Seeing Ghosts
Chapter 15
By Dottie
Copyright 2015
When Nick parks outside Kevin's house he turns off the car and waits. Kevin stares at the house intently, trying to find something familiar. He slowly gets out of the car. Nick watches as he takes slow steps toward the house.
When Kevin steps up on the porch, he turns back toward the car. Nick climbs out. "You ok Kev?"
Kevin shrugs and turns back to the door. "I'm afraid to go in."
Nick jogs up to the porch. "What's wrong?"
Kevin stares at the door. "What if this doesn't work? What if I go in and I don't remember anything?"
Nick puts his hand on Kevin's shoulder. "You will remember Kevin...you’ve already started remembering. Maybe it will just take time."
Kevin looks down at the porch. "I need to remember now Nick. I have to find her. Sophie and DJ...they need their mother."
Nick can feel his friend's anguish. In a soft voice he whispers, "You need your wife too."
Kevin takes a deep breath and steps up to the door. When he steps inside he feels calm. He glances around; everything looks familiar...but still unknown.
He moves further into the living room, taking in several things at once. Overturned furniture. A broken lamp. Throw pillows strewn across the floor. He still doesn't see anything familiar...until he turns to the fireplace.
When he sees the portrait of himself and Elena he drops to his knees. Nick rushes forward but stops short when he hears Kevin's strangled whisper. "Mi amore, Elena."
In a shaky voice he whispers, "Kevin...do you remember?"
Kevin looks up with tears in his eyes. "Everything. I remember everything." Taking a shaky breath, he whispers, "Why would Grant take her?"
Nick steps closer and kneels beside him. "His boss said he thought Chealyn...Elena...was having an affair with him. He said the case was over a long time ago. Grant lied to her...to keep her hidden."
Turning his gaze to Nick, he whispers, “She wouldn’t…I know she wouldn’t.”
Nick nods quickly. “We know that Kevin. Anyone that saw her at the cemetery could tell…”
Kevin cuts him off. “Cemetery?”
Nick nods. “Well…we thought you were dead. We all were trying to find…closure of some kind. When she showed up…the whole world saw how broken hearted she was Kevin. She’s not having an affair with him. She never has. You are the man she loves and you always will be.”
Kevin walks to the couch and drops down, staring up at the picture on the wall. “How can we find her?”
Nick moves to sit by him. “The marshal service is all over it and they are bringing in the FBI. Kevin, we’re going to find her. I know it.” When Kevin leans forward and drops his head into his hands to cry, Nick feels tears well up in his eyes. “What can I do?”
Kevin doesn’t move. He whispers softly, “You’re doing it Nick.” Looking up he whispers, “Thank you…thank you for everything.”
Nick wipes away his own tears. “Come on; let’s get back to Sophie and DJ. The guys need to know you remember.”
Chealyn slowly opens her eyes. She’s in a dingy motel room handcuffed to a bed. Her broken arm is lying across her stomach throbbing. She looks around. Grant is sitting on the other bed in the room with the television on. He’s watching something intently. She closes her eyes again, feeling nauseous.
He had kept her in the car parked in the woods close to the border until dark. He waited until 2:00 am before attempting to cross. Grant had told her if she tried anything, he’d make sure Nick and the others ended up in the ground next to Kevin. She pretended to be sleeping during the crossing, covered up with a blanket to hide her broken arm. She had heard Grant tell border security his wife was sick and they were cutting their vacation short to get her home to her doctor.
Thinking back on it now, Chealyn wonders if she could have gotten away. She bites her lip, knowing she couldn’t take that chance. She spent the last three years away from the man she loved to keep him and his friends safe. He may be gone, but she still feels compelled to protect his friends…his family.
She jumps when Grant roars, “Dammit all to hell!”
Looking at him fearfully, she whispers, “What’s…wrong?”
He turns on her. “Don’t you go getting any bright ideas about leaving me Elena.”
Wearily she whispers, “Don’t call me that. Elena is dead. I’m Chealyn.”
He looks at her thoughtfully. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe the only way to get rid of your fucking past is to forget Elena. You’re never going back to him. You’ve been mine for the last three years and you’re always going to be mine.”
Feeling the weight of her grief weighing her down, she lets her tears fall and whispers, “No, I’m always going to be Kevin’s.”
Grant jumps on the bed, straddling her waist. He grips her broken arm, causing her to cry out in agony. “NO! You’re mine! What do I have to do, go back and kill the fucking bastard and those brats again to prove it to you? You’re mine!”
He starts ripping at her clothing but she struggles, latching onto his words like a life line. “He’s alive? They’re all alive?”
He slaps her face. “NO!” He grabs her shoulders and slams her up and down on the bed. “You’re mine!” He lifts her up, slamming her back against the headboard. The wood cracks. He does it again and it splits. The hand that is cuffed to the bed is free. Elena grabs the metal bracelet and swings her arm as hard as she can, catching him in the temple with the cold steel.
He falls back and she keeps hitting him. She’s swinging with all her might. Her babies are alive. Kevin is alive. Her family. She pummels his face with the metal. Suddenly her arm falls and she looks at him. His face is covered in blood. He’s unconscious. She scrambles away from him sobbing.
She staggers to the door, cradling her useless arm against her abdomen. She’s gotta get help…but where? She staggers out of the motel room and starts pounding on doors. No one answers and her panic starts to escalate.
She manages to make it to the motel office. When the clerk looks up and sees her, he says, “What the hell?”
She manages to gasp. “Help me, please! He kidnapped me! Please, call the police. Please!”
The guy shakes his head. “Don’t want no part of this!”
Chealyn hits the countertop. “Please! For the love of God, I think I killed him! Call the police!”
The guy stares at her for a brief moment before reaching for the phone. She slumps against the counter, fighting to stay conscious. She hears the clerk explain to the police what’s happening. She slowly slides to the floor, letting her eyes close as she sinks into oblivion thinking only one thought. Her family is alive. Kevin will come for her. He’ll take her home.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Let me say I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long...and those of you who have reviewed and I haven't responded, please know I've read your reviews and I appreciate your taking your time to read. I've had a very emotional and tragic week and my mind isn't exactly functioning as it should. After the holidays, I'm hoping I can get the rest of this story up and take some time to let me heart heal. Please, continue sending me your thoughts and I really hope you continue enjoying the story. Love, Dottie
Chapter End Notes:
Please let me know! :)
