Conklin's Corruption (#3) (Conklin's Trilogy) (24 page)

Not waiting for him to reply, I back peddled until I felt the tile of the kitchen floor, my body relaxing fractionally.  Only 5 more steps around the island.  How long did Tyler say it would take for the police to show up once the button was pushed?

“I don’t want food; I want bricks!”  he shouted then began pacing the room again.  He was muttering under his breath, his head nodding in all directions.

Fear was taking hold of my body, terrified and searching for the right thing to say to help stall him from doing something scarring.

“I was going to make some tea.  Can I make you some?”  I moved to the kitchen drawers, letting out a small breath as I pushed the tiny button on the inside of the drawer.  I glanced down, noticing the light turning from green to red, and the seconds started to tick by in my head.

“NO!” he shouted even louder, a howling screech followed.  He gripped his hair tight and then found one of the floor lamps, grabbing it and chucking it across the room.

I covered my mouth, stepping back towards the refrigerator.  Pleading with myself to not break down and be a victim.  I hadn’t watched too many crime shows, but I knew the weak ones never made it. 

“Who told you about the magic bricks?” I bravely asked, desperate to calm him down and stall long enough for the police to get here.

His eyes still moved rapidly around.  This guy must have been on some heavy medication, or he was having some really bad withdrawal symptoms.

“The builder.  The big builder.  He met me here once… but there weren’t any lights,” his voice shook with anxiousness.

I swallowed hard.  Was he talking about Mitch?

“Did he have the magic bricks?” I asked slowly, my eyes bouncing from him to the clock on the microwave. 

His head moved achingly slow until our eyes met.  They were more focused now, and he took a step towards me.  I held my breath again, wrapping my arms around my chest.

A slow nod came from him, and his head cocked to the side as he moved at an agonizingly slow pace from the living room towards me.  It was like he was a snake, slithering his way towards his prey.  The closer he came to me, the more steps I took back until I was backed against the sink.  He finally stopped when he was two feet from me.

I was unable to breath now, my face pinned to the side, my arms trembling as my knuckles were white from holding the silk robe so tightly.  Why did I wear so little to bed again?  I didn’t even put any panties on, and the thought of him touching me brought an entirely new fear to my brain.

“Who.  Are.  You..?” he asked cautiously, studying the side of my face. 

He was intrigued with me now, his mind taken off whatever the magic bricks were.  “I live here,” I whispered, trying not to cringe as I felt his hand touch my arm. 

No no no no no! 

“Let’s find your bricks,” I choked, desperate to not be pinned by this disgusting human being. 

His lips curled, and I saw rotted teeth and black moldy gums.  His breath was foul as he spoke.  “What do I have to do for them?”

My eyes went wide as his other hand landed on the counter, caging me between his awful stench and the counter.  That wasn’t what I meant at all.  My body shook, and I knew now was the time to be brave, to wrack through my brain about any type of self defense I had seen or learned in the past.  The one target that my mother had always told me to hit was wide open, but I had to do it hard enough for him to fall to his knees so I could make a run for it… but where would I run?  The two miles to the town in my bare feet and nighty?

He leaned his head down towards my neck, and I squirmed. 

“You smell pretty,” he said sadistically.  “Don’t be nervous, sweetheart.”

A tear fell as he went to touch my hair as I continued to squirm, wondering why I walked myself back into the corner of the counter top in the first place. 

My thoughts flashed to Tyler.

My heart was filled with sorrow as I thought about how I left Tyler this afternoon, not hugging him or kissing him, leaving mad and angry with him.  I loved him, and if something happened to me tonight where we couldn’t be together anymore, I’d be devastated.

Breathe, Becca.  You can do this.  Find your strength, just like a kickboxing class
. 

I needed to think quickly.  I could lock myself in the closet.  Yes, that’s what I would do.  I took a deep breath, trying not to vomit from the smell of body odor. 

I slowly set my hands on his forearms, needing something to brace myself to make the impact.  I had to do it gently, so he didn’t think I was up to something.  It killed me to touch his dirty shirt, but seeing his pleasing, rotting grin gave me all the courage I needed to get the hell away from him.

I looked towards him and gave him the best smile I could as I gripped his forearms tighter then rammed my knee into his groin as hard as I could.

A strangled moan escaped his mouth as he fell to the ground.  “YOU LITTLE BITCH!” he groaned.

I jumped past him, but he caught my ankle with one hand while he held himself with the other.  “I need my fix… I need my fix… NOW!  If I can’t insert it into my arm, I’m going to take it out on you!” he screamed.

I kicked my feet, desperate to break free from his greasy hands, finally nailing him in the head with the heel of my foot.

His groaning subsided as I scrambled to my feet, thanking God as I saw the flashing red and blue lights traveling the length of my driveway.  I rushed to the front door, realizing it was open from the intruder as I shoved it completely open, running out in the front yard, the bite of the summer night feeling like freedom on my skin. 

Chapter 14

Tyler

I sat staring at my computer screen, not sure what I was more upset about—the fact that Becca went to see that punk Gage, or how I was a complete asshole to her.

I shouldn’t have said the things I said.  I’m not even sure where my outburst came from.  I was having so much trouble containing my frustrations that I said the first thing that popped into my head, not even meaning half of it.  Yet when she gave me the chance to say something to fix it, I just stood there like an immature moron.

Even though I was pissed she went to see Gage, I was more fueled by what she told me he found in her car.  It was nearly impossible for me to keep my cool and act like I was the one who put the tracking device in her car.  I had no clue who did it, and the thought of someone watching Becca’s every move made me uneasy.  I wanted that tracking device out of her car as soon as possible, but didn’t want to push the subject to the point where she would realize something was wrong.

At least I knew she’d be safe in our home.  I made sure the most up-to-date security system was installed.  As long as she remembered to turn it back on, no one would touch her.  There were even safe buttons all over the house if, for whatever reason, the police needed to be called for an emergency.  The buttons would alert each of our phones, in addition to her parents.  She demanded that part more than me.  After the incident at the Valentine’s Day fundraiser, I wasn’t about to take any risks, not when it came to my Becca’s safety.  With Chino being crazy as fuck lately, the top of the line security system helped ease my nerves, especially since I had been going out of town more.

I sighed as I aimlessly scrolled through the spreadsheet of numbers on my screen.  Everything I had to accomplish was possible to finish in Grand Rapids, there was no real reason for me to go to Chicago.  A shiver went down my spine as I thought of the bitemark on Becca’s shoulder.  I had to go to Chicago.  Soon the numbness would settle in like always, and I could go back to being happy.

It was almost 11:30 p.m., and I was stalling going home.  I didn’t know what to say to Becca, and I was terrified she would be waiting up for me.  She knew how to bring out that damn emotion, and I hated the thought of shedding any more tears in front of her.  I’m sure the last thing she wanted was to marry a pussy.  I thought about going to the condo for the night, but I wanted to see her.  The safest time was when she was sleeping, and I felt peace watching her.  I might steal a touch here and there but nothing more.

I reached for my phone, scowling to see it was dead.  I kept forgetting to bring a charger into the office and would have to wait until I got to my car to plug it in and charge it.  I wouldn’t turn it on though, too afraid Becca might have sent me a hate text.

Although I doubted it.  She wasn’t like that.  She was always the mature one, normally saying she was sorry first and wanting to talk things through. 

I need to pull my head out of my ass.

Finally by 11:45 p.m. I gathered my things and headed home for another uneasy night’s rest.

***

My heart leaped out of my chest when I saw the multiple flashing lights along my driveway.  I looked down to my phone, cursing myself for not actually turning it on when I plugged it in to charge.  What if Becca was trying to get a hold of me?  What if she were hurt?  I parked in the first spot I could around the cop cars, booking it up the lawn, dodging a few trees to get to my love.

What an idiot I’ve become!  How could I be so irresponsible to let my phone die?  With all the crazy shit that has been happening too.  My Becs… What if something happened to my Becs?  That panicked feeling was in my chest, and I couldn’t reach the front door fast enough.

Swinging the front door open, I rapidly searched the turning heads surrounding my foyer and living room.  There were at least twelve cops wandering around then I finally found my love, curled up in a blanket with tear stained cheeks, her mother and father protectively standing next to her with their arms looped through each others.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.  I should have been here.  I should be comforting her right now, not her parents. 

She spotted me, her voice cracking as our eyes met.  “Tyler!”

I ran to her, my arms wrapping around her like a magnet.  I nuzzled my head into her hair, the smell of her shampoo calming me along with her presence.  She was here; she was okay. My Bec’s was in my arms and wasn’t hurt, at least I didn’t think she was hurt.

I held her at arm's length, surveying her for anything out of the ordinary or damaged.  “Are you okay?  What happened?”  I asked in confusion.

She dropped her blanket to her feet and nestled herself back to my chest, squeezing my waist.

I held her again, waiting for her to answer then looked to her parents.

“Someone broke into the house, Tyler,” Missy said quietly, holding onto Max’s arm.  “We got the alert on our phones and tried to call.  Max and I headed out here when we couldn’t reach either of you.”

Max Stine’s expression was unreadable as he stood next to his wife.  I gripped Becca closer, hating myself even more for stalling at the office. The thought of someone in this house with my Becs, watching her, waiting for her, prowling.  It made me sick to my stomach and even sicker with rage.  Screw RJ.  He was messing with my life, even when he was dead.

“My phone died, otherwise I would have been here sooner,” I mumbled.  “I didn’t think to turn it on when I got it on the car charger.  Did the alarm not work?”  I was confused, Max’s and Missy’s phones only got notifications if an emergency button was hit, not if the alarm was set off.

Becca buried her head into my chest even more.  “I forgot to turn it back on when I got home,” she whispered.  “I’m sorry.”

I furrowed my brows but refrained from scolding her.  She had obviously dealt with enough tonight, and I was terrified to hear what happened.  I was sure she’d never forget again.

“I didn’t know you usually worked this late,” Missy said looking at me intently. 

“I don’t.  Things have just been a little hectic since RJ’s death.”

She nodded and leaned into Max, whose expression never changed from his blank stare.  His look made me swallow the cotton that was forming in my mouth. 

The sheriff walked over to join our awkward crowd.

“Mr. Conklin,” he nodded towards me, holding out his hand for me to shake.  Reluctantly, I took my hand from Becca’s back and shook his hand.

“Thank you for getting here, Sheriff.”

“The intruder has been taken to the county.  He was pretty high strung, no doubt an addict of some type of amphetamine.  We can talk more about pressing charges tomorrow.  Becca gave him a swift knee and held her own,” the sheriff said.

A thousand tiny prickles tickled my skin.  The thought of Becca being attacked was horrible.  I squeezed her tighter, holding her head to my chest.  I felt her tremble, and my insides tightened. 

“Well, I know Becca is in good hands now.  We should be on our way home, Max,” Missy said, tugging on his arm.  She walked over to Becca, gently patting her head.

Max slowly followed, then looked me straight in the eyes as he put his hand on Becca’s back.  He was passing a subliminal message through his gaze, one that told me I better take care of his daughter, and I better not fuck up again.  I had only seen these eyes one other time, and they sent a chill down my spine then as well.