Saving Valentines: Love and the Alpha Male

by Cate Mckoy

  She was mostly cured. She dealt with her feelings of anxiety with breathing and focusing exercises her therapist taught her. In fact, until the stalker’s notes started showing up, it had been years since she had an episode. Now at twenty-six, she could say she was a fully functioning adult who sometimes experienced anxiety and panic attacks. Just like anyone else. She wished she could get her parents to see her as others did. Most didn’t know about her anxiety, only her close friends. Others, co-workers and acquaintances came to her with their issues. And, she helped them.

  Taking a last look in the mirror above the sink, she took a deep breath. She felt stronger and reentered her office.

  Her father was waiting for her. He rose from the visitor’s chair when she came back in and sat at her desk. “Sweetheart, we’re just worried. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Chastity gave her father a shaky smile. “I know dad. I am sorry the police bothered you and mom. I will tell them to leave you out of it from now on.”

  Her father gave her a long look. “The police are taking you seriously?”

  Chastity tried not to show her hurt. “Yes, they are.”

  “They believe you?” His blatant skepticism was like a strike to her heart.

  “That’s right, Daddy.” She didn’t know why but she wanted to add validity to her statement, so she blurted. “The head of the whole division is taking my case personally.”

  Although his brow furrowed, he didn’t say anything else regarding the issue. “I will tell your mother you’ll see her at her next dinner event.”

  “Yes please, Dad. Thank you.”

  He came around the desk, leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “Take care, sweetheart.”

  Chastity watched him leave with a sadden expression.

  ***

  “Maybe your dad needs to make sure you’re not falling into that old trap of allowing your anxieties to overshadow your reality.”

  Chastity rolled her eyes at her best friend and therapist, Sydney Salandar. “Where’d you get that, The Shrink’s Medical Journal of Bullshit?”

  Sydney laughed. “Nope, right off the top of my head. Sounded good though, right?”

  They were having lunch in the hospital’s cafeteria. Sydney was breaking from her rounds. Chastity had meetings all day and paperwork. Her last meeting was with the hospital board. She gave an internal sigh as she realized her day was about to get bad. She still had to sit through a meeting with Chad Forthworth. Ugh! She got queasy just thinking about his smugness. The hospital board was filled with elite doctors, businessmen, major shareholders, people richer than God and had no problems acting like He Himself. The only reason Chastity had made a bid to sit on the board was to protect her nurses and to know anything concerning the nurses’ work statuses, pay rates, mandatory overtime and other issues concerning their workplace environment ahead of time.

  It was the one and only time Chastity had used her father’s money and reputation. Chad Forthworth had a friend bidding for the seat and had been angry that Chastity had gotten it instead.

  “So, who’s the hot blonde that’s been watching you from afar?” Sydney’s words caused Chastity to freeze, eyes going wide. She loosened her muscles when she realized Sydney had spotted Detective Danes.

  Chastity had to admit, the woman was good at her job. She had forgotten several times throughout the day that she was being followed by the detectives. Chastity normally told Sydney anything and everything, but she paused in telling her about the police. She’d be disappointed if Sydney suggested she go on meds to control her anxiety during this difficult time. Chastity decided to play it by ear.

  “I am not sure. Perhaps she is a family member who got sick of the waiting room.”

  Sydney smiled at Danes. “Well, her gaydar is way off with you. Do you think she’d like a spicy, sexy woman from India?”

  Chastity laughed. “Go for it. Your British accent is sexy to straight people too.”

  ***

  Daniel Forbes sat outside the hospital. He was furious. He had never been taken off a case in his entire law enforcement career. He had never even been reprimanded. And, he was rarely wrong. There was nothing to indicate that there was a flesh and blood stalker after her. He had questioned her family and friends and they all had strongly implied it was all in her head. He’d watch little Ms. Valentines and prove she’s hallucinating or faking the whole thing, seeking attention.

  ***

  Danica Danes watched Chastity enter the room for what was supposedly her last meeting of the day. Her day had been one meeting after another. Except for a couple hours of paperwork, a visit from her father, and a short break in the cafeteria, Chastity had been in some sort of meeting. Danica wanted to stay close, so it was no wonder her friend at lunch had spotted her. Her doctor friend, Danica assumed she was a doctor because of the white lab coat she wore, had winked at her giving her a saucy smile. Danica had winked back. It couldn’t hurt to have another contact at the hospital.

  ***

  Chastity had trouble staying awake for minutes highlights from the previous meeting. The chairman asked for old business after the recap of the minutes. Several people raised a finger. The chairman, David Lindle chose Chad Forthworth to speak first. Of course.

  “David, the deadline for the removal of that nurse has come and gone. I think we’ve been fair by allowing Ms. Valentines to be the one to offer early retirement.”

  Chastity sent Chad a dirty look. Did he have to be such an asshole? Apparently so, for he gave her a smug look that said gotcha. Ignoring the smug bastard, she turned to the chairman.

  “Mr. Lindle, I beseech the board to reconsider Molly Vinner’s early retirement. She is an icon here at Bayside. The people and staff love her. She’s an incredible nurse. She has only a few more years before her actual retirement. Won’t you please reconsider keeping her on?”

  “She’s an icon that has caused Bayside to payout in two separate settlements last year.” Chelsea Forthworth, one of the hospital’s lawyers and Chad’s sister, stated simple facts.

  “Oh, I am sorry, I didn’t realize there were perfect people in this room.” Chastity was fighting for her nurse.

  Chelsea could be as annoying as her brother but for different reasons. Chelsea was all about the facts and money. With her there were no gray areas. She didn’t find joy in taking pot shots at individuals when they were down. So, it was doubly annoying when she said, “It has nothing to do with being perfect. She is solely responsible for this hospital paying out large sums of money that surpasses all the other’s combined for the year.”

  It was something Chastity couldn’t deny. “Everyone makes mistakes. No one died like in other situations. It’s just a few more years.”

  “Do you want to pay for the next settlement out of your own personal accounts? Or do you want to wait for her to actually kill someone with one of her mistakes?”

  Again, Chastity couldn’t argue with Chelsea’s reasoning. Chastity’s first loyalty was to her patients, then her nurses. She couldn’t sacrifice one for the other. “It will be done today.”

  The chairman moved on. Chastity listened with only half an ear. She was worried for Molly. Chastity was aware that Molly’s adult daughter with three kids recently moved back in with her. Molly’s daughter was also recently unemployed. Molly’s income was all that the family of five had to live on. Defeated, Chastity had no choice.

  At the end of the meeting everyone started to leave, Chastity had been making final notes, she looked up to find Chelsea watching her.

  Chastity looked at Chelsea in confusion. “Was there something else?” She looked at the empty room. Whatever she wanted it had nothing to do with the board.

  “I saw detective Danes earlier near your office and on one of the nursing stations while you were there.”

  Chastity didn’t let her surprise show that Chelsea knew Detective Danes. It’s not like they were close friends or anything. “And?”

  She was silent for a moment, si
mply staring at Chastity. She sighed and spoke. “I hope everything is alright with you. Tell Rick I said he still has a box at my place.” With those words she turned and walked out the door.

  The only Rick she knew was the Lieutenant. Chastity was floored. She could not picture the tense autocratic lieutenant with someone like Chelsea. She obviously knew him on a personal level. Chelsea enjoyed letting her know she knew Rick. Chastity found it interesting. Very interesting.

  ***

  “Molly, I’m sorry. I did try to get the board to reconsider their position.”

  The elderly woman sat in one of Chastity’s visitor’s chair, staring blankly at the packet of papers that contained her early retirement agreement, her exit interview survey and her insurance offers from the hospital and Cobra.

  When she failed to say a single word, Chastity stood, coming around the desk she took Molly’s hand. “You will do fine. I will put in a good word for you at the nursing home and a few private patients that I know. The much slower pace of these jobs will be better for you.”

  Molly nodding her head slowly, continued to stare blankly at the packet of papers. Chastity decided to give her some time alone. “I will give you a few minutes to yourself.”

  Chastity stepped out of her office and started a conversation with Detective Danes.

  “You have a long day. Will you be finished after this meeting?”

  “Sorry, it’s been so long. Normally, I am finished by now and on my way home or already there. This is my last meeting today and I did all the paperwork I am going to do.”

  “No worries. I was just wondering when we’d be heading out. Take your time.”

  “Thank you, detective. I better get back in there. See if she needs any help.”

  Danica smiled and took a seat as Chastity went into her office. Sitting on the sofa in the waiting area she picked up a magazine to thumb through while she waited.

  She had barely turned the first page when a terrified scream erupted from the other side of the door. Danica raced to the office door at the same time pulling her weapon.

  Chapter 3

  Rick was looking over the schedule for his team when a well-dressed black man charged into his office. “What is the meaning of this game you’re playing with my daughter? You know as well as I do there is no stalker.”

  Rick’s outer calm hid his inner annoyance. He rose to his impressive six-feet and three inches height. Rounding his desk, he stood toe to toe with the man. “First of all, I don’t know what you’re talking about or who you are, let alone your daughter. Secondly, you don’t want to barge into my office like that ever again.”

  First the man’s eyes went wide with shock then narrowed in to an assessing scrutiny. “I see you got some substance about you. So why this foolery regarding my daughter?”

  Rick shrugged. “I hate to break it to you, sir, I have no idea who you are?”

  The man seemed offended. He had a look as though Rick should know him. He was used to dealing with people who felt others should know them, the entitled people.

  “Did you or did you not have cops at my home questioning my wife?”

  Rick reigned in his annoyance. This was obviously a father of a victim of an ongoing case. He went to his desk and took his seat. There were currently twenty-six cases of stalking being investigated in his jurisdiction. Twenty-two were women being stalked.

  “Ok, sir, I am going to need your daughter’s name so I can know to what you’re referring. Please, take a seat.”

  “My daughter is Chastity Valentines. I am Sterling Valentines III. My daughter says you’re handling her case personally.”

  Rick looked up sharply. He was Chastity’s father? Rick took a closer look. His daughter didn’t resemble him in the slightest. He was tall, his daughter was petite, thinking of her gorgeous body, Rick amended his thoughts, she was small in frame, she had sexily generous curves in all the right places. Her father’s skin was of a dark complexion. Chastity’s was more of a creamy mocha complexion, like coffee with cream. Her father was more like black coffee. Her eyes were brown and so were her father’s. Like everything else of his, they were darker. Rick had seen plenty of children who had looked identical to one of their parents and the only thing that was different was their complexion. With Mr. Valentines it wasn’t just complexion, his features didn’t resemble his daughter’s in any way. He would have never guessed this man was her father.

  “Mr. Valentines, I met your daughter last night—”

  “What were you doing at my daughter’s place at night?” Mr. Valentines’ voice was accusatory.

  “I was responding to a call for help via nine-one-one dispatch.”

  “My daughter will never get over her disorder if you people keep playing along with her delusions. Now, I suggest you give her a strong talking to about filing a false police report. That should help her to realize that you won’t be putting up with any shenanigans from her.”

  Shocked, Rick merely sat for a moment, regarding Chastity’s father. Damn, he thought. At first, the police didn’t believe her, her family doesn’t believe her, and apparently none of her close friends believe her either. Rick made a promise to himself, he would protect Chastity with everything in him. No one should have to go through the terror Rick suspected Chastity had been enduring for the past several weeks with no one on their side. He would be on Chastity’s side.

  “Mr. Valentines, I am curious as to why you think your daughter is delusional or perhaps faking?”

  “Because she is. She hasn’t been able to assess a situation for its danger potential with any accuracy since she went through an attempted abduction by a pedophile, level three sex offender at a fair of all places.”

  “Damn, how old was she?”

  “Seven.” Mr. Valentines’ voice held regret and pain.

  “Did they catch the guy?”

  Mr. Valentines’ eyes harden with satisfaction. “I caught that piece of shit forcing my baby girl towards his car. I beat the tar out of him. I was lucky. My baby girl was so smart. That man was seconds away from having my baby hidden in a car. But she shouted out for me. She didn’t shout help or daddy. No, my smart baby shouted, ‘Sterling Valentines’ over and over.”

  Rick nodded. “That was smart for a seven-year old. No one would have paid attention to daddy being shouted at a fair.”

  Mr. Valentines nodded and smiled with pride. Then he frowned. “Since that day, she’s had nightmares, seen danger where there is none. She has no gauge for when she is in real trouble. Her mother and I have gone through calling the police on several law-abiding citizens, firing a lawn and pool man and requesting a female letter carrier. On and on it went for years. We’ve tried putting her in therapy, and against my better judgement, put her on drugs. I don’t agree with putting kids on drugs unless it’s for a lifesaving reason. Nothing has helped. When she was old enough to go against our wishes, she stopped all the drugs and therapy. It was allowed because she was deemed of sound mind. The kid was a straight A student and excelled in several sports and social clubs. They couldn’t deny her request. I believe she is a high functioning person with a disorder in which she sees trouble that isn’t there.”

  The man sounded fed up. But Rick also heard the pain, suffering and the love for his daughter. He was in for some more pain when Rick told him his daughter’s stalker is real.

  “Mr. Valentines, I am sorry to tell you that—”

  Rick’s phone buzzed, glancing at the screen and seeing it was Detective Danes, he held up a finger to Mr. Valentines and answered. “Yes, detective?”

  “We’ve got trouble here at the hospital. You said you wanted to be called whenever there was an incident directly concerning Ms. Valentines.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Rick didn’t even wait to explain to Mr. Valentines he simply told him he had an emergency and would get back to him.

  Mr. Valentine had started to object but closed his mouth when Rick stood, checked his weapon and rushed
out the door.

  ***

  Rick rushed into Chastity’s office at the hospital. He stopped dead in his tracks at all the blood covering the floor in front of her desk. Chairs were knocked over, there was bloody debris scattered about. Rick had seen this kind of debris many times before. It had been left by paramedics at crime scenes, crash scenes and any scene where lifesaving procedures had been performed. Someone had been bleeding out in this office and someone had tried to save them.

  He looked at Detective Danes who was standing a few feet from a very disheveled Chastity who was crouched down in a corner, staring blankly. Her hands and clothing were covered in blood.

  “What happened?” Rick questioned Danica.

  “Ms. Valentines fired someone, gave the person a minute to fill out some paperwork, she came back in the office to find the woman had slit her own throat. Ms. Valentines screamed and then attempted to save her life. Some nearby doctors who had heard Ms. Valentines’ scream came to help with the lifesaving efforts. When it was clear she was dead, a doctor called it, the morgue sent someone from the basement to collect the body.”

  “Who’s the dead woman?”

  “A Molly Vinner, a nurse. Ms. Valentines had to offer her early retirement today.”

  “What about Ms. Valentines? What’s wrong with her?” Rick nodded his head towards Chastity crouched against the wall in the corner, staring vacantly in to space.

  “When the doctors tried to help her, she started to scream again. She huddled in the corner and wouldn’t let anyone approach her. They sent for her best friend. Apparently, she’s a shrink that works here. They’re locating her now. A Dr. Salandar.”

  Rick had seen plenty of people in shock. His heart ached for the woman, who now looked like a frightened teenager with blood all over her. He approached her slowly.

  “Are you sure you want to do that, sir? Her screaming can give you chills.”