Chapter 1

In the middle of a hot summer night, a girl ran with all her might to get away from a killer. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks as she took the corner that lead her back towards the club. She could hear his laughter coming from behind and it seemed to be getting closer. More tears ran down her face as she remembered standing there in horror as she watched her "date" get gutted. She was drenched in his blood. If she wasn't thinking about trying to get away, she would probably be getting violently ill from the cooper smell.

She couldn't under stand why she couldn't yell for help. She tried but nothing would come out. As she took the next turn, she ran right into the killers arms. She tried to scream again but no luck. This man smelled of cooper and sweat, she could feel her stomach flip getting ready to remove all from her stomach. Next thing she knew she was getting thrown into the wall. Her head hit with a loud smack. A whimper escaped her lips as she slide down the wall. She felt something warm roll down the back of her head and down her neck to the front of chest.

Her heart was beating so hard, and she couldn't catch her breath. She knew that the blood was rolling down between her breast. She tasted blood in her mouth, which caused her to cough and gag. She heard laughter came from in front of her. There this killer stood, jet black hair swirling around him but it was his eyes that scared her more. They were like coal, jet black just like his long hair. He leaned forward and she tried to move away. His voice was rough and angry as he spoke, "Did you honestly think you could get away from me, whore," he growled at her.

She whimpered again trying to plead with him as her tears flowed heavily down her cheeks. She glanced around to see if she could yell for help, that's when she noticed that they were at the back of the club. Someone should see her on the camera and come to help her. They told her that they would protect her from harm and from her past. She wanted to see if her voice worked.

"Please don't kill me," she whimpered as shock hit her that her voice was back. She tried to slide her way to the stairs that lead to the back door of the club. She tried to speak again, "Please, I'll do anything."

She was close enough now that she could pull herself up on the first step. She tried to stand up, but her legs gave out. She fell hard back on the hot pavement. The killer laughed again, "What makes you think you have something I want? There is nothing that I need from you however."

The killer stalked towards her as she started to scream again, but she couldn't move or scream. It was like she was paralyzed, voice and body. Tears continued to fall down her face as the killer walked slowly towards her. She tried to move again, or open her mouth but it was no use, nothing happened. More tears came to her eyes as she realized she wasn't going to get help. She was going to die.

The killer was now standing above her, staring into her pleading eyes, as his smile got bigger. He was the devil, she knew it. He was coming to claim her for all the bad things she had done in her life. I'm sorry momma, she whispered in her mind. That's when she saw his teeth. She tried to scream again but nothing.

The killer leaned down and got his face right beside hers. She thought that she was going to throw up but since she was paralyzed she didn't. What is wrong with her? Then he whispered softly in her ear. His voice was evil and clear, "I want your boss to know that I'm here for her," as his hand came up and inside of his coat.

Next thing she knew she felt sharp pain in her stomach as she cried out. Her voice was back but the pain was to much to yell for help. She screamed as her stomach burned and then the killer pushed her head to the side and she felt pain in her neck. I'm sorry momma was the last thought to go through her mind before she left her body behind.

I moaned as the alarm went off beside my bed. It didn't feel like six am, with how hot and humid it is. Ohio during the summer months wasn't the best. Hot is one thing, but you include the humidity, it just adds to the fire. Especially the crimes.

Ohio is not really known as a bad state, but Columbus was differently not the safest place. There was a raise in murders since the summer months started. People don't have the money to keep the A/C's on so they are sitting in this hot weather. You add tempers to that mix and you get a lot of things happening.

As I rolled over to turn off the alarm. I grabbed my pager to see if any calls came in. I sighed as I saw a double homicide on the north side of town. I reached for my cellphone to call my partner Jasper, and saw that I had a text. "Speak of the devil," I mumbled. I opened the text, "Boss wants us in ASAP. Be in your gear.'

Damn it, that meant undercover. I sighed at the thought. I was the closest thing they had to young in the department. Being thirty six, but looking like I'm twenty eight had some advantages especially with the ladies. My body was feeling the after effects from the advantages last night. No need to work out this morning but first thing, shower. I slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom that was attached.

I turned on the shower and let the hot spray hit me. A sigh escaped me. A hot shower always seem to loosen all the achy joints. I started to wash off when I hit the scar on my right shoulder and moaned. Every once in a while that spot will be tender but I welcomed the pain. It was the only thing that I had left of my past.

Bombs, missels, screaming, guns, all going off at the same time. The sand box was not a place for the kids to play anymore. We were under heavy fire and there were children all over the place. I looked over at Charles and he was looking over the fox hole yelling at the children to get back. A little one started to run towards us because he was scared or just was confused over what was happening. I looked back towards Charles and watched him jump out of the hole and went running towards the boy. I yelled for him to stop but saw the bullets hit him and blood everywhere.

I don't even remember much after that. I just say my buddy laying there. I guess I jumped out of the hole too and went to retrieve him. I pulled him back to our unit. I remember yelling for the medics as I started CPR on him. I remember seeing blood all over my hands and all over his chest. I checked for a pulse and breathing. Nothing I started working on him as the medics arrived. I continued working because I knew once I started, you don't stop.

I remember the medics calling him died but I continued my treatment, yelling that they needed to push more medicine. The sergeant had to pull me off of Charles as I continued to yell that they were lying, he wasn't dead. He couldn't be. I fought with all my strength to get back to Charles and keep working, but the medics were there telling me I needed treatment. I didn't even feel the bullets in my shoulder and in my thigh.

Of course after all this Charles got sent back home to his pregnant wife and family. I got sent home too, but for treatment then right back into rotation to that hell hole.

Of course the military tried to validate what had happened and awarded me with a medial. The said due to my heroic bravery, I received a Soldier's Medial for retrieving him. That award sits on top of his grave stone because it still doesn't bring my friend back.

As I rotated my shoulder to try and ease the pain. I continued to clean until I was red from the hot water. As I turned off the water and stepped out into the cold air of my bathroom I remembered when I returned home from my second tour.

I was so excited to be back home and be with my wife. It had been two long years since I had seen her and three years since I lost Charles. I was ready to come home and start my family, be with Jessica forever, and mourn my best friend.

I called my parents the night before returning and told them not to tell Jessica I was home, I wanted to surprise her. They both agreed and thought that Jessica would love the surprise. They would meet me at the airport and take me home.

I remember getting off the plane and running down the terminal and grabbing my bags. Buying flowers on the way out the door then seeing that blue Cadillac sitting there. My mother and father standing in the cold October weather. My mom's eyes lite up when she saw me with my dress uniform on, roses and my bag in my left hand.

I ran to her and hugged her so tight. I prayed every day to see my family again. It was so good to be able to hold them again. My father had tears in his eyes as I shook his hand. "Come on son, lets get you home to your wife."

My wife, how good that sounds. I climbed in the back and told them about the flight home as I looked at the city I had missed. Columbus was home to me, and always would be. As my father pulled into my street, I remember Jessica and I, looking at houses all over the neighborhood until she saw our house.

As my father pulled up in front of a large white two-story home with large pillars in front that held the covered porch. I saw Jessica's car parked outside the garage. Black with silver racing strips, on a 2000 Camero SS, only the best for my girl. She loved going fast, so I made sure she could go fast if she wanted.

I was eager to see her, so I kissed my mother on the cheek before jumping out of the car. My father yelled for me to call them in the morning to have breakfast. I nodded and closed the car door behind me. With my bag and roses I walked up to the porch. I took the two steps up to the door, slowly. I didn't want her to know someone was here. I reached for the door, hoping it was unlocked. It was.

I slowly opened and heard music coming from upstairs with the shower running. At first anger went through me that she was careless not to lock the door while she was in the shower. Anyone could have came in here to hurt her. Tons of people knew I wasn't here.

The anger started to subside when I thought about not being able to get in, if she had. No surprise there. I let the bag hit the floor just inside the door. I took my hat off and heard her moving around the bathroom.

As I made my way to the stairs, the thought about walking into the bathroom and seeing her wet and naked made my dick jerk. No sex for two years could do that to a man. I took the stairs two at a time but slowly enough to insure she didn't hear me.

When I hit the landing I heard her singing. I continued to walk towards the door, smiling as I heard her sing. I closed my eyes just enjoying the sound of her voice. Oh, I have missed this. I opened the door slowly, just as the shower stopped and my eyes met hers. She gasped and then I saw the man standing behind her.

I felt the flowers slip from my hand and all I saw was red. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My breathing become shallow and my anger began to rise again. This explains the unlocked front door. I shouted at her, "Jessica, how could you!".

She started to cry and then the man move to hold her. My anger shoot through me, ten-fold. I growled, "Get your fucking hands off my wife, asshole." Then I continued while glaring at the both of them, "I'll give you to the count of three to get the fuck out of here before I find my gun. One..."

The asshole about fell as he ran out of the shower and down the hallway to the bedroom. Our bedroom,...my bedroom. My eyes never left her though, as she sat in the tub, I heard the front door shut, I started on her. "How could you," I whispered to her. She whimpered and mumbled something.

"How could you Jessica? After everything I have done for you. For your family. How the hell could you!?" My voice came out stronger and more forceful. She scrambled back in the tub, looking at me like I had just hit her.

I would never raise a hand to her or any woman, but at that moment I wanted to hit something. I took a deep breath and turned around, walking away from her but stopped just outside the door. I glanced over my shoulder and whispered, "You have until tomorrow to get the fuck out of MY house. Do not take anything from here besides your clothes. I want those rings back since they don't matter to you. You can leave them on the bed that you used to fuck someone else. I hope that he was worth this." She started to whimper my name and I just turned away from her and whispered, "Goodbye Jessica."

I went down the hallway and back down the stairs with her still calling after me. I had to get out of here, before I did something stupid. I didn't want to be like those typical military boys that came home to find their girl fucking someone else. Then taking a gun or knife to the girl, and then themselves. No I'm not doing that. I grabbed my bag and the keys in the dish that went to my 1969 Ford Mustang, and walked towards the kitchen that lead to the garage.

I sighed when I saw the only thing that I thought I couldn't love more than Jessica. I opened the garage door and looked to make sure I had enough room to get out. I noticed that Jessica still had the necklace that I bought her from France hanging off the rear view mirror. I snorted and thought, she can keep that piece of crap.

I got into my beauty and drove for hours. I stopped a couple of times to cry, hit, kick things so that I could get my frustration out. When I finally made it to my parents home, they were both sitting on the porch looking so worried and cold. Jessica must have called them.

When I got out of the car, my mother was by my side. "Oh sweetheart," she whispered as she pulled me into a hug. My father walked up and grabbed my bag from my hand. "Son, you can stay as long as you need." I glanced up at him and nodded. There was nothing to say, I was physically and emotionally drained at that point.

The memories of that horrible moment continued to play around in my head as I walked towards my closet but my cellphone rang. I smiled as the ring tone played, 'Good Ol' Boys'. I answered it as I continued my way to the closet. "What's up Jasper," I smiled. Remembering the first time we met. He has a heavy Texan accent and I teased him about being one of the Dukes of Hazards.

"Where the fuck are ya'? The captain is pissed as a rattlesnake and wants ya' here, now." I could hear the captain in the background yelling at someone. "I'm on the way. Just got out of the shower." I pulled on my wrangler jeans that were a little washed out over my bare ass. I grabbed one of my old Metallica shirts and pulled it on with the phone still at my ear. "Damn it Edward, ya' should have been here ten minutes ago. There's another body, you know where." The phone went dead.

"Fuck," I mumbled. This wasn't good. This made the third murder down near the stripper area. The cops called it that, since there was a stripper joint on every corner of the street. That meant undercover for sure. I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled a little out of frustration. A habit I got from all the bullshit in my life. I slid my cellphone in my back pocket, with my fake drivers license. One great thing about being undercover, no one knows your true identity.

I grabbed my keys after I pulled on my socks and military boots. I'll be riding the bike today, since I'm in need to try look like a hard ass. As I opened my bedroom door to walk down the hallway toward my kitchen, my German Sheppard was right by my side. I smiled down at him, as I turned the corner and went into the kitchen. "I take it you want something to eat," he barked.

I placed my bagel in the toaster and went over to where I kept the dog food. I grabbed his dish and scoped out a nice helping since I didn't know when I would be home. I set it down on the floor as I patted the top of his head. "Okay buddy, I'll be out for most of the day. I'll have Ally swing by to walk you a couple of times today. You be a good boy and protect everything for me." He barked and went back to his food.

The toaster popped up the bagel, I grabbed it and put some butter on it. I stepped around my best friend and smiled at him as he glanced up from his bowel. "Be a good boy Charlie, I'll see you later." As I closed the front door, I heard him bark one last time before I locked it.