Victoria (26 page)

They went farther down the hallway and entered the staircase, quietly closing the metal door behind them. There was blood going down the steps, it got lighter and lighter.

"Did you hear that?” Peter asked.

"Why don't you just give up, Tod? They have the place surrounded. You've lost,” Victoria said as Tod tried to pry open a rusted old door.

"It's not over, honey. This is a special little tunnel leading to the fields. They'll never find us."

"Help! We're down here!” Victoria screamed and Tod threw her to the ground.

"Shut the hell up!” he hollered and tried again to open the door. This time, he was successful.

Upstairs, Colt and Warren, along with Don and some others, came to the basement staircase.

Peter went back to tell them what they'd heard.

"Be quiet, they're downstairs somewhere. I think there's another way out. Steven's headed that way,” Peter told them.

"We'll go around the outside. Maybe we'll see the way out from there,” Colt responded and left with Investigator Warren.

Peter met up with Steven when they heard a metal door closing.

They ran forward and could see where it was.

They could hear Victoria crying.

"Hang in there, baby, we're right behind you,” Steven whispered as he slowly opened the door and entered.

It was a large rusted tunnel, filled with stagnate water, rats, and God only knew what else. Obviously, Tod had everything planned out. The tunnel must lead to the fields. It's the only possible place.

Peter watched Steven. He had taken on a whole new look upstairs when he had seen the blood on the carpet. Steven was hunting. He was in Marine mode as he moved cautiously and quietly, and Peter tried to follow his every step.

Peter could only imagine what a Marine like Steven was capable of. He would kill Tod for hurting Victoria.

Victoria shook with fear. The tunnel was disgusting. A rat ran across her feet. Tod dragged her along, keeping the gun at her ribcage. She could have sworn she heard the metal door reopen behind them, but it must have been wishful thinking because she hadn't heard any footsteps.

Suddenly, they were at the end of the tunnel. She could see some light and a crack in the door. Tod kicked at it and pushed it opened. He had been right. They were far across the fields, on the other side of the highway.

She had to make a move. It was now or never. If Tod got her out of town, she was as good as dead.

The sunlight hit her eyes, and she squinted, adjusting to the light. Tod pushed her forward. She twisted her ankle and fell to the ground.

"Get up!” he screamed as he tried to pull her from the ground.

It felt like her ankle was broken. The pain was enormous and she began to cry.

Tod put the gun in the waist of his pants and picked Victoria up. She tried to weigh him down. He was cursing at her.

"Move it, bitch, or I'll kill you!” he screamed and Victoria started punching him and hitting him. Then she reached for his gun. Her finger was on the trigger, but he was too strong.

She pulled the trigger. One shot rang out, echoing in the sky above, then another hit the ground.

Steven and Peter came running toward the light at the end of the tunnel. They had heard the gunshots. Victoria screamed.

Just as Steven and Peter emerged, Tod threw Victoria to the ground.

She pulled the trigger again. This time Tod stopped; his eyes wide in shock. She'd shot him in the stomach. Victoria froze. She had never shot anyone before.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God!” she screamed.

Tod lunged toward her, yanked the gun from her shaking hands. Victoria hit him with her forearm. He rolled to the side, pulled himself to his knees, and pointed the gun at Victoria.

Two shots rang out striking Tod in the head and neck, sending his body backward.

Victoria gasped in shock then looked toward the tunnel. Peter and Steven were running to her, guns drawn.

Sirens blared in the distance. Uniformed officers and agents came running from all directions.

"Tory, baby, are you all right?” Steven knelt on the grass beside her.

Peter did the same on the other side.

Victoria laid her head back on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You did good, baby ... you did real good.” Steven kissed her forehead.

"Daddy would be proud, Tory—really proud. It's finally over. Tod can't hurt anyone ever again.” Peter wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Is she all right?” Uncle Patrick screamed as he approached the grass where Victoria lay. He was out of breath from running. “Oh, Thank God! We heard gunshots. What the hell happened?"

The others gathered around the scene.

"We'll tell you all about it. We need an ambulance for Victoria. Her ankle is broken,” Steven told them.

"I don't need an ambulance,” Victoria stated in a shaky voice as she tried to sit up but couldn't. She was physically exhausted.

"I think you do, baby, along with a long rest and a bath.” He kissed her cheek and crinkled his nose.

"You two smell just as bad. So I wouldn't talk,” she added and everyone laughed.

"Listen, Victoria, if we're going to get married, this stubborn ‘I don't need anyone’ attitude of yours has got to come to an end,” Steven teased.

"Married? Who ever said anything about us getting married?"

"I did and we are, immediately. So just lie back, relax, and let me start taking care of you."

"We'll discuss it, Steven. I've got an article to finish up and a July issue coming out."

"If you think that I'm going to wait and take a chance that another Tod, Bret, or some other guy will try and make a move, you're surely mistaken. We're getting married. We're starting a family, and this discussion is over. You're mine, baby."

Steven held his most serious facial expression as everyone else looked on, waiting for a response from Victoria.

"Well, you're on your knees, so I guess I can consider this an official proposal. How does a July wedding sound?"

"Only if it's this July."

"That's exactly what I was thinking,” Victoria said and Steven leaned down to kiss her.

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The music played, the guests continued to arrive as Victoria glanced out the window. It was the last Saturday in July and it was perfect weather. The sun shone bright, not a cloud in the sky, and the Mardullo backyard swarmed with family and friends. It was the perfect location for Steven and Victoria's wedding. The neighbors on both sides of the Mardullo house allowed the use of their backyards in order to accommodate the amount of people attending the wedding. The community was so relieved justice served and the killer caught that everyone offered to assist in the wedding in one way or another.

The flowers, all the tables, chairs, food, beverages, and entertainment; all provided by the community, and the entire street was blocked off and turned into a dance floor.

Victoria stood in amazement at the sight. More beautiful than anything she could have ever imagined, she took a deep breath, savoring the moment and the memory.

Steven chose Peter as his best man. Uncle Patrick, along with Sherry, would give Victoria away.

"Oh, God, Victoria, you look so beautiful. Daddy would have loved this,” Sherry stated as she entered the master bedroom.

Victoria looked stunning in the strapless vintage wedding gown Celina had given her as soon as she'd heard Victoria and Steven were getting married.

It was one of a kind and perfect for an outdoor wedding. Delicate beading bordered the bodice as the dress clung snugly to Victoria's curves.

Victoria wore her hair all pulled up on top of her head, except for a few strands that hung freely into numerous curls scattered here and there around her neck.

"Thanks, Mom, I know Daddy's here. I can feel him.” Victoria squeezed her mother's hand.

Outside, Steven stood nervously in full dress uniform next to Peter and the priest as more guests took their seats. Even the fence that bordered the back of the property had people covering it.

The music began to play and everyone stood, knowing she had arrived and was about to make the famous walk.

Uncle Patrick couldn't hide the tears in his eyes as Victoria emerged from the back porch. He whispered to her, “You look like an angel. I love you and I'm so proud of you."

Victoria took her uncle's hand and gave him a kiss.

"You're gorgeous, baby—absolutely gorgeous."

Her mom joined them on the other side and they walked Victoria down the white carpet that covered the grass below.

Victoria absorbed it all, not wanting to forget the moment or the happiness she felt as she looked to the side at Peter and Steven. There stood her brother, James, in full army uniform, smiling wide. She'd had no idea he was coming. Steven must have arranged the whole thing. Tears threatened to escape, but she swallowed hard knowing she would have the opportunity to embrace James once the ceremony concluded.

Steven met them at the front of the white alter as he shook Uncle Patrick's hand and kissed Sherry on the cheek before accepting Victoria's hand.

"You look stunning, Victoria. I love you.” Steven took her hand, kissed it, and placed it through the loop of his arm.

The ceremony was meaningful and joyous. In conclusion, the priest announced Steven and Victoria were now husband and wife.

"You may kiss the bride,” the priest said and Steven did just that as everyone cheered.

The reception began and Steven and Victoria, along with family and friends celebrated the momentous occasion of love and life. The community was all a part of it, forming a bond so strong that it seemed nothing ever again would penetrate the closeness of their small town of River Point.

Steven took a moment to embrace her, kiss her, and dance with her to the sounds of bagpipes and laughter in the air and the feelings of joy and elation.

"This is some family you've got here,” he whispered.

"This is some family
we've
got here,” Victoria replied, and Steven kissed her.

Eight months and three weeks later, they celebrated the birth of their first child, Daniel Patrick Soranno, weighing in at eight pounds, six ounces.

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Laura Marie Henion is a freelance writer and fiction author specializing in the genre of romance and suspense. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and EPIC Authors. She has obtained many of her ideas and accurate information from family members, friends, and law enforcement personnel. She has always had an interest in the law enforcement field and enjoys creative writing.

As a young adult, she created short stories and poetry to share with her family and friends. Laura integrated her creative writing skills in her professional career as both a sales center manager and a social worker. Laura is also the office manager for her husband's business and a mom of three. She loves working with people and believes this stems from both her Bachelors Degree in Social Work as well as her strong, law enforcement family background.

These factors add to the authenticity of her stories and the true to life qualities of her characters. She continues to work on multiple manuscripts including the new series Cop's Daughter. Currently Laura is also working toward her Masters in Professional Writing. Laura Marie presently resides in Historic Hudson Valley New York with her husband and three small children.