Loving the Best Man (Friends & Lovers Book 2)

by Jaye Diane

  “I was tracking her phone,” Appleton said, somehow keeping his composure. “The signal just went dead. I was about to call you when you called me.”

  “Dammit,” Linc said furiously, trying not to panic. But someone had been chasing her. Someone had been waiting to get her alone and had chased after her. They could be anywhere by now.

  “Appleton, please tell me they have cameras in that store.”

  “No, sir, they don’t.”

  Linc was so overwhelmed with fear and rage that he wanted to throw his phone and watch it smash to bits. Without another word to Appleton, he hung up the phone and called the police.

  Within a half hour his apartment was packed with people, from police officers to family members. Robyn had been beside herself when he called her but now she was eerily calm.

  Detectives Armstrong and Hanson were the last to arrive and Linc struggled to stay calm himself, wanting to scream at both officers but really wanting to scream at anyone.

  “Mr. Thayer,” Armstrong said, “May we speak to you privately please?”

  Linc looked around the room at the various people that were there and nodded his head. He didn’t know what the officers wanted to tell him but it would be a good thing to keep it private just in case.

  He led them to his office and closed the door, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “What is it?” He asked morosely.

  “The bodega owner gave a description of the woman who was following Emerald,” Hanson began.

  “Woman?” Linc yelped. Shock had him going as still as a statue.

  “We think we know who it is,” Armstrong muttered, “We’re on the way to pick her up.”

  Linc couldn’t even speak. He was floored by the fact that a woman might have been behind the entire ordeal.

  “We got fingerprints off the box that contained the blood,” Armstrong went on. “They match Lacey Winthrop. We’re going to go pick her up now.”

  Linc had heard the name before but he couldn’t think why it was so familiar.

  “Is she an old friend of Emerald’s?” He asked, still feeling stunned but starting to recover.

  “No,” Hanson said, shaking his head briskly. “She’s a coworker. In fact, she’s another receptionist at 50G Studios.”

  Linc remembered who she was. He’d seen her a couple of times when he’d met up with Devin. She’d seemed nice enough. And sane enough. What the hell was going on?

  “And she matches the description?” He asked. “This doesn’t make sense. Emerald’s been getting stalked for a year and she’s only known Lacey for six months.”

  “She matches the description. Short, white, blonde.” Hanson nodded his head smugly and Linc looked at Armstrong.

  “The prints tell more than the description does,” Armstrong said, deadpan. “It’s her.”

  When Linc walked into the crowded living room, everything began to seem surreal. His mother was giving out cups of coffee. Grace was hovering in a corner with tears streaking down her face. Devin held his daughter, rubbing her on the back. Phones rang nonstop. All of it combined to boggle his mind and he prayed that the madness would come to an end and that Emerald would be returned safely.

  Robyn was sitting on the couch sifting through Wilson’s photos and she suddenly leaped up, crying out frantically.

  “What’s wrong?” Devin asked, standing up too. Olivia had been startled and began to cry.

  Robyn waved a picture in the air.

  “I can’t believe this,” Robyn said, waving the picture at Devin before stumbling on her way over to where Linc stood with the detectives. “This picture is at Emerald’s apartment! Casey was there. It’s Casey!”

  Emerald slowly opened her eyes, her head throbbing. She was laying on her side on the floor and her hands were tied behind her back. Her legs were tied together at the ankles and she tried to move them but they were tied so tightly that they rubbed together painfully.

  She stared around the dim room, wondering where she was. It was a small square room filled with antique wooden furniture. Pink gingham curtains hung on the windows and a small television sat on a TV stand.

  Emerald struggled into a sitting position, feeling a trickle down her neck. Whatever she’d been hit with had obviously cut her and the wound seemed to be bleeding.

  A laugh from behind her made her jump. Emerald slowly scooted, her heart roaring in her ears.

  “You just don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.”

  “Casey?” Emerald gasped. “You?”

  “Yes,” Casey smiled brightly, dressed in all black. “Isn’t it cool?”

  “But why?” Emerald asked, her entire body trembling in fear.

  “Do you even need to ask that?” Casey spat, holding a small knife in her hand. “After all you’ve done to me!”

  She’d gotten Casey fired, a fact that she’d been very proud of. But was that worth Casey stalking her? It seemed too stupid to be real. And yet Casey loomed over her with a shiny knife, a menacing smile on her face.

  “I’m sorry,” Emerald whispered, praying for a way out of this. Surely everybody was looking for her by now. She didn’t have any idea how much time had passed. She just hoped they made it before Casey did something horrible.

  “Yes, you’re sorry now,” Casey said, pouting. “You’re sorry that you got caught.”

  “No, I’m sorry that I…hurt you,” Emerald said, struggling for words that would keep Casey calm.

  “Hurt me!” Casey yelled. “You ruined my life!”

  Emerald closed her eyes and said another prayer. This could be over before the police had a chance to even find her.

  “I’m sorry,” She repeated. “I was wrong to get you fired.”

  “That job was all I had after losing Devin,” Casey said. “It was all I had! And it was the only way I still got to see him! You ruined it! You ruined it all!”

  The blood began to soak her collar and Emerald felt queasy when she imagined the bright red blood touching her skin.

  “And now you’ve replaced me! Do you know how that makes me feel!” Casey continued to yell. “You have my desk at my job! Lacey and Tasha are my friends! You can’t take my place with them!”

  Emerald struggled to take in everything Casey was saying but the other woman’s motive made no sense. She guessed that’s what crazy did to you.

  “I didn’t replace you,” Emerald said, her voice low. “I’ll quit. You can have your job back.”

  “No, I can’t,” Casey said, sneering. “No office will hire me. I’ve tried! Do you know where I work now? At a fucking restaurant! With a college degree.”

  Casey picked up the antique wooden coffee table and tipped it over. The top of the table hit the floor with a loud thump. The small ceramic figurines that had been sitting on the table scattered as they hit the floor. Casey bent and picked one up before quickly turning and hurling it at Emerald. Emerald ducked but it hit her in the eye anyway, causing her to see stars.

  “You ruined my life, you stupid bitch! I’m going to pay you back. I’m going to have so much fun with you that you’re going to wish you never met me!”

  “Are you okay?” Ally asked, coming to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She hugged him before stepping back and staring up at him with worried eyes.

  Around them, everyone talked at once. The police had gone and it had become pure chaos as everyone became aware that Casey was the one stalking Emerald.

  “I’m okay,” Linc replied although he felt sick with worry. “The police have put out an APB and I’m just praying that they find that crazy bitch soon.”

  “I hope so too.” Ally shook her head. “This is like something out of the movies. I keep hoping I’ll wake up and discover this isn’t real.”

  “You’re not the only one,” Linc muttered, walking over to Robyn. She was quietly crying, wiping at tears every so often. Devin sat with his arm around her.

  “I don’t get it,” Robyn wailed, “Why did she go after Emerald
? Why not me? I’m the one who she thinks stole Devin from her.”

  Linc didn’t understand it either but he supposed that when it came to psychopaths it was best not to try to use logic to understand them. Casey felt like Emerald had wronged her and she wanted revenge. Simple.

  “There’s no point in trying to figure that bitch out,” Grace muttered, her eyes red-rimmed. “She’s nuts and that’s all there is to it.”

  Angelica looked like she would reprimand her daughter for her language but she thought better of it and shook her head quietly. She came to Linc and took his hand.

  “I am very sorry Linc but I must return to the restaurant.”

  “Okay.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  “I will be back tonight.”

  After Angelica had gone, Linc paced the room. He had to get out of his apartment. He couldn’t just sit around knowing that Emerald was out there somewhere, possibly fighting for her life.

  “I’m going out,” He muttered, not looking at anyone. “Feel free to stay here as long as you want.”

  “Linc,” Devin hurried over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Where are you going to go?”

  “Just walking,” Linc replied, feeling tormented. “She was on foot. She couldn’t have gotten far.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Devin said, nodding as he looked at Robyn.

  “But that was hours ago,” Peyton pointed out. “She could be anywhere by now.”

  “I know that,” Linc said, not bothering to hide his impatience. “But there must be a clue somewhere.”

  “It can’t hurt to try,” Devin said quickly.

  “We’ll stay here,” Robyn said, looking to Marjorie, who then walked over to sit with her.

  “Let’s form a search party.” Grace rushed out of the room while everyone began talking again, deciding who was going to go and who was going to stay. Grace returned with a piece of printer paper and sat at his coffee table, drawing a quick sketch of the store Emerald had last been seen in and the surrounding neighborhoods.

  Robyn, Olivia, Marjorie, Peyton and Whitney were going to stay in the apartment and keep in touch with the police. Linc, Devin, Quintin, Grace, and Ally were going to walk the streets and look for anything suspicious. They quickly put their coats on and left out into the cold early afternoon air.

  Linc knew that they probably were wasting their time looking for anything but he had to do something. If he just sat around thinking about Emerald, he’d lose his mind.

  The blood had begun to dry on the back of her scalp and neck. She sat on the floor and leaned against a wall watching Casey pace back and forth in the small room. Her eyelid had begun to swell and it was painful to blink. She didn’t know what the other woman had planned but she kept praying that someone would find her and arrest the crazy bitch.

  She tried to keep calm but all she thought about were the mistakes that she’d made and how she would love a chance to go back and fix everything that she’d messed up. From not reporting the stalking when it first began, to leaving out alone that morning, she’d made too many mistakes to count.

  She wanted to be mad at Casey -of course she was furious with her- but she was the one who’d put herself in harm’s way. If she’d used common sense, Casey would probably be lurking around outside Linc’s apartment while she and Linc were hugged up inside.

  “Do you realize what you’ve even done?” Casey barked as she went from one side of the room to the other. “Do you realize just how much you’ve taken from me?”

  “I do,” Emerald said, attempting to arrange her face to display some semblance of sympathy. Inside, she was about to boil over with rage and she wished her hands were free so she could punch Casey’s teeth out. “I’m so sorry.”

  “You’re not sorry!” Casey screamed. “I know you’re not!”

  “I really am.” Emerald licked her dry lips and closed her eyes. “From the minute I got you fired I realized I made a big mistake. But there was nothing I could do to take it back.”

  “Don’t lie to me!”

  “I’m serious,” Emerald said, staring down at her lap. “If I could take it all back I would.”

  Casey walked over and stood in front of her, making eye contact without speaking. Emerald didn’t see any trace of the humanity that she’d once thought that Casey possessed. Her eyes looked mean and wild and her lips were curled in a sneer.

  “You can’t take it back, bitch! It’s too late for you. And it’s too late for me!” She lunged at Emerald, jabbing her in the thigh with the pocket knife as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

  Emerald cried out as the knife pierced her flesh. It immediately began to burn intensely and she gasped in pain.

  “Please don’t do this!” Emerald managed, grimacing in pain as she tried to roll away. “Please!”

  Casey stood up straight, pulled her leg back and let loose a swift kick to Emerald’s stomach. Emerald keeled over, completely winded. Her stomach ached where Casey’s booted foot had connected and Emerald wondered if she’d make it out of this alive. Casey was already so far out of control.

  Emerald didn’t bother trying to sit up again. She closed her eyes, panting for air, feeling the hot throbbing of the wound on her leg.

  “I’m going to have a lot of fun with you, Emerald,” Casey warned, laughing. “It’s the least you owe me for everything that you’ve done!”

  “Casey,” Emerald whispered, slowly opening her eyes. Her swollen eye wouldn’t open very far but she could still see Casey clearly enough. “You don’t have to do this. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

  “This is exactly how I want it to be!” Casey yelled. “Finally, something is going my way!”

  Casey leaned over and put the knife to Emerald’s neck. Emerald’s already hammering heart seemed to thrash around in her chest even more. She closed her eyes and said a prayer, wishing that she could get out of this to be with the people she loved.

  She’d taken them all for granted but she’d give anything to have a chance to see them again and tell them how much they all meant to her. Their faces flashed in her mind and she knew how worried everyone must be. Because they loved her as much as she loved them. Robyn, Devin, Marjorie, Quintin, her dad and even Lincoln.

  Tears escaped the corners of her closed eyes as she finally admitted how much she loved him. She didn’t know how long she’d loved him but she’d long since realized it - and had tried to deny it. She loved him and she might not ever get a chance to tell him or to thank him for loving her as much as he did.

  Casey put pressure on the knife and slowly pushed it across Emerald’s neck.

  “No…” Emerald managed to whisper.

  Casey laughed and continued tracing a long cut into Emerald’s neck. Emerald felt the blood immediately run down her neck. Casey stood up, took out her phone and snapped a picture of Emerald.

  “This is a memory that I want to keep forever,” Casey said with another short laugh.

  By now, Emerald’s pant leg was covered in blood. She did her best to ignore the pain but it was beginning to feel so intense all over her body that it was all she could focus on. Casey intended to kill her so she had to give her fight. She couldn’t just lay on the floor as if she was ready to die. She had to do something while she still had a chance.

  Linc walked out of the bodega that Emerald had been in just hours before, finding out everything that the owners had told the cops. A woman with blonde hair had come into the store a couple of minutes after Emerald had and had then followed her around the small store. When Emerald suddenly ran out the back door, the other woman had followed. Linc didn’t understand how the hell Appleton had missed Casey following Emerald all the way from his apartment to the bodega, which was five blocks away.

  He stood outside of the store and dialed the security guard’s phone number.

  “Appleton,” He answered, not even letting it ring a full ring.

  “You really fucked up,” Linc said through gritted teeth. “Case
y followed Emerald into the store. How the fuck did you not see her?”

  “I saw a woman walk into the store,” Appleton said, “But other than being dressed in black she didn’t look suspicious. She wasn’t disguised. She was casual. And that was the first time I’ve ever seen her.”

  “She had to follow Emerald from my apartment,” Linc said, raising his voice angrily. “You should have seen something.”

  “I’m sorry,” Appleton said repentantly. “I really didn’t see her.”

  “Well it’s making me wonder what the hell I’m paying you for. She could really be in trouble and you could have prevented it.”

  Appleton didn’t reply and all Linc heard was the other man’s breathing.

  Linc closed his eyes, fighting his own tears for the umpteenth time that day. He was raised to believe that men didn’t cry but he was so afraid of what might happen to Emerald that he wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer.

  “I’m about to follow up on a lead.”

  “What lead?” Linc asked, desperate for any hope.

  “The cops are interrogating Lacey Winthrop. They already checked Casey Green’s apartment but it’s empty. They should be on their way to check the apartment of Lacey Winthrop. I’m outside the apartment of the other lady, Tasha Hilliard.”

  “Tasha Hilliard?” Linc said loudly. It was the first that he’d heard her name mentioned. “The other receptionist?”

  “Apparently she was somehow involved too. She’s already skipped town.”

  Linc didn’t bother asking how Appleton had gotten that information before he had. Wilson and Appleton both had police connections and their information had been reliable thus far.

  “I’ll call you back ASAP. I’m about to go in.”

  Appleton disconnected the call and Linc walked to the rear entrance of the bodega, hoping Emerald would be found quickly and safely. He grasped tightly to those last few strands of hope and tried to refocus on his search for any clues.

  Alone in the room, Emerald weakly managed to get into an upright position. Casey had walked out of the room and Emerald didn’t know how long she’d be gone. She knew she only had a matter of seconds to get herself ready.