Chapter 41
Sophie
Iwaited and called Trooper all night and he never showed up or answered. I didn’t know if it had something to do with the situation with Oscar, so I stayed at his place.
I waited up as long as I could and eventually fell asleep. When I woke the next morning, he still hadn’t shown up, so I called and waited. My nerves were all over the place because I had no idea what was going on.
What if something had gone wrong and the cops somehow got involved? Maybe someone had seen Oscar take the elevator up to my apartment and never come down. There was only one way in, so he would have had to come down.
Trooper not answering my calls or texts made me panic.
I even called Maddie and didn’t get a response from her.
I didn’t know how to get in touch with Carlos, so for now, all I could do was sit here and let my mind work overtime, coming up with every negative thing that could have possibly happened to him.
The day was gone, and there was still no sign of Trooper, so I decided to head out to grab something to eat. I hadn’t eaten all day, and that wasn’t good, but I was stressed about the situation with Oscar and Trooper missing.
It just wasn’t like him, but then again, less than twenty-four hours ago I’d witnessed him nearly beat a man to death and react like it was nothing. Did I really know what was like him and what wasn’t?
“How did this become my life?” I muttered to myself as I left Trooper’s apartment, heading to the parking garage to get my truck.
Something didn’t feel right. I kept looking around because it felt like someone was watching me, but I couldn’t see anyone.
I picked up my pace, hitting the remote to unlock the doors before I reached it, and that’s when I saw them.
Two guys exited a car a few spaces from mine and rushed me. I moved as fast as I could, but it was no use. One of them grabbed me and threw me against my truck. He leaned over me as I swung at him, trying to free myself, but his partner yanked my hair and pulled my head back.
“Stop fighting or die. Right now, we’re just here to send a message, but if you keep fighting us, it’s going to end badly for you.” They were both wearing masks and the only thing exposed were their eyes, cold and uncaring.
I knew enough to stop fighting just from the looks I received.
“Tell Trooper we see him, and if we see him, we see you.” Trooper, this was about Trooper.
I knew who he was, but not once had I ever considered his past would somehow affect me this way. Now I was attacked by two men who wanted me to send a message to him.
That was the last thought I had before I felt his fist in my gut and blows all over my body.
I held my hands across my stomach to shield my child, which left my face uncovered.
I was hit hard before I buckled and landed on the ground.
They didn’t stop, both of them kicking me for what felt like an eternity, then it all stopped.
“Make sure you tell him what I said,” one of them whispered near the side of my head before I saw their feet move as they took off running to the car and left.
I lay there crying in pain, unable to move until I could grab my phone, on the ground a few feet away. After I had it in my hand, I made a call and barely got the words out.
“I need help, please send someone to help me.”
“Can you tell me what’s wrong?”
“I’m pregnant and I’ve been attacked.”
“Is your attacker still there?”
“No.”
I felt lightheaded, but I used everything I had to stay focused.
“Okay, where are you? Can you give me the address? Someone will be on the way.”
I rattled off the address and lay there on the ground clutching my stomach. All I could think about was the baby. What if something happened to the baby?
An hour later, I was at the hospital with two detectives standing over me, asking the same questions repeatedly. Did I know who attacked me? Was I having issues with anyone? Did they try to take anything? Did they say anything that could be helpful in figuring out who they were?
My answers were the same every time. No, I don’t know, and I don’t remember. That was partially true besides the mentioning of Trooper. However, I wasn’t about to tell them that. I’d called him a million times and he didn’t answer, not once. I still wasn’t about to send them his way.
No matter how legal Trooper was, I understood that part of his life never really went away. I also knew he would want to handle a situation like this on his own. That likely meant if he ever found out who did this to me, they would pay the same way Oscar had.
Trooper didn’t have to tell me he was dead for me to know it was true.
“Ms. Prescott. We can’t help you if you don’t tell us anything.”
“And I can’t give you answers I don’t have,” I said rudely to the detective who had just spoken to me like I was somehow annoying him while here to supposedly help me.
He glanced at his partner as I reached for my face and touched it softly, flinching from the pain. I was sure my eye was swollen, or at least bruised, but I was too sore to get out of bed to check.
“So you didn’t recognize their voices or anything about them like tattoos, eye color, even something as simple as a chipped tooth?”
I laughed sarcastically and lowered my hands into my lap before trying to adjust my body a little.
“Please forgive me if I was too focused on protecting myself to do a physical inventory of the men who attacked me. They grabbed my hair, pounded their fists against my body and face, then kicked me repeatedly once I was on the ground. That’s what I remember.
If that’s not good enough, I don’t know what else to tell you.
Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some rest.”
All I wanted to do was sleep, so I pressed the button to summon the nurse while the two of them stood over me looking aggravated.
“Yes, Ms. Prescott, how can I help you?”
“Can you give me something for pain and to sleep and escort these assholes out of my room?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be back in a minute.” The nurse glanced at the detectives and they looked at me. She didn’t want to get involved and likely hoped after my statement about them leaving they would do so on their own.
“Here’s my card. If your memory suddenly returns and you can think of anything useful, please give us a call.” The detective placed his card on the rolling tray next to my bed before he looked around my room as if expecting to see something he’d missed.
“Have a good evening, ma’am,” he said dryly before they turned to leave.
Moments later, the nurse returned with Tylenol, handing it to me. I took them both down before sliding down in my bed and pulling the covers over my shoulders. I closed my eyes, but tears still slipped from the corners. Where the hell was Trooper?
Iwoke up to a familiar voice, but it was dark in my hospital room.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t figure out who the voice belonged to.
My mind was fuzzy and my body hurt all over.
Whoever was talking had their back to me as he carried on a conversation, so I listened to see if it would help me figure out who it was.
“She’s alive, but they beat her pretty bad.
I thought you were just going to scare her?
Well, they didn’t follow your instructions and you didn’t tell me she was pregnant.
Yes, pregnant. You think I’m happy about that?
Regardless of what you think, I still love her.
I know I wasn’t the best but I fucking love her, William.
I didn’t sign on for all this. I’m only here now to make sure she’s okay.
I don’t want this on my hands. Do you even know these people you hired?
She’s your fucking daughter and she was pregnant.
They beat her, William. They were supposed to just threaten her and make her think it was because of him.
I don’t want to be anywhere near this. I’m done. I should have never listened to you.”
He ended the call and I heard him nearing me. My heart raced and I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything but lay there.
“Sophie, I’m sorry. I didn’t know this is what it would come to.
I pray that one day you’ll be able to forgive me.
What the fuck was I thinking? I never meant for things to get this out of hand.
William just has me by the balls and I didn’t know what else to do. I never wanted you to get hurt. Fuck!”
Lincoln! I shut my eyes tightly and lay as still as I could. He stared for a minute longer before he delivered a kiss to my forehead then he was gone. William was behind this!