Chapter One
Peace
Sadie
I turned my black, convertible Mercedes SLK into the parking garage under the Nightingale Investigations offices and swiped again at my eyes thus swerving again and barely missing the wall before I righted the car.
I had no idea how I got there, maybe a mixture of luck and adrenalin.
I had no idea why I even went there except it was close to my apartment. Not to mention, I was together enough to know I couldn’t go to the police. Also not to mention, it was in my mind since I’d been there that very afternoon.
But really, who cared? I was there. It was as good a place as any.
My car was a mess, I’d hit a couple of things on the way, I didn’t know what. I felt the bumps, heard the crunching and scrapes but I just kept going.
I didn’t park. I stopped on a screech of tires when I saw the door leading to the stairs. I couldn’t wait for the elevator, Ricky could be right behind me not to mention, I wasn’t sure I could stand.
I threw open my car door and just that took a lot out of me. So much that when I tried to get out, I fell forward on all fours (or all threes, as that was all the extremities I had working for me at that moment) to the concrete floor.
This took a lot out of me too. So much that I threw up right there. I couldn’t see much, the sweat and blood were stinging my swelling eyes but I could see there was blood mixed with the bile on the pavement. I could also see my manicure was ruined which pretty much stunk but at that moment it was the least of my worries.
I pulled myself up using the car door and my one good hand. My other hand and arm were useless to me. Actually, my body was pretty useless considering that every inch of it screamed out in pain but I tried to ignore that. I wasn’t really certain that continuing to breathe was a good goal but my body for some reason wasn’t letting me give up.
I got to my feet and lurched forward.
I was in my nightgown or what was left of it. I knew I had no underwear on. I had no idea if the remains of my nightgown were covering me, if I was decent.
I’d deal with that new humiliation later (if I got the chance).
I staggered to the door with the stenciled sign that read “STAIRS”. It took me two tries but I got it open and I pushed myself through.
* * * * *
Jack
Jack Tatum stared at the screens in the Nightingale Investigations surveillance room.
Jack took night duty four or five times a week. The men thought he was crazy but he liked it.
Since he was a kid, he had a weird sleeping pattern. It drove his Mom nuts. He slept in the late afternoon and evening, was up all night and morning. His Mom couldn’t break him of it, the doctors couldn’t, no one could.
Throughout his adulthood, to fit his life around it, he’d taken a number of night jobs (mostly security) but they sucked. This job was the perfect fit.
It was boring a lot of time but when it wasn’t boring, it was really not boring.
Jack liked the anticipation, he fed off it. Because when something happened, he had to be on his game.
Days, weeks, months of nothing happening could weaken most men’s instincts.
But Jack was born to be sharp and alert at three o’clock in the morning. If something happened, he’d never let the team down.
That was why, when he saw on the monitors the Merc screeching to a halt in the garage, Jack was ready.
He reached out to the phone, hit the speaker button then number two and listened to it ring.
Luke and Hector had called in five minutes ago saying they’d be back in five. The car phone in their Ford Explorer was number two on speed dial.
Then Jack watched the woman fall out of the car. Her head fell down like she couldn’t hold it up. One arm was dangling uselessly on the ground. She was wearing a silky, lacy nightgown but it was ripped and torn.
He was rising out of his chair when he heard Luke’s voice answer the phone.
“Stark.”
“Fuck,” Jack swore.
“Jack?”
“Get here, now. There’s a woman –” Jack stopped as he watched her pull herself up using the car door.
For a second, he froze. She had clearly been beaten badly and was covered in blood.
“Jack. Status,” Luke barked into the phone.
“Call an ambulance. I’m leaving the room,” Jack responded.
“Jack –” Stark said but Jack didn’t reply, he didn’t even disconnect, he was gone.
* * * * *
Sadie
I made it up three stairs then fell. My bloody hand slipped on the stair and I couldn’t break my fall so I banged my head.
It hurt.
Since I hurt, like, loads, like, everywhere, I thought that was a good time to give up.
So Ricky found me. So he finished what he started. I’d be unconscious during the rest of it then I’d be dead.