Chapter 9 #2
"It's Oscar."
He handed her the phone as she reached for it silently.
"Hi. I'm fine, just a little shaken up. I..."
She glanced over at Eric.
"I just went for a walk. Oscar..."
She listened again and pursed her lips.
"All right. Fine."
She handed the phone back to Eric.
"Don't leave her bloody side. I should be there in six hours or less."
Before he could respond, his friend had hung up.
"He's pissed, understandably."
His smile was strained as he turned towards the doctor.
"How's she?"
"Not bad. She's supposed to stay in bed for the rest of the day."
"Got it. I'll walk you out."
"No need."
Shutting her bag, she headed for the door.
Passing a hand at the back of his neck, he turned to look at Kiara.
"You don't look the worse for wear."
"I feel fine. Shaken up, but fine. Margo told me that they found a speedboat left running and they found blood."
"Yeah."
His expression was grim.
"I hope the son of a bitch bleeds to bloody death."
She found she could smile.
"You don't need to censor your words around me. I'm not a delicate rose."
She pleated the sheets wrapped around her.
"Oscar is going to be even more protective."
"Can you blame him?"
Pulling up a chair, he met her eyes.
"He's probably freaking out about now and blaming himself for being thousands of miles away."
"That's just ridiculous. It could have happened while he was here."
The frustration sounded in her voice.
"This...this person...this sick moron is making our lives a living hell and I'm sick of it."
He patted her hand.
"Keep that attitude and tell yourself you're not a bloody victim."
"Oh, trust me, I'm not thinking that."
He was scared to the bone, his blood icy with fear. He had to pull it together to make the arrangements to leave. Frustratingly, it took the pilot several precious minutes to get fuel and file flight plans.
He was about to leave without taking the clothing he had brought with him when his mother packed while he was getting dressed.
"She's going to be fine."
His parents had insisted on taking him to the private airfield where the plane was waiting.
"I cannot think."
He allowed his mother to wrap her arms around him for comfort.
"I feel bloody helpless and uncoordinated."
"The woman you love is in danger, that reaction is natural."
His father squeezed his shoulder.
"Why don't you get her to come and stay here for a bit?"
Maeve suggested, trying to hide her worry. Her baby looked strained, the stark fear showing in his blue eyes. She hated to see him like this.
"I will try and make that happen."
Oscar hugged them in turn, managing a smile.
"Thanks."
"Call as soon as you get there and let us talk to her."
"I will."
He kissed his mother and moved in for a hug from his father.
"I have to go."
They waved him off, arms around each other as they watched him run towards the steps. And did not move until the plane was just a dot in the air.
"I need to go to the chapel to say prayers."
Her husband nodded. Moving his hand from around her waist, he took her hand and lifted it to his lips.
"We'll pray for our boy and the woman who has so captured his heart."
He couldn't settle. After buckling in and waiting until he was airborne, he placed some calls. The first one was to Margo for an update.
"I'm on my way back to the states. I need something. I need to know if there's a lead to this son of a bitch. Something."
"The lab came back with the blood sample. He was bleeding like a hog, lots of blood on the boat, which was stolen by the way. We've been scouring hospitals, clinics and other places, but he hasn't shown up so far."
"Who the hell is he?"
"His name is Ed Graeme. He has no priors and coincidentally lived with his mother until recently. His mother died a week ago and was cremated almost immediately."
"Have you picked him up?"
He shook his head tersely when the flight attendant offered him a drink.
"He's disappeared. The place shows signs of him living there until recently."
She hesitated.
"What is it?"
"The place is like a shrine to Kiara. Her pics are plastered all over a room off his bedroom.
Creepy as hell. He's religious, so there's an altar and whips, signs he was punishing himself for some sort of sin he committed.
Bibles mixed with several copies of Kiara's books.
He has pictures of you as well, with the eyes gouged out.
There's one where you and Kiara were coming from a function.
He cut out your pic and pasted one of his beside Kiara. He's obsessed."
The icy fear trickling along his spine was sharp.
"Any idea where he is?"
"No. We're checking into his financials. Apparently he cleaned out his account as well as his mother's and has gone to ground. But we're combing the area. Eric got him good so there's no way he could have gone far."
"Thanks."
Hanging up the phone, he turned to look out the window, his expression bleak. The sky was clear and the pilot had assured him that they would make good time. If he could grow bloody wings, he would be flying to her.
He wanted to be with her so badly, he felt as if he was crawling out of his skin.
Alongside the fear was the rage, walking hand in hand. He wanted to catch the bastard and cut off his air supply. He wanted to see him dead. But most of all, he wanted to be there to see and touch the love of his life.
Burying his head in his hands, he allowed the fear to surface.
He was in excruciating pain. The bullet had slammed into his left arm and fortunately for him had been a through and through. But he was bleeding like a goddamn pig. He had lost so much blood, he was amazed he was still alive.
He had somehow managed to make it to the car he had stolen and drove like a maniac to the out of the way cabin.
Now that the adrenalin had passed, he was left feeling nauseous and experiencing pain. He needed to be patched up but did not dare turn up at any hospital. He was trying to patch himself up.
He had downed six painkillers that just managed to take the edge off.
And had poured brandy on the wound that had him screaming bloody hell. And had him stumbling towards the edge of the path and hurling the breakfast of pancakes and eggs from the diner.
Now he was sitting on the roughly hewn board floor in front of the inactive fireplace and rocking back and forth. He was wondering where it had all gone wrong? He had been a normal person, with a very good job.
Until he saw Kiara, until he read her books and fell in love with her. Tears leaked from his eyes and down his ashen cheeks. The bandage was already soaked through. He was going to die in this godforsaken cabin.
He had no doubt they were already looking for him. He had seen a text from his company demanding to know what was going on. That there had been cops swarming around the place asking questions about him.
That had been the last one before he got rid of the phone. The cabin was in his grandfather's name, and no one knew of its existence. He was safe here for now. And it was isolated, which suited him fine.
"Kiara. Kiara. Kiara."
He whispered in anguish.
"Why couldn't you see that I'm perfect for you? Why?"
Stumbling to his feet, he rushed into the bathroom to throw up again.
"She's sleeping."
Eric cracked the door open to check, before closing it again.
"I think the doc gave her something to relax her. Where are you?"
"An hour away from landing. I spoke to Margo. They have a name."
"Yeah."
Eric headed downstairs and went outside to scan the grounds.
"Margo told me. Some asshole with no priors. Had Kiara photos plastered everywhere. Guy is sick."
"He'll be dead if I catch him. Do me a favor?"
"Anything."
Eric walked over to the spot where his blood was spilled onto the grass.
"Gather the investigative team and start your own search."
"Already done. We got the name and the house he used to live. I was going to start digging around the place but did not want to leave her until you get there."
"Good idea."
He breathed out shakily.
"How are you?"
"Still alive. I think I got him more than he got me. I'm bandaged up and ready to roll. I've a vested interest in getting this bastard."
"Yeah."
Oscar sighed.
"I feel bloody helpless and would like to work off this rage before I face her."
"Good idea. She doesn't need the stress. She had something to eat and took her meds. As far as I can see, she's handling it well."
"She's tough. Christ! This is some bloody mess."
"It is. The babies are fine. Appears they're tough as well."
Swinging away from the blood that had seeped into the grass, he headed back to the house.
"I'll see you shortly."