by J. E. Taylor
Steve sat in the empty room in the maternity ward, staring at the blood on the floor, muttering, “Please God” over and over and over. His heart knocked against his ribs in an almost painful rhythm, echoing his less than silent mantra. It wasn’t until Nurse Rottweiler walked in that he realized he’d been pleading aloud.
“Mr. Williams, you have a daughter. We have her in our neonatal unit right now.” The nurse paused. “Did you have a name picked out?”
Relief washed over him. “Um, yeah, Samantha. Samantha Jayne,” he answered. He raised his eyes and the relief morphed into alarm at the sadness in the nurse’s eyes. His mouth went dry and he croaked out the first question, “What about her twin?”
The nurse shook her head.
The air rushed out of Steve’s lungs and he blinked. “My wife?”
“I will let you know just as soon as I hear anything,” she replied. “In the meantime, I’ll take you to your daughter.”
He followed the nurse into the NICU; his chest hollow like someone had ripped a huge hole in the center of his being. He looked down at the small helpless baby in the crib. Tubes flowing from her nose brought her air. A small tube in her arm fed her nutrients, and wires were taped to her chest to monitor her heart rate. “Hey, Samantha,” he whispered and a tear slipped down his cheek, landing on his daughter’s forehead, baptizing her with his pain and fear.
When the nurse walked in an hour later, Steve looked up. The expression on her face killed all hope. “Please tell me my wife is all right,” he said, tears forming again.
“She’s out of surgery and has been moved to our intensive care unit.” She looked down at the tiny bundle in the crib and back up at him.
“When can I see her?”
“The doctor will be here in a few minutes and he’ll take you to see your wife,” she said.
Steve nodded, and looked down at his daughter. “Okay.” He tried not to lose it in front of the nurse, but the tears rolled down his cheeks against his will.
Dr. Schneider walked in after what seemed like an eternity to find Steve still parked next to the crib, waiting. “I’m sorry, Mr. Williams. I wasn’t able to save the second child.”
“I know. The nurse told me that earlier.” Steve stood, wiping his face. “Can I please see Jen?”
“Mr. Williams, before I take you to your wife I need to explain the extent of her condition.”
Steve sat down again, numbness settling over his limbs as he waited for the worst.
“Your wife was touch and go for a while. She lost a great deal of blood and the only option we had to stop the hemorrhaging was to perform a hysterectomy. We believe she’s out of danger now but will be keeping a close eye on her for the next twelve hours.”
He stared at the doctor, digesting his words, and then his gaze fell on his daughter. “She’s the only child we’ll have?”
Dr. Schneider nodded. “And I would prefer to wait until Jennifer’s out of danger before I tell her the extent of the damage.” When Steve nodded agreement, Dr. Schneider led the way to the recovery room in the ICU.
Steve sat next to Jennifer and took her hand. Her face was slack and neutral under the influence of the anesthesia and tubes ran from her arms, bringing her the blood and hydration she needed. He put his head down on her hand. Unmanageable relief flowed through his body, turning his muscles to a mass of trembling flesh.
“Thank God.”
* * * *
Jennifer’s eyes fluttered open and she glanced around in confusion until her eyes fell on Steve. He looked like hell, hair disheveled, stubble creating a dark shadow on his cheeks and chin, and puffy bloodshot eyes rimmed with dark circles. The last thing she remembered was hearing him yelling outside the operating room door. “The babies?” she croaked.
“Samantha’s in the neonatal unit,” he said and wiped his eyes.
She nodded, waiting for word on Samantha’s twin.
His mouth opened and closed in succession.
“What about Jasmine?”
Steve inhaled. “We lost the second baby.”
What did he just say? She scrunched her eyebrows, trying to understand the words he said, but with the drugs still filling her mind with haze, she couldn’t grasp it. “What?”
“She didn’t make it, honey.” His eyes filled with tears and he blinked, driving them out and down his cheeks.
The depth of sorrow reflecting in his eyes spoke volumes. “We lost a baby?”
“Yes.”
The confirmation was potent as a physical blow and her chin trembled, her breath locked in her chest and her vision wobbled. The drug haze dissipated leaving her hollow and devastated. “I’m so sorry.” Tears spilled as fast as they appeared.
“Awe babe, it’s not your fault.” He wiped the tears off her cheeks.
“I knew something was wrong. I felt it.”
“Sweetheart, there was nothing either one of us could have done.”
“You need to rest now. Your body has had quite a trauma.” Dr. Schneider stepped out of the shadows and picked up her wrist, taking her pulse.
The need to see her daughter, to hold her, to make sure she was real and healthy struck like an eighteen-wheeler plowing through a stray fawn on the highway. “When can I see Samantha?”
“She’s in the neonatal unit, in intensive care.” Steve said, clarifying his earlier comment.
Fear, more potent than even the attack at the apartment gripped her heart. “Is she okay?”
“She’s got a hell of a fight ahead of her,” he answered before the doctor could.
Jennifer nodded and sniffled, bringing fresh oxygen through her nose while she wiped away her tears. “I want to see her. When can I see my daughter?” she asked again. This time Steve looked up at Doctor Schneider for the answer.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to release you from the ICU in the morning, and then you can see her,” the doctor answered. “But for now, I need you to rest and your husband needs to tend to your daughter.”
Steve leaned over and kissed her. “I love you, Jen.” He stood and followed the doctor out of the room.
* * * *
Back in the NICU, Steve sat in the rocking chair and looked at the pleasant colors painted on the walls countering the depressing sight of his daughter struggling for her life. She was the only child in the NICU. Steve looked at his watch. It was almost five in the morning. Twelve hours had elapsed since Jennifer’s water broke and close to eleven hours since he was given news of Samantha and her doomed twin. He pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.
“Hey, Jack,” he said, his voice reflecting the exhaustion saturating his muscles. “Sorry to wake you.” Steve closed his eyes. “We have a daughter.”
“Twin girls?” Jack asked groggily.
“No, just one and she’s in the NICU.” His answer was met with silence.
“Is Jennifer all right?”
“There were complications.” He closed his mouth, pressing his lips together against the sudden quell of emotion. When he finally spoke again, his voice shook. “She almost died, Jack.”
“Is she going to make it?”
He looked at the ceiling. “Yes, but she can’t have any more kids.”
“You want me to call anyone for you Steve?”
“Thanks, but no. I’ve got to call the folks.”
“If things change, let me know,” Jack said.
“I will.” He flipped the phone closed and leaned his head back on the soft cushion as the stress of the night bled out of him. His eyelids drooped and he closed them for just a moment.
Chapter 54
Kyle studied the house on the lake. There was no barrier preventing a water attack, but that might not be the best route in. Too many windows faced the lake and that would offer anyone inside a warning that a stranger was approaching. There were too many turns in the driveway and the distance between the last bend and the house was substantial enough to give warning to the occupants if they were looking in that direct
ion, especially if the vehicle used made a distinct noise like the run-down Chevy Nova he bought for this gig. But, the driveway could be effective if he were to enter on a bicycle that could be hidden in the lush woods.
He smiled as he slipped into the car and turned the ignition. The old clunker roared to life and he headed toward the house to scope it out. He knew they were still at the hospital, and from his inquiries, he knew it would be at least another day before they came home. Erring on the side of caution, he pulled over to the side of the dirt driveway just beyond the final curve and walked the remainder of the way.
He surveyed the distance between the opening and the wood line where the driveway opened up into the yard. Estimating it was roughly one hundred yards to the front door; he set the timer and sprinted to it. He checked his watch and nodded in satisfaction. It had only taken him twenty-three seconds to sprint the distance of a football field. When he peered in the side window, he could see all the way to the other side of the house. He tried the door and wasn’t surprised to find the knob resistant. He pulled a small kit from his pocket and seconds later, the knob turned easily in his hand. Kyle slipped his shoes off on the front porch and stepped inside.
He took his time walking through the house, memorizing the layout and forming his plan of attack. He stood in the bedroom for ages, looking out at the lake. Turning slowly, he glanced at the bed itself and then to the nightstand at Steve and Jennifer’s wedding photo. He walked over and picked up the frame, looking at the photograph. She was as beautiful then as she was in the play last fall. He glanced at the bed again and a sadistic smile spread over his face.
I’ll definitely be having a little fun before I kill her.
Slipping on his shoes, he shut the door and walked back to the car. He tossed the keys in the air and caught them, whistling as he went. He had some supplies to pick up. He wanted to catch her there with the babies and work them over before Steve came home. He chuckled, thinking of the bastard’s reaction, and slipped behind the wheel of the car.
Chapter 55
“What do you mean there won’t be any more kids?” Jennifer’s gaze shot between the doctor, Steve, and the little bundle in the neonatal crib.
“There were complications,” Dr. Schneider began. “You were hemorrhaging and in order to stop the bleeding we had to perform a hysterectomy.”
The room wobbled through the tears filling her eyes and she bit down on her lower lip. Her insides were as unsettled as the air before a thunderstorm. She wanted more than just one child and this was a curve ball she couldn’t deal with. Not right now, not on the heels of losing a child. She needed to focus her energy on the small infant before her and she nodded, sniffling back the tears.
Steve stood. “When can I take them home?”
“You can take Jennifer home in a couple of days depending on how she does,” Dr. Schneider said. “As for Samantha, she will remain here until she can breathe on her own, which may take a few weeks.”
“I don’t want to leave without my daughter,” Jennifer said.
“I understand, but you can’t stay in the hospital once you’re released. Visiting hours in the neonatal unit is from six in the morning until ten at night.”
Jennifer nodded and reached into the crib. She ran her finger along the crown of Samantha’s head. “Hi, baby.” Her voice wavered. “Mommy’s here.” Tears cut wet paths down her cheeks.
After the doctor left, Steve wiped her face and gave her a small sweet kiss.
Jennifer glanced at the sleeping baby then back at him. “I wanted more.”
“This doesn’t mean we can’t have more,” he said. “We can always adopt.” His thumb ran lazy paths back and forth over her wet cheek. “I know it doesn’t make the hurt go away.” He took her hand, kissing her palm.
Jennifer closed her eyes and bit her lip to stifle the sob in her chest as he pulled her close.
“Look at the upside. You’ll never have a period again.” He half smiled.
Jennifer let out a small laugh. “You would think of that,” she said, pulling away and wiping her face.
Chapter 56
Kyle gathered the electronic devices he’d brought from New York, putting them in the rental van. Driving to Mirror Lake, he took the road on the opposite side of the lake from Steve and Jennifer’s home, looking for a specific lot. He pulled into the driveway and grabbed a clipboard, closing the door to the van that sported the same natural gas logo as the overalls he wore.
He rang the doorbell and waited. Noises from within the house confirmed his suspicion—the snowbirds had returned. He slipped the tazer under the clipboard for easy retrieval, setting it on high.
An elderly woman peered out the window at him. She undid the latch and opened the door. “Hello,” she said tentatively, her eyebrows scrunched together.
“Hello, ma’am,” he said, sending an innocent smile that smoothed her tight features. “I’m checking all our natural gas customers in the area. Is it all right if I come in and check your connections?”
The old woman smiled and nodded. “Henry?” she yelled over her shoulder as she allowed him to enter. He shut the door behind him and zapped her with the stun gun, the electrical buzz filling the small atrium and her body fell with a thud.
He moved quickly to the side, waiting for Henry to come into view. After a moment, the leisurely shuffle turned to a fast patter. The old man came around the corner right into his path. Kyle pressed the trigger and the stunner launched from the end of the gun, shooting enough wattage to drop him to the ground. He tied them to the banister and retreated to the side garden where he began to dig a very large hole. It took him roughly an hour to attain the length and depth he needed and when he was done, he stood back and surveyed the surroundings. Nothing stirred.
He went to his van and opened the rear doors. Grabbing the pistol with the silencer, he tucked it in his waistband. He went back inside the house, whistling.
“What do you want?” Henry asked with eyes wide in terror.
Kyle said nothing as he pulled the stun gun out again and zapped both of them, neutralizing any threat of a fight. “I need your house,” he explained as he untied and carried one at a time to the hole, dropping them in the muddy ground. “Sorry, but this is necessary,” he said, pulling the gun from his belt. He shot both of them between the eyes, killing them instantly, the silencer muffling the sound to a small pop. He stood, staring at the old couple for a moment, the bullet hole reminding him of Charlie and a wave of anger layered his skin. His gaze rose to the house across the water and he swore vengeance would be his.
He dropped a tarp over them and shoveled the dirt back into the hole, replacing the vibrant spring flowers when he was finished. He stepped back and assessed his work. It didn’t look like much had been disturbed.
Smiling, he entered the house again. After a search, he found keys for the car parked in the garage as well as the house keys. He unpacked the lion’s share of electronics, setting them up underneath the living room window where he had a full view of the house across the lake. He glanced at his watch and hurried out of the house, locking it behind him.
After dropping off the rental van and retrieving his car, he headed back to the lake. Digging the hole had taken him longer than he had anticipated and there was a small fraction of time left to complete everything he wanted to do. He pulled into Steve’s driveway, this time pulling right up to the house. He grabbed the bag of electronics and ran to the door, pulling on rubber gloves and slipping off his shoes. The doorknob turned easily and he slid inside, setting up the cameras throughout the house: in the bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and nursery. He set them all wide enough to encompass the entire room. Satisfied, he slipped out and put on his shoes. Reaching into his car, he grabbed the outdoor surveillance camera and the remote signal he would use to pick up the transmissions. He shimmied up a tree, placing the camera where he could see the house, yard, and driveway, but out of view from anyone looking at the woods. He attached t
he transmitter and slid back down the tree. Jumping into his car, he took a deep breath, calming his frantically beating heart. The prospect of being caught stirred his adrenaline and he started the vehicle and headed back around the lake.
Settling into the confiscated house, he flipped on the monitors, looking at each of the views with satisfaction. Now all he had to do was watch and wait. He wandered into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was nicely stocked, as if the old couple had gone grocery shopping in the last day or so. He grabbed a beer and took a seat in the comfortable recliner, flipping on the television to pass the time.
He dozed in the chair, waking to noise coming from the monitors. When he opened his eyes, glancing at the bank of monitors, he sat up. His target walked into the nursery. What Steve did next surprised him.
Chapter 57
Steve walked into the house, dropping the keys on the stand by the door, annoyed. He thought he’d locked the cottage on the way out to dinner, but apparently not. Nothing seemed out of place in the living room. He ran his hand over his face. “I must be tired.”
He wandered into the nursery and sighed. Standing side by side were twin cribs and pain seared his heart. He hung his head, clamping his eyes shut and concentrating on the slow inhale-exhale of his breath to steady his emotions. “Okay.” He opened his eyes, glanced at the cribs, and walked out of the nursery.
Snatching his toolbox from the garage, he returned to the nursery and disassembled one of the cribs. He didn’t want Jennifer to come home to this kind of reminder. It was hard enough for him, and she was emotionally shot from the entire ordeal.
When he finished, he brought the parts out to the storage shed in the back of the garage. Next, he took the second car seat out of his car, moving it to the back seat of Jennifer’s. Fresh tire tracks thicker than his own caught his attention on the return to the house. He stopped and surveyed the yard, catching almost unrecognizable foot prints leading up to the front door and back. Between the unlocked door, the tire tracks, and the footprints, his instincts peaked. The hair on the back of his neck rippled with the uncomfortable sense of being watched.