“For fuck's sake, Summers, spit it out!” the Chief snaps angrily.
“The picture is of the victims - the three little girls; two are screaming while the other is being dismembered,” Vance chokes out then starts to retch. Luckily, there is a trashcan next to him. He grabs it just in time and pukes his guts up in it.
“What? Are you saying the killer contacted you?” the Chief bellows and stomps over to Vance's computer.
“It has to be from the killer. I don't know who else would take a picture like that,” Vance rasps after spitting into the trashcan and wiping his mouth.
“Holy shit,” the Chief breathes, and Vance now knows that he saw the picture, too. “Get IT in here and see if they can trace where that email came from,” the Chief orders to someone.
The IT woman spends the next few hours trying to find out where the email came from, but it is untraceable. The Chief is having a fit in his office, Shawn is staring off into space at his desk, and Vance is trying to get the image out of his head. Sitting in his chair, he drops his head into his hands. His stomach is flip-flopping and he is continuously swallowing back the bile that keeps rising in his throat. He wants to go home. He wants to get the hell away from this whole fucked up case.
“Why me, Shawn?” Vance murmurs into the silence after the thought occurs to him.
Shawn blinks slowly and turns his head to look over at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…I don't understand why that email was sent to me. How does the killer know me or know that I'm on the case?”
Shawn stares at Vance for a minute. “That's a good question. Obviously, the guy is a computer whiz to know how to make an email untraceable. And it seems as if he must know you or know of you. I'm betting on the latter. He probably hacked into our system and found out who's working the case.”
“God, I hope so,” Vance says, shaking his head.
The Chief lets Vance and Shawn go home early and tells them to take a couple of days off while they wait for the autopsy results to come in. Vance is definitely grateful for the time to get himself together. He goes straight home, needing a shower and some time to himself.
It is around 4:30 pm when he walks into the kitchen from the garage. The smell of food cooking turns his stomach to the point that he starts gagging. Vance rushes past Ryder, who is doing the cooking, and runs to the bathroom that is off the living room. But Vance has nothing left in his stomach, so he pretty much just dry heaves into the toilet.
“Jesus, Van, are you alright?” comes Ryder's concerned voice from the bathroom doorway.
Vance's abs clench tight as he gags again, unable to answer past the dry heaving; it just won't stop. He can't breathe. His whole body is shaking and his head is pounding.
Strong arms wrap around his chest and stomach and he hears Ryder's voice in his ear.
“Breathe, Vance, come on, you need to relax, breathe...in through your nose...alright, there ya go...again...good...calm yourself.” Ryder soothes quietly.
Vance is finally able to get himself under control. He leans back against Ryder and closes his eyes. Ryder starts smoothing his hand over Vance's hair, which helps him relax a little more.
“You're okay, I’ve got you,” Ryder mollifies.
Vance reaches back and clasps the back of Ryder's neck. Ryder then pats Vance's chest, knowing that Vance is trying to thank him for being there. After a minute of holding each other, they slowly let go and get to their feet.
“Are you alright?” Ryder asks, now facing Vance. He reaches out and claps a hand on Vance's shoulder.
Vance swallows hard. “Bad day, very bad,” he croaks, his throat raw from vomiting.
“Shit, man, what can I do for you?” Ryder asks softly.
Vance can't stop himself from getting choked up. He shakes his head and looks away from Ryder. The grip Ryder has on Vance's shoulder tightens and before Vance can stop him, Ryder is pulling him into his arms. Vance lets go, unable to hold back even if he wanted to. He buries his face in Ryder's neck, and in the most emasculating way, just balls his eyes out. He clutches the back of Ryder's t-shirt. Ryder cups the back of his head with one hand while the other wraps around his shoulders.
“I gotcha buddy. It’s okay, you'll feel better after you let it out,” Ryder coos gently into Vance's hair, giving him exactly what he needs to purge his day.
A few minutes later, the tears have dried and Vance is able to think straight again. He thanks Ryder, which is met with a “nothing you wouldn’t do for me,” then both men move on as if nothing happened. Vance goes up to his room and takes a shower. He is just about to get into bed for a little nap when he remembers that he is supposed to go see Melina. Fuck! As much as he likes her, he just isn't in the mood to see her. But he promised and he doesn't want to start off a possible relationship with him breaking a promise.
So Vance forces himself to get dressed, pulling on a pair of faded jeans and a plain white t-shirt. After putting on his socks and sneakers, he shoves his wallet into his back pocket and heads downstairs. When he walks into the kitchen, Ryder, Dayne, and Tripp are eating the dinner that Ryder cooked.
“You going somewhere?” Ryder asks, an eyebrow raises in question.
Vance nods and clears his throat. “I promised...” he starts then has to clear his throat again. “...Melina that I'd stop by,” he finishes, his voice hoarse.
“You sure you’re up for that?” Ryder asks, brows now furrowed.
Vance sighs and grabs his keys out of the bowl on the counter. “No, but I promised.”
“How ‘bout I come with you?” Ryder says and pushes his chair out.
“Nah, man, I'll be alright. I'm not going to stay long,” Vance insists and leaves before any of them can argue more.
Vance walks slowly down the hospital corridor toward Melina's room. He is exhausted and won’t miss coming here once Melina is released. He comes to a stop in front of her door, raking a hand through his still damp hair then knocks. Hearing Melina say “come in,” he opens the door and enters. Vance ducks around the curtain to see Melina sitting up in bed, an iPad in her lap. She is in her own clothes - the sexiest raggedy old nightshirt he’s ever seen - and looks as if she recently showered. Not that she could shower with the condition her leg is in, so it must have been some kind of sponge bath. But how did she wash her hair? Oh well, whatever, he’s clearly overthinking things. Her long dark hair is damp, laying in waves over her shoulders. The old nightshirt is doing nothing to hide her beauty. Vance actually thinks that she looks sexy in the outfit.
Melina smiles brightly when she sees whom her visitor is, which makes him feel good. But her smile quickly fades when she sees the condition that he is in.
“Vance? Are you okay?” she asks worriedly, putting the iPad aside.
Vance walks over and sits on the bed next to her hip, facing her. “It's been a really horrendous day,” he answers, his voice still fucked up.
“Are you sick? Your voice is really hoarse.” She put her hand to his forehead as if checking for a fever.
“Nah, just dealing with work stuff is taking its toll.”
“Oh, Vance, you should have just called me. You didn't have to come today,” Melina tells him softly, running her fingers through the hair right above his right ear.
“But I wanted to see you,” Vance murmurs.
“But you look exhausted.” Melina frowns.
Vance just shrugs then watches as Melina methodically rearranges her wires then carefully scoots over and pats the bed next to her. She holds her arms out to him and waits. Vance is too tired to resist so he turns around and sits next to her on her right side. He kicks his shoes off, cautiously putting his feet up on the bed next to hers. She pulls him into her arms, pretty much forcing his head down on her shoulder, then hits the button to tilt the bed back some. He shimmies down a little bit so that he can rest his head on her chest and wrap his arms around her waist, again vigilant not to get too close to her bandaged thigh. She hits another button an
d the light above them goes out.
Melina runs one hand lightly up and down his arm, which is resting on her stomach. Her other hand is stroking the back of his head and neck as she rests her cheek on the top of his head. Vance sighs heavily and lets some of the tension in his body go. It feels so good to be in a woman’s arms. Well, more like Melina's arms. And good lord does she smell good. How did she manage to do that from a sponge bath? Every time her scent enters his nose, he relaxes a little more.
“You smell good,” Vance mutters, fighting the sleep that is trying to suck him under.
“Thank you, now be quiet and go to sleep,” Melina says softly and kisses the top of his head.
“You're much softer than my buddy, Ryder,” he mumbles, already half-asleep.
Melina chuckles. “Thanks…I think.”
“Melina?”
“Yes, Vance?” she mutters into his hair.
“Don't let me sleep too long, okay?” he whispers, but doesn't hear her answer because he is practically passed out.
Vance opens his eyes and looks around. Where the hell is he? It looks like the living room of the victim's house from the case he is working on. But that’s impossible, isn't it? He shakes his head, feeling a little foggy, like he's been drugged or something. Then he hears crying, little girls crying to be specific. Vance tries to get up to go look but he’s unable to move his arms and legs. Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the FUCK is going on? He opens his mouth to scream for help, but nothing comes out. No, this can't be happening; this can't be real!
Footsteps bring his head around to the right where the doorway to the kitchen is. The crying gets louder. Suddenly, a man’s silhouette appears in the doorway, but Vance can’t make out his face. In each hand, the mysterious man is holding a little girl by her hair, and Vance starts to panic. Oh god, please, no. The man violently throws both girls forward so that they fall to the floor a few feet away from Vance. The girls push themselves up to their knees and brush their hair out of their faces. NOOOO!!!
Vance tries to scream and fight free of whatever is holding him down when he realizes that the young girls on their knees are his nieces, both in their princess nightgowns that he bought them. With tears streaming down their faces, they look up at him with pleading eyes. He becomes frantic, straining to get free to save them. The evil man just stands there, laughing at the scene in front of him.
“Try all you want, Vance, you won't be able to save them,” a deep voice growls from the kitchen doorway.
The monster moves forward toward Hailey and Olivia, and Vance tries to scream, straining so hard that he can swear his muscles are going to tear away from his bones. Even as the man steps into the light, Vance can't see his face. However, a flash of metal catches Vance's eye. The man maniacally lifts a machete into the air. Vance looks back at his nieces and pleads for forgiveness with his eyes for not being able to save them.
It happens so fast that it takes Vance a second to register what he sees. The beast brings the machete across each girl’s neck in one long swipe, eyes wide and mouths open in shock. Their bodies start to fall forward and their heads tumble off their shoulders. The scream that tears up Vance's throat is one that he's never heard come out of him before. His arms and legs come free and he hits the floor face first.
“VANCE!” A female voice that he recognizes calls out from above him.
Vance opens his eyes to find out that he is face down on a white linoleum floor. He then hears a door open and a couple of footsteps rush in.
“Is everything okay in here?” asks a male voice.
“I don't know. He must have had a nightmare or something. He was struggling in his sleep, then he screamed and fell off the bed,” Vance hears the familiar voice say.
Vance pulls his knees up, but stays bent over with his forearms on the floor and his forehead resting in his hands. The male who entered the room walks over to him and puts a hand on his back.
“Hey, man, did you get hurt when you fell?” he asks gently.
“No, I'm okay,” Vance chokes out as he tries to get his emotions in check.
“Do you need help getting up?”
“No.”
The guy sighs but backs off. Vance takes a few deep breaths before pushing up to sit back on his heels. He brushes the tears off his face and looks around. He is in a hospital room; the guy trying to help him is a nurse, and there is another female nurse standing by the door looking concerned. Vance turns his gaze to the bed he just fell out of. Melina is gripping the edge of the bed, worry twisting her face as she looks down toward him. He curses under his breath and rubs his face with his hands. She must have motioned for the nurses to leave because they slowly backed out and shut the door behind them.
“God, Melina, I'm sorry...” Vance rasps, his throat tight from all of the emotion he’s feeling.
He hears Melina's good foot hit the floor, making his eyes fly open. She plops down to her butt in front of him, with no regard for her IV pole. Her bandaged leg is sticking out to the side.
“Melina, what are you doing? You're gonna hurt your leg.” Vance sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. Fuck, he has a migraine now.
Vance then feels her delicate little hands cup his face, completely ignoring his comment about her leg. He drops his hand and opens his eyes to look at her. She looks so upset and worried.
“Are you sure you're okay?” she whispers.
“Yeah, I'm fine,” he says softly. He runs his hands up and down her arms, trying to comfort her.
Melina searches his eyes. “I don't think you are,” she says grimly as if she knows what his nightmare was about. “The scream that came out of your mouth was heart wrenching, Vance. It was so raw and pain-filled, what’s going on?”
Vance closes his eyes. “I wouldn't tell you even if I could. Not because I don't trust you, but because I don't want you haunted by it,” he says.
“So this is all because of the case you're working on?” she asks.
Vance nods.
Melina strokes his face with her thumbs. “If you can't talk to me, then can you at least talk to a therapist or something? I mean that was one hell of a nightmare.”
“I'll be fine; it was just something that happened today that triggered this. I'll be okay,” Vance murmurs and looks at her.
She gives him a doubtful look but keeps her mouth shut. Smart girl. Vance gets to his feet then carefully picks up a protesting Melina and gently puts her back into bed. Then he goes into the bathroom and shuts the door. He takes a piss before heading to the sink where he washes up then splashes some cold water in his face. He mistakenly looks up into the mirror; damn, he looks like shit, like he has aged ten years or something. His eyes have dark circles under them and are bloodshot, but that’s probably from the strain of throwing up earlier. He needs a shave, too. There is no way that Melina is going to want to see him again after this. He should have never come here today; he should have just called like she said. Fuck him, fucking idiot. He shakes his head in disbelief at his stupidity then dries his hands and face off with a paper towel.
Vance comes out of the bathroom but keeps his distance from the bed, going over to the window and looking out at the busy city. He hears the bed move and then the scrape of the metal IV stand heading his way. He turns around just as Melina attempts her first shot at putting pressure on her bad leg. She winces in pain and it pisses him the hell off.
“Will you stop getting out of bed!” he shouts and reaches for her.
“The doctors told me to walk around as much as I could, circulation and all that shit,” she says dismissively as she slaps at his hands.
“I don't want you reinjuring yourself,” Vance counters and scoops her up with ease.
“Oh for god's sake, put me down,” Melina demands as he carries her over to the bed.
“Nope.” He smirks.
Vance places Melina tenderly on the bed. He looks up to find her watching his face. “What?” he asks quietly, searching her green eyes.
; Her hand comes up to stroke his cheek. “I’m just worried about you.”
Vance gives her a small smile. “I’ll be fine,” he whispers then turns his face into her palm and kisses it.
They stare at each other for a few extra seconds before Vance straightens up. He rakes a hand through his hair. Melina is so beautiful and he is so tempted to kiss her, but he knows that he won't be able to stop once he starts.
He glances at the clock for the first time since waking up. Holy shit, it’s 11:00 pm. He slept for at least six hours. “Shit, why’d you let me sleep so long?” he asks, turning back to Melina.
“You needed it.” She shrugs.
Vance rubs his face. “I better get going,” he mumbles.
“Why don't you just stay?” she suggests softly.
Vance snorts and shakes his head. “And have another nightmare in front of you? Yeah, I don't think so.”
“So you'd rather go through it alone?” Melina frowns.
“I'd rather not scare the shit out of you in the middle of the night,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest as he walks back over to the window.
“It's fine, really. Stay with me,” she says, holding her hand out to him.
Vance shakes his head. “No, I'm gonna go. I'll come back tomorrow if you want. I have a few days off, so I’ll have plenty of time to come see you.”
“Vance, it would make me feel better if you stay.”
Vance glances over at her to find her giving him puppy dog eyes with her bottom lip sticking out. His nieces had the same look on their cute little faces in the picture that his sister sent him. It is the face that he can't say no to. And even on a grown woman, it works on him. He feels a smile creep across his face and shakes his head.
“Damn it, woman. It’s too soon for you to be figuring out my weaknesses.” Vance chuckles softly.
Melina laughs, making Vance's heart race. He loves her laugh; it is so happy and joyful. He can't remember the last time that he truly laughed. All he has are chuckles here and there, but never full out let-yourself-go kind of laughs. He then realizes how unhappy he's been. It just hits him square in the face and it shocks him. How has he not realized it?
Destiny Disrupted (There's Always Tomorrow Book 1) Page 4