by Ashley Nemer
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nadia was pulled from her short fifteen minute nap when she heard Gabe and Kevin talking outside of the SUV. She looked around and noticed there were several cop cars lining the street. She opened the SUV door and stepped outside, her hands moving up and down her arms, the cool night air giving her a chill.
“Hey Kevin, did you go in yet?”
“No, not yet, Nadia. I was gathering a statement from Gabe and waiting on back up.”
She nodded her head and looked off at her house. “Can you go in now? I want to check on my cat.”
“Yes, ma’am. You and Gabe stay here and preferably inside your vehicle. We’ll come get you when we have the all clear.
Nadia and Gabe both nodded and moved back into the SUV. Nadia appreciated the warmth the vehicle was providing. Gabe grabbed her hand and they watched the handful of police officers enter her home. She noticed that the front door didn’t need to be kicked down, which meant it was already open. That man had definitely been in her place. The officers made a bunch of noises, and four of them came outside. Kevin ran up to the vehicle, his face shaken, his voice edgy.
“Nadia, there’s been a crime. You need to stay put. He isn’t in your house anymore, but he was most defiantly here. There’s a body inside, we believe it’s your coworker Matt. I need one of you to come confirm the identification.”
Nadia started opening her door when she heard the news. “What are you doing?” Gabe asked.
“I am going to identify the body.”
“Like hell you are, you stay put.”
“Gabe it’s my house. I’m going.”
Kevin interrupted their argument. “I think it’s best if she comes. We need to know if anything was stolen, and only she can do that.”
Nadia wasted no time. She was out of the vehicle and walking up to her house within moments. Kevin and Gabe had to jog to catch up to her. The three of them walked side by side together as she approached her front door.
“It’s bad, Nadia, just to warn you,” Kevin said.
She grabbed Gabe’s hand, and together they walked through the door. They made sure to stay where the officers told them so they didn’t disrupt the crime scene. Nadia squeezed Gabe’s hand tight when she saw Matt hanging from her fan. He had a rope tied around his neck and attached to one of the support beams of her living room. Gabe pulled her into his body, and she started to cry.
“This is all my fault.” The tears fell from her eyes and down her cheeks. She held onto Gabe tight as the officers talked all around her.
“I take it that’s Matt?” Kevin asked.
“Yeah, that’s him. I’ll call Scully,” Gabe said.
“Wait until we’re done, okay? I don’t need everyone trampling the crime scene. Nadia, your bedroom is clear. It doesn’t look like anyone has been in there. Why don’t you and Gabe go sit down and wait in there until we’re done?”
Gabe didn’t wait for her to reply, he simply walked and guided her into her bedroom and shut the door. He sat her on the bed and went to her closet to get a warmer sweater for her to wear. Her arms were freezing, and he needed a moment to compose himself.
“Nadia, look who I found on your dresser.” Gabe came out of the closet holding Triple T in his arms.
Nadia’s face lit up when she saw him. “Thank God you’re okay, little guy.”
She cuddled the kitten in her arms and curled up on her bed. She stroked his fur, and he purred into her hand. His rough tongue ran over her skin, and Nadia looked up at Gabe. “I killed him; he’s dead because of me.”
“Not because of you… He chose to not follow the instructions and brought attention to himself. That’s not on you.”
“No, but he never would have been there in the first place if it wasn’t for me, so it’s my fault.”
Gabe sat behind her on the bed and stroked her head. His fingers played with her hair, trying to give some comfort. “Things happen, Nadia. You cannot take responsibility for everyone’s actions good or bad. This was the man who killed Matt’s fault, ultimately.”
“I should give up being a journalist. Look what damage I’ve caused, all the trouble I keep bringing to people, my coworkers and family.”
“Nadia, sweetie, stop. This really wasn’t your fault. I wish you could see that.”
“Gabe, you will not convince me otherwise.”
Triple T started to get agitated. Something was causing a commotion in the living room, and the kitten wanted in on the action. Gabe got up off the bed and went to open the bedroom door. He saw Kain standing there, talking with Kevin.
“Kain, over here,” Gabe called out.
Nadia sat up on the bed and pulled the kitten over to the other side of her body. She watched Kain rush into the room and head straight for the bed. There was some indescribable type of comfort a brother’s love could give.
“Nadia, pack a bag. You and the cat are coming home with me, right now.”
Nadia nodded her head yes, but she didn’t let go of him. She held on tight, not wanting this security to end. She loved her big brother more than anything and couldn’t let go of him.
“Come on sis, let’s pack and bail this joint.” He grabbed her hand and forced her out of the bed. He led her to the closet where he grabbed one of her bags on the wall and held it out for her to start packing.
Gabe moved to the bed and picked up Triple T. “Where are his things? I’ll pack the kitten a bag.”
Nadia looked up from what she was doing and stared at Gabe for a few moments before what he said clicked in her head. “Check my bathroom. His carrier is in the closet, and his food should be in the kitchen. I have a few toys in the carrier too, that I haven’t taken out yet; we can bring those.” Gabe went about his business with the kitten and packed him up. Triple T could feel all the tension of the room, and when Gabe put him in the carrier, he started to meow.
Nadia and Kain had two bags each in hand when they came out of the closet. “I swear I didn’t mean to cause this.”
“Stop that, Nadia, this isn’t your fault. I’m sure the officers have told you that already.” Kain’s cool and calm voice couldn’t help settle her this time. Usually he could ease her fears and worries.
Gabe came back in the room and started talking. “Kain, I’ll take the cat carrier and you take Nadia. Let’s get her out of here.”
“Ten steps ahead of you, G, ready to go!” Kain escorted Nadia out of her bedroom and into the living room.
The room silenced as they passed by; Nadia felt everyone staring at her.
“Nadia, we’ll keep a patrol car outside until tomorrow, when you can have your door replaced. I’ll stop by and see you later to take your statement.” Kevin looked her over with caution. He was worried how she was going to handle everything that had transpired around her tonight.
Kevin leaned over to Kain’s ear and whispered, “Kain, I would give her some extra TLC tonight. I think she’s going to crash soon, and she’ll need you.”
Kain nodded to him and the three of them walked out of the house and down the drive way. They put Triple T in the back seat and her luggage in the trunk.
“What if he follows us? I can’t have him near the boys!” Nadia began to panic. Her heart was racing, and anxiety already started to take over her body.
“Nadia, he’s not here. How could he be? He has no car, remember? He’s probably long gone. He can’t follow us.” Gabe was holding her in his arms talking to her, trying to help, while Kain was coming back from putting the bags in the trunk.
“Kain, I can’t go home with you, the kids are at the house!”
“Nadia, stop it. You are coming home, end of story. No one will follow us there, okay sis? Now get in the car. It is all going to be okay.” Kain opened the front door and motioned for her to go sit down.
Nadia looked form Kain to Gabe a few times, before reluctantly sitting in the front seat. Kain shut the door, and she sat there looking out of the window at the two of them talking. She put her hands on her
face and started massaging her temples, trying to calm her nerves.
“Meow, meow, meow,” she heard from the back seat. She turned around and Triple T was waving his little paw outside of the carrier, reaching up for her. She felt horrible that he was caged when she knew he was panicking too. She was sure the man had terrorized her cat while he invaded her home.
Kain sat in the driver’s side and turned on the car. He pulled out into the street and started driving in the direction of Wal-Mart.
“Are we not going to your house?” she questioned.
“We are, but just to make sure you’re happy, I’ll take a very long way home. You remember my time in the government; I know how to lose a tail.”
“Okay.”
They drove for the next hour, not making it home until four a.m. She was exhausted, and the only thing she wanted to do was take the kitten and fall into bed.
They walked into the house, and Anabella was sitting on the couch, both boys lying beside her. They looked so comfortable that Nadia finally allowed herself to relax. She was with her family, her brother, former CIA, and her sister, a two time world champion in martial arts. She would be able to feel comfort and security, but she wouldn’t be able to wash away the guilt. She should have learned her lesson six months ago. This time it cost someone their life.
“Hey Nadia,” Anabella said. She came up and gave her a hug, holding her tight. She had been there for her throughout her whole life, like a second mother. They were only four years apart, but sometimes it felt like decades. “You’re safe.”
“I know, Ana.”
“Come on, girls, let’s get you two settled in, then I’ll put the kids back to bed.”
“Always bossy, Kain,” Anabella teased.
“Yup, that’s my job. Someone has to keep you two in line. Come on.”
They walked into the spare room of Kain’s home, and Nadia set the carrier on the chair and let the kitten out. Triple T jumped from the carrier to the bed and looked up at all of them. He meowed then moved up to one of the pillows and curled up into a little ball.
“I think your cat has the right idea. Let’s all sleep, and everything will look better in the morning.” Ana pulled on Nadia’s hand and looked up to Kain. The three of them hadn’t been able to get together in a while, not since she was thrown in jail by that judge. It seemed that she was always the one who brought her family together. Just too bad it wasn’t under better conditions.