IMPORTANT INFO: Hey ladies, this is not a bonus chapter, but the regular update. I've taken over one of the afternoon activities at my son's schools because they didn't have enough volunteers to keep it up and since it's on Tuesdays and Thursdays I won't always have enough time to edit and upload on Tuesdays, so from now on the new chapter will be up every Sunday...
Ana
„Do you really think this is necessary?" I ask Taylor as I strap Arielle into her car seat because she has a checkup today.
„Yes, it is, Flynn is under arrest and singing like a bird, while the old bi..."
„Hey, watch what you say in front of Arielle." I warn him.
„I'm sorry, Ana... Elena Lincoln has gone under the radar, police, and part of my team are looking for her and I'm not taking any chances with your safety or Arielle's." He says and I nod. He is right, still, I feel like this is a lot. All I want is to take my daughter to a simple doctor's appointment and now we have three cars with security in front of us and another three tailing us. I had no idea how many men were on Taylor's team and I know he has hired additional people to shadow the Grey family and to stay outside the clinic to make sure she can't get to Christian, but this feels like an army.
Still, my thoughts are unspeakable. Because after learning more about what Elena has done to so many kids, I don't want her in jail... I want her dead. And not fast, I want her to suffer through every last ounce of pain she has ever inflicted or caused before she finally goes to hell. I'm not a violent person, but I would love to bring some harm to her myself and part of me hopes that the security gets to her first and at least has to put one bullet into her before she is being handed over to the police.
She is such an evil and twisted human being that I want her off the streets for good. Locked away where she can never come anywhere near children.
Once in the car, I close my eyes and just try to catch a moment of peace and quiet, which is rudely interrupted when I hear Taylor speak up.
„He did what... fuck my life... find him... don't let him do this." He says frantically and my eyes snap open.
„What is going on, Taylor?" I ask and he remains stoically silent.
„Jason! Talk to me."
„It's your father... Mr. Steele insisted to be on the team to look for her, he has an old army friend with him... they found Mrs. Lincoln and went off the radar with her." He says and my blood runs cold.
„What does that mean, what are you trying to say... my Dad would never..." I stutter and suddenly he holds one hand up and seems to be listening to something on his ear piece.
„Are you fucking kidding me... how? Arnold is fired... got damn it, they planned it... find them... this is fucking bad." He says and makes another call.
„Luke, track Carrick Grey take Reynolds with you..."
„What is going on T?"
„Ray Steele and his army buddy caught her and went off the radar with her and now Carrick Grey has managed to give Arnold the slip... we need to find them before they do something stupid." He says and I cannot take this. I know this is what I wanted, but not like this. Carrick is a lawyer for crying out loud, he of all people should know better... and my Dad... I couldn't stand it if he would get into trouble with the law about this entire situation.
„On it." He says and I see one car in the front and then one in the back drive away from us.
„Where is Grace?"
„Dr. Grey is visiting Mr. Grey at the moment."
„Take me to Elliot's, Kate can watch Arielle... we need to look for them."
„No, you will go and attend Arielle's appointment." Taylor says.
„How can I go on like nothing happened?"
„Listen to me, Ana. I have no idea what they are up to, but you cannot get involved... if the worst case happens, I have ways to cover shit up for them... no one is going to cry over the old b-i-t-c-h anyway, but us going on, as usual, is now more important than ever because this way the police won't get suspicious." He says and I want to cry... when has my life become such a shit fest? Now my father and father in law are somewhere with Elena and probably kill her off. This is just insane... and I have no idea what to do.
Carrick
Arriving at the coordinates Ray has sent me I find myself outside an abandoned warehouse. I know what is about to happen is wrong, but I just need to confront this woman myself. She has abused and manipulated my son before our eyes without anyone seeing it. And we still don't know if the damage that has been done can be repaired or if Christian will have to remain in the private clinic he has been at for the last almost two weeks.
Grace wants to bring him home, she believe's being home is what he needs, but I believe being home will do just the opposite. Home is where you are supposed to be safe, but we invited a predator into our house and by doing so into Christian's life. Maybe that is why he barely returned home to visit after he moved out and before Ana came into his life.
I wish I could deny it, wish it wasn't true, but we have failed Christian as parents. We tried to help him heal from his troubled childhood with Ella and maybe it worked for a few years, but clearly, things went wrong the day we decided that doing Elena's yard work was the right punishment for his behavior in school. He was rebelling on top of still dealing with his childhood trauma and instead of finding a way to cope he had to go through more abuse without any of us ever suspecting it.
Now, all I want are answers, I need to know what was done to my son and how to help him. Flynn insists that he didn't cause Christian's current state, that it is all him... but I'm not sure and I know Elena won't tell the truth to the police because a talking Christian is way more dangerous to her than Christian in his current state.
As I get in I spot Elena right away, she is tied to a chair and Ray is just staring at with obvious disdain. She looks a bit disheveled, which most likely is a result of her struggling before she got restrained, but like I asked them she is not injured in any way, so we can hand her over to cops without incriminating ourselves.
„Ray." I say and he nods me and we step out of Elena's earshot.
„I know you want to go by the book Carrick, but I have ways to get rid of her for good without anyone ever finding out. You may not want to hear this, but the world would be better off without her, I don't trust her and she needs to be dealt with for good. It's not just your son that got hurt by her Carrick. My daughter and our granddaughter will never be a hundred percent safe as long as this disgusting piece of trash is alive."
„I know, but if she disappears and this can be linked back to us..."
„It won't... I know people who can make sure her body is never been found. I know you don't want to hear it or you can't because you are a lawyer, but I'm telling you, prison is too good for her... this woman is too vile... she will find away to harm them even from jail if this is what she wants." Ray says and it is a reflection of my worst fears.
Elena is a master manipulator and we still don't know how many connections she has. Even hearing the first few names dropped by Flynn were shocking, but if this is only the surface, who knows what kinds of favors she can pull even while in prison. I truly believe in our system, but I know that some individuals are still dangerous even from behind prison walls and right now, for the first time in my life, I'm not sure that the law will be able to protect my son and his family.
„You know I am right, Carrick... and I know you can't be a part of this. All I ask for you to do is that you get your answers from her, turn around and leave. We will never talk about what happens after you leave... this will be between me and God." Ray says and I look at him.
„I don't want you to have to live with this."
„Believe me, I will not have a single regret... Ana and little Arielle are the most important things in the world to me... and I do whatever it takes to protect them. All the children this woman has ruined... hell is the only place she deserves to be." He says and slowly I nod, but there is one thing I need him to do.
„When I leave, you will call Taylor... he will make sure this secret remains buried." I say and when Ray nods I turn to Elena and approach her.
„Look at you, the almighty Carrick Grey doing the dirty work... what are going to do... read me my rights?"
„You don't have any rights... because having rights would mean you are a person and not a disgusting piece of trash."
„Careful, you know I'm going to tell everything that happens here to the cops... I have to admit, they had me worried for a second, but you being here just shows that they are just as spineless as you." Elena says and I just stare at her and wonder how I never realized what kind of a vile, disgusting person she is.
„You know, Elena... there are not many things in my life I regret... but allowing you ever to step foot into my house certainly is a regret."
„Oh, but it was such a pleasure... especially when I got to ride your boy's dick the first ti..." And before she can finish her sentence I lose it and back hand her. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see myself lay hands on a woman, but hearing her talk about having sex with my underaged son just does it for me.
„Oh damn Carrick... your little wifey probably hits harder than you do... speaking of her, does she know about this little playdate?"
„My wife is with my son and you do good not mention her again because I don't ever want to hear her name or the name of any of my family members come out of your dirty mouth!"
„Oh yeah... I heard Christian is toast now... too bad... he could fuck like a beast." She says and Ray puts one hand on my shoulder.
„Don't let her get to you... she is trying to push your buttons." He says and I take a deep breath.
„What have you done to Christian to put him in this state?" I ask her and she has the audacity to laugh.
„Say it!"
„I did nothing, neither did good old Martin... I guess we just fried his brain over time... what a pity... right, Carrick?"
„You know we will get him back, Elena... and once he is better, he and Ana will rekindle their relationship... be a family with their daughter and have more children in the future... and you will be forgotten... like you never existed... because even with all you did to keep your dirty claws in my son, you could never stand a chance against Ana the love my son has for her... must hurt right?" I ask and see her cool exterior crumble just a tiny bit.
„She is a nothing..."
„Really, then why didn't you make Christian leave her... why did you allow him to marry her... why did you allow him to choose her and his daughter over you?"
„Fuck you... this little bitch... I wish she would have broken her neck when she fell down those stairs... the dirty little whore took what is mine!"
„And that's where you are wrong... my son was never yours... his free will was always stronger than your hold over him and he proved that to you when he married Ana and again when he came home to take care of his child... you did it all wrong, Elena because the way to be with Christian and truly have him was never about control or manipulation it has always been about unconditional love and that is why you despise Ana so much, because she is capable of something you can't even grasp... she can love and help Christian heal, which is something you couldn't do in all of those years... you failed, Elena and that is what you have to live with."
„Love is for fools... look where it got him... he could have been great with me instead he chose to be a fool and turn himself into a mess trying to be with her... but I always win... you think being in jail will stop me, you don't know who you are messing with... even a few years in jail won't stop me and once I'm out, all bets are off." She says and if I was left with any doubts about what is going to happen to her I now have none.
„You already lost, Elena... where you are going you will never be able to hurt anyone ever again..." I say and walk away from her, she is not going to give me any answer, she still only wants to play mind games and I'm done wasting my time with her.
„I'll see you tomorrow, Ray." I say as I leave and he nods at me, while I hear Elena scream after me when she realizes that this is it for her and she won't ever get to lay hands on any innocent child ever again.
Taylor
I stare at the text on my burner phone for a moment and then after carefully removing any possible fingerprints throw it into the river.
It's over, the wicked witch of Seattle is dead and her remains will never be found. I have to say, I had this plan B for a while, so it took only two hours to get everything into motion. First, though, I had to convince Ray Steele to stay out of it. He is Ana's Dad and I know she would have never forgiven if I had allowed for her father to have any part in this.
He agreed when I promised that after today the world would be a better place because Elena Lincoln would no longer be a part of it. A dark part of me even took pleasure in the look on her face when five masked guys came in and took her away. I don't think she has ever feared anything and to know that in last moments she finally knew how all of her victims felt gave me some kind of satisfaction.
As a father, I always worry that some sick individual will approach my child, so knowing that there is one less predator in this world makes me feel a little bit better.
When I arrive at Ana's house it is way after midnight, but when I step into the kitchen I see Ana sitting there just looking at me.
„Where have you been?"
„Late meeting with the team." I say because she doesn't need to know any of details of what happened tonight.
„Well, I will go to bed before Arielle wakes up for her next feed." She says gets up and stops in the doorframe.
„Thank you, Jason." She says and I know she knows that Elena Lincoln is no longer a threat and that her father had no part in it.
„Goodnight, Ana." I say and go to bed where I wrap Gail into my arms and fall asleep, knowing that after today there is one less threat I have to worry about.