin so he had stopped to get some Chinese from the little place in town for lunch. He had a lot of information to share with her and he couldn’t wait to tell her everything that he knew.

  Chief Deputy Hank Rogers had been convicted of evidence tampering, conspiring to trafficking, obstruction of justice and many other things. He would not be getting his retirement and he was on suicide watch out at McNaughton Correctional facility. Mrs. Beemer had gotten probation after pleading a deal. She gave up the names of the informants who directed the girls to the shelter. She was fired at the Executive Director of the shelter and forced to retire. Mr. Beemer was convicted of being second in command for a trafficking ring, assault, conspiracy to commit a crime and 3rd degree homicide of over 20 women. Cade doubted they would be able to convict him of any or all of the murders based on lack of evidence on the bodies but given the other crimes, Cade figured he wouldn’t see the light of day for the rest of his life. Ellie’s father plead guilty to party to a crime, obstruction of justice and assault of the trafficking victims. The girls who had been brought through to be bought at the same time as Ellie had all confessed that Pastor Thomas Ridley, beat them daily to get them to conform. He admitted that he had a fetish for it and he needed to pay for his sins.

  Cade felt he needed to pay for a lot more than that, especially the way he had treated Ellie but Cade was just glad that for once in Ellie’s life, she would be free of her father’s control. Mrs. Edith Dingle had been the one poisoning Greta Ridley. They had tea together every Wednesday and Greta had discovered the conspiracy. It was all in Greta’s journals and Ellie had been over joyed when they had been returned. Edith had been trafficked when she had been 14 years old and had never escaped from the clutches of her captures. Eventually, she had been brain washed into believing what she was doing was right and she took over when the leader of the group she was in was killed. The theory was that Edith killed the last madame off to take her place. No one would ever know. The sweet Mrs. Dingle from the high school had fooled everyone in town except Greta Ridley.

  Cade pulled up to the cabin and Ellie’s rental car was gone. Cade got out, went to the door and knocked.

  “Ellie, I brought provisions!!!” He said knocking again. A small amount of fear snaked through him.

  Jeff England had gotten away and an APB for him had been sent out. He had been placed on the Federal alert list and was on the local Red Flag list as a violent offender. Cade turned the knob and the door opened.

  “Ellie!!” He called out. He sat the food on the counter and walked around. She wasn’t in the house. Maybe she had walked into the wood but he didn’t think so considering it was winter. There was 3 feet of snow on the ground and she wasn’t really a woodsy person. Then he saw the note pinned to the refrigerator.

  “Dear Cade. I’m sorry but I changed my mind. I just can’t be what you want. I am not a country girl. The city is where I belong. I know this will hurt you but I have to go back. I will always love you.”

  Ellie.

  P.S. Remember the deer blind.

  He couldn’t breathe. This had to be a mistake. Why would she call and ask him to come here if she was going to be gone?

  “Fuck Ellie.” His heart was beating out of its chest. He walked back out to his car and climbed in. He started the car and pulled out of the driveway. This was why he was a loner. He should never have gotten involved knowing she would leave eventually, but he had thought their relationship had been stronger. He had been wrong. He wanted to scream, he wanted to punch something. The only thing he could think to do was go to the one place that calmed him down. He drove up to his parents now shell of a home. His heart ached. This had been his childhood home, everything and everyone he had ever loved had been a part of it. Now it was gone, his parents were moving to Florida and he was alone.

  The walked the path out near the edge of the woods and stood beneath the deer blind. He looked beyond into the woods and thought about everything that had transpired. He wished he would have never pulled Elinora Ridley out of that hole. That was a lie, he was glad. His heart ached for her as he climbed into the blind and threw himself into the corner. He put his head in his hands.

  “Why Ellie?” He said. “Cade, help me.” He heard in his mind. He took his hands down from his face and looked around confused. He was hearing voices in his damn head. “Cade, Please.” He stood up and hit his head.

  “Ow, FUCK!!!” He screamed, rubbing his head. Then he stopped. He pulled the note out of his pocket and read it again.

  “P.S. remember the deer blind.” The deer blind. What was she trying to tell him? That night she had come here scared because someone had thrown bricks through her window. It turned out to be Darius Taylor, who had also smashed in his friend’s head and left the blood on her wall at the hotel. What else besides their incredible first time…her first time since…Terrance Jones, he said to himself. He pulled out his phone.

  “Agent Hardy. What’s up Sheriff? Need our help again?” He chuckled.

  “Actually, I just might. Ellie left but I don’t think she left on her own.” Cade said quickly filling Agent Hardy in on the Terrance Jones case.

  “Shit, ok. I have a contact out there. Let me give them a call to find out if he is still pinging on his ankle monitor. I’ll ask them to send Seattle PD to her apartment.” Agent Hardy stated. Cade closed his eyes.

  “Fuck, if he has her, she is in deep trouble.” Cade stated. He climbed down the deer stand and bolted to his car.

  “What are you going to do?” Hardy asked. Cade climbed in his car and backed out of the driveway.

  “I’m going to Seattle.”

  ✽✽✽

  Ellie woke with a start. Her head hurt like hell and her ribs which were still broken throbbed and she couldn’t breathe. The last thing she remembered was waiting for Cade at the cabin. They were going to work on it together and she was going to tell him about her job. The ASAC of the FBI office in Seattle had added her as a consultant for the FBI full time. It didn’t matter where she lived, if they needed her, she would get called in and work the case. She couldn’t wait to tell him. She didn’t need the money so she would only get paid when they had something for her to profile but it didn’t matter. She would set up a practice in Badger Falls and leave when they needed her. She heard the door and had thought he had arrived but when she opened the door, it was Terrance. How the hell had he gotten out of Seattle and no one detected him? His ankle monitor was gone and he was on her door step. She tried to scream and stepped back but he was quicker.

  “You thought a little thing like an ankle bracelet was going to stop me from getting to you? Your buddy Karen, she held out as long as she could but after a while she was singing like a bird. Too bad her boyfriend is going to find her in your apartment all fucked up and dead.” He said grabbing her and pinning her up against the counter. A sob left her throat. Poor Karen. If he really did kill her, it was her fault. She had put Karen in that position.

  “Why, why do you hate me so much?” Ellie said, pain searing through her ribs as he
leaned into her.

  “I didn’t finish what I started.” He slapped a hand over her mouth with a rag and a putrid scent hit her nostrils before everything went blank.

  Now here she was in what she thought was the trunk of a car. She was freezing and the she felt nauseated. Her ribs were throbbing and her head didn’t feel much better. She hoped Cade caught the message in her note. She hadn’t wanted to write it and she cried as she did. Terrance had punched her in the stomach causing her to throw up. She wondered what he was thinking and if he was out of his mind. She had tried to reach out with her mind to see if she could feel his energy but she wasn’t sure with her concussion if her mind was even working like that. For some reason, she relaxed and tried to concentrate on where they might be. She must have dozed off because she felt the car come to stop, the slamming of a car door and footsteps nearing the back of the car. Her muscles ached, her ribs throbbed and she knew she didn’t have the energy to fight him at the moment. She would have to just play along until she could come up with a plan. The trunk flew open and Terrance stood above her with a menacing look.

  “Welcome back to Seattle Nora!! Now we can finish what we started. Did you think you could leave so easily?” He stated, reaching in and pulling her from the trunk. It was dark and she could smell the salt from the sound.

  “Seattle?” She asked, knowing what he was going to say. He didn’t answer but drug her towards her apartment building. Her hands were tied behind her back and she wondered if he knew that there were camera’s in the building including the elevator. “What happened to your ankle monitor?” Ellie asked, trying to get him talking.

  “Hah, that thing? I have friends in law enforcement you know. A few smiles and my charming personality and that thing came right off. I threw it in the sound and the cops have been falling all over themselves trying to track me down. Of course, I had to leave them something to do to get them off my scent.” He chuckled to himself. Ellie felt sick. She didn’t want to know what he had left for them to discover. She hoped it wasn’t Karen’s body.

  “What did you do to Agent Walters?” Ellie asked. She felt her stomach roll thinking about her friend.

  “Oh…” He said as they reached her apartment. He unlocked the door with the key he had obviously stolen from Karen. He swung the door open and in the middle of the room, strung up from the tall ceiling, was Karen. Her eyes bulged, tongue protruded and she had released her bowels onto the floor. Ellie turned away and threw up. Terrance laughed. Ellie couldn’t catch her breath.

  “Say Hello to your friend.” He said menacingly, grabbing her by the neck and turning her around. Ellie didn’t want to look but he pulled her head back by her hair, forcing her to look up. Karen had been beaten, she was naked and dried blood ran between her legs. Tears ran down Ellie’s face as she said a prayer for her friend, asking for forgiveness for bringing her into her mess.

  “Move.” Terrance said, pushing Ellie forward toward her bedroom. Ellie tripped and landed on her hands and knees. Terrance grabbed her, hauled her to her feet and shoved her forward.

  They moved into her bedroom and he whipped her around.

  “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” Terrance stated in a low evil voice. He reached out and ripped her shirt open, revealing Ellie’s pink lace bra. He moved in closer and just he was about to touch Ellie caught movement out of the corner of her eye and Cade strode out of her bathroom, gun in hand pointed straight at Terrance’s head.

  “Touch her and I will fucking put a bullet in your head.” Cade stated, anger oozing out of him. He flicked his eyes to Ellie and reached out his other hand to her. “Come here.” He said, flicking his eyes back to Terrance. Ellie put her hand in Cade’s and the warmth and energy from his touch had her flying into his arms. He pulled her close to him as Terrance turned around slowly with his hands raised.

  “This must be the boyfriend.” He said quietly. Cade pushed her behind him.

  “Put your hands on your head and lay down on the ground.” Cade stated.

  “I’ll be out in a few years Nora. I’ll see you then.” Terrance said as he tried to pull away from the officers who had come in behind them. Ellie shook her head.

  “You killed a federal agent. You won’t be getting out this time Terrance. No matter how much you flirt or how much you fake being cured, you are never getting out, ever.” She said. They hauled him out of the room but a loud noise echoed from the hallway.

  “Stay here.” Cade stated as he bolted from her room. She waited for what seemed an eternity until she heard footsteps approaching. Cade appeared in her bedroom doorway looking grim.

  “He disappeared. Both cops are down, shot to death. We have cops searching the building. He’s probably hiding in someone’s apartment.” Cade said. Fear snaked through Ellie.

  “He won’t get caught. He’s too good. I will have to always look over my shoulder.” She said. Cade pulled her to him.

  “He won’t get to you. I promise.” He said kissing the top of her head. “Ellie, I thought I lost you.” He said in her hair and he hugged her close. She sobbed into his neck.

  “I’m sorry Cade. I didn’t want to go with him.” She said on a sob. He rubbed her back and kissed her hair.

  “I know baby, I know. I got your message.” He said, pulling back and placing his lips on hers. The kiss intensified. Ellie finally pulled back and looked over Cade’s shoulder towards the living room.

  “Karen, she was only protecting me. I asked her to stay here so he would think I was here. I never thought he would be able to get away or be dumb enough to hurt her. I don’t understand what happened. It’s my fault.” Ellie cried. Cade hugged her close again.

  “Shhh…it’s ok. It’s not your fault Ellie. She knew what she was signing up for. I’m sorry your friend is dead and that he tortured her to get your information but you are alive and I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.” Cade stated. Ellie couldn’t walk back out there and see her friend like she had.

  “Will you stay in here with me until…” She couldn’t finish the sentence but looked past Cade again.

  “Of course, honey.” He filled her in on all the updates from the case and they cuddled in the large arm chair that was in her room. When the ME and the crime scene techs left, he helped her pack a bag of her stuff and left for a hotel. She couldn’t stay in the place her friend had been killed. The apartment no longer held any appeal for her. Once settled at Cade’s hotel, they showered, went for dinner and when they got back to the hotel, they settled in for the night.

  “Cade, you…you came for me.” Ellie said quietly as they kissed and touched. Cade was between her legs, kissing her neck, her face and her lips. He hadn’t stopped touching her since he had rescued her.

  “I will always come for you Ellie. I…I felt you.” He said, pulling back and looking at her. He didn’t look like he was comfortable saying that but she understood.

  “I hoped you would. I wasn’t sure if my brain was straight or not. I…I want to live in Badger Falls. I’ve already talked to my ASAC. He agreed to use me as a consultant full time. If I need to go to a case, I just fly where they need me and come back. I want to open a practice in Badger Falls and help people who have been sexually assaulted or have PTSD from trauma.” She said. Cade nodded.

  “You can do anything you want Ellie. Will you live at your grandmother’s?” Cade asked. She knew what he was asking.

  “I…I want to date. You know, get to know you better and have a regular life. You don’t mind, do you?” She asked. She hoped he wouldn’t be upset that she didn’t want to move in right away.

  “Of course not baby. I’m just happy you didn’t leave me. I never want to be without you.” He said, He leaned down and kissed her, sliding his tongue deep inside her mouth. She arched into him and she felt him slide into her slowly. A long sigh escaped her lips as he started pumping in and out of her. She wrapped her legs around his middle as he thrust into her over and over.

  “Cade,
god yes!!!” She screamed. He reached in between them and flicked the little sensitive spot that sent her spiraling over the edge. She screamed over and over, the sounds of their joining echoing off the walls of the hotel. Cade thrust a few more times and joined her in bliss, sweat dripping and out of breath.

  “I love you Elinora Ridley.” Cade said. Ellie punched him in the arm and rolled so she was on top. She sat up straddling him.

  “I love you too Cade Masterson.” She leaned down, kissed him and showed him exactly how much she loved him.

  Epilogue

  A few months later, Ellie was completely moved into her grandmother’s cottage. They had stayed in Seattle so Cade could have a second opinion about his issue with the bullet fragments. Seattle General would be performing a surgery to remove the fragments with a new technology that was supposedly less intrusive and quicker healing time. Cade’s bullet wound was healed and he was back to full duty. Megan had healed up and was also back at her post as ME. Ellie and her sister had spent many hours catching up and reading their grandmother’s journals. Ellie was pulling a pie out of the oven when someone knocked at the door. She jumped and wondered who it could be. Cade was on duty and her sister had gone out with Annawon. He had been released from prison with a full pardon and it seemed he and Ally had picked up right where they had left off. Ellie looked out the window and saw Cade in uniform, standing with another man. She opened the door.

  “Ellie, hi baby.” He said leaning in to kiss her.

  “Hi, I thought you were on duty?” She asked curiously. She moved aside to let them in and something familiar hit her about the man with Cade.

  “Hi Elinora…I mean…” The man looked at Cade with a blush. “I mean Nora…or Ellie…which ever you prefer.” He said, stumbling over his words. Suddenly it hit her. She looked at Cade who nodded with a smile on his face. She looked back to the man.