Suffer

by E. E. Borton

  Kate pushed the images of Caleb and Paul out of her mind. If she didn’t, they would never leave and would soon destroy her. They would make her incapable of thinking clearly and taking the necessary steps to find the murderer. She simply wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

  She covered herself with the robe and walked in defiance to the large window in her room overlooking Biscayne Bay. Under strict orders from Grey, the curtains were to remain drawn at all times. She pushed them apart without hesitation and peered out into the darkness. “Can you see me? Can you see me standing here living, breathing, thinking? I know you can, but I can see you, too. I can feel your eyes on me right now, and I’m not afraid of you. Soon you’ll learn to fear me.”

  She opened her robe and let it fall to the floor. Kate threw her head back and raised her arms out toward the water. “Look at the body you tried to destroy. It’s still strong and getting stronger every day. I’m coming for you. The last thing you’re ever going to feel in your life is me taking it from you.”

  Kate lowered her arms and faced forward again. She stared into the darkness for a minute before covering herself and closing the curtains. A knock at her door brought her back from the water to her room. Abby opened it with care, not wanting to wake Kate if she were asleep.

  “You should be in bed,” said Abby, entering the room.

  “I will be shortly,” said Kate, keeping her distance.

  “Are you okay?” asked Abby, noticing she was flushed.

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  Abby walked toward her, not satisfied with the answer. “You wanna talk?” she asked, seeing her sister’s tears.

  “I’m tired, Abby. I just want to go to bed. We’ll talk tomorrow, I promise.”

  “This is a big house, but not so big you can keep avoiding me,” said Abby, sitting on the corner of the bed. “You’ve hardly said two words to me since you’ve been here. Just talk to me for a minute. Please.”

  Kate conceded with a smile and joined her sister on the bed. Abby reached over and took her hand. She smiled back and squeezed. “You really do look amazing.”

  “I look like a pirate who went through a meat grinder.”

  “It makes you look tough,” replied Abby, laughing.

  “You’re insane,” said Kate.

  The laughter died and Abby lowered her head. “I’m worried about you.”

  “You don’t need to worry. I’m going to be fine.”

  “You keep saying that, Kate, but I know you’re saying it for me, mom, dad, and everyone else around you. I don’t really know what’s going on in your head. You just seem so…”

  “Different,” said Kate, finishing her sentence. “Of course I’m different.”

  “Distant,” answered Abby. “Yes, a little different, but more distant. You never talk about Caleb or Paul. You talk about getting stronger and being okay, but you never talk about them. I don’t understand and that’s what worries me. It’s what scares me.”

  Kate put her arm around Abby’s shoulder and drew her in close. “Do you have any idea how much I love you? I’m so happy you’re here with me. I promise you, when I’m ready, you’ll be the first pair of ears I want to talk to.”

  Abby turned to face her sister. Tears were welling in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her. “I love you, too, and I promise to keep my big ears close.”

  “Deal,” said Kate, wiping her sister’s cheek. “Now, get out of here so I can get some sleep. We’re going to have company tomorrow morning and I want to look my best.”

  27

  Splash

  ABBY FOLLOWED HER SISTER’S LEAD and broke Grey’s rule by opening the curtains covering her window. She closed them when she saw Grey treading water in the massive pool in the backyard. Abby shook her head and giggled to herself, feeling like a child hiding from her babysitter.

  It was ten o’clock in the evening when she decided to join him in the water. It seemed like a relaxing environment to ask him questions about the guests arriving in the morning. She also had a few other things on her mind she wanted to put at ease.

  Wearing her bathing suit, she headed downstairs. In what seemed like months, Abby felt comfortable and secure. She knew an armed FBI agent was posted in a room filled with monitors attached to sensors and cameras. Although the house was enormous, she also knew Chief and Evan were always within shouting distance. But what made her feel the most secure was bobbing in the pool.

  Walking through the kitchen, Abby saw a bottle of whiskey sitting on the table. She thought Grey must have poured himself a glass before hitting the water. Grabbing the bottle and a glass, she made her way to the pool deck.

  Grey had finished treading and was floating on his back near a waterfall at the deep end of the pool. At the top of the six-foot fall, surrounded by an ornate rock formation, was a large Jacuzzi. The cascade from above kept the water below at the perfect temperature. Soft illumination from concealed light sources cast an ambient glow over the scene. In any other circumstance, the only thing on Grey’s mind would be thinking about how lucky he was to be in such a beautiful place.

  He was staring up at the clear night sky when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Expecting Chief or Evan to come into view and ruin his rare moment of peace, Grey closed his eyes, attempting to wish them away. After a few seconds with no success, he turned his head in their direction, ready to fire off a disapproving glare. He lost his buoyancy when Abby came into view.

  Grey didn’t lose his breath because he was startled. He lost it because she was stunning. In spite of their turbulent relationship since they met ten years earlier, Grey always thought Abby was a beautiful woman. She had striking features, but this was the first time he had ever seen her in a bikini. Her usual attire consisted of a Boston College sweatshirt and loose fitting jeans. On the rare occasion he would see her in a dress, but nothing compared to what she was wearing while standing over him.

  “For an FBI guy, you’re pretty easy to sneak up on,” said Abby.

  “I thought you were Chief,” said Grey, wiping the water from his eyes.

  Abby looked down at herself. “I look like Chief?”

  “No, no,” said Grey, treading and laughing. “He said he might come join me in a bit.”

  “Okay,” said Abby, holding up the bottle. “I’ll take this back inside so you guys can have some alone time.”

  “Abby,” said Grey, cocking his head.

  “All right, one drink and then I’ll leave you alone,” she said, turning and walking toward the steps at the shallow end.

  Grey wiped his eyes again as she turned away from him. He didn’t want anything blurring his vision. Her brilliant white string bikini left very few blanks for his imagination to fill. When she wore jeans, they were never tight or even snug. In fact, he couldn’t recall her ever wearing anything that would make him believe she was showing off. He felt uncomfortable not being able to take his eyes off of her.

  She found his glass, filled it, and then poured herself a drink. She put the bottle on the ledge and then slowly walked down the steps, being careful not to spill. When she reached the pool floor, she raised both glasses high over her head and dipped herself without losing a drop. When she bobbed back to the surface, the water painted the tiny swimsuit to her body. Grey lost his breath again, but managed to remain above water. He side-stroked and meet her halfway along the edge of the pool. He stayed in deep enough water to conceal his reaction to seeing her tanned and toned body dripping wet.

  “You’ve got skills,” said Grey.

  “You have no idea,” replied Abby, not helping Grey find his breath. “This is the way every day should end.”

  “I won’t argue with that,” said Grey, taking a long drink.

  “I went up to check on Kate,” said Abby, moving in closer to Grey. “I think she’s going to be okay. I think it’s because she feels safe here.”

  “Good,” said Grey, fighting the urge to look down. “Chief did a great job of turning t
his place into Fort Knox. Carlos donating a few of his agents didn’t hurt either.”

  Abby smiled at Grey, but didn’t speak. She took another drink and then resumed the quiet smile. Grey shifted his eyes to the left and right while holding his own awkward smile. “Are you okay?”

  She moved in closer. Abby’s eyes were a foot away from his. Grey continued to shift his away while continuing the fight not to look down. She was tall and had an athletic build, but she obviously kept her curves a secret under that loose clothing. There was only a very thin, wet, and nearly transparent top separating those curves from Grey’s darting eyes. “It’s because of you,” said Abby, finally breaking the silence.

  “What do you mean?” asked Grey as his voice cracked. He cleared his throat after realizing he sounded like a teenage boy. “Because of me?” he asked in a deeper tone.

  “We both feel safer with you close,” said Abby. “Don’t get me wrong, Grey, you still irritate the crap out of me. But there’s always been something about you that makes us, and everyone around you, feel more at ease. We know you’re not going to let anything happen. That you’d do anything it took to protect us.”

  “I’m a little surprised to hear you say that, but thank you.”

  Abby put her glass on the ledge and then put her arms around Grey’s neck. She pressed her body into his and hugged him. He was more shocked than accepting. But after a few seconds, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing their bodies even closer together. For Abby, it may have just been a thank you gesture. But for Grey, the feeling was more intimate and more foreign. He surrendered, closed his eyes, and melted into her. The last thing on his mind was letting her go. Evan and Chief made it happen in an instant.

  “Ahem,”

  Grey opened his eyes to see them standing over him with their own glasses. “Normally, I’d ask if we were interrupting, but in this case I know we are,” said Chief with a Cheshire cat grin.

  Without letting go of Grey, mainly because she couldn’t touch the bottom, Abby turned to look at the boys standing a few feet away. They were wearing hideously bright swim trunks and devilish grins. “Yes, you are definitely interrupting.”

  Ignoring the hint, Chief lowered himself in a heap on the side of the pool and dangled his legs in the water. His wife-beater T-shirt was struggling to hold back his belly, which was overlapping orange and purple flower print trunks. “I see you brought out the good stuff,” said Chief, holding out his glass.

  Grey had to let go of Abby to fill Chief’s glass. She turned away and swam toward the shallow end of the pool. Without taking his eyes off of her, Evan held his empty glass beside Chief’s. “Would you like a taste?” asked Grey, causing Evan to break his gaze.

  “What?”

  “Of whiskey,” said Grey.

  “Oh, yeah, sure,” replied Evan, cutting his eyes toward Abby again. “I’ve never seen her in a –”

  “I know,” said Grey, pouring. “Me either. It took me a second to figure out it was her.”

  “Damn.”

  All eyes cut to Abby when she sauntered up the pool stairs. She stopped on the last step, raised her arms, and squeezed the water out of her hair. She then reached behind to adjust her bikini bottom to cover her tan lines. She did the same for her top before turning and walking back toward the silent group.

  “I’m speaking for everyone here when I say you totally did that on purpose,” said Chief, raising his glass to her. “And for that, I thank you, pretty lady.”

  “Aren’t you sweet,” said Abby, bending over and kissing the top of his head. Still bent over and nearly spilling out of her top, she held her glass toward Grey. “One for the road, bartender?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” said Grey, finally losing his battle and staring at her chest while pouring. She thanked him and said good-night to the teenage boys she left stunned by the pool. They watched her walk inside and didn’t say a word until she closed the door.

  “Holy shit,” said Evan. “Where has she been hiding all that?”

  “In plain sight, son,” replied Chief. “In plain sight.”

  “I want to take this opportunity to thank both of you from the bottom of my heart for your amazing timing,” said Grey.

  “Like you have a chance, old man,” said Evan. “She hates you, remember?”

  “First of all, you’re less than a year younger than I am. Second, she doesn’t hate me. She just thinks I’m an asshole sometimes.”

  “And, really, who can blame her for that?” said Chief.

  “Exactly,” replied Grey.

  With Abby holding all his attention, Grey didn’t notice Chief was carrying a folder. “Well, now that the show is over, we can get down to some business,” he said, producing several documents.

  “Our guests tomorrow?” asked Grey.

  “Yep.”

  “Should we be going over this with him here?” asked Grey, immediately putting his friend on the defensive.

  “Absolutely,” said Chief, preventing Evan from starting the argument. “He’s a part of this team, and we could use all the help we can get.”

  “Okay, for now,” said Grey. “But we’ll talk later about how involved he’s going to get.”

  “I’m sitting right here, jackass,” said Evan, leaning in between Chief and Grey. “Don’t talk around me like I’m not.”

  “This isn’t a game, Evan,” said Grey. “I’m not talking around you, but I’m not going to put you in a position where things could go bad for you, either. Chief and I are on the job. Do you understand?”

  “I understand you’d better change your tone,” said Evan, glaring at Grey. “You, Chief, and I are all the same – civilians. We’re equals here.”

  “This isn’t one of your movie sets, Evan. We’re looking for a real monster here. This guy is smart, fast, dangerous, and doesn’t feel things the way we do. He has no remorse and would kill you without a second thought if you got in his way. And right now, you’re in his way.”

  Evan looked down at the water and shook his head. He clenched his teeth while taking a moment to clear his head. He didn’t want to argue with Grey, but he wanted to make sure his position was made loud and clear. His first words weren’t exactly the best choice, but it was an effective start. “Fuck you, Grey.”

  Grey cocked his head back as if someone had just smacked him on his forehead. “Excuse me?”

  “Good start,” said Chief, sliding away from them and taking the bottle.

  “Seriously, fuck you,” repeated Evan. “This is why people think you’re an asshole. You dismiss anyone who crosses you as being a child or an idiot. I’m neither.”

  “I didn’t say –”

  “Shut up,” said Evan. “For just one minute, close your mouth and listen to me. You and I have known Paul since we were kids. He was my best friend, and some piece of shit killed his son, made him kill himself, and tried to kill his wife…twice. And he’s out there still trying.

  “I’m not a kid anymore, Grey. And on the day when that piece of shit is standing in front of me, I’m gonna take a bat to that sick motherfucker’s head and sink him in the bay. Even if you guys weren’t here, I’d be going after him; I am going after him.”

  Grey exhaled and relaxed in the water. He looked up at Evan and gave him a genuine smile. “I know you would, buddy. But this guy is a pro. He won’t hesitate.”

  “Neither will I,” said Evan, narrowing his eyes. “I own a special effects company and blow shit up for a living. I’ve fired more rounds downrange through just about every weapon made, and I’m a better shot than you or Chief. You know that.”

  “The difference is, someone might be shooting back.”

  “I hope so,” said Evan. “Grey, I’m not asking to go in first. All I’m asking is that you let me go with you. You know I have a unique set of skills you can use. I won’t let you down and I won’t hesitate. Stop trying to protect me; stop shutting me out. You know firsthand how much that sucks.”

  Grey looked over at Chief, who
was trying not to make eye contact. “You knew this was coming?”

  “Yeah,” replied Chief. “He gave me the speech earlier. He was a tad more eloquent then, but I did tell him if he got in our way on the job I’d shoot him in the leg.”

  “You’re a tough nut to crack, Chief,” said Grey, turning back to face Evan. “He’s right, though. You do anything stupid or dismiss anything we say, and I swear I’ll send you packing. I’m not going to risk losing you, too. Got it?”

  “So I’m in?” asked Evan with wide eyes and a slight smile.

  “Yeah, you’re in.”

  “That was easier than I thought.”

  “Don’t push it.”

  “Okay, if you two are finished seeing whose dick is bigger, can we get started?” asked Chief.

  “Sure,” said Grey, splashing water in Evan’s face.

  “All right, while Evan was practicing his tough guy speech and you were skinny dipping with Abby, I’ve actually been earning my pay,” said Chief. “I started early this morning going through a stack of background checks on each of our special guests, but the juicy stuff was in a specific set of financial and travel records.”

  “Anything useful?” asked Grey.

  “A little,” said Chief with a hint of smug. “We’ve been racking our brains trying to find that connection between Paul and the folks looking to do him harm.”

  “Chief,” said Grey, raising himself out of the water.

  “Yeah, I found it.”

  28