LETHAL OBSESSION (17 page)

      Ellen
glanced over and saw Gene leaning against the squad car talking to the brute
who did this.  An instant hatred surged through her at the cold, calculated
cruelty of that monster.  Surely Gene was not going to let him go with a slap
on the wrist.  The thought made her even more furious.  She would come after
him herself if he got away. 

      The
ambulance attendants weren’t sure what to do with Ellen and the children.  They
were screaming, wanting to be with their mother, but they were still clinging
to Ellen. Rick had given them a quick medical report.

      “Are
you family, Ma’am?”

      “No,
I’m not.”

      “Okay,
climb aboard.  It might be easier to have you and the kids come with us.”

      She
looked at Rick and he said, "go ahead, I'll meet you at the hospital."

      The
paramedics placed an oxygen mask over Heather's face.  They started an IV,
raised the foot of the gurney and had a cardiac monitor going.  A call went out
to the hospital, and  orders came in for some emergency IV medication.  Soon
Heather was looking better.  Blinking, and gazing around in confusion, the
young woman focused her gaze on Ellen. Tentatively holding out a hand, she
tried to smile.

      “Hi.” 
Tears came to her eyes.

      Ellen
smiled and reached for the frail hand.  “Hello, my name is Ellen.  I saw your
children on the side of the road. I want you to know that I’m going to do
everything I can to help you and these precious angels here.”  She hugged the
pair of tots to her chest
.

      Heather
looked at Ellen. “I appreciate everything you’ve done.  It ain’t the first time
this has happened.”  Her voice sounded weary and sad.

      Ellen
patted the thin, cool hand.  “I don’t want you worrying about anything now
except getting well.”  Then she looked over at the little boy. “What is your
name?”

      “Billy.
My sister is Margaret, but she don’t talk much.  She’s too little.”

      “Oh? 
And how old are you, Billy?” He held up four fingers.

      Ellen
looked back at the young mother and squeezed her hand.

      “Heather?
Is there anybody I can call for you?”

      “Yes,”
my sister, Louise.  Her number is 452-6823.”

      Immediately
Ellen punched in the number on her cell. She tried to keep up a steady stream
of conversation to comfort the children and Heather as well as herself. 
Heather was starting to look gray again.  Perspiration popped out on her beaten
face.   Ellen watched as the paramedic eyed the cardiac monitor, lowered the
head of the gurney and cranked up her IV rate.  A hypodermic syringe was
injected into the IV tubing.  His hand went to the dial on the oxygen tank.

      The
emergency room was noisy and bustling.  The intercom competed with shouts from
medical personnel as gurneys were rushed to various places.  Louise was waiting
and hurried towards them as Heather was taken into a sterile looking cubicle. 
The children ran to their aunt, but Heather was still clinging tightly to
Ellen’s hand. 

      “Don’t
leave me,” she whispered. “I’m scared.”  A tear trickled down her cheek. 

      Ellen
was torn.  The nurses were eyeing her sternly.

      “I’m
sorry, Ma’am.  You’ll have to wait outside in the waiting room.” 

      They
gently loosened the grasp Heather had on Ellen’s hand.  The last thing Ellen
saw was Heather’s tear-streaked face going behind the white curtains.  Wiping
her own tears and trying to swallow the lump in her throat, Ellen turned away
to join Louise and the children.

      “Auntie
Lou,” Billy said. “This is our new friend, Erun.”  he ran to hug her. 

      Louise
came over and took Ellen’s hand.  “I don’t know how to repay you for this. 
I’ve wanted Heather to leave the bastard for years but she won’t.”  Louise
shook her head.  “I just don’t understand it.  I’m afraid he will kill her one
day and...then it will be too late.”  Her voice broke and Ellen put a hand on
her shoulder. 

      She
didn’t know what to say.  God, this was so awful. Then she saw Rick and was
enveloped in his comforting arms. He held her close kissing the top of her
head.  She couldn't stop the tears but now they were tears of relief.

      "What
do you say we get started on that shelter right away."

      "Most
definitely."  She looked into his beautiful green eyes, leaned up and
gently kissed his lips.  "Thank you for coming into my life

      "Thank
you for coming into mine.  Shall we go look at some houses?"

      Ellen
turned back to Louise and the children. 

      "This
is my cell number.  Could you keep me updated?  Tell Heather I will visit as
soon as I can."

      "I
will tell her, and thanks again, Ellen, for being there."

CHAPTER  SIXTEEN

      Rick
and Ellen looked at several large homes for sale but they were both so emotionally
spent after leaving the hospital, their hearts just weren't into it.

      "I
think we need a break from this," said Rick, "Let's go to one of my
favorite places and unwind."

      "Sounds
like a great plan."

      Rick's
favorite spot was a Shangri-La hidden in the forest. A white water mountain
stream flowed over rocks making cascades of tiny waterfalls.  The air was
chilly as Ellen and Rick sat against the trunk of a large pine, snuggled together
under a blanket. Surrounded by nature, they watched the squirrels gathering for
winter and tried to rid their minds of the earlier tragedy. Ellen turned to
meet his eyes. 

      "I
met Martha at the fair.  She seems like a wonderful person, someone I'd like to
get to know."

Rick
looked at Ellen with loving eyes.  "Sis is a wonderful person and I hope
the two of you can become friends."

      "I'm
looking forward to meeting her again with you."

      "Sis
has been concerned about me these last two years.  I think she'll be pleased to
see me happy again."

      "Let's
plan to have dinner with her soon."

      "You
bet."

      "I
can see where your dealings with Gene could be less than ideal."

      Rick
nodded. "Oh, yeah."

      "It
sounds bad."

      "It
can be. I know he's dangerous and I worry for her.

      "Does
he harm her?"

      "Only
by cheating on her, ignoring her and exerting control over her. Martha loves
him with rose colored glasses.  She doesn't see his faults.  She got pregnant during
her senior year and married him at the end of my dad's shotgun so to speak. 
Not a good way to start a marriage. My dad and I argued about it. I knew Gene's
reputation was less than savory.  Martha didn't need to be tied to a man like
that.  But she loved him and wanted to be married. In this part of the country people
have their own ideas about that sort of thing and definitely not the smartest
ideas."

      "I
only met Martha once and I really liked her.  Now I can see why.  She's just
like you.  Do you think she's happy?"

      I
doubt it.  He has this hold on her.  Martha and I are close but I don't think
she tells Gene when we get together.  She opens up to me and Gene hates me for
that. He's too afraid of losing control over her.  Now he really hates me
because of us."

      "How
did Gene find out about us?"

      "He's
stalking, Ellen.  He's been watching you. You told me how you keep running into
him in town.  That's not coincidence."

      She
gave Rick a worried look.  "You're right, it's not.  He'd like to have a
hold on me but he doesn't."

      "He
thinks he does, Ellen. Gene is very delusional. He thinks he has a hold on the
whole county and in many ways he does.  That DUI incident was a scare tactic."

      "Yeah,
I figured that one out, but he didn't count on my attorney showing up."

      "Ellen,"
Rick looked in her eyes.  "Gene is involved with some lawless people. There
has been some dirty politics going on. I know he has a fixation on you and that
scares me. You don't know what he's capable of.  You and I... well, we've
become close really fast. I think that's wonderful but we have made a dangerous
enemy."

      Ellen
knelt in front of Rick so she could look into his eyes.  Draping her arms
around his neck, she said. "Gene can't hurt us because I won't allow it.  All
I care about is this wonderful, caring man sitting right here in front of me. 
That's all that matters to me." 

      Ellen
leaned in and took his lips in a gentle kiss. She felt it to her very core as
Rick pulled her close and deepened he kiss. Raw desire surged through Ellen. Every
nerve in her body was singing. Holding each other close, they sunk to the
forest floor.  Ellen felt his heat, his ardor, and she rejoiced in the loving
passion belonging only to them.                    

      Rick
couldn't believe how deeply he has come to love Ellen. After two miserable
years of inconsolable grieving, he didn't think true love would ever happen to
him again. Laura would always be his first love, but Ellen was the other half
of himself. Together they wanted to save the world.  Perhaps too idealistic but
at least they would make a dent in it with the shelter.  If only he could save
his sister.

      "I
didn't think love would ever happen to me again," she murmured.                                                            

      "I
was just thinking the same thing but I'm so grateful that it has for both of
us.  We know now to cherish every day, every minute because we know how
quickly..."

      Ellen
put gentle fingers to his mouth.  "Don't say it. You and I will cherish
every minute.  We don't need to think past that." 

      Ellen
snuggled against his warm chest feeling all was right in the world.  Then she
grew very still.  Rick felt intuitively something was weighing heavy on her. 
He thought it might be Gene.  How wrong he was.

With
her head against his chest, Ellen's whisper was almost inaudible.

      "I'm
afraid."

      "Of
Gene?"

      "No,
I'm afraid of coming to love you as deep as I do."

      "I
don't understand."

      Ellen
sat up to look into Rick's eyes.  "You should.  Both of us have had our
heart and soul torn to pieces because we loved so deeply."

      "I
know.  I feel it too, because you and I, still young, lost our mates from freak
accidents. But I also believe this.  To fear love and turn away from love
because of fear, is a lose, lose, situation.  Nobody stays on this earth
forever.  One of us is going to go first, even if we live to be a hundred.
That's just reality.  Does it make sense to give up a lifetime of love because
you fear losing?"

      "No."
Ellen cupped his face. "I would not be able to give you up no matter how
much I fear losing you.  That's my reality."

      "Ellen,"
Rick looked deeply into her eyes.  "Let's be done with this negative
emotion of fear.  I want us to promise each other now that we will not fear the
future or worry about loss."

      Ellen
smiled. "I promise. You make me so happy. That's all I really want to
think about."

      "I
promise too."  Rick pulled her close as they lay on the forest floor
looking up at the tall evergreens.

      "Rick,
can we swing by the hospital and check on Heather this evening?"

      "Absolutely."

      "And
after that..."

      "Yes?"

      Ellen
touched his cheek so they were looking at each other. "You, my handsome man
will be coming over to my house.  And come prepared to stay awhile."

      "Hmm,
are we going to cherish every moment?"

      "You
bet we are."

      "Ellen,
it's been two years for me."                       

      "Well,
me thinks it's high time we both end our stent of celibacy, don't you?"

      Rick
pulled her close smiling.  "I love you, Ellen."

      "I
love you too." 

      A
camera clicked sounding very much like a twig hitting the ground.  Gene glared
at the loving couple intimately entwined among the fallen leaves.  Insane jealousy
was making him feel murderous.  Carrington had been a thorn in his side for
years but he didn't expect Ellen to desert him for this piece of garbage. 

      Gene
believed Ellen had returned his feelings at one time.  If it weren't for his married
state, she would belong to him now.  Ellen thinks she is in love with
Carrington.  Perhaps it's time to change her way of thinking. Gene took out his
pistol, cocked it and aimed. How easy it would be.  Ellen would grieve for
awhile and he would be there to dry her tears, just like before. But Gene knew
better than anybody bullets could be traced.  He re-holstered the weapon.  As
much as he would enjoy blowing his brother in law to smithereens, Gene was not
going to act on his emotions.  Keep vigilant and be patient. A bit of research
wouldn't hurt either. In the end payback will be sweet and so will Ellen when
he gets a taste of her.