Bill POV

I knew something was off the moment my phone rang. My secretary wanted to know if it was okay to allow the gentlemen out in the lobby into my office. They wouldn't tell her what they were here for, only that they needed to speak with me. Jessica was beginning to be as worthless as a hammer with no handle. I was waiting for Sookie to arrive any minute, so I got up to head to the lobby, killing two birds with one stone.

As I approached my office door, a gentleman walked up to me, looking me over shrewdly.

"William Compton?"

"Yes?"

"You've been served." I could have been knocked over with a feather.

I didn't bother to look at the packet thrust into my hand. I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed Sookie. There was no ring; it went straight to voicemail.

"Sookie I was expecting you to be here by now but you aren't. What the fuck is going on? I've just been served, with what I don't know, but I'm guessing you have something to do with this shit. Call me back!"

I only waited a minute before I called her again. Voicemail. I sat at my desk to calm down. I could feel my temper flaring and I wanted to break something.

From the Offices of Madden and LeClerq. That bitch Sophie Ann had a hand in this. I could not wait to call her and give her a piece of my mind.

"SEPARATION PAPERS!" What is this shit? I cannot believe that Sookie would do this to me. I looked down at my watch. She was supposed to be here by now, yet she wasn't. Then it hit me that she won't be coming.

As I flipped through the papers, Jessica burst into my office with someone in tow. At first, I thought it was because of my outburst, until I saw who was with her.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Compton. I tried to tell Sheriff Dearborn that you weren't to be disturbed but he wouldn't listen."

"It's okay Jessica. Hello, Bud."

"Bill. I'm sure you can guess why I'm here. I can't say that I'm too happy to do this to you but, you've been served." Bud tipped his hat to me before retreating from the room.

A temporary restraining order too? What the hell? I have to keep two hundred feet away from my wife at all times? She's my wife and she's keeping me away from her–for what? Does she feel that I'm dangerous or a threat to her? I love her more than anything and would never hurt her. I didn't know what was going on but I needed to find out.

Sookie thinks she can outsmart me. She thinks a fucking restraining order would keep me away from her. I didn't know where she was but I knew who did. I called her best friend Amelia Dawson to see if she knew where I could find Sookie. She played dumb telling me she hadn't talked to her all day. Then I heard a dog bark. That would have to be Sam. I laughed.

"Look Amelia, you can stop dicking me around and tell me where she is. I can hear her dog barking in the background. Do you know she served me with separation papers and a fucking restraining order? I'm sure you do. Look, I'm begging you here. I'm sorry for raising my voice. I'm stressed out as you can imagine. I just want Sookie to talk to me and she's not answering her phone. Now, are you going to tell me where she is or not?" I tried to play nice but couldn't maintain my calm. I wasn't sure if she bought it anyway.

"Not! Fuck you, you fucking schlemiel. You think I feel sorry for you or have any kind of sympathy for your situation? Why would you even consider that I would have any kind of obligation to tell you where she is? Sookie is my friend. I'm glad she got away from your psychotic ass. I'd rather she leave you then you do something to hurt her you…you douche!" How mature!

"Is that the best you can do Amelia? I've been called much worse, trust me. I'll make a deal with you. If you tell me where Sookie is I will not do anything to bring her back but if you don't, and I find out that you do in fact know where she is, I will hunt her down. And when I find her you best believe it won't be pretty. She's my wife and she belongs with me. I don't know what the fuck is going on but you need to tell me and you need to tell me n–!"

The phone went dead. That bitch hung up on me. I called her right back and she didn't pick up. I raised the phone to toss it across the room but stopped when I realized I would need it later. I may have to go to Amelia's home to get my point across but I had to be sure her husband wouldn't be there. I thought that I could get Bud to accompany me. Tray wouldn't dare interfere with police business. I knew I was grasping at straws but I was feeling desperate.

Of course, she knows where Sookie has gone and is probably the one to have taken her there. She's her best friend, after all. I wondered if I should have called Jason instead. Sookie wouldn't go anywhere without telling him. He's as close to her as Amelia. He would have to know something. But, I'm not that desperate yet. He hates my guts and wouldn't tell me anything. I would wait to see what I found on my own.

****

Jessica buzzes me, shaking me from my reverie. I don't answer as I really am not in the mood to be bothered. I have other business to tend to and I pull out my address book to find the number of the one person that could answer my questions. I need to call my private detective Bobby Burnham to see what information he can find for me. He was under my employ a few years back and did an excellent job. Bobby came highly recommended for finding people as well. He'll be able to tell me something; even if it's simply the last place she was today.

I hadn't noticed the time but it was almost five o'clock. I've been sitting at my desk for five hours staring at these wretched papers. My temper flares again and I pick up my phone to give him a call. My secretary stumbles into my office just before I can dial his number.

"Mr. Compton, there are some people here to see you."

"Who is it now, Jessica?" I may have to fire this girl. She cannot follow the simplest of instructions.

"I'm not sure Mr. Compton. All I know is they want to see you and it's important."

"Do they have an appointment Jessica?"

"No sir."

"So what does that mean, Jessica?"

"That you are busy and are not to be disturbed."

"Thank you, Jessica. Please make sure that I am not disturbed by anyone, and you can go home." Permanently, if I have anything to say about it.

"Yes, sir Mr. Compton, sir." I do know how to make that poor girl squirm. The only things she's good for is her looks. Other than that she's brainless. That's the last time I hire a secretary based on her ass and not her skills.

****

I recall the last ticket Sookie bought was to New York. I'm not sure if that is where she is or if she's flown from the airport there to another destination. Maybe this is something that I can find out now. My patience is running thin as I wait for Bobby to get back to me. I may have to take matters into my own hands if he can't find anything.

She wants to stay hidden from me. Well, she can run but she can't hide. I have more resources at my disposal than she can imagine. I will track her down if it's the last thing I do. The night I slept in bed with her, I took her phone from the table and scrolled through her call log. She wasn't smart enough to erase all of her incoming calls. There was a number I didn't recognize so I wrote it down and planned to check it out when I had a free moment. Now is as good a time as any so I fire up my laptop.

I put the number into the Google search bar and sit back and wait. Three seconds later I get the results. It's a Swedish number. Of course, it is. Now if only I could figure out who she's talking to over there…the only people we know that live there are the Northmans. Why would she be talking to them, though? I have to think on this a little more. I'm sure I will figure it out before too long. I can also try to get it out of Amelia. That girl loves to talk. I will have to appear more sincere in my approach the next time.

I decide to just call the number to see who it is. No one answers. I guess that's to be expected. I think to leave a message but change my mind at the last second. I hang up before the voicemail can pick up. I look up the address through a reverse number search. I think I may have to pay a visit to this mystery person. Fuck! It's unlisted. Maybe Bobby can do something with it. I'll wait until he calls me back to give him the new information.

Who would she call in Sweden and who would call her? This is quite the mystery and one I am eager to solve. I put a call through to my uncle Alexander to see if he may know anything.

"Uncle Alex! Hey, it's Bill."

"Well how are you, William? What can I do for you?" I hate that he calls me William. It reminds me of being a kid again.

"I was just calling to see how you were. I hadn't spoken to you since your move back to Sweden. Have you gotten settled all right?"

"Yes, we've settled just fine. Eric was with us for about a week then he decided to get his own flat. We don't mind it as we have the entire house to ourselves now. It's nice to have a bit of privacy."

"Yes, I know what you mean. So how is Eric? Is he finishing up school there?"

"I'm not quite sure what he's decided to do as he hasn't shared that information with us yet. Since he finished Harvard, he hasn't made any plans to go into a career that I know of. He doesn't have to work but it would be nice if he did something with his life. You should call him. Here, I'll give you his number."

"No, you know that won't be necessary. I barely have the time to talk to Sookie and I live with her."

"You have to make time to talk to your wife William. She's a beautiful woman; if you don't pay her any attention, I'm sure there's someone else who will."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just a little piece of advice, my boy. I'm older than you so I know what I'm talking about. You can't neglect your wife. Work is important but she's more important. Think about where your priorities lie." Well shit, I didn't call to get a fucking lecture.

"Thanks Uncle Alex. I uh, need to get back to work. I'll speak to you soon. Please tell Portia hello for me."

"I will and, William?"

"Yes."

"Don't forget what I said and please be sure to tell Sookie hello for us."

"Okay. Goodnight."

We end the call and I'm more upset than I was before calling him. Evidently, he hasn't spoken to Sookie or he would have mentioned it. Eric has no reason to call her but I don't know what to think at this point. I can always call back to get his number if I deem it necessary. I try her cell again. Straight to voicemail…

"Sookie, this is your HUSBAND. Please call me back. I'm worried now. You were supposed to meet me at my office and you never showed. You're not answering your phone, I've been reading the papers you had served on me today and I don't understand. Please, we need to talk about this. Sookie I don't understand where we went wrong but if you talk to me I'm sure we can–" I'm cut off.

****

I honestly have no idea what is going on with Sookie anymore. We were so happy, so in love and now we're here. I don't even know where here is. I barely know what to say to her anymore. I lose my temper more often than not. She infuriates me to no end. She knows what to say to push my buttons. I don't know why I allow her to, but what can I say. I love her more than anything. I want her to come home. If she'd talk to me I could tell her that, but she's being her typical stubborn self, and isn't answering her phone.

She may not appreciate it now but I am doing what is best for her. I know what is best because I am her husband. My only thoughts are of her. I care for her, I provide for her and what do I get in return? Disobedience. That's right, in our vows I made sure the officiant threw in the word obey. I expect my wife to do as I say. It's in my job description and I take my husbandly duties seriously.

I'm a good man. I make sure she wants for nothing. I don't deserve the lack of respect and rudeness she shows me. Sookie doesn't know how good she has it. If she was alone she'd still be living in that dump of an apartment she started out in. It didn't bother her but it bothered me to no end. I always invited her to my place so I wouldn't have to set foot in her apartment. I couldn't understand how such a beautiful, intelligent woman wound up in the predicament she found herself. She'd just started with a new accounting firm so I knew she wasn't making tons of money but she should have been able to afford better living arrangements.

I offered her my help at every turn. I would offer to find her a roommate in a better neighborhood, or I'd offer to help pay her bills so she could save her money to find a nicer place. She was always so damn proud and wouldn't accept a dime from me, but she eventually moved in with me. That took a lot of negotiating.

I got her grandmother to help me out. Sookie couldn't tell her no. She would do anything that woman wanted. I called Adele about a month before I proposed to Sookie and asked her to talk to her about moving in with me. I figured it would take that long to get her buttered up good enough to change her mind. We would be living together as man and wife but I didn't want to wait that long. I'm older than Sookie and I wanted to be settled. She was everything to me and still is. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

I finally pull myself up from my desk around seven to start the drive home. It wouldn't take me long to get there but I couldn't find the energy to care. Sookie wouldn't be there and I didn't like the thought of going home to an empty house. Just as I reach the door, I hear the phone ring.

"Sookie?" My voice sounds so desperate and pathetic that I can't believe it's actually my voice.

"Mr. Compton this is Bobby Burnham with some information for you. Do you have a minute?"

"All the time you need Bobby. Please, what have you found?"

A/N: This killed me to write because I had a problem finding Bill's voice but it was necessary to show his reaction to being served. Thanks so much for reading. Please review. I won't know what you think unless you tell me. xoxo Elle