Deadly Obsession

by K. L. Humphreys

  “We don’t know man. If we did we’d be out getting her already.” Scott says and I turn around and let my left fist fly. My fist hits the sitting room door and I let the pain from my fists seep into me. Anything is better than this tight fist I have currently locked around my heart. I get my cell and walk into the kitchen.

  I dial Oscar and he doesn’t disappoint, he answers straight away. “Hello?”

  “Oscar, please tell me you have something.” I pull in a deep breath.

  “I do; I’ve found something that could mean something. He brought up property all over New York, I don’t know which one if any he’s taken her to but it’s best to check them out. I’m sending the list as we speak. Now brother, you holding on?” Typical Oscar knows everything and you don’t even have to say a word.

  “No, I’m barely hanging on. I want this bastard dead. He’s done so much to her already. I don’t know what he’s going to do to her. I honestly don’t know if she will be able to survive it.” I feel the tears fall and I leave them unchecked.

  “Brother, your girl is one of the strongest I have ever met. She will survive, she knows we’re coming for her. Don’t give up.” He’s right. Don’t give up. She needs me,and I won’t let her down.

  “Once the list is sent I’ll get everyone on them, nobody goes in alone. The cops are here, and I’m sure they will help us narrow these places down. This fucker has to be in one of them.” I feel someone watching me and see Soph standing at the door.

  “I’ll try to narrow the list down and Dwayne’s here, I’ll see if he can find anything else, at the moment he’s trying to track this fucker by the stolen car that was at Steven’s at the time Winter was taken. I’ll keep you updated. Good luck man.”

  “Thanks, Oscar I’ll talk to you later.” I hang up and turn to Soph. “You okay?” I ask her and see the confusion hit her face.

  “You’re asking me that? Shouldn’t I be asking you? What’s Oscar found? Do you want me to call in Nathan and Skye?” Her voice sounds shaky and I don’t blame her. Her best friend is missing and she feels helpless.

  “Yeah, you’re feeling this too Soph, Winter is your best friend. We will find her Soph. I will bring her home. I can’t live without her Soph, I just can’t.” My voice breaks on the last word and Soph starts walking over to me. I shake my head once, she gets the message and stops.

  “Okay, Sam. I’m calling them, we need as many people as we can get?” There is the Soph I know. She’s blocked everything out but what she has to do. It’s how we cope, we lock everything else away and focus on the mission. I need to do that now. I need to do it so I can get Winter back.

  “I hate to do this to Nathan, but we need all available people, I’ll get Scott to call in Asher too.” Soph just nods then leaves me alone in the kitchen. I can hear her telling Scott to call Asher. I take a moment to try and get myself in the right frame of mind. I need to. If I don’t, I could lose Winter forever. I lock the pain and the thoughts away. I take a deep breath and another. I’m ready. I make my way into the sitting room and everyone turns and looks at me. Soph smiles and looks relieved.

  “Good. You’re reigned in. Thank God I didn’t have to call Ryder to ream your ass.” I shake my head at her. She’s worried and doing what we have always done, try and make a joke. Usually, it would work. Not now it won’t.

  I look to Luke’s lady. “We’re about to get a list of properties that the asshole owns, we need as many men and women we can get looking into these properties. Will the Officers help?” I think my tone may have an edge to it by the raised eyebrow Luke has. Fuck it, I don’t have the time or the patience for niceties right now.

  “Yes, they are already waiting for the information. They’re ready to go.” I nod and our phones start buzzing. Impeccable timing Oscar. I look down and see twelve; yes, the fucker has twelve fucking properties in New York. “Okay, I’ll send out

  Officers to check out these locations. As soon as I know anything, I will let you know.” Whoa, wait.

  “Um, Morgan. No disrespect. There is no way in hell that any of us are stepping aside and not checking out those houses. So you either let us go with you, or you’ll be checking houses we’ve already checked.” Sophia says, and there is a hard edge to her tone.

  “Damn it. Fine, but you are all with me and we will check out the two houses close to each other. I don’t need a bunch of vigilantes running around the fucking city.” The detective says while staring at Sophia.

  “Vigilantes my ass. We ready to go yet? She’s been gone to fucking long already. Sitting around here talking about shit isn’t going to bring her back.” I’m so pissed. Fucking taking their time while that fucking asshole has her, doing God fucking knows what to her.

  “We’re leaving now.” She grits out while walking out of the room. Luke gets up and follows her.

  “Soph, you can’t come,” I say quietly, and she turns her disappointed eyes towards me.

  “I know. Nathan will be here soon.” She whispers and I see the fear in her eyes. She walks over to me and says much louder “Sam, please be careful and get a vest. You too Scott.” I nod and walk out of the room. I make it to the door as Nathan arrives. Whatever he sees on my face causes him to flinch.

  “We’re going to get her back.” There is absolutely no doubt in his voice. I wish I were that confident. I lift my chin and walk to my truck. I get in and I reach into the glove compartment and pull out my 38 Smith and Wesson. I start the truck and wait for the others to catch up. Getting even more impatient the longer I wait. I see Scott and Nathan walking out of the house and I start revving my truck, they seem to get the message and they start to jog to me. Nathan jumps in the front and Scott comes to my window.

  “I’m going to get Skye from the hospital and Asher from P.I.G.S. I’ll be a few minutes behind you.” I nod and he jogs to Luke’s car, gets in and drives off.

  “We’re heading to Mulberry Street.” I nod and reverse out of Steven’s drive. I put my foot down on the gas and speed off as Nathan is on the phone. “Yeah, you got eyes on Mulberry Street?” He’s silent, listening to whoever is on the other end of the phone. “Fuck, we need eyes and ears on that street Dwayne, I hate going in blind.” Fuck, no security footage, the fucker has picked a good fucking location. “Fuck. All right, do what you can Dwayne.” Nathan hangs up and turns to me. I brace. “So, Dwayne is with Oscar. They followed the stolen car as far as they could but whoever was driving it knew where the blind spots were and he used them fucking well.”

  “Fuck, just what we need. Any rental agreements for this property?” I growl out and Nathan shakes his head in the negative. Fuck! This bastard is playing us for a fool. “Any of this fuckers’ properties have rental agreements?” Another head shake. Fuck! We make it to Mulberry Street in thirty minutes. “What is the house number?” I ask.

  “1066” I slow down and we both start looking at house numbers. Halfway down the street we spot it and park three houses above it and wait and watch. Nathan’s phone rings.

  “Slade… Fuck! All of them? Yeah, we’re here...no movement yet, how far you out? ... Right, what about the detective and your father? ... right, see you in ten.” He turns to me and I know by his face that it’s bad news. “The Officers have checked eight out of the twelve houses and each one is clear. Nathan, Asher, and Skye will be here in ten minutes and the Detectives and Steven should be here any second.” I nod and grit my teeth and tighten my grip on the steering wheel. Fuck, we’re wasting more time waiting on these fucking Detectives to hurry the fuck up.

  Eight minutes later and the Detectives pull up and right behind them is Scott. Once Scott is parked, I’m out of my truck, Nathan hot on my heels. I make it to the Detective's car. “What the fuck took you so fucking long? We’ve been here for fucking ages. If anything happens to her, I’m holding you personally responsible.” I see the flash of shock on her face before she masks it. I don’t give a fuck. They’ve been wasting time from the very beginning. I turn and start walking toward
s house 1066 when I feel a hand clamp onto my arm. I turn and see Steven has a hold of me. I raise my brow in question.

  “I get it, you want to run in there and get her, but you need to calm down son. You can’t go in half-cocked. You’ll get everyone killed.” I shrug him off me just as the others get to me.

  “Don’t make this out to be that I’m the one who’s getting anyone killed. You had one fucking job. I trusted you. She trusted you. You were meant to keep her safe.” I grit out. My emotions that I had kept in check the best I could are starting to come out and I tamp them down. I start walking again, I feel Nathan and Asher at my side. We make it to the door and the Detectives push in front of us, I grab my gun and hold it ready.

  The Detectives do their special knock. “NYPD open up.” And bang on the door again. They call out twice more before Detective Jones takes his boot and kicks the door. It fucking splinters to pieces and we all move in. We search every room and nothing, each room is clear. They’re fucking empty; I mean not even a piece of fucking furniture in them. They’re not here. Disappointment fills my whole body, and I see it in the eyes of Scott and Nathan. I see Detective Jones pull out his phone and walk into a different room. Detective Yates walks over to us. “Detective Jones is calling uniforms here, and we’re heading to property number two on Madison Street.”

  “What the fuck, there was no Madison Street on our list!” Scott says, and I double check. No Madison Street.

  “That’s because I’ve received a text from Luke, your boys found a new address.” What the fuck, since when did they go to the fucking cops instead of us? I see Nathan must be having the same thoughts by the narrowing of his eyes.

  “What’s the full address?” Nathan bites out. Damn, that man is pissed.

  “1487 Madison Street.” I watch as Nathan, Scott and Steven go solid.

  “Fuck, that sick motherfucker.” Scott whispers.

  “Can someone please explain what the fuck is going on,” I growl, we are yet again wasting time.

  “That is Winter’s old house, the house she sold while she lived in Maui.” Skye answers, her eyes are on the floor. Holy shit, this motherfucker is sick.

  “What the fuck are we waiting for?” I shout and walk out of the house, as soon as my feet clear the front door I run to my truck, Nathan right behind me. We make it to the truck and I see everyone scrambling to get in their cars. It takes less than ten minutes and I’m outside Winter’s old house. I know in my gut that she’s here. I don’t wait for backup, I run for the door and touch the door handle, I test it and find it unlocked. I put my gun up and open the door. I hear Nathan behind me. I turn my head and he nods. He’s got my back.

  We walk into the house, both of us guns drawn. We move in sync, both of us checking each room, again there is nothing here, no furniture, nothing. We make our way upstairs we make it to the top step and we hear movement to our left. We move that way. I don’t want to walk into a trap. We walk to the only door to the left of the stairs and I go to one side of it, Nathan goes to the other. We listen and hear movement again. I give Nathan the signal and he raises his gun as I push down the door handle, I throw the door open and my whole world comes crashing down. Winter is laying in the middle of the floor; blood is seeping out of her. That asshole is lying beside her cradling her head. I’m stuck, I’m frozen in place just watching.

  “David Masters put your hands up. We will shoot.” I didn’t hear anyone come up. I’m watching this scene play out in front of me, helpless to do anything. Winter hasn’t moved, she didn’t even make a sound when Detective Yates shouted at that fucker to put his hands up.

  I watch as he lets go of Winter, bends down and kisses her cheek, telling her. “I’m so sorry babe, I never meant for you to get hurt. I loved you and just wanted you to be happy. I wanted us to be happy. I love you, Winter.” Then he stands up, and I see a glint of silver, he has a knife. “Get away from me, Winter is mine, you can’t have her. I told her that if I can’t have her nobody can.” He has blood all over his hands and I’m paralyzed to do anything. I watch as the detective’s rush into the room weapons drawn and pointing at David. He starts jabbing his weapon, trying to get them. “You’re not getting her, she’s mine.” Is all he keeps shouting at them. Detective Jones goes behind him and tackles him to the ground, the knife falls from his hand and onto the floor where Morgan is and kicks it away.

  “David Masters you are under arrest -”

  I don’t listen to Morgan finish reading him his rights as I come unstuck and run to Winter. I land harshly on my knees, I don’t hear her breathing so I put my hand to her neck, there is a faint pulse. It’s too fucking faint.

  I look to Nathan and scream at him. “Get a fucking ambulance. Now!” I see him nod to Steven who is already on the phone.

  I take a deep breath and brush the hair of her face. “Sweets, it’s me, Sam. I need you to be okay. I need you to wake up and be okay. I need you Sweets.” I feel tears falling from my face as she lays there motionless. I look at her and see she has a wound on her stomach, I wonder where else she is hurt.

  Sirens in the distance and I pray we got to her in time. The sirens get closer and I pull her closer to me. I’m rocking her whispering in her ear how much I love her. I feel a hand touch me and I’m staring at Nathan’s worried eyes.

  “Man, you need to let her go, the EMT’s are here and they need to get to her.” He offers his hand and I give Winter one last kiss as the EMTs enter the room. I get up and out of their way as Nathan pulls me to him. I just watch as they put oxygen on her and lift her up.

  “Be careful, she’s injured. Don’t hurt her.” I tell the EMTs.

  “Sir, I can assure you, we’re really careful and we are going to take good care of her.” One of them tells me and I just numbly nod. I follow them down the stairs and to the ambulance. I watch mutely as the doors are slammed in my face leaving me to watch as it speeds off taking the love of my life with it.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sam

  I’m in my truck and fuck if I know how I got here. I’m sitting in the passenger’s side and Nathan is driving, he’s caught up to the ambulance and I shoot him a grateful look. “You back now?” He asks and I shoot him a look that means what the fuck do you think. He misunderstands. “Dude, you were in some sort of trance. I had to pull you to the truck.” I shrug, what does he want me to say? Winter’s in the back of that ambulance and all I can think of is her lying so fucking still on the floor.

  “How did you get over it? Watching Soph fall to the ground bleeding? Because I know there is no way I’m going to be able to forget what I just saw. Fuck man, she had such a faint pulse.” I start shaking, all my rage and helplessness comes to the surface.

  We finally make it to the hospital and I’m out of my truck and running. I make it into the automatic doors and that fucking Detective is there. How the hell did they get here before me?

  “Mr. Mitchell, they won’t be able to tell you anything and you won't be able to see her just yet. Please take a seat.” Detective Yates says.

  “How about you fuck off, you have done enough. If you had bothered doing your job, my woman wouldn’t be somewhere in this goddamn hospital fighting for her life.” I hear a gasp from behind me. I turn and see Sophia crying. Luke looks like he wants to punch me. “You had one job. Just one thing to do.”

  “You’re blaming us?” Steven asks and he sounds shocked like he doesn’t understand.

  “You were supposed to keep her safe. You let that motherfucker take her from right under your nose. So hell yes I blame you.” I walk away and into the waiting room. I need to get away from them all. I sit down and place my head in my hands. I take deep breaths and try and keep the tears at bay. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up and see Oscar standing there.

  He takes the seat next to me. “She’s a fighter man, she’s going to be okay.” I just nod. He doesn’t say anything else, just sits beside me. I watch as the others come into the room, they seem to have taken me
seriously and are keeping their distance from me, well, all except Soph, who is dragged near me by Nathan who takes the seat on the other side of me. We sit for what seems like hours, nobody is making a sound. We’re just waiting. The door opens and we all look to it and see Skye and Ryder. Ryder looks pissed, probably because he’s in a wheelchair, and Skye is pushing it. She pushes him in front of me and makes a hasty retreat.

  “I’ve made a few calls. David Masters will never see the outside world again.” Ryder tells me on a growl. “Sam, your girl, once she wakes up is going to need you. She’s going to be withdrawn. We don’t know what this fucker did to her. But I know you. You will bring her back, just like you have since you met her. Be her safe harbor. Whatever she tells you. Keep... Your… Shit! Then go knock the shit out of a punching bag.”

  “Brother, no matter what happens we have your back completely. Always have, always will.” Oscar tells me, Ryder nods in agreement. The door opens and I see a doctor walk out.

  “Winter Cortez?” We all stand, except Ryder. We meet the doctor as he walks out. “I’m Dr. Kincaid. Who is Winter’s next of kin?” Oh, fuck. Shit. Nobody called her mom, he might not tell us anything.

  “I’m her sister, and this is her boyfriend. What happened to her, doctor?”

  “I’m sorry, but Winter was stabbed three times, none of which hit anything vital, but she has lost a lot of blood. We have given her a transfusion and she is resting. She should be coming around from the anesthesia soon.”

  “She’s okay?” I ask and the doctor nods. “But her pulse was so faint,” I say in a quiet voice. I need to make sure she will be okay.

  “That would have been due to the blood loss. I assure you, Ms. Cortez will be okay. She will need to take it easy for the next few weeks.”

  “She will, I’ll make sure of it.” Dr. Kincaid nods and I shake his hand and thank him. I walk towards her room not caring who’s behind me. I open the door and see her lying on the hospital bed. She has a drip in her left arm and her arms are lying on top of the blanket that looks stiff against her body. Her usual sun-kissed face looks pale and gray. I walk over to the bed and place my lips on hers and feel her breath on my face. Her lips are so cold. I take her hand and that is also freezing cold. But she’s breathing and I feel some tension leave my body.