Hey, I finally got internet service. Thank goodness. I thought I was going to go crazy. I am in Massachusetts. It's beautiful here but cold. I am sorry for the wait but I did finish the story. A new chapter will appear every couple days. Happy reading. I want to thank latisha and phenoix for their support. Thanks guys.
Cemetery
She blew out a frustrated breath. "I can't…Paul look out behind you!" She screamed as she saw the figure loom up behind him.
Tensing Paul moved to rise up. Jayden watched as he moved too slowly to avoid the large object that made contact with the back of his head.
"Ten points." The figure said gleefully as he practiced swinging the baseball bat he held in his hand. He leaned down to her level. "Want to make it twenty?"
She shoved him out of her face and crawled over to where Paul had fallen.
"Why'd you bring him for anyway?" The young man asked pouting.
Jayden looked up from where she was kneeling beside Paul. "He followed me." She explained as she examined the wound on his head. Satisfied that he wasn't going to bleed to death she stood up and advanced on the clean-cut kid in front of her. "I didn't arrange this so you could bash heads open." She scolded.
"No, but it was fun." He responded grinning. "This will just take a minute." He said as he pulled out his phone. "They say a picture is worth a million words, or something like that." He quipped as he snapped a picture. He looked up at Jayden after hitting the send button. "My girlfriend has big plans for that.
She crossed her arms and stared him down. "Are we going to do this or not?"
He adopted a professional demeanor as he made himself comfortable atop a headstone. "I am more than willing to give the press my side of the story."
She bit her lip as she took out a recorder from her purse. "You don't mind if I record this do you? I want to make sure I get all the facts right."
He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."
Jayden pushed the record button. "You are Steve Boris the Third?" She asked. She waited until he had confirmed before continuing. "Do you work for the All Women's Care OB office?"
"Yeah, the old man makes me work there a couple days a week." He answered frowning. "Waste of time and more boring than death."
Jayden cocked her head as she considered him. "And how do you beat the boredom?"
The young man sent her one of his charming grins. "I played around with the patients. It's a game actually. One that has become very well developed. Send them stuff to freak them out, then watch as they come into the office all scared and frightened. There's a certain number of points for their reactions."
"How do you choose your victims?" She asked trying not to show him her anger.
"Usually the ones that are more susceptible are the ones that are what my dad calls high risk. It makes it more fun to see if I can make them lose their baby." He laughed thinking about it.
"You're sick." Jayden spat out, unable to keep her response quiet.
The laughter slid off his face. "I thought reporters were supposed to be objective. No judging as long as you get your big story." He jumped off the head stone and stared at her with laughing eyes. "But you're not here for that are you? Did you really think I was gong to buy that storyline?" He smirked as he circled her. "Let's talk about what you really brought me here to discuss. Stephanie Levesque."
"Did you target her because she was famous? More points that way?" She asked as she watched him warily.
He shrugged as he circled around her. "I started on her because she was there and I was really bored. But she didn't respond in the normal way so I upped the level of play, twice the amount of points. Still nothing so I had to do a little investigating of my own. Know what I found?" He whispered in her ear causing her to jump. "You and the hubby here were messing with my action."
He laughed as he slammed the bat into a nearby headstone. "That made me mad, I have to admit. But then I got to thinking. It was just another level of the game. And I was set to play." He whirled back around to face her. "How does it make you feel to know that without your interference I might have gotten bored and given up?"
She stared at him in disgust. "My friend is in the hospital because you wanted to play a game with peoples lives?"
He shrugged as he smiled innocently. "We all have our little hobbies."
"Yeah well your hobby is going to get you placed in jail." She sneered at him scornfully. "Or maybe a psych unit."
"Oh, how you continue to underestimate me." He shook his head sadly. "This is merely the final level of the game. Death equals 1000 points. By the end of the night I will have 4000 to add to my final score, giving me the high score of all time."
Placing her hand in her pocket for her phone she started backing away slowly. "It's a big step up from harassment to murder." She pointed out.
He swung the bat hard and fast, catching her in the shoulder and throwing her into a tombstone. "You act like I've never killed anyone before." He leaned over her. "You stupid bitch."
Wiping away the blood that poured from a cut above her eye Jayden stared at him in shock. Seeing him prepare to swing a second time she launched herself to the side causing him to miss. He grunted as he grabbed the corner of a headstone to keep his balance.
"Not too smart." He observed grinning as he landed several kicks to her ribs. He circled her waiting for her next pitiful attempt. Struggling to breath she remained on the ground. He frowned in anger and disappointment.
"You've got to be more fun than that." He complained dropping the bat and pulling out a long knife. Straddling her prone body he used the wicked looking instrument to flick open the buttons on her shirt, reveling the sheer laciness of her bra.
"Now this I didn't expect. You don't strike me as the sexy undergarment kind of girl." He grinned in appreciation as he studying the appealing view.
Outraged she swung her uninjured arm at his face while kicking at his back with her feet. He grunted from the sharp pain to his jaw. Sticking the knife in the ground beside him he captured her flailing hands in his and jerked them above her head, causing her already injured shoulder to become dislocated.
Paul raised his head slowly as her scream filled the air. Shaking his head bit by bit to clear the cobwebs he struggled to rise to his knees. He breathed deep to keep the nausea at bay as he peered at the scene in front of him.
"Get away from her." He croaked, noticing the kid leaning over Jayden.
Amused Steve turned to grin at him. "Well, well, looks like my work isn't finished after all." He taunted as he got to his feet. Grabbing the bat he rose slowly to his feet, his eyes watchful as Paul did the same.
"Batter's up." He swung the bat in a large arc, aiming for the blond head. Drawing on his adrenaline Paul ducked out of the way and managed to land a hard right to his opponents face.
Steve's eyes widened as he spat blood. Yelling in rage he rushed the big man, battering him with the bat until Paul lay unconscious over a broken head stone. Throwing the bat away he looked around wildly for another weapon. Eyes gleamed he spotted the knife.
Jayden watched through dazed eyes as he leaned down to pick it up. Holding her breath she made a grab for it, her fingers slipping off the cold surface as he snatched it away. She whimpered in fear as he grinned down at her.
"I've bought us a little more time baby doll. Let's see if you got on undies as sexy as that bra." He raised the knife as he prepared to cut her pants off.
"What's going on down there?" A cop asked as he shined his flashlight down on the group. Spotting the upraised knife he shouted for his partner before leaping over the fence in pursuit.
Hearing the shout Steve took aim and let the knife fly. He groaned as the life landed in Paul's lower back. "Bad aim." He shook his head before taking off running.
Seeing what was happening the second officer took off down the street, getting to the second gate as the perpetrator swung it open. Grabbing the sturdy iron the officer used his momentum to throw it back, knocking the running figure back on his ass.
Seeing that his partner had the situation under control the first officer doubled back, where he checked on the two victims. Grim faced he grabbed for his radio. "Dispatch I need at ambulance."
Hospital. At the same time.
Journey huddled in the corner of the hospital room as medical personnel swarmed in. She watched through tear filled eyes as they shouted their findings to each other.
"BP is 220/115."
"She's seizing. I need some ativan."
"Baby's heart rate is down to 120."
"Call the OR. Tell them we'll be down in two minutes."
"Miss." A kind faced nurse said softly as she approached the scared girl. "If you'll come with me I'll show you somewhere private where you can wait."
"What's going on? What's happening to her?" Journey asked resisting the nurse's gentle prodding.
"Her condition has accelerated and she started seizing. The baby is no longer tolerating the situation and his heart rate is dropping." The nurse explained sympathetically.
"But where are they taking her?" She asked frantically as she watched the quick moving nurses attach the monitors to the bed and unlock the brakes.
"They have to do a C-section. They're going down to the surgery wing." The nurse said as she pulled her out of the way. Once they were alone in the room she gently led the distraught girl to the family room. "There is a phone you can use. Can I get you anything to drink?"
Journey shook her head no as she picked up the phone. "Dave." She said a little frantically when he picked up. "Steph's…she's, picture and surgery." She wheezed out.
"Journey." Dave said firmly. "Calm down and tell me what happened."
"She got a gift, a picture this time." She got out as he breath shuddered.
"Did you calm her down?" Dave asked as he slipped his shoes on and grabbed his keys. He was halfway out the door when she finally answered.
"I tried but all the sudden she started shaking and she wasn't answering me and everyone came running in." She explained as her tears started fresh.
"Journey." He had to yell to get her attention. "Where is Steph now?"
"They took her to surgery." She cried.
He could hear her struggling to catch her breath. "Honey you need to calm down for me." He waited until she was breathing a little easier. "I'll be there in a couple of minutes. Have you called Paul yet?"
She shook her head no, not thinking about the fact that he couldn't see her over the phone line.
He took her silence as a negative answer. "Okay, I'll call him. I need you to stay calm."
Hanging up he quickly dialed Paul's number. Cursing when there was no answer he hit the end button then the speed dial for Randy's phone.
"Hey, they just took Steph to surgery. Paul's not answering his phone. I need you to run by his house and see if he's there." He said quickly as he made his way through traffic.
"Oh shit." Randy said as he rushed out the door. "She was fine earlier."
"Journey was a little hysterical. I couldn't get the whole story out of her. But it sounds like the stalker hit again."
"That sucks man. Sounds like he accomplished his goal." Randy said in disgust.
"Randy, are you going or not?" Dave asked frustrated.
"Yeah, man I'm already on the road."
"When you finish there come on to the hospital. I've got a couple more calls to make so I'll see you there." Dave said before hanging up.
Pulling into the parking lot of the hospital while he punched in Jayden's number. He listed to her recorded message before hanging up. Gripping the phone tightly in his hand he exited the elevator on the sixth floor and walked into the ob lobby. Finding it empty he walked over to the volunteer desk.
"I'm looking for Stephanie Levesque's visitor. They look the patient to surgery." He explained trying to mask his anxiety.
"That sweet girl is in the family room. It's just right through that door there." The volunteer pointed the direction.
"Thanks." Dave's gut clenched as he opened the door. Seeing Journey curled up in one of the chairs he held his arms open, hugging her tight when she flew into them.
"I'm so glad you're here." She whispered as she clung to him.
"Tell me what happened." He instructed as he led her back to the chair.
"I think something happened to Paul." She started as she looked at him worriedly.
"I couldn't get a hold of him. Do you know where he went tonight?" Dave asked, trying to put the facts together.
She shrugged. "Only that he and Jayden were going to check out a lead. I'm not sure where."
"So why do you think something's happened?" He rubbed her cold hands between his.
"The picture that Steph received. It was of Paul, taken tonight. He was dead or very close to it. That's what sent her into the seizure." She explained as her tears started again.
"Are you sure it was Paul?" Dave questioned skeptically. He took the photo she handed him and stared in shock at the scene it showed.
They both looked up, startled as Randy burst into the room. "We have a big problem." He announced.
Journey stared at his pale face and too wide eyes. "I don't think I can handle any more problems." She whispered as she clung to Dave's hand.
"I was driving to Paul's and I had to pass that big cemetery. There were a couple cop cars and two ambulances. Guess who I saw getting into one?" He didn't wait for them to respond. "Jayden. She was beat all to hell. She just rolled into the ER."
"Where's Paul? He was supposed to be with her." Dave asked standing up.
Randy stared gravely at the other two. "The other ambulance left before I got over there. Jayden said Paul had been stabbed and it was bad. He was already in surgery when I got here."