by Michelle Lee
It is finally dark; Michael has been waiting in the back of the van for hours. He is hungry, hot, and tired. Anxiousness is a constant companion today. He wants to do this right. No mistakes. If he can do this the right way, he will have Charlie by the end of the weekend.
“Charlie, god the things I am going to do to you. You will be begging me for your death. You will regret ever leaving me. I could’ve been the best husband. You never gave us a chance. I loved you and you humiliated me. Now I will humiliate you.”
CHAPTER 41
Patrick and I are sitting at the table when we hear the keys enter the lock. I run from the dining room and to the front door just as Brody is coming in. I am air born, as I launched myself into his arms. He drops his bag, and catches me at the last second.
He wraps his arms around me and slides down the wall with me huddled in his lap. We don’t have to say anything we just sit there for a minute.
Patrick clears his throat, “I will leave the two of you alone, so you can have a proper reunion.” He smiles at them both.
I stand, “No Pat, you don’t have to go. We have a lot to talk about. Brody needs to hear everything that happened last night.”
“What happened?” Brody looks tired; he stands up and he slowly lifts his arm looking at me for my permission. I grab his arm, put it around my waist, and snuggle into him. “Are you ok?” He holds my face in his hands looking over my face. I think he is looking for my ‘tells’. You know those little lines and wrinkles that give away your lie. I have more than a few.
“I am now.” I feel my cheeks heat and my eyes fill with tears.
He lets go of my face and pulls me into the circle of his arms, brushing my fuzzy head with his hands.
I don’t want to stop touching him, but we have to figure out what is going on. I pull away and lead him to the dining room table since it’s the only table in the house now.
“What happened to all my stuff?”
“Steph.”
“Oh, she moved out yesterday?”
“Yep.”
Charlie fills him in on everything from the masquerade ball, yes he’ll go if she wants to, to being kicked out of her apartment, and finally, to the events of the evening. She told him everything Michael said to her; everything. She can’t hide anything if she wants to stop him.
“What happened to you?” He looks at Patrick.
“I was knocked out, thrown in my car, and all my tires were slashed. I went to the hospital; they did a tox screen to see what was in the syringe. It was a drug called Haldol. I filed a police report but left Charlie out of everything.” He looks at Brody very seriously, “From what Charlie has told me about last night, Michael has some pretty interesting toys. He cut the power, jammed both of our cell phones, and even programmed the stereo to come on playing a specific song of his choice. I have a friend going over the computer equipment from in the house to remove any programs, viruses, and web cams; anything that can enable remote access.”
They talk about how Charlie and Patrick have been doing research and found at least 8 cases of rape and murder that have taken place in the last four years. All related; the girls were all between the ages of 27-30, brown curly hair, green eyes, and between 5’7 and 5’9. They were all raped, brutally, and killed in the same way. He tortured them. They were cut over and over with a small knife, while being tied up. A rope was tied around each of the victims’ necks. Ultimately, it is what killed them. The more they struggled, the tighter the rope got, until it strangled them. The public was never told about the rope; it’s the one lead the cops’ have. Patrick is trying to get the FBI in on the cases, but so far no one is returning his calls.
Patrick has to go to work so he heads out the door. Then they are finally alone. Brody walks into the kitchen, looks around and laughs. “I was just saying I needed a new kitchen table.”
“Well, you can have mine. I won’t need it for awhile.” She looks at the empty spot. “Besides, I always felt grossed out sitting there. I can only imagine what memories you have of things done on your furniture.” I laugh, but it’s a nervous laugh.
Brody walks toward me “We will have to make our own memories on our furniture, when you’re ready.”
My mouth goes dry, “I think, I’m in love with my best friend.” And there it is the elephant in the room.
Throwing his head back laughing, Brody wraps me in his arms. He kisses my head, and lifts my chin capturing my mouth with his. It is sweet and tender. I want more. I thought I was going to die last night, Michael threatened Brody’s life, and I want everything I have ever been too afraid to take. I want Brody to know how I feel if something ever happens to me. I put all of that into my kiss.
I tighten my hold on him and move him back against the door; the door that Michael rubbed and licked last night. I push Brody against it and feed my hunger for love and life with his lips, tongue, and mouth.
Brody breaks the kiss, breathless, and whispers against my mouth, “Charlie?”
“Yes. Brody, please” I answer his question. He picks me up and carries me upstairs to our room. He lies us down on the bed and looks at me.
“You are so beautiful. I think I have loved you since the first time I saw you. When I walked into a new school with a broken family and broken heart, with one smile you fixed me, with one smile you made me love you.”
The tears are running down my face but for once they are happy tears. I reach up and trace his face with my hands, and run my fingers over his lips. He has told me he loves me every day for as long as I can remember. I want him to tell me he is in love with me.
Just like every other time he reads my face or thoughts, He whispers against my mouth, “I am in love with you Charlie James.” And then he kisses me with all the love he feels.
He slows the kiss and breaks it. Looking at me he says, “We can’t do this right now, so get your pervy mind out of my pants.”
Laughing, I pretend to pout, “Why?”
“Seriously, I think we should wait until Michael is behind bars, and we can just concentrate on us.” He sits up and runs his fingers through his hair getting serious, he says, “I also think you should see a counselor for what has been done to you.”
“I am going to.” I get up and get the card Patrick gave me “I have an appointment in 8 days; July 5th at 5:00.”
He pulls me to him and rolls us around on the bed so we are spooning. He squeezes me tight, and grinds himself against my backside. Laughing, he says, “Happy birthday to me. I only have to wait one week and one day.”
“I think it’s going to take more than a week to fix me.” I feel self conscience suddenly.
“There is nothing to fix, baby. You are perfect. Everything you have been through; the good and the bad, it’s what makes you who you are.”
CHAPTER 42
Michael is sitting on a park bench; the sun has set 20 minutes ago. It is breezy and comfortable. The park is empty. He is enjoying the calm. There is something soothing about the dark, it smoothes out all the rough edges, and harsh lines of everyday life.
The woman is wearing heels. Her feet clack down the sidewalk. She stops in front of him. “Do you have what we agreed on?” She is all business, tonight.
He takes a moment to admire her. She is dressed in a slinky black dress, with tiny spaghetti straps, that can hardly contain her fake round breasts. The back of the dress is open with an intricate criss - cross pattern that starts below her shoulder blades, tapers and disappears at the top of her ass crack. She is wearing a pair of 5 inch stilettos with a metallic heel, of silver.
“I have what you want; do you have what you were supposed to get for me?” He looks at her and motions to the bench seat next to him. “I gave you $1000; you get the rest when I see that you finish the job.”
She sits down, opens her purse, and get out a small digital camera. Handing it him, she says, “Everything you need is there. I made sure it looked real.”
“We shall see.” He takes the memory card fro
m the camera, puts it into a laptop that he had waiting on the ground at his feet, and he brings up the first image. He looks at all the images on the memory card, saves the ones he can use and deletes the ones that are of no use to him.
He puts the camera away and hits the save button on his laptop. Carefully, he reaches into the front compartment of the bag and pulls out a stack of 20 dollar bills totaling $4000. “This makes it an even $5000. The figure we agreed on.” He stands and outs his hand out to her. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you; I hope to never see you again.” He smiles as he says it.
She stands and accepts his hand. “The pleasure was all mine.” She shakes and tries to take her hand back. “You’re hurting my hand, please let go.” She is acting brave, but her voice has raised a few levels.
She tries again with no success to retrieve her hand. This time when she pulls her hand Michael uses the momentum to trip her and land sitting on the bench together in what looks like a lover’s embrace, when in reality, he has a syringe with a dose of Haldol injected into her arm while he covers her mouth and whispers into her ear. She tries to struggle but it is useless, “Don’t resist me, it will be over soon.”
She passes out and Michael puts her in the van. He closes the door, gets into the driver side door, and drives them to an abandoned warehouse. No one here will hear her scream. He unloads her and begins the final stage of his plan.
CHAPTER 43
Charlie wakes up tangled in Brody’s arms. It’s Thursday, almost a week since Michael came up to her on the street. Almost a week since she thought she had a secret admirer, since she thought Brody was her best friend and only her best friend. A lot can happen in a week.
Brody wakes up and rolls over. “Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?”
“I slept like the dead. I don’t even remember falling asleep.”
Brody picks up his phone and calls work. He tells them he has something personal to take care of. He should be back in about a week.
They get out of bed and prepare for the day. Charlie has to get the rest of her things from her apartment within the week. Brody said he’d help her. Patrick has to fill them in on what the hospital said about the drugs used on him.
Once they both make it downstairs, Brody makes coffee while Charlie makes him breakfast; eggs, bacon, home fries and toast. She has a bowl of cereal, since breakfast isn’t really her thing.
After they eat Brody wants to go and pack up the rest of Charlie’s apartment. When they get there they go through each room packing up the things they can carry out themselves. Whatever is left behind will be brought by a moving company.
“You know you can stay with me for as long as you need too.”
“I know. Thanks.” She turns looking around her little space. This apartment tells a story of a single, lonely woman with no friends, no family, it’s just a place to eat and sleep, there are no real memories here. Charlie has a moment of sadness for the person who lived here. She thought being on her own, shutting everyone out would make it harder for Michael to get to her. She thought she was being independent. She was still letting Michael control her. A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth; she turns to Brody and says, “I’m ready, let’s leave.”
“Why are you smirking? You are being kicked out of your apartment. Aren’t you mad? Sad?”
“Nope, I am ready to leave this Charlie behind. I want to live again Brody. Remember how much fun we had doing everything? Somewhere along the way I forgot how to do that. I want to remember how. I want to live, I want to fall on my face failing at something I’ve never done; but fail because I failed, not because I’m afraid. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. I have been afraid for 10 years, 10 years wasted.
I want to love again. I want to feel special to someone. I want to be wanted, to have someone love me so much the idea of hurting me is unimaginable. I want to feel safe and protected. I want someone to take care of my heart, take care of me. I don’t want to do it by myself anymore.” I turn and look at Brody, “Will you help me?”
“I will always help you. I will give you anything you need or want from me.” He walks over and takes me in his arms, “Now, shut up and kiss me.”
I laugh and give him a quick peck on the mouth and break out of his embrace.
“Where are you going, I want to make out.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
I laugh at him, “No more making out. I want to be wooed.”
“Wooed? Oh, I can woo you, but it will take making out and a lot less clothing.”
“Slut.”
“Yep. You love it.”
“Yes I do.” I am laughing as I pick up a box to be loaded into his truck.
“Hey, do I still get to sleep with you? I mean I don’t have a bed anymore, so it would only make sense, right?” He is carrying a box and a devilish smile to the truck.
“You can have my bed; the one upstairs left in the apartment.”
“I don’t like that bed.”
“Well that’s too bad.”
“Damn. How long do I have to woo you?”
“As long as it takes.” I can’t help laughing. He sounds really funny saying woo.
“Damn.” He looks at me and gets serious, “You know, kidding aside, I will wait for as long as you need me to. I mean, I’ve waited this long, what’s a little more time. Speaking of time do I get like bonus ‘wooing’ points for being your best friend? I do know everything about you already. It’s not like we have to see if there’s a connection or not, we know there is.” He looks at me with a heated look as he finishes his sentence; I know his thoughts didn’t stop when his mouth did.
Feeling flustered, I walk away to get more boxes. This is going to be harder than I thought.
CHAPTER 44
Michael is back from Chicago. He feels refreshed after his time spent with the lovely brunette woman. He only regrets never getting her name. It would have been nice to a call her something while remembering her.
He is driving over to see how Charlie and Brody are doing this morning. Sitting in the back alley he can’t pick anything up on the computer. He can’t get into it by remote like he did yesterday. He turns off his laptop, and picks up the binoculars. They are at the sink cleaning up breakfast. Just like a real couple. Laughing, Michael knows that their honeymoon is about to be over.
They talk for a little bit and then get into Brody’s truck and drive away. Michael drives around the block a few times making sure the cop isn’t around, he should have killed him so he wouldn’t have to worry about him, when he thinks the coast is clear, he pulls his car right into the driveway. He is dressed in a uniform for a security company.
He gets out, takes a black garbage bag out of the back, and goes to the front porch. He empties the bag; on the porch and down the walkway. Then he places an envelope on the ground by one of the rocking chairs and strategically places tiny hidden cameras throughout the property. They took away his computer access so he got creative; afterward he gets in his car and drives away, whistling.
CHAPTER 45
After the truck is loaded to maximum capacity, Brody and Charlie drive back to the house. When they get there they notice something’s wrong. Brody stops the truck, “Stay here.” He gets out and walks around the truck careful not to move anything on the ground.
I get out and close my door. When I see what is actually all over the ground my heart rate speeds up and I know this is not going to be good. I bend over and pick up a petal from a rose. A black rose. I rub it between my thumb and fingers. It is like silk, so soft. I drop the petal and stand out of my crouched position. They are everywhere; on the walk way, on the porch, blowing in the breeze to cover the green lawn.