by Angela Ford
Dr. Elliott knocked on the door. Jess turned.
“Hi Dr. Elliott, do you think our patient will be able to go home soon,” she asked.
“Well, if I’m happy with the test results in the morning, then I don’t see why not,” he smiled.
“As long as he has nursing care at home,” Dr. Elliot added. The doctor checked Tom’s vitals and picked up the clipboard at the end of the bed to record the results. He smiled and reassured them Tom was recovering fine, and if they needed anything, to page him.
“So?”
Jess turned back to Tom after waving goodbye to the doctor and raised her eyebrows as if to ask what he meant.
“The case Jess, what happened?” he needed to know if the UNSUB had been caught and the rest of his team was fine.
“Oh that,” she said, nonchalant, as if the horror she had been through had not unnerved her at all. She chuckled after Tom gave her his serious expression. He had never been a very humorous man, or a patient one. She could almost feel his blood pressure rise awaiting her response.
“I don’t even know where to begin Tom. Trevor, “our UNSUB,” was arrested. The team is fine. I’m still trying to piece the whole thing together.” She paused. He reached out for her hand and held it in comfort.
“Oh, Tom,” she sighed. Before she could begin the next word, Tom’s eyes moved to the door. Tom’s daughter Amanda stood there.
“Dad, are-are you okay?” Amanda stuttered.
****
Tom gave her a warm and reassuring smile and he waved her into the room. Amanda walked toward him, looking unsure, it hit him that he had never called her by a pet name her whole fourteen years. But then, he hardly called her at all. So much time had passed with so many chances to start. He’d missed too much of Amanda’s life. No more, he thought, as without waiting for his answer, she reached out to hug him. A tear formed in the corner of his eye. He just wanted to hold onto her forever.
“Wow Dad, that was the first time I ever let go of a hug first,” Amanda said in a surprised voice but her expression told him it meant the world to her. He promised himself right then that the past was in the past, and all that mattered now was the present and the future and most of all, the two girls in the room who meant the world to him. He was not going to let either of them down, ever again. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“Your dad is a new man now,” Jess informed Amanda. Amanda then threw her arms around Jess. Tom hadn’t been there for his daughter, but Jess had been.
“Hey kiddo, are you behaving?” Jess sounded so motherly. Tom watched and listened in amazement.
“Always, Jess,” Amanda answered.
“Remember what I’ve taught you?” Jess gave Amanda a stern but loving stare.
“Yes, Jess. I promised I would.” Amanda smiled with love in her eyes for Jess.
“What promise are you talking about?” Tom felt out of place in their conversation.
“It’s a girl-thing,” Jess said and laughed at him. He felt more confused than ever.
“Dad, Jess has been like my fill-in-Dad since you’ve been busy. She’s really great as a friend, but she still is a “dad” making sure I know all the Internet rules and all that scary stuff that can happen.” Amanda looked at Jess, who nodded her approval. Tom smiled in gratitude that Jess had been there for his daughter.
A nurse entered the room with Tom’s medication, and Jess told them it was a good time for Tom to spend some time with his daughter. She said she was heading back to headquarters to help the team. He understood the paperwork needed to close the case.
“Let the team know I’m very proud of a great job and I’m relieved everyone is alive and safe. And I hope to join them tomorrow,” Tom announced.
“When you are released tomorrow, you will be going home to rest and recover. And that’s an order, boss.” Jess smiled.
Tom smiled at her orders and nodded. He was in no position to argue with her right now.
“But I will pass on a good job to the team,” she announced as she walked out of the room, waving good-bye to both Tom and Amanda.
Amanda pulled a chair up beside her father’s bed and told him that she was going to go home with him the next day and take care of him over the weekend.
“Damn! I forgot your mom was going away for the weekend and we were going to spend it together. I even had a few things picked out that you might like to do, but I wasn’t quite sure if you would like the same things I do.” He was rambling, knowing that once again he was going to let his daughter down. She then surprised him and told him she understood his work kept him busy and that her mother had always told her how much her father loved her and to be patient with him. His daughter sounded more mature and responsible than him. Her mother had done a wonderful job raising her. The thought of spending time alone with his daughter not only frightened him, but at the same time delighted him.
“I will be honored to have you take care of me”. The thought of a new beginning made him smile.
Chapter Fourteen
Jess found her team in the situation room at the FBI headquarters amongst a few cardboard file boxes and a mound of paper.
“How’s our boss?” Eric asked, looking up from his reading. The rest of the team moved closer to Jess for the update.
“He’ll be fine with rest and recovery. The doctor said he might be released in the morning, pending some tests. Tom sends his regards for a job well-done,” Jess informed them.
“Where’s Mark,” Jess asked.
“Interrogation room with Trevor,” Mike answered.
Jess left for the interrogation room. Mike followed. She entered the room next to where Trevor was. From there, through the one-way glass window, she could see and hear Mark interrogate Trevor. She had to hear him confess to her parents’ murders. It was time for closure on the worst part of her life.
Jess watched through the window, she could see the pictures of the three victims lying on the desk, and Mark watching closely as Trevor wrote on the notepad in front of him. From the wicked smile on his face, it appeared that Trevor felt he had nothing to hide. He proudly wrote his statement involving the deaths of the three young girls. Trevor’s freedom was over; the three counts of murder alone would put him away for life, if not the death penalty. The three girl’s families would have final closure but Jess still did not have closure for her family. She knew by Trevor’s words and actions of the day, that he was indeed her stalker, but he had not admitted to killing her parents.
“You shouldn’t be in here, Jess.”
Mike stood behind her with a concerned look on his face. She knew he genuinely cared for her like a sister and she appreciated it. But she didn’t reply as they listened to Mark’s questions.
Jess watched Trevor place the pen upon the notepad. He slid his finished statement across the table toward Mark. Trevor’s narcissistic smirk said it all. Mark ignored him. Mark’s job was to get the confession. Trevor had destroyed too many lives along the way and his game of cat-and-mouse was now over.
Mark briefly looked over the statement with a look of both disgust and relief. Trevor would no longer be free to harm another soul. Mark tossed the pad back on the desk so hard it slid across the desk and stopped just in front of Trevor. Trevor paid no attention.
“What about Mr. & Mrs. Resario?” Mark asked.
Jess took a deep breath. Just to hear her parents’ names mentioned felt like someone had turned on a cold water tap that ran through her veins. Mike stroked her back with his hand as though to comfort her.
“Who” Trevor asked and motioned his hands into the air.
Still without a glance at him, Mark merely stated, “Mr. and Mrs. Resario, the couple at the beach house in the Vineyards.”
Jess shivered with a cold chill as she watched, and heard Trevor snicker.
Not a single word came from Trevor’s mouth. Mark placed his hands on the desk across from Trevor and looked right into his eyes with calmness and a touch of sarcasm, “Mr. and Mrs. Resario, Jess’s parents.”
The mention of her name seemed to strike a nerve. He grew restless in his seat. He adjusted himself in his chair before saying, “Oh…them.”
“And…?” Mark prodded.
Trevor glared across the table at Mark, straight into his eyes this time, with the expression of remembering an old friend. “Don’t know them personally but they were very rude and not very helpful that night. All I asked—politely I must add— is where Jess was. I hadn’t seen her on the beach for a long time and I was worried about her.”
“Ruthless,” was the only word that went through Jess’s mind at the thought of her parents suffering at the hands of a narcissistic, coldblooded killer when all they had done was protect their daughter. She raised her hand over her mouth and gasped, thoughts racing through her mind of the nightmare of her parents’ deaths.
Mark calmly asked what happened that night. However, this time, he took his eyes away from Trevor and pretended to take notes.
“So…what happened next?”
Trevor leaned back comfortably in his chair as if having a friendly chat, and with a dispassionate voice told Mark that he killed them since they were uncooperative. Jess gasped at the words that came from Trevor’s mouth. His demeanor disgusted her. He had no conscience or regret for what he had done.
Jess closed her eyes for a second and prayed it would be over soon. She had to hear it for herself but it was painful. It was simply torture to have to relive it, ten years later no matter how much closure she received. At least the families of the other victims would not have to stand here and listen to this garbage and inconsideration for human life.
“How did you kill them?”
“You know, I even asked them nicely a few times before I lost my patience with them. Then I just strangled them with my hands. Strong bastard though; it took some time. The woman was easier. She wasn’t as strong as he was,” Trevor coldly said.
“Write that down in your own words, as well as your relationship with Jess before and after the murders.” Mark tore off the written statement from the yellow pad and pushed the pad toward Trevor with the pen. Nothing more was said. Mark left the room.
Tears formed in Jess’s eyes as she thought of her parents’ agony and fear and the suffering they had to endure at the hands of this ruthless bastard. The tears fell in a never-ending river running down along her cheekbones. Mike moved in closer and put an arm around her. She clung to him as she sobbed without looking through the window again. Mike slowly walked her out of the room and down the corridor to her office. All that was heard were her sobs. It was time for her to grieve the loss of her parents. Mike closed the door behind them. Mike was able to calm her after some time. She fell asleep on the couch in her office, so Mike went to write his report. It was after eleven o’clock when he came back to check on her and found her awake. She was exhausted from the ordeal and hadn’t slept much in the past few days.
“Can I get you anything Jess,” Mike asked.
“Thanks. I’m okay. I have to write my report,” Jess tried to remain strong and professional. “Are Gina and Eric still here,” she asked.
“They left about an hour ago. Their reports are on Tom’s desk,” Mike informed her.
“Mike, go home. I’ll be fine.” Jess smiled.
“I don’t think you should be alone, Jess. I don’t mind,” Mike told her.
“Go get some well-deserved rest. Enjoy your weekend. That’s an order.” She gently smiled as she gave the order but in a tone that would tell Mike he wouldn’t win an argument with her now.
Jess had always been strong and independent. She needed time and space. Mike hugged her and made her promise to call if she needed to talk. Jess promised she would.
Jess walked over to her desk and sat down. She began to write her report. She thought it would be easier if she could think about the happenings of the past few days in the third party, as if it hadn’t happened to her. She was wrong. After the first few sentences, she dropped her head into her hands and burst into tears again. The pain and agony of listening to him talk about her parents’ last breaths killed her inside. She jumped when she heard the knock on her door and quickly grabbed a tissue.
“Just a minute,” she called out. She tried to regain her composure. Jess gasped a deep breath and wiped her tears before she opened the door.
“Mark, you’re still here,” Jess thought he had left after the officers took Trevor to jail.
“Just getting ready to leave and thought I’d say goodnight.”
“Would you like to come in? I was just about to make a cup of tea before I write my report.” Jess wanted to be alone but she did not want to be rude.
Mark did not know Jess as well as he would have liked to and was unsure whether she was just being polite or asking for some company. He chose to believe it the latter and nodded. It was the least he could do after all she had been through.
“Black or do you take milk?” Jess asked as she walked to the back of her office where she kept a small bar set up with coffee, tea and a small refrigerator. Jess spent most of her time at the office. She kept a stock of necessities and a closet of clothes there. Her office seemed more like a small cozy apartment. There were lovely plants everywhere, pictures and knickknacks throughout.
“Just black, thanks Jess.”
“Here you go, sir” Jess smiled warmly at Mark as she handed him his tea and joined him on the couch, setting her tea down before her on the glass table. He returned a compassionate smile and thanked her for the tea.
“Are you going to be okay Jess,” Mark asked gently. He tried to preserve her dignity but the tears began to flow down her cheeks and he moved in to comfort her. The comforting embrace only brought about more tears which led into another sobbing episode.
“I will be. It’s been ten years. I guess tonight was the first time I ever really dealt with my parents’ deaths. The tragic news was difficult to hear back then but to hear the details from the person who took them away from me was unthinkable,” Jess wiped her tears.
Mark patted her hand gently and reassured her that he would always be there for her.
“Why didn’t you ever contact me all these years?” Jess wondered why he had kept a back seat to her life and tried protecting her from a distance.
“I never wanted to interfere with your life; just keep an eye out for you. After your parents deaths I made a promise to your dad, my dear friend, that I would make sure you were safe, always.”
She smiled at how sweet he was. She’d rarely seen him and that’s why she didn’t recognize his picture at first, or his name. Her dad had kept his “business” completely separate from his family life. Beside the fact that she never really asked and as a teenager probably never wanted to know more than she did. Jess wished now she had known him more, especially after her parents died since Mark seemed to be her only family—besides the team. Now, more than ever, she wanted closeness, family, and love.
“I hope you don’t believe you are interfering with my life anymore. I hope you remain a part of it.”
“I hope we can remain friends and you will allow me to continue to watch out for you.” He smiled thoughtfully. His words touched her heart. She felt blessed to have family again. She no longer felt the loneliness that engulfed her life.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Jess assured him.
There were so many questions she wanted to ask Mark about her dad, but she was exhausted and she had that report to complete. That report alone was going to be the toughest part of her day as she would have to relive it all over again.
“How about lunch on Monday,” Jess asked.
“That would
be great Jess. If you need anything, just call,” he respectfully excused himself.
Jess wandered toward her desk and sat before the report she had attempted to write earlier. Running her hands through her hair, taking a deep breath; she praised herself that she could do this. She had done it so many times before; yet, this one would be the most difficult one she would have to finish. She had to put closure to the past. And when she finished, she felt vivacious. Finally, there was peace in her life. She smiled at the simplicity of life and her outlook of the future. Never before had she thought of tomorrow; for the first time in a long time, she went home for a long hot bath and a good night’s sleep. For tomorrow morning, she would see Tom and this time she would tell him what was in her heart.
Chapter Fifteen
Dr. Elliott arrived at Tom’s room before seven in the morning and found Tom wide awake and looking restless. “Morning, did you have a good rest?”
Tom had been starring out the window lost in thought when the doctor startled him.
“Morning Dr. Elliott. Not a bad rest, but I know I will rest much better at home.”
“We all do. Let’s get the final tests done and see if I can make that happen for you.”
Dr. Elliott checked Tom’s vitals and recorded them on his chart. He told Tom everything was looking good enough so far for him to be released once the tests were completed. He also told Tom someone should be along shortly to get him and he would check in again after he had the results.
Tom thanked him then turned back to the window and began to think of Jess again. Still somewhat nervous at the thought of continuing their conversation interrupted the day before, he felt confident telling her what was in his heart. He’d sensed through her touch that she felt the same way he did.