Saving Valentines: Love and the Alpha Male

by Cate Mckoy

  Rick looked up when he heard a scuffling. He shouted, “Stay back with Chastity!”

  He ran to Forbes on the ground slumped against Chastity’s car. He was holding a hand against his throat that was spewing blood and one hand against his ribs, kicking his legs, attempting to stand without using his hands. Rick knelt next to him, cupping one of his shoulders to steady him and using his other hand to help staunch the blood pouring from his throat, running over his fingers. Murdock called for emergency medical assistance.

  Forbes’ eyes were wild, scared as he looked directly at Rick. He tried to speak but it came out as a gurgle.

  “Don’t talk. Help is on the way.” Rick assured him. “Hang in there, Daniel.”

  In less than a minute, the garage was filled with medical staff helping Forbes. As his stretcher was pushed to the elevator, Rick looked through Chastity’s car. There was a pink paper with the number eleven on it in what looked like blood.

  He held it up for Murdock and Danes to see. “Forbes must have caught him in the act.”

  “What was he even doing here?” Danes wanted to know.

  “Knowing the stubborn bastard, he was probably trying to prove he was right in not making this a stalker case.” Rick slammed the car door. “In doing so, he collided with the damn stalker.”

  “Shit. I am going to wait in the waiting room for news.” Murdock headed to the elevator.

  “Keep me posted.” Rick shouted out as he pulled his cell.

  “Who are you calling?” Danes asked.

  “A…friend. You take Chastity home.”

  Rick looked at Chastity, who barely flickered an eyelash this whole time. She was definitely under the influence of something. It was time to take her away from the situation.

  ***

  Lara Racuanelli answered her brother’s call on a whim. They rarely spoke or called one another anymore. It was an unwritten rule in their relationship. They remained distant acquaintances unless the job had them crossing paths. It had been this way since their parents’ deaths. “Hey, bro. How goes it?”

  There was a slight pause before he spoke. Lara found she had the same hesitation when she was the one calling him. “Hey, I need to use the cabin.”

  Lara’s throat tightened. “It’s your cabin too. No need to ask me. Unless you lost your keys?”

  Another pause. “No. I didn’t lose my keys. I am making sure that you aren’t going to be using it this weekend or anything. I may need to use it for a while.”

  It was Lara’s turn to pause. “No, I made no plans to use it.” Another uncomfortable silence. “I can go up there ahead of you and stock the place. Are you bringing Chelsea?”

  “Uh, no, Chelsea and I are done, have been for a while.” Rick cleared his throat. “I am bringing someone who is being stalked.”

  The dead silence that followed could have filled a vacuum in space. “I-I can lend a hand if you need it.” Lara offered into the silence.

  A slightly less lengthy pause. “No, no. That won’t be necessary. I just wanted to give you a heads up regarding the cabin. Thanks for stocking it for me.”

  “Sure. Anytime…bro.” Lara started to hang up when she heard Rick’s voice sounding like it used to when they were close.

  “Take care…sis.”

  ***

  Chastity woke up in the middle of the night at home in her bed. She couldn’t remember the last part of her day. The blackouts were getting longer. Maybe her anxiety and panic attacks now had a new element of short-term memory loss. She must research it and speak with a couple of doctor friends of hers.

  She got up and used the bathroom. She was on her way to the kitchen when she became aware of a presence behind her. In fear she spun around.

  “It’s me.” Detective Danes said, holding up a hand. “Breathe easy. I was just doing a round of the place. I saw you come out of the bedroom but didn’t want to startle you.”

  Chastity laughed. “Too late.”

  Danes laughed too. “No, kidding. In my defense, there probably wasn’t any way I could have let you know I was behind you and not startle you.”

  Chastity smiled and turned towards the kitchen. “True. I was headed for some coffee. Would you like some?”

  “That would be great.”

  Chastity set up the coffee and condiments. “What happened? I seem to be missing some details. The last thing I remember with any clarity is Murdock telling me that I shouldn’t go help out in the ER.”

  Chastity looked down at the sterile strip on her inner forearm. Frowning, she removed it and stared at the little red dot of blood before tossing it in the trash. “I don’t remember cutting myself either.”

  “You didn’t. The boss wanted your blood drawn. He had one of our lab techs come and draw your blood for testing.”

  “Why?” Chastity passed a cup of black coffee to Danes before sitting down and fixing her cup to her liking.

  “The Lieutenant thinks you may have been drugged.”

  Chastity shook her head. “That’s ridiculous. I would certainly remember being drugged by someone. I haven’t eaten anything that others haven’t also eaten. I’ve eaten at work in the cafeteria. I can’t list anything I’ve eaten solo in days.”

  “Well, if you’re losing time, as you just stated, you wouldn’t know if you were drugged or not.”

  Chastity had to admit the detective had a point. She really couldn’t remember too much after Murdock told her they wouldn’t be going to the ER to help.

  “Besides, better safe than sorry.” Danes quipped before sipping at her coffee.

  “So, what happened?”

  With each new development Danes told her, Chastity felt her anxiety level rise. She began reciting statistics in her head so that she wouldn’t lose it in front of Danes. However, it was too late for that from what Danes was telling her. When she finished telling her all the horrible events that she couldn’t remember, Chastity had only one question.

  “Where is Lt. Racuanelli?”

  ***

  Rick gathered all the lab results, coroner reports and forensic findings and put them in his briefcase. He would take the information with him to the cabin. He needed to see a couple of people before he took Chastity away to his cabin in the mountains. The stalker was getting to her too easily and too often. It was the main reason he, and most likely Forbes, had doubts about the validity of there being an actual stalker. However, recent events seem to lean towards Chastity telling the truth and being in trouble. Unless she had an accomplice. He had to narrow it down.

  Rick needed the stalker to make a mistake. A good way to trip the stalker up or draw him out was to make Chastity unavailable and unreachable. If he doesn’t see her, he will miss his fix. His obsession with her will bring him out of the shadows. If it is the accomplice scenario then they too would have to seek Chastity to figure out their next step in their plan.

  Rick looked up at the knock on his open door. His brow automatically furrowed at the sight of Chastity’s father.

  “Lt. Racuanelli, I wanted to finish our conversation from the other day. I want to know what is going on with my daughter.”

  Rick tried not to let his hackles rise at the man’s tone. Valentines didn’t wait for an invitation, his type rarely did, he sat in the visitor’s seat directly in front of Rick’s desk. His expression was easy to read. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

  Sighing, Rick took a seat and decided to accommodate him. After all, he had been making love with the man’s daughter. Sarcastically and with a smirk, Rick said, “Mr. Valentines, how nice to see you again. Please, have a seat.”

  Mr. Valentines returned Rick’s smirk. “Now, young man, I know you’re the boss around here, but I won’t tolerate any funny business regarding my daughter. She’s been through too much. I need to protect her. Even if the one I am protecting her from is herself.”

  Rick sympathized with him. “Mr. Valentines, sir, your daughter seems to be having trouble with a stalker.”

 
“Lieutenant, I guarantee you it’s in her head.” Valentines’ head bowed. “It is part of her ongoing nightmares. I should have helped her sooner. I should have done better as a father.”

  Rick saw the genuine pain Mr. Valentines carried. “Until several hours ago, I would have agreed with you. All the lab reports were pointing to your daughter fabricating her stalker. The blood, sperm and heart left at your daughter’s house—”

  “What do you mean? Blood? Sperm? Heart?!”

  “I assumed your daughter would have told you about all this. These items were found by your daughter.”

  “In her home?” Mr. Valentines seemed floored.

  “Yes. In her home.”

  “Oh, my God. My poor baby.” Valentines got up to pace worriedly. “I thought this was one of her anxiety episodes.”

  “Mr. Valentines, I don’t want you to worry. I am personally handling your daughter’s case now and assure you, I got this.”

  “What happened?” Mr. Valentines asked as he retook his seat.

  “Pardon?”

  “You said several hours ago you would have agreed with me. What happened to change your mind?”

  “The stalker stabbed one of my men?”

  “What? Well, of course, my daughter wouldn’t stab anyone. She’s much too delicate for that and kindhearted.”

  Rick frowned and enlightened him. “Mr. Valentines, I didn’t discount your daughter as the stalker because she is kindhearted and sweet or delicate. I tentatively cleared her because at the time my man was attacked your daughter was with me.”

  “So, this means someone is definitely after her.” Mr. Valentines pondered almost to himself.

  “Well, it puts the odds in her favor that she isn’t faking the stalking.”

  Valentines picked up on some Rick’s residual doubts. “She can’t be in two places at once, Racuanelli.”

  “True. However, she could hire someone to be in that other place.”

  Rick took Valentines’ silence as he thought it possible Chastity would or could resort to something like faking a stalking.

  Chastity’s father gave him a direct look. “In your gut, with all your experience as a police officer, do you think my daughter is faking this stalking?”

  ***

  Sydney and Erica sat with Chastity in her kitchen. They had both dropped by within minutes of each other. They have been trying to cheer her up. Per Lt. Racuanelli’s directions, Danes had not allowed her into work. Of course, Sydney and Erica had come to find out why Chastity had missed work for the very first time.

  “If I had known that guy broke into your office, I’d have pushed him down the stairs.” Erica offered. Also, per Lt. Racuanelli’s instructions, Chastity had given as little detail as possible as to why she was constantly in the company of the police.

  “Thanks, I think.” Chastity laughed.

  “Well, I don’t find any of this funny.” Sydney was a little more serious because she was privy to information Erica wasn’t.

  “Why don’t I take you out somewhere to get your mind off this crap?” Erica nodded, tipping her soda back. “Something fun; movie, museum, a play?”

  Sydney rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t want to go out. She wants to feel secure and going out wandering the streets with you isn’t going to accomplish that feeling.”

  “Fuck you.” Erica slammed down her soda can.

  “You wish.” Sydney countered.

  “Bitch, don’t nobody want your stuck-up ass.” Erica habitually rubbed a hand over her nearly bald head. Her tribal tattoos at her wrists and forearms flashed in the kitchen light as she moved her arm.

  Danes appeared in the kitchen doorway at their raised voices. The other two hadn’t been aware of Danes being in Chastity’s home. When Sydney had first knocked, Danes thought it best no one knew she was there guarding her. She had gone to Chastity’s bedroom. Remaining there until the shouts of her two friends arguing. Sydney and Erica still hadn’t noticed Danes who had brought her hand to her weapon.

  Giving Danes a slight shake of her head, backing Danes off, Chastity intervened. “Guys come on. You’re both right.”

  Her two friends stopped arguing with each other and stared at Chastity. “How the hell are we both right?” Erica bluntly asked.

  “I have to agree with… her.” Sydney said, earning a narrowed eye glare from Erica.

  “I could do with a distraction.” At Erica’s smug smile, Chastity added, “I don’t want to go out in public.”

  The three women exchanged looks before calling out at the same time. “Sleepover!”

  ***

  Rick stopped into the hospital. Murdock walked up to him as soon as he entered the surgical/recovery ward waiting room. “Hey, Lieutenant. The doctor just left from giving an update.”

  “I know. He called me.” Rick waved at the doctor he had asked to keep him apprised of Daniel Forbes’ condition. “They said it was touch and go but the surgery was a success. Forbes is not out of the woods yet. There is a question on whether the attempt to save his vocal cords will take.” Rick wasn’t feeling optimistic based on the doctor’s voice over the phone. Looking at Murdock’s disheveled appearance, he said. “You go home and get some rest. You’ve been here for hours. I have uniforms taking over Forbes’ protection. Danes has Ms. Valentines covered. Apparently, she is having some sort of girls’ night. The other women are working now but will return to Chastity’s after work. After you rest, you can relieve Danes. I will need you to follow me to the outskirts of town. I think we will be safe after we leave town. No one is going to know she’s leaving. And, where I am taking her has no connection to her.”

  “Why take her away? We lose our chance to catch this psycho with Chastity gone.”

  “I want to see if this will stop the countdown. If he can’t find her, he can’t leave notes, body parts or blood and sperm.”

  “If you do that, you guys will be all alone out there.”

  “I know. I’ve always kicked ass one on one.”

  Chapter 6

  In true teenage fashion, Chastity, Sydney and Erica had bunked down in the living room with their sleeping bags. They had ordered in all kinds of fast food. Sydney had brought snacks, Erica brought popcorn and soda. Chastity built a fire in the fireplace and they were streaming horror movies, taking turns choosing. Detective Danes thought it best if she were stationed outside before Sydney and Erica arrived.

  “Okay, your turn Chastity.” Sydney said, opening another pack of peanut M&Ms to dump in the candy bowl.

  “Can I switch to rom-com?” Frankly, Chastity had always had trouble watching horror films.

  “Oh, no. We decided to do this whole teeny bopper sleepover thing. Now, if we’re not gonna tell ghost stories by the campfire we’re gonna watch horror movies.”

  “Ugh, all right.” Chastity relented as she got comfortable with her sleeping bag and pillows. She took the remote from Sydney and started to scroll through her video streaming program. “Ok, I pick this.”

  “Really? Madea’s Halloween? That isn’t horror.” Sydney laughed.

  “It is.” Chastity pointed out the genre in the corner of the tv screen. “See, says horror right there.”

  Erica laughed. “Yeah, it sure does. Right next to the word comedy.”

  “Hey, you guys picked all that bloody gore stuff and I didn’t say a thing about it. This is my pick. Like it or leave it.”

  The two grumbled a bit before settling down. All the lights were off, only a soft light from the hallway was on, and the fire had died down to a dim glow. The temperature outside had dropped considerably. About thirty minutes into the movie there was a thump overhead that corresponded with a jumping scare in the movie.

  “What the hell was that?” Sydney muted the movie.

  “I-I don’t know.” Chastity reached for the lamp.

  “Come on, Sydney, quit your playing around. We are here to comfort Chastity, not scare her.” Erica was giving Sydney a dirty look.

  “What?
I didn’t do anything?” Sydney threw popcorn at Erica. “If anyone was going to pull a childish prank, it would be you.”

  “Guys! Cut it out. We are all sitting right here. It’s not like we can be two places at once.”

  A louder thump sounded, and the lights went out, the wind howled outside. Chastity couldn’t stop herself, she emitted a small startled scream. It was pitch black. The fire had completely died while they watched the movie.

  Chastity scrambled for her phone. In the dark she crashed heads with someone.

  “Ow!” Sydney shouted.

  Something crashed to the floor. “Fuck!” Erica swore.

  A loud crash and the sound of glass breaking issued from above them.

  “Who the fuck is upstairs Chastity?” Erica asked.

  Chastity felt around in the darkness for her phone. Her anxiousness hindered her coordination. She clumsily fumbled around in the dark. Someone brushed her arm and she screamed.

  “What? What is it?” Sydney shouted.

  Suddenly, she was thrown back to the night she had awaken to find the twelfth rose in her closet. She felt there was evil all around her. She broke out in a sweat. She felt dizzy. Shadowy figures formed in front of her. She swung blindly, screaming.

  “Chastity! Calm down!” Someone was touching her. She started swinging wildly.

  “D-don’t touch me! Please, l-leave me alone.” Again, Chastity felt hands on her. She screamed. She was thrown back to the day when the midget tried to kidnap her. She yelled. “Sterling Valentines! Sterling Valentines.”

  “Watch out!” Someone warned in the darkness before there was another loud thump from upstairs.

  Chastity lost it all together. She screamed for all she was worth. She was so frightened. She thought to when she felt safe in the past few days and she shouted for her safe harbor. “Rick Racuanelli! Rick Racuanelli! Rick Racuanelli!”

  There was a loud pounding. Abruptly, Sydney’s and Erica’s screams were added to Chastity’s.

  Chastity huddled in a corner, crying, completely broken down, repeatedly shouting for Rick. The loud pounding, which was much closer than upstairs, turned into a loud crash.