Chapter Thirty Four

"I'm sorry it had to be this way, Mike," Jamie said on the phone early the next morning. "It's taking too much time and to continue is really cost prohibitive at this point. My brother and I will have to finish the work ourselves. You did a great job but we really can't go any further. We'll pay you until the end of the week."

Eddie listened from bed as Jamie made good on his promise to fire Mike. She hadn't slept all night over how that would go, the stress of the situation had brought back some uncomfortable memories. Jamie had spent the night at Frank's, Eddie knew it was going to be rough and wanted Jamie rested for his extended tour.

It seemed Jamie was getting some protest on the phone because his voice rose in volume and dropped in pitch. "You can come after six, I'll pay you the difference for the time you'll lose today," Jamie said firmly. "That's the end of this conversation, you can get your tools from me when I get home after six."

Jamie put the phone down and looked at Henry, "He wanted to come get his tools but Eddie feels creeped by him so if he's going to be around here, I want to be here. How did she do last night?"

"I heard her moaning a little bit and that funny breathing she does when she has the shakes," Henry sighed. "I think she's out now so perhaps we let her sleep."

Jamie nodded, "After she found out about that nurse at the assisted living being fired she told me how she felt about Mike and…I'm not going to tell her she has no reason to feel that way, especially when we were having a goodnight thanks to the flowers you sent to her. I owe you one, Pop."

Henry laughed, "There's just one issue there, Jamison. I didn't send the flowers, Eddie and I both thought you did."

"No, if I did, I'd have ordered lilies, those are Eddie's favorite flowers. Something is just not right, Pop. Eddie was assaulted by that guy at the assisted living, she can't remember much but…I'm gonna get a composite of the guy and just see for myself that's he's not been skulking around here."

Henry nodded, Jamie had very good radar, if something felt off to him, it probably was. "Take care of her for me today, Pop."

"I will, stay safe, Kiddo," Henry told Jamie.

Jamie pushed Eddie's bedroom door open and saw her lying still, eyes shut. Jamie bent and kissed her head softly. "I love you," he whispered before heading out for a long day's work.

Mike watched Jamie leave from across the street. How dare he cut off his access to his own true love? How dare he?

Eddie was perfect for him and he was perfect for her. When he was helping to tend her at the facility, he could anticipate what she would need and make sure she had it. She would laugh at his jokes when no one else did and that laugh was like music. He especially loved the way that he would drop her head back and expose her throat. Today, was the day he'd finally see what the delicate flesh tasted like on his tongue. Would it be sweet like the perfume? Soft like the underpants? Or bold like the lipstick…as soon as the old man left he'd find out, he hoped today would be the day…

Mike reached into his pocket, he had Eddie's spasm pills in his hand. She could only take the sugar pills for a few days before her legs and bladder would go into spasm and require the old man to make an emergency and solo run to the drug store…all the way in Manhattan.

Eddie woke up from a fitful nap about eleven. She felt the familiar sickness when her catheter bag was full and saw her legs still shaking under the blankets. "Henry!" Eddie called out. "Henry…"

Henry had been watching the morning game shows when Eddie called out. He got up and hurried to check on her. "What's the matter, sweetheart? You hurting?"

"I need a bag change and my legs…"

Henry sighed and gathered the supplies to change the catheter bag which was overly full. "Wow, you're having some bad spasms, aren't you?"

Eddie nodded, "It really hurts, I don't know what's wrong. I'm taking my pills, it just…"

Eddie's body jerked so hard she "kicked" Henry's hand. "I'm sorry," Eddie whimpered. "Where's Jamie?" When Eddie faced something like this, she would ask for Jamie even when she knew he was at work.

"He's on tour, love," Henry reminded her. "Let's get you cleaned up, I'll rub you down, and we'll get you some meds."

Henry focused on Eddie, gently washing her before replacing the catheter. Henry got the muscle gel and rubbed it into Eddie's legs, arms, and back. "Now where are those special pills, for days like this…where did we put those?"

"In the cabinet with my other meds," Eddie replied. Eddie laid back on the bed and waited and waited…

"I can't find them, sweetie," Henry sighed. "Let me call the doctor and get you some new ones."

Henry called Dr. Camden's office, "We'll fax it over to the pharmacy, you can leave now and go pick it up. I'm so sorry for this."

Henry hung up, "Okay, honey, you lie here and rest. I'm going to get your medication and then we'll have some lunch when you feel better. Try to sleep."

Henry gave Eddie a kiss on the head and hurried off to the pharmacy.

Jamie took another antacid, his stomach had been bothering him since he found out Henry was not behind the flowers Eddie received the other day. If Henry wasn't behind them, and he wasn't, then who was? Jamie's brain fired back to Eddie in the assisted living, the bruises on her breasts and now the man was fired for doing that to other women. Then there was the lipstick, the perfume that he swore he smelled in the house after it disappeared. Jamie turned his head as he heard the fax machine go off. He had requested a picture of Salvatore to show to Eddie. He wanted to confirm he was indeed the man that hurt her.

"Hey, Reagan?" Renzulli asked. "You look like you're gonna be sick, what's going on?"

"Sarge, I think the plumber that's been working on the house is obsessed with Eddie. She's been saying she feels watched since we moved into the new house. Thought I got it when I saw the neighbor's kid, I talked to him but she still feels that way. Now, one of the nurses or attendants at the assisted living was fired for groping female residents. Something is really off here, Sarge."

"Go with your gut kid, especially when it comes to protecting your woman," Renzulli encouraged. "Anything else besides her instincts?"

"Her panties went missing, her lipstick, a bottle of perfume," Jamie recalled. "And I caught him in the bedroom a few times. He said he was checking the pipes in the wall but now that I'm focusing on it…the bathroom is on the wall that connects from the outside…"

"Did you let SOB go?" Renzulli asked.

"I fired him this morning," Jamie replied. "Eddie's been through too much, she doesn't need the stress and the strain you know?"

"I know, Kid, but when Henry brought her by last week she really seemed to be doing well. I saw her doing those half high fives, she's come so far," Renzulli replied.

The fax machine began to hum and produce the ID photo Jamie requested from the assisted living. As the face began to take shape, Jamie felt his heart drop. "Sarge, can you get Karen to come in really fast? I need her to scan this and make some changes, I think…"

Renzulli knew Jamie a long time. He had seen the kid come unglued but he had never seen the outright fear in him, not even when he had his first kill, not even when he was in the hospital at Eddie's bedside. Renzulli hurried and went to get the graphic artist who quickly scanned the picture. "Change the eyes from brown to hazel green," Jamie instructed. "Add a thin mustache and kind of short but unruly beard and no glasses…"

Karen clicked and dropped her menus making the picture of Salvatore, the disgraced attendant into a picture of Mike, the recently dismissed plumber. "That's him, they're the same guy! I have to…Sarge I'm going to have to leave!"

"Calm down kid," Renzulli urged. "One step at a time."

Jamie picked up the phone and quickly dialed Henry's number.

Henry had just exited the train when his cell phone rang, "Hey, Jamie…

"Pop, where are you? It sounds like you're on the street." Jamie's voice went up with the fear he felt in his heart. "Tell me Eddie is with you."

"No," Henry replied moving to an area when he could hear better. "She's at home in bed, the spasms were awful and I couldn't find her pills anywhere, the good ones that stop them on a dime…I called up…"

"Oh, God…" Jamie bent over trying to steady his heartbeat. "She's alone at home, she's a sitting duck. Pop, did you notice anything wrong on the street?"

"No, nothing, Jamie what's wrong!" Henry asked begging his grandson talk to him.

"Mike is Salvatore," Jamie blurted out. "The animal that was feeling up paralyzed women is our plumber who is obsessed with Eddie. How could you have left her? I asked you to stay with her and take care of her!"

"I'm trying to!" Henry snapped. "The girl was in pain, she was flopping all over the bed, I have to get her these pills!"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry," Jamie sighed. 'I'm just scared, get her pills and get home as fast as you can. I'm going there now!"

Jamie hung up and took a breath, "I have to go to Eddie, if that guy tries something she's a sitting duck. She can't protect herself at all!"

Jamie leapt out of his chair, not taking time for protocol. In his uniform, Jamie ran out to his personal car. He called Danny, "Danny, get to the house now. Eddie's in trouble, I know she's in trouble."

Danny agreed to head to the house with Baez as Jamie floored the pedal and started speeding to the house. If Mike or Sal or whatever he wanted to call himself was going after his Eddie she had no way to defend herself. Jamie tried to quell the nausea and drive as he dialed Eddie's phone.

"I'm just here lying on the bed," was the words that greeted him. "You're over by the door…if you want to get to know me, you can't block the door."

Jamie sped up, holding his breath as he heard Eddie's words, she was trying to tell him what was going on, "Talk to me, Eddie. Come on, partner."

Eddie's eyes opened slowly until the room came into focus. The pain from back and leg spasms sored through her body making her wince. She looked over at the empty spot wishing Jamie were here to make her better with his strong hands. Pain throbbed sharply through her back forcing Eddie to squeeze her eyes shut. She tried to focus on the memories of Jamie's touch against her, hands strong and firm as he wrapped his arms around her tightly holding her. With any luck, Henry would be home soon and she would get some relief from this pain.

Eddie heard the alarm box beep, indicating that the door had been opened using the key. Eddie sighed, "Henry?" she called out hoping he had returned with the pills. She was met with silence.

"Jamie?" Eddie tried. Perhaps Henry let Jamie know about the problem and he swung by to check on her. That seemed too far-fetched though. "Henry?!" Still silence.

Eddie felt her body tense and her heart jump into her throat. "Stop it," she scolded herself. It had to be Henry, he was getting hard of hearing.

Eddie calls out again, she smelled her perfume, there was no way that was Henry. Who's there?" Her gut is telling her something is very wrong.

From just outside the bedroom door she heard a voice, smooth and gravely at the same time. She knew that voice...

"Did you like the flowers I sent you?"

Eddie took a deep breath and found her voice, "Who are you?"

"Oh come now," the voice said as it grew closer and an imposing figure filled the door way. "You remember me don't you…"

Eddie lay back in bed wheezing with every inhale she took. Even if she was able to move, she wouldn't want to do it. Every muscle in her body was aching, she could tell that by how warm she felt. Eddie's nose had clogged up so bad it wasn't even worth trying the drops and her stomach flopped and revolted more than anything else.

Eddie felt like she was floating. Nurses came and went. She vaguely remembered a visit from Danny. Eddie had the flu before, she felt sick before, but hadn't felt such a weak fog set over her. Something was wrong…something was very very wrong.

"I remember you," Eddie replied. "Hard to forget you, you were at the hospital and now you're here…" Eddie got a closer look as Salvatore closed in on her. "You were always here, but you had a mustache and…"

Salvatore sat on the edge of the bed, "That's right, my beauty. "I haven't been far. How could I let you go when we got to know each other so well? You left without even saying goodbye." Salvatore ran his finger down Eddie's cheek. Her back bucked up and her legs thrashed.

"Looks like they have bene neglecting you, you need your medicine." Salvatore got up and poured a glass of water. "Here you go…I knew that you would need these. Give me a good swallow."

Eddie didn't want to take the pill, but she recognized it was her pill bottle. Still, she cheeked the pill incase Salvatore was going to try to drug her. Eddie swallowed just the water and the second Salvatore rose again, she spit the pill behind the headboard.

"How did you get my pills?" Eddie asked. She thought she made the connection between Salvatore and Mike but needed him to confirm it.

"I took them," Salvatore hissed. "I knew that stupid boyfriend was starting to ask questions, and then the old man, he asked me leave before your nap the other day! That was our time together! That was the only time I had after you left me! Then, you let the boyfriend fire me! Wanted to get rid of me after all I did for you!"

Eddie knew she was working with a very disturbed man. She took a breath and called on the skills and training she honed as a police officer. "I'm sorry," Eddie replied. "I'm really sorry, I just…You understand, I don't have command over my body so I have to do what they say. What did you enjoy about my naptimes?"

Before Salvatore could reply, Michele called out, "Eddie are you here?" The massage therapist had stopped by to check on Eddie. Jamie had called her two days ago when the spasms got bad to try to help. Michele had a few minutes so she went by the house to see if she could do anything. "Eddie…"

Every fiber of Eddie's being wanted to call out for help, but the more disciplined side of her bit her tongue. Eddie had no idea what Salvatore was going to do. He was sick, that much was obvious, he was either going to kill her or rape her which would kill her in the end. There was no reason to take another innocent person with her.

Salvatore got closer to Eddie, she remembered his scent. In the worst parts of her flu she smelled that odor, stale coffee, cigarettes, and badly masked body odor. For his part, Sal looked at Eddie. She was small and beautiful, she was frail but strong at the same time. Nothing made him more excited.

A/N: The creep factor is amped up for the next few chapters. I hope I did this section justice, I'm not the best with action but I'm trying to spread my wings.

Thanks to several special advisors for their assistance on this chapter. The next update will be after the holiday so I wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Next Update – November 26th – Eddie and Mike battle as Jamie tries to get home.