So NYC was pretty much amazing! And then I got sick. LOL but thank god I got sick at the end of the trip and not at the beginning. Didn't see Michael Easton but I met a REALLY hot French boy….
"Ssshhhh. You'll wake up Annie!" Natalie said in a harsh whisper. "And why are you punching walls? Stop that." John shoved the letter in her face for her to read. She was about to touch it when he pulled it back.
"Don't touch. Its evidence now. Just read." He said holding it back up again. She put her hands behind her back and read.
Think I didn't know where you work? I've been keeping tabs on you since you left Jersey. I knew Annie would come back to you. Its just only time now until I get her back.
"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to fucking kill him." He shook his head. "I think I'm going to have to move Annie again."
"John don't. The poor child is finally getting adjusting to mom's house. Don't do this to her." She touched his upper arm slightly.
"I can't let anything happen to her."
"And you not."
"What if something does huh? What if he comes and kidnaps her and abuses her like he did before?"
"He knows where I am?" They heard a soft voice. John and Natalie looked over at Annie. She still looked half asleep but was fully aware of what was happening. Her eyes watered.
"No, no he doesn't." John reassured her. He pulled her into him. "Just…something happened. You have nothing to worry about." She pulled away from him.
"Nothing to worry about? I heard your whole conversation Johnny! Dad wrote you that letter."
"Yeah," He said giving up on hiding it from her. "He sent me this at work in my box."
"No Shit."
"Annie I'm doing everything I can. I know you're scared."
"You don't know the half of it Johnny so don't pretend like you do." She slowly walked back to her room. Natalie's phone began to vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and noticed it was Rex.
"You ready to talk?" She asked when she answered. She knew her brother to well.
"How'd you know that I wanted to talk to you? Maybe I wanted to talk to John."
"Because I know you like that back of my hand."
"Can you meet me at Rodi's?"
"I'm on my way." She closed her phone and kissed John on the cheek. "I'm going to go talk to Rex. He looked…distressed at work. Something was bothering him.
"O.K. You…" John stopped in mid sentence when he heard faint crying. Walking at a fast pace with Natalie on his heels, he knocked on Annie's door.
"Annie? Can I come him?" There was no answer to his question. He heard her cries and could feel her trembling and fear even though he couldn't see it. "I'm coming in" He warned her. When he opened the door he didn't see her. She wasn't on the bed but he heard her coming from the corner. She was in the fetal position rocking back and forth. Her hands clasped around her knees. As he tried to walk toward her he saw something with a bright red tint to it on her bed catching his eye. As he looked closer it was Mr. Fluffers laying lifeless on the bed, a knife pierced through his chest. Red food coloring covered his stuffing and the bed. There was a note attached around his neck by a string. John grabbed a couple of Kleenexes and looked at the note.
Guess who's come to your little town?
John looked over at Annie. She was so scared. He scooped her up in his arms, getting her out of the room.
"I want mommy….. I want mommy." She kept whispering. John sat her down in the library. "I want mommy." She cried. John hugged her close, kissing her forehead and telling her everything will be okay.
"I'm going to make a quick call ok?"
"Don't leave me by myself!" She cried. It was like John had gone back in time to when she was little and didn't want to be by herself. She would cry like it was the end of the world.
"I'll stay with her." Natalie said sitting next to her and rubbing her back.
"I'll make it real quick." He promised running out the door. He grabbed one of the officers.
"Are you guys even fucking watching the place? Get up off your asses and do your job! That slime ball got in here!" He yelled at his staff.
XxXxX
Natalie quickly texted rex and said she was going to be a little late. Annie's head was in her lap on a pillow. Natalie was play with her hair, trying to calm her down.
"Thanks…for…staying with…me" Her voice hiccupped out. She held onto the pillow tighter.
"No problem." She whipped some of the tears away from her face, and then handing her a tissue. She soon started falling asleep, the flu making her tired. John came back in as Natalie told him to be quiet and that she was sleeping.
"I can't leave her by herself. She'll freak out again." John paced around the room. An officer came in, knocking on the wood.
"Excuse me, Lt. McBain? There's someone here to see you." He said with a devilish grin.
"What? That can't be. I told everyone to call me on my phone and not come find me." He followed him out to the front of the house.
"Man! What's your hand doing on my pants! Quit patting me! " Landon hollered. He jumped away from the police officer patting him down. John smirked.
"Little bit Skid dish aren't we?" John said with a evil laugh as he approached Landon.
"We I don't really like having men's hands down my pants. I prefer Annie's" he slipped. John cocked his brow.
"Not saying that Annie's hands have been down my pants." John put his hands on his waist, watching the blubbering boy try to get out his words. "Not that I want them to….Well I mean I wouldn't mind…..No! That's not what I meant." Landon sighed. "I'm in deep shit aren't I?"
"Oh yeah." John grabbed him by the collar and pulled him inside. "But you have a chance to redeem yourself. I need someone to watch Annie."
"Watch her? Don't you think she's a big girl and can watch herself?"
"So you're saying that you don't want to spend time with her?"
"What? No, that's not what I said. Why can't she be by herself?" John explained to him what happened upstairs. He waited for Landon to regain his composure. He couldn't believe it.
"I should have killed him when I had the chance." Landon said balling his hands into fists.
"I know. I wish I could too. But right now and I can't believe I'm saying this, but, Annie needs you." Landon looked up at him.
"I'll always be there for her." He tried to reassure John on his decision on letting him stay. Natalie walked in, giving John and quick kiss and told him that she was meeting Rex at Rodi's.
"I'm going to leave. The library is down the hall 1st door on your right. My cell number is on the counter along with her cough medicine. Oh and try anything with Annie, in this house, and I'll kill you." John smiled.
"Oh joy." Landon said sarcastically. They went their separate ways as Landon went to the library and John made his way to the police station. Landon sat down next to Annie. She quickly awoke to see him next to her holding her hand.
"What…how'd you? Does John know?" She asked confused. He smiled at her, brushing her hair back out of her face.
"Yes. Baby go back to sleep." He said soothingly, getting in-between her and the couch and held her tightly. She turned around into him, taking in his scent. She loved the way he held her. It made her feel safe.
I know I know. Stab the writer (me) in the heart with a trident. Life's been….shity lately. I'll update faster next time. R.I.P Joshua Lee Shelton3/31/1991-4/14/07 "you're as free as a bird…" I love you.
