Thursday, May 6, 2010

Nick drove around aimlessly the mansion was a crime scene and even if it wasn’t he couldn’t have stayed there. Kathy’s blood and Nicky’s empty bed taunted him. Nick’s mind was consumed with Angel and where had she been all these years. She obviously wasn’t the happy homemaker he’d envisioned. He found her to be lethal and ruthless in the pursuit of what she wanted qualities he shared and understood. The fact she wanted him could cost Kathy her life. He would have done anything Angel asked to spare Kathy this pain. He should have known Angel was troubled; kids don’t normally run away from happy homes. And the time she’d spent with Carlos had to have done damage. He’d seen the bruises and felt her tremble in fear. There must been more going on with her than he realized and now it was too late. If he hadn’t been so screwed up at the time maybe he could have seen the pain and helped her instead of pushing her away out of guilt. There had been so much blood and death with his last assignment all he had wanted to was to drown out the pain and the guilt. He’d shut down and crawled inside a bottle of Jack Daniels. At the time he hadn’t been in any shape to help himself much less any one else. That mistake came with a high price tag, his wife and child. By failing her he had failed them all.
He’d always wondered if someday his past would come back to haunt him. Someday when he least expected it a bullet or a well placed knife blade would end his life. He always imagined he’d be the object of their wrath not Kathy, not his family. Those thoughts never entered his head since his move to Minnesota. All had been peaceful since he ended the life of the small town serial killer. There was no fear in that place. The only predator he feared there were bears and wolves. It had been so many years since his days in vice but bad people tended to have long memories. He’d taken Angel away from that life could she have some how found her way back into it or was it simply an angry ex lover seeking revenge. If only he had told Kathy she couldn’t come back to this place. She had given him so much a peace he never thought he’d find in this life. How could he not give her what she needed in return.
“Damn it Nick answer the phone,” Jack cursed softly. Kathy had taken a turn for the worse during surgery and Nick needed to be here to make some decisions if the damage was too great.
Then phone on the seat next to him vibrated. A cold shiver ran through him. He didn’t need to answer it he knew what the caller had to say. Kathy was dead. He had felt her die. He picked up the vibrating phone and held it.
“I know it’s beautiful there baby but you’ve got to fight for us. I’ve never asked for anything but I’m asking you now.” He closed his eyes. “Please don’t take her,” he whispered. Her fate was out of his hands now. If there was such a thing as a merciful God he’d never seen it. Death and chaos had been his constant companions for as long as he could remember. Perhaps what he put out into the world is what came back to him. Had he chosen that life or had it chosen him. Maybe to receive mercy you had to be able to show mercy. Right now there was no such emotion in his heart. There was only revenge and destruction. Kathy had been his sanctuary the calm, loving port in his turbulent life. She brought out a side of him he never knew existed. He was a kinder gentler man with her in his life what would he be without her?
He turned the car around and headed towards a life and time he’d turned his back on years ago. How many snitches would still be alive and willing to cooperate. Somehow he had to get information on Angel and where she had taken his son. He couldn’t go back to that hospital empty handed and sit by Kathy’s bedside knowing he couldn’t give her the one thing she needed to survive; their son. His heart ached never in a million years would he have thought a child could steal his heart. But Nicky seemed to be the best of both of them a perfect blending of fearlessness and gentleness. His heart and his soul belonged to his family and he’s do whatever it takes to reunite them. Kathy needed Nicky to pull through and Nick needed them both.

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