Chapter Twenty - Three
Flame…
As I pushed open the door all I could see was Michelle covered in blood with the guy lying in her lap and it scared the fuck out of me.
Then turning in time to see the old lady blow her brains out was awesome.
Yeah I’m a cold hearted son of a bitch, but she almost killed the love of my life.
If she hadn’t done it I don’t know if I could’ve gotten the gun away from her.
Hearing what I did through the door pretty much told me there was no way it would have happened.
So good riddance bitch, you did us all a favor and saved the taxpayers of New York a shit load of money.
Michelle was out of it. Who could blame her?
All the shit she’d been through in the last few days and then this.
What the fuck is wrong with this world. Holding her close I rocked her, trying to get her to shop shaking, and I wasn’t going to let her out of my sight.
I didn’t care what she was going to say about it either.
I’d finally gotten her calmed down enough to stop shaking when the police came in with guns drawn.
Her body shook so hard her teeth were chattering.
Luckily they’d brought an ambulance and they took her outside to be checked.
Getting her out of the room was top priority on my list so I was all for it.
The EMT checked Bob and the old lady for life and I watched as he shook his head at the cop. Then I helped get Michelle on the gurney, which wasn’t easy since she didn’t want to let go of me. They were strapping her down and I reached for her purse to go with her when the cop stopped me.
“What do you mean I can’t go?”
“She’ll be fine. But we need to take your statement.”
“I’m not leaving her.”
“She’ll be right outside, nothing is going to happen to her.” The cop nodded at the EMT and they rolled her out. I don’t know if she even realized what was happening. I made a promise to myself that as soon as we could we were going on a vacation alone to wherever she wanted.
“Fine. Whatever.”
“Are you the person who called it in?”
“Yes.”
“Your name?”
“Eric Matthews.” It was strange giving my real name. I never used it now except when I had to sign documents. I handed him my driver’s license and he took down my information. Next the crime scene people came in and took pictures.
“Can you walk me through what happened?”
“Only as far as what I heard and saw.”
“That’ll be fine. Whatever you remember.”
I explained everything I knew including the drugging episode the other night and gave him Detective Harris’ card so he could verify what I told him.
I wasn’t sure he believed the old lady offed herself, and I was right when he asked if they could test my hands and clothing for gunshot residue.
I agreed. I had nothing to hide and neither did Michelle, she was the victim in all of this.
There’s no way they could say otherwise.
The cop finished his notes and gave me a searching look. “Will you be in town or are you going back on tour?”
I’d wondered if he’d recognized me or the name. I didn’t try to hide it but I wasn’t bragging about it either. We were still getting used to the fame. “I’ll be here, or in New Jersey, but you’ll be able to reach me by phone.”
“Good.”
“I’m not going anywhere until this is all settled.”
He nodded and said I could go see Michelle. I’d hoped they hadn’t taken her to the hospital, I still wasn’t sure if she was injured. I didn’t think so but there was so much blood everywhere. Who figured a little gun could do so much damage.
As I approached the ambulance I saw Detective Harris was questioning Michelle.
“So she came in to the room and you and Mr. Williams were already there?”
“Yes,” Michelle answered but her voice was still barely above a whisper.
She was white as sheet and I wanted to take her away and protect her.
I’d never been so scared in my life. If I’d lost her my heart would have stopped.
I know it. Somehow, slowly over the last nine months she’d crawled inside my heart and made it hers.
There would be no life without her. None.
“And she told you Mr. Williams was her son?”
“No he said it.”
“Did you know this before?”
“No. I had no idea she was freakin’ crazy either.”
Detective Harris’ raised his eyebrows at her outburst but what the fuck dude, she’d just seen two people die. Was he really that fuckin’ inconsiderate?
“I think you should wait till she’s okay.”
“I need to get this information while it’s fresh in her mind. You’re okay with that aren’t you, Ms. DeAngelo?”
Michelle nodded and I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She looked so brittle but she had an inner strength I couldn’t believe. I can’t imagine how scared she must have been and yet she fought ‘til the end.
Detective Harris asked a few more questions and I listened to Michelle explain a lot of what I’d heard through the door but the whole mother/son thing confused me and it looked like Harris was going to be digging deeper into it too.
“Well young lady you were lucky. I’m sure we’ll find the same drugs that turned up in your water at Mrs. Pincher’s house. It sounds like she was the planner.”
Michelle nodded. I was fucking relieved, it meant it was over. I hoped Michelle would be able to move past this. She didn’t have the childhood I did with guns, and drugs and death. Losing her parents in a car accident is totally different than seeing your neighbors get shot when you’re three.
Michelle…
“Can we go back to the hotel now?” The numbness was wearing off and I needed to shower and get out of these clothes. The coppery smell of the dried blood was all I could smell and I was about to toss my cookies.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital to get checked out? You’ve had quite a shock.”
“No I don’t. If I start feeling sick I’ll go later, but right now I just go want to go and shower.”
“I’ll have one of the officers take you back to the Waldorf. Give me a few minutes.”
He was a decent man I guess but couldn’t he see I didn’t want to wait, I needed to go NOW. What was wrong with him?
“Why is he making us wait? I need to get out of these clothes.”
“I know baby, and we will get you all cleaned up. Soon. I promise.” Looking in to Flame’s beautiful ocean blue eyes I found my salvation.
“I love you.” A gorgeous smile broke across his face.
“I love you, baby. I don’t know what I’d have done if I lost you. I’m so sorry I didn’t come with you.”
I put my fingers over his lips but realized they were still covered with blood and I quickly pulled them back. “It’s not your fault. I chose to go by myself. I’m a big girl. I could have handled it if that bitch hadn’t belonged in a psych ward. She was total looney toons.”
“She sure sounded like it. All that stuff about corrupting her son. You never even talked about him.”
“I know. I don’t think I said more than twenty words to him in the whole time I was here, except when he showed up in the park before you got home.”
“I’m sorry he had to die but I’m glad it wasn’t you.”
“Me too. I really didn’t think I’d get out of there alive. I didn’t think you’d get through the door in time.”
“I didn’t think I would either.” He put his forehead to mine and the tears in his eyes were visible.
That moved me more than anything. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks and once they started I couldn’t stop them.
Flame pulled me into his arms and just held me.
It was definitely the best medicine. We stayed that way until Detective Harris came back and told us the car was ready to take us to the hotel.
The ride to the Waldorf was quiet, but Flame held my hand the entire time.
I didn’t expect the press to be there when we arrived though.
Thankfully Terrance was there to run interference as he got us through the doors of the hotel and away from the cameras and reporters.
I knew eventually we’d have to make a statement but I’d let Joe take care of that.
He was much better at that stuff than the rest of us.
Everyone was waiting in the hallway when we got upstairs and piled into our room when we got there.
“Baby, do you want something to drink. I mean alcohol. I think a shot or two couldn’t hurt?”
“I don’t know. I can’t think. What I really want is to take a shower.”
“Do you want company?” I wanted more than anything to say yes, I knew it’s what he was waiting for, but honestly I needed to be alone, to wash the blood and brains off and try to feel like myself again.
“I think I’ll pass on that for now. I’m too dirty, and this way you can fill everyone in while I’m getting clean.”
“Okay. But call if you need anything I’ll listen for your voice.
Not that I don’t always anyway.” He dropped a kiss on my forehead and all I could think was ‘Oh God, I hope I’m not covered in brains’.
Ugh. The bullet coming through the side of her head along with the brains, bone, and yuck replayed in slow motion in my mind.
The shower helped me feel a little more like me, not having to smell blood and see it all over me was the best. Walking back into the living room and getting hugged by everyone was a little overwhelming. I still wasn’t all into this touchy feely stuff but I was getting better at handling it.
Joe got there with Sunshine and he was working with Chaos on the statement for the press. I didn’t care what they decided as long as I wasn’t the one who had to say it.
“Here baby. Take this I think it will help. You’re still shivering.” I was? Shit. I didn’t even realize.
“Thanks.” As I went to take a sip of the coffee he stopped me.
“It’s spiked so go easy.” I nodded and took a sip. It was good, Kahlua, Tequila and coffee one of my favorites. I didn’t know he knew, maybe Cyn told him. Either way he was right, it helped and the shivering stopped almost instantly.
Of course everyone had more questions so we went over everything again, which was the last thing I wanted to do. I’d prefer to forget everything and I’m sure Flame would too.
No one wanted to go out and we ended up ordering pizza, five to be exact. Those guys could put away some serious pizza. I had trouble getting down one slice. I wasn’t hungry just so damn tired I struggled to keep my eyes open.
I must have fallen asleep at some point and when I woke up to use the bathroom I was in bed with Flame’s arms wrapped around me and his leg thrown over mine. I smiled. Even in sleep he was protecting me. Before I fell back to sleep I wondered what happened with Ashley.