Nadia Siddiqui - Preyed Upon

by Microsoft Office User

  I was . . . upset and told him that I believed you would only get in the way,” he confessed

  to Tori in a sorrowful voice. “I was under a lot of stress, Tori, and needed a friend to

  confide in. Robert and I have been friends since high school . . . he's someone I can trust.”

  Tori stared out at the deadly night as sleet struck the dorm window like bullets trying

  to reach her heart. Tori knew Robert Winds. The man was an arrogant jerk who played

  the single life and liked fast cars, but he wasn't a killer. As a matter of fact Robert Winds

  was full of wind. The guy knew his business, sure, but other than stocks all he ever did

  was blow out hot wind that amounted to nothing but empty promised and failed

  relationships. “Failed relationships . . .” Tori whispered.

  “What?” Matthew asked, staring down the staircase with alert eyes as he firmly

  gripped the Glock 19.

  Tori mentally walked back in time. She saw herself storming into Matthew's office

  building on the day she had been confronted by the stranger in the employee parking lot.

  The first person Tori encountered had been . . . Heather Griffith. The image of Heather's

  pretty face slithered into Tori's mind and coiled like a poisonous snake. “Matthew, what

  do you know about Heather Griffith?” she asked.

  “Heather?” Matthew asked, keeping his eyes focused on the stairs. Tori pleaded for

  Matthew to tell her about Heather. “Heather Griffith is just another pretty face that

  Robert hired. The guy goes through a pretty face about once a year.”

  “What do you know about the woman?” Tori demanded.

  Matthew heard urgency in Tori's voice. “Uh . . . nothing, to be honest. Robert hired

  her about a year ago. He took Heather out on a few dates, but if you know Robert the way

  I do, you'll know that his weekly calendar has many lineups. Heather was just a number.”

  Tori heard something in Matthew's voice that bothered her. “Matthew, have you

  been . . . unfaithful to Amanda?”

  “What?” Matthew asked in a shocked voice. “Tori, are you crazy? I love my wife . . .

  besides that, I know what the Bible teaches, okay. I would never be unfaithful to my wife.

  But . . . I will admit that Heather has been trying to become more . . . friendly toward me,

  especially after Amanda was taken from us.”

  “And?” Tori asked in a regretful voice.

  Guilt struck Michael’s heart. “Tori . . . I . . . took Heather out for lunch last month,

  okay. Robert was out of town and Heather was upset that he was seeing another woman.

  She was in tears and needed a friend. But nothing happened between us. I . . . was in a

  really bad place and angry at the world, okay.” Matthew shook his head. “I told Heather

  afterward that I could never take her out to lunch again and explained that our

  relationship had to remain professional and not personal. I told Heather that I loved my

  wife and that I would be faithful to my dying day.”

  Tori believed every word Matthew spoke. “Matthew, did Robert run a background

  check on Heather?”

  “Of course not. Robert hires pretty faces that sound sweet on the phone.”

  “Have you ever seen Heather with another man?” Tori asked.

  Matthew grew silent and thought for a few seconds. “Well, about three weeks ago

  when we had that hard ice storm, I sent Heather home early. I left with her and began

  driving home, but then I remembered that I had forgotten the bank deposit. I hurried

  back to the office, grabbed the deposit, and drove to the bank. I passed the diner on the

  way and looked over at the front window like I always do. When I did, I saw Heather

  sitting with some guy . . . who? I don't know? I didn't think much of it. Heather is a pretty

  young woman, so it wasn't abnormal to see her sitting with someone.”

  “What did the man with Heather look like?”

  “I . . . young, maybe twenty-five . . . maybe a few years older,” Matthew struggled to

  remember. “I only took a quick glance. All I remember for certain is that he had red hair.”

  Tori began to speak but stopped when Matthew informed her that the police car had

  arrived. “Okay. I'm leaving the academy now. I'll be back in Greenson soon.” Tori ended

  the call, grabbed her coat and car keys, and ran out into the empty hallway. Tori nodded,

  rushed out into the freezing dark night, tucked her head down against an icy wind, and

  began fighting her way toward the parking lot and her SUV. As soon as she reached the

  parking lot, a dark figure jumped out ready to attack . . . and kill; or so it appeared.

  6

  ori spotted a dark shadow near the hood of her SUV. She froze. Her heart raced.

  Who was standing at her SUV? The killer who had attacked her in Greenson was

  T over fifty miles away. Was the dark shadow a cop patrolling the parking lot? Was

  the dark shadow an angry cadet bent on revenge for speaking ill of Detective Lory?

  Was the dark shadow Detective Lory himself? Tori didn't know. She raised her right hand

  over her eyes and struggled to see through the falling sleet. “Hello?” she called over the

  icy winds, keeping a safe distance.

  The dark shadow didn't immediately answer. Instead, Tori watched the figure look

  around and then reluctantly raise a hand and wave at her. “Hello, Tori . . . it's me . . .

  Robert Winds.”

  “Robert Winds?” Tori whispered in a confused voice. She took a few seconds to try

  and understand the situation but failed. “Robert, what are you doing here? It's past

  midnight.” Tori quickly pretended that she was reaching for a gun. “Step away from the

  SUV and put your hands up in the air . . . now!”

  “I'm not armed,” Robert quickly promised Tori. He threw his hands into the air and

  hurried to the back of Tori's SUV. “I know what this looks like, but I couldn't leave

  Tennessee without you knowing the truth. I was . . . debating whether I should leave a

  letter.” Robert slowly reached into the pocket of a brown coat and pulled out a white

  envelope tucked in a plastic freezer bag. “I feel awful, Tori . . . I should have said something

  seven months ago . . . I just didn't want to hurt Matthew. He’s my best friend . . . I love the

  guy like my own brother. Deep down I was hoping . . . Amanda would just go away.”

  “Amanda?” Tori gasped. Throwing caution to the wind she jogged over to a tall,

  handsome man wearing a warm, brown hat that hid wavy black hair. Sure, Robert Winds

  was an arrogant jerk who thought every woman alive should fawn over him, but at least

  the man was honest and half way decent. “Robert, what are you talking about?”

  Robert glanced around at the dark parking lot. “What a night,” he said as sleet struck

  his tormented face. He looked back into Tori's face, saw only shadows, but knew the

  beautiful woman was as tormented as he was. “Tori . . . Amanda wasn't who she

  appeared.”

  “Talk to me, Robert, please. My sister—”

  “Your sister is . . . ” Robert lowered his eyes. “Tori, your sister is no good.”

  “What are you talking about?” Tori begged.

  “Amanda was seeing another man, Tori,” Robert confessed in a miserable voice.

  “When Matthew drove to Cincinnati last year, I stopped at his house and dropped off a

  pizza for Amanda and the girls. I promised Matthew I'd keep an eye on them. When I
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  arrived . . . I saw Amanda letting a strange man into her home . . . but first she kissed

  him.”

  “No . . . you're lying!” Tori heard herself scream at Robert. “You're lying!”

  “I wish I were lying,” Robert replied. He looked at Tori with sad eyes. “Matthew found

  out, Tori. He knew, but he kept trying to win Amanda back. All this time . . . he's known

  that Amanda has been alive.”

  “What?”

  “Matthew has been trying to find Amanda,” Robert explained. “He hired a private

  detective . . . Tori, it's a mess. I wanted to tell you, but Matthew wouldn't let me. He knew

  the truth would break your heart. We know how much you love your sister . . . I'm sorry.”

  “But . . . I was almost killed.” Tori felt her world start to spin. So Detective Lory was

  right and I tore his head off in return, she thought. Amanda had run off with another

  man. And then another thought struck Tori, a thought that ripped her heart out: “Amanda

  tried to kill me . . . no . . . impossible.”

  Robert eased over to Tori and slipped the freezer bag into her hands. “Amanda fooled

  everyone, Tori . . . I'm sorry,” he said and then walked over to a red BMW, climbed in, and

  drove away. Tori watched Robert leave and then sat in her SUV for a very long time . . .

  hours . . . silently listening to the sleet finally turn to snow, thinking . . . thinking . . . trying

  to understand. “No . . . this can't be true,” she whispered as tears slipped down her soft

  cheek. “Amanda . . . impossible . . . she's my sister. All of this was for her.”

  Tori bowed her head and placed it against the cold steering wheel, closed her eyes,

  and cried. For how long? She didn't know? When her tears eased up, she stepped out of

  the SUV into a heavy falling snow and a dark night. “I better call Matthew—”

  “No, you shouldn't,” a hideous voice snapped at Tori.

  Tori swung around and saw a beautiful, red-haired woman behind a parked green

  jeep. “Amanda?”

  “You couldn't leave it alone, could you!” Amanda Rogers yelled at Tori and quickly

  aimed a Glock 17 at her. “I tried to warn you to leave it alone, but you refused! Why didn't

  you just stay at the high school where you belonged?”

  Tori stared into the darkness at her sister. The once timid and quiet Amanda Rogers

  was now an angry, fierce monster staring into the snow with murder in her eyes. Even

  though Amanda was wearing all black that hid her beautiful face, Tori could see her

  sister's soft countenance twisted into an ugly knot of rage. “Why, Amanda?”

  “Nathan!” Amanda yelled.

  A man wearing an eye patch eased out from behind the jeep holding a second gun.

  “This time I'm going to finish the job!” he growled at Tori. “Amanda, if she runs, shoot

  her.” Nathan Maine put his gun away and pulled a piece of wire from the pocket of his

  black coat. “All you had to do was leave it alone. I hired a street bum to warn you away,

  but you refused to listen!”

  “Matthew called me after you left his office, Tori. He told me you accused him of

  harming me,” Amanda told her devastated sister. “I knew you weren't going to give up. I

  knew you had to die!” It broke Tori's heart to hear her speak about murder so quickly

  without hesitation or pain.

  “Why Amanda? At least tell me why?” Tori begged as tears rolled out of her eyes. “I

  love you . . . please tell me. Why?”

  “Why?” Amanda asked in a sarcastic voice, ignoring Tori's pain. “Do you know how

  it feels to be married to a man like Matthew?”

  “But . . . you two seemed so happy?”

  “On the outside, yes,” Amanda nodded, allowing the heavy falling snow to soak her

  black coat. “On the inside . . . no. Matthew was controlling and he verbally abused me,

  Tori. He controlled every penny I spent, demanded to know everywhere I went. I was

  locked in a prison—”

  “But the girls?” Tori cried. “Amanda, your daughters—”

  “The girls will be better off without me,” Amanda snapped without care or concern.

  “They made it clear that Matthew is their pick.” Amanda directed her cold, murderous,

  eyes at Nathan. “Kill her!”

  “Gladly!” Nathan nodded and began walking toward Tori with a hideous grin on his

  face. “You shot the bum I hired, but you're not so tough now, are you?” he asked in a

  threatening voice.

  Tori took a step back into the snow. “Amanda, don't do this,” she begged. “Let me

  help you!”

  “Kill her Nathan, now!” Amanda hissed, ignoring her sister’s desperate plea.

  “Why . . . kill me? Why not Matthew?” Tori asked. “Why did you threaten your own

  daughters but not Matthew?” Tori knew why. She needed to hear the reason with her own

  ears before dying.

  “Matthew is sending my money,” Amanda snapped at Tori, keeping her gun aimed

  straight and steady. “He honestly believes I'm going to return to him. I'm just waiting a

  little while longer and then Nathan and I will fake my death, force Matthew to collect the

  money on my life insurance policy, give the money to me . . . and then vanish.” Amanda

  narrowed her eyes. “Tori, all you had to do was back away and leave it alone. Nathan and

  I are in love. All we want to do is get married and live a happy life . . . why didn't you leave

  matters alone?”

  Tori heard her sister toss a messy plan of broken pieces into the air. Is it really that

  simple? She thought, watching Nathan ease toward her. Did my sister leave her family to

  run off with another man? Is my sister really waiting to fake her death in order to collect

  life insurance money? Is my sister torturing her husband and demanding money from

  him? “Matthew hired a private—”

  “Matthew is a fool!”

  “The private detective is dead,” Nathan growled at Tori, inching closer and closer,

  walking through snow that was growing deeper by the minute. “I buried his body real

  deep in the woods.”

  “Matthew is paying me money because I threatened to kill our daughters,” Amanda

  hissed at Tori. “He was a fool to try and find me. He's an even bigger fool to believe that I

  might return and get the so-called help he's been begging me to get.” Amanda let out a

  bitter laugh. “Matthew thinks I'm off my rocker, Tori.”

  Tears continued to slip down Tori's cheeks. As the tears fell, a shadow appeared from

  behind a parked truck near her SUV. The shadow, she knew, belonged to Detective Lory.

  How did Tori know? Somehow, she just did. Maybe the arrogant detective wasn't so bad

  after all? Maybe he was? Tori didn't know and she didn't care. “Amanda, you need help . . .

  I'm so sorry you decided to betray those who love you most.”

  “Shut up!” Amanda screamed at Tori. “Nathan, kill her!”

  “Time to die!” Nathan hissed at Tori, standing close enough to charge at the woman

  without her being able to get away. He raised the wire into the air and began to move

  forward. As he did, a single gunshot erupted into the air. “What?” Nathan turned his head

  and saw Amanda drop onto the snowy parking lot. Before he could have a second thought,

  another gunshot erupted. A bullet tore through the snow and ripped into Nathan's chest.

  The man crashed back against the back of Tori's SUV, made a horrible
dying sound, and

  then slithered down onto the snowy parking lot like a slug oozing down a wall.

  “No!” Tori cried. She ran over to Amanda's dead body, dropped to her knees, and

  lifted her sister's head in her hands. “Amanda . . . no . . .”

  Detective Lory jogged over to Nathan's body, checked the dead man, and then walked

  toward Tori. “I had no choice.”

  Tori raised her head and looked up into a sorrowful face. “I . . . know,” she cried and

  then bowed her head. “Amanda . . . why . . . ” she asked over and over as tears flooded

  from her tormented eyes. To her shock Detective Lory bent down and put a hand on her

  shoulder.

  “Leave me alone!” she said.

  “Cops don't leave other cops alone,” Detective Lory answered in a stern voice. “I know

  you hate me and I'm not too fond of you, but a cop will stand by a fellow cop no matter

  what.”

  Tori raised her eyes again and looked into Detective Lory's face. “I'm not a cop . . .

  my sister is dead . . .”

  “You'll make it,” Detective Lory promised Tori. “Tonight you were introduced to the

  real world . . . my world. Now you can understand where I come from and maybe stop

  riding my back so much, huh?” Detective Lory patted Tori's frail shoulders, stood up, and

  looked around. “Yeah, seen it before,” he said looking at the snow, “woman leaves her

  husband and runs off with another man . . . seen the husband do the same. Had a man

  missing for ten years show up in Idaho remarried to a woman . . . had two new children

  and was working as a manager at a grocery store. Yeah . . . seen it all before . . . sometimes

  a person really does go missing . . . sometimes life just sticks it's ugly head into the game.”

  With those words Detective Lory walked away and into the dark night.

  Tori bowed her head, closed her eyes, and cried as the snow covered her sister's dead

  body. “Amanda . . .”

  The following morning Tori tossed her suitcase into the back of her SUV. “I'll cycle

  through the next class,” she told Captain Wills, feeling drained and miserable; her eyes

  were still red from tears. “My nieces need me now. I'll . . . go home and bury my sister . . .

  and then, when I'm ready, I'll come back.”

  Captain Wills examined a heavy falling snow that had turned the world white.