Nine
Glancing at the clock, Nancy saw she only had an hour before she had to be at her next appointment with Doctor McHan. Part of her was tempted to just call the office and cancel it, but she didn't think that would be the best idea. Namely, because the psychologist seemed to think they were just breaking the surface with Nancy's problem.
No way in hell was she going to believe that Nancy had been cured overnight. No one could be that lucky.
Was she better than she had been since her first appointment?
Definitely.
There was no denying that she could feel a little bit of her old self making its comeback appearance. Did she still have a long road to go before she reclaimed herself again?
Absolutely.
She just had to suck it up and keep going to her appointments. Or maybe just one more couldn't hurt. That would at least make it look like she was putting in the effort.
The truth was, she didn't think any amount of sitting in a stuffy chair was going to make her any better. No, the only thing that would make her feel better was getting out there and putting a stop to Wesley before he actually managed to kill again. She had to believe that he hadn't crossed that line yet.
There still had to be hope, even if it was an ounce of hope. It was still there and Nancy would cling to it as if it was her last lifeline. The missing girls' lives depended on that kind of hope and she wasn't going to stop until she had her answers.
"Shouldn't you be on your way to your appointment?" Frank asked, walking into the kitchen. He was dressed for the day in a pair of jeans with a long sleeve red shirt, his hair damp from the shower he'd just finished.
Nancy let out a sigh, putting her chin in her hand as she leaned on the bar. "I still have a little more time."
"Having second thoughts?"
"No. I know it wouldn't look good if I didn't go." She looked up so she could meet his deep brown eyes. "I just don't know how I'm supposed to explain my sudden one-eighty I've made."
Frank frowned as he leaned against the other side of the bar so he was eye-level with her. "What do you mean?"
"She's going to see a noticeable change in me, Frank."
"It's been pretty obvious," Frank agreed.
"Exactly. No way in hell is she going to believe it was just because of a single one hour session." Nancy let out another sigh as she sat back in her chair. "And it's not as if I can tell her the truth about it. As soon as I tell her the psycho killer who nearly killed me three months ago has come back and started leaving me gifts, she'll call the police."
"And we don't really need that right now."
"No. The less Wesley thinks we're after him, the better chance of him screwing up."
Frank smiled at her, saying nothing.
"What?" Nancy asked, confused by the sudden expression. Not that she didn't love the way Frank smiled at her. It had just been so long since she'd seen a genuine one lighting up his face—three months to be exact.
Pushing away from the bar, Frank walked around so he was standing next to Nancy. Grabbing the chair, he spun it around until she was facing him before cupping her face in his hands. "You're really coming back to me, aren't you?"
Nancy felt a blush creeping into her cheeks. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long…"
"Don't be sorry, Nan. I'm just happy to see it," Frank said softly, as he rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks. "You can take as long as you need. You know I'll be here however long it takes. I'm not going anywhere."
Swallowing hard against the sudden lump in her throat, Nancy brought up her hands so she was grasping his. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve someone as great as Frank. "I love you, Frank."
Frank dipped his head down and kissed her softly on the lips, lingering there for a few moments before leaning his forehead against hers. "I love you, too."
"Will you come with me?"
"To your appointment?"
Nancy nodded.
Frank seemed taken aback and touched all at the same time. "Are you sure you want me there, Nan?"
"I am."
A stunning smile stretched across his handsome face. "Thank you. This really means a lot to me, Nan, that you trust me enough to be there with you."
"Of course I trust you, Frank." Nancy's eyes widened slightly as stab of fear went through her. Had Frank doubted her trust in him? All this time, was she hurting him by keeping him away and not confiding in him? "I'm so sorry if I ever did anything to make you believe I didn't trust you."
"I didn't say that…"
"But you've been thinking about it, right?" Nancy pushed away from him slightly so she could look into his brown eyes—eyes that were full of love and a trace of hurt. It was hard to see, but she knew she saw it there. "Frank, tell me the truth. I'm not going to get upset."
Frank let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'll admit that the thought crossed my mind."
"Frank…"
"I'm not wanting to make you feel horrible, Nan. I know you were dealing with a lot and I know that you thought you were protecting me by pushing me away."
"You knew that?"
"I've known you for years. I know every single one of your idiosyncrasies. There is nothing about you that I don't know, Nancy Drew."
A corner of Nancy's mouth turned up. "That almost makes you sound like a stalker. I'm afraid I already have my fill of one of those without adding you to the list."
"Don't joke about him, Nan."
Nancy shrugged as she got up from her seat and grabbed her purse and keys. "If you're coming with me, we need to go. Otherwise, we're going to be late."
"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Giving her another kiss, Frank grabbed the keys out of her hand and ushered her out the door.
Doctor McHan was waiting in the lobby for her when Nancy and Frank walked in. Nancy cringed slightly as she looked at the clock hanging on the wall, seeing that she was five minutes late.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it, Nancy," Anna said, frowning slightly.
"Sorry," Nancy said with a sheepish smile. "We got stuck in traffic."
"We?" Anna asked, her eyes moving over to Frank. "I take it you're the fiancé who begged her to come see me."
"Excuse me," Frank asked, shooting Nancy a confused look.
"She doesn't mean anything by it, Frank," Nancy assured him, before pushing him towards one of the vacant chairs in the waiting room. "I'll only be an hour."
"Actually," Anna began, turning her attention back to Nancy. "If you don't mind, I would really like for him to join us."
"Is that normal?"
"It's not unheard of," Anna said. "Would you rather he not join us?"
Nancy glanced back at Frank, knowing he would agree with whatever she decided. But this was her chance to show him that she did trust him, that she never doubted his trust for even a second. "I want him to come."
"Good," Anna said with a smile. "Follow me, please."
Frank pulled Nancy's hand, making her stop before they could follow the doctor into her office. "Are you sure about this, Nan?"
Nancy nodded, flashing him a smile. "I want you to come with me, Frank."
"Okay," Frank said, giving her a relieved smile. "But, if at any point, you want me to leave, just let me know. Promise me?"
"I promise."
Gripping his hand a little tighter, Nancy pulled him into Anna's office where he closed the door behind them. Then, they each took a seat in front of Anna's desk, where she was watching them closely.
"How are you feeling today, Nancy?" Anna began, slipping on her glasses.
"I'm doing well."
"You seem to be doing a lot better than you were a couple of days ago when you came to see me."
"I am."
"What brought on the sudden change?"
Nancy traded a surreptitious glance with Frank. "I guess I finally got the wake-up call I was looking for."
"What happened?"
"I think talking to you the other day finally opened up a door for me," Nancy admitted, turning her eyes back to Anna. It was only partly the truth, but no way in hell was she about to bring up Wesley's latest stunt. "I finally realized what I was doing to myself and others by pushing away."
"I'm glad that it helped you, Nancy." Anna turned her curious eyes to Frank. "What about you, Frank?"
"What about me?" Frank asked.
"Have you noticed the change in Nancy?"
"Of course I have. You would have to be blind not to notice."
"And what you do you think of it?"
Frank frowned as he glanced back and forth between Nancy and Anna. "I thought this appointment was for Nancy."
"It is," Anna said with a nod. "But that doesn't mean I'm not interested for your input as well since you were the one to convince Nancy to finally seek help."
Frank squirmed in his seat and Nancy gave his hand a squeeze. "It's okay, Frank."
"Why were you pushing for Nancy to get some help, Frank?"
"Because she wasn't getting any better," Frank admitted. "I was scared of what would happen to her if she continued to keep everything bottled up."
"Scared how?"
Frank looked down at his lap, refusing to look at Nancy. "I thought she would eventually get herself committed."
Nancy's eyes widened, but she kept her mouth shut at Frank's admission. She never understood how truly afraid he was for her.
"Did you think she was going to harm herself?" Anna pressed on.
"No." Frank seemed shocked that the doctor would even ask that question. Nancy couldn't really fault her for it—it was perfectly valid. Not that Nancy would ever harm herself, but it was a serious concern to have.
"Why not?"
"Because Nancy would never do anything like that."
"You're certain of that?"
"Of course." Before Anna could ask him another question, his cell phone rang. Reaching into his pocket, Frank pulled it out and glanced at the screen. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take this."
"Who is it?" Nancy asked, frowning as Frank stood up.
"It's Joe," Frank answered, pressing a kiss against her forehead. "I'll be right back."
Nancy watched as Frank walked out of the office, talking softly on his phone, before turning around to see Anna watching her.
"The two of you seem to have a very strong relationship," Anna observed.
"The best," Nancy answered. "We're best friends."
"That's good to have that kind of support at home, Nancy. Frank seems to truly care for your wellbeing."
"He does."
"So, what's the real reason for your turnaround?" Anna asked, leaning forward to rest her hands on her desk as she studied Nancy.
"What do you mean?"
"Something tells me that it simply couldn't be from our session the other day. Did something happen?"
Nancy swallowed nervously, wondering if the doctor could tell that she had been lying earlier. "Why would you think that?"
Anna frowned, taking off her glasses. "I've been doing this for years, Nancy. I've never had anyone make such an improvement in a matter of days."
Nancy shrugged. "I'm not like most people."
"Has Agent Levine been in contact with you?"
"What would make you think that?" Nancy asked, wondering if the doctor knew that Wesley wasn't in jail. "Last I heard, he was in jail awaiting trial. It's not like he could do anything to me from there."
Anna didn't get the chance to answer as Frank came back into the office, a grim expression on his face. Nancy immediately stood up, know that something had to be wrong. "What is it, Frank?"
"I need to go check something out with Joe."
"What is it?"
Frank glanced quickly at Anna before returning his gaze to Nancy. "I'd rather not talk about it here. I don't want to leave until I make sure you get back home safely, though."
Anna stood up from her chair, smiling. "It's okay. Our appointment was coming to an end, anyway." She walked over to Nancy and Frank. "We can pick this back up next week, okay?"
"Yeah," Nancy said, grabbing up her purse. "Sounds good."
"It was very nice to meet you, Frank," Anna said, holding out her hand for him to shake.
Frank took her hand in his and shook. "You too, Doctor McHan."
"Call me anytime if you need to talk, Nancy," Anna said, following them out into the lobby.
"I will, thank you," Nancy said. She followed Frank out the door and to their car, not saying a word until they were inside. "What's going on, Frank?"
Frank let out a sigh as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "Joe got a call from the Indianapolis PD. They found a woman's body and they think it could be Taylor Vaughn's. They won't know for sure until they confirm her identity."
"Oh, my God," Nancy whispered, holding a hand up to her mouth. "Wesley?"
"We don't know," Frank admitted. "Joe and I are going to head over to see what we can find out."
"I'm going with you."
"I would rather you didn't, Nancy."
"Why not?"
"Because from what Joe gathered from the police, it wasn't good."
Nancy scoffed. "Frank, you can't keep me away from this. If it's Wesley, then I have a right to know. It's me that he's interested in."
"Which is precisely the reason I would rather you stay back at the apartment."
"The very apartment that he broke into a couple of days ago," Nancy argued.
Frank opened his mouth to say something, stopping when he seemed to realize that she was correct. Shaking his head, his gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as he pulled into their apartment complex and parked the car. "Nancy, I'm not trying to keep you out of this. We don't have any proof that this could be Taylor Vaughn, or that Wesley is behind it. Please, just let me and Joe handle this."
"Frank…"
"Please, Nan?" Frank picked up her hand and kissed it softly. "Just let us look into it."
Sighing, Nancy reluctantly gave in with a nod of her head. "Fine. But if there's even a hint of Wesley being responsible, you better tell me."
"You have my word." He leaned over in his seat to give her a kiss. "You want me to walk you up to the apartment?"
"No, I'm good." Nancy grabbed her purse and opened the door. "Let me know when you get there, okay?"
"I will."
Slamming the door behind her, Nancy walked into the lobby of the apartment complex, giving a wave to the young woman behind the desk. The girl waved back and Nancy walked towards the bank of elevators.
"Oh, Miss Drew!"
Nancy turned to see the girl hurrying towards her with a white Styrofoam box in her hands. "This came for you in the mail, but I signed for it since it wouldn't fit in your box."
"Thank you," Nancy said, taking the box and getting into the elevator before the doors could close. Pressing the button for her floor, Nancy wondered what could possibly be in the box as she pulled her keys out of her purse.
As soon as she unlocked her door, she threw her purse and keys on the counter, bringing the box with her into the kitchen so she could grab a knife to cut through the tape sealing it shut. After a few moments, she finally cut enough of the tape away so she could open the box.
At the very top, sitting on a piece of black felt fabric was a sparkling engagement ring—a silver band with a large diamond, surround by about ten smaller diamonds. Nancy frowned, thinking for sure she had gotten a delivery meant for someone else. Picking the lid up, she double checked the address written on there, confirming that it was her address.
Setting the ring to the side, Nancy took the felt out of the box, feeling a sudden blast of cold air the further she dug into the box. Dry ice rose out of the interior, momentarily blinding her as she waved her hand to clear it away. As soon as it cleared enough for her to see inside, she felt her stomach lurch before she was running to the sink, her breakfast making a comeback as she vomited.
There was no way she was really seeing what she thought she'd seen inside the box. She was just imagining it.
She had to be.
Grabbing a cup, Nancy rinsed the remaining traces of vomit out of her mouth, before grabbing a towel and wiping her face. Taking a deep breath, she returned to the box and reached in, pulling out the items that made her sick.
Once again, her stomach gave a violent lurch but she somehow managed to push it down as she placed the two chilled mason jars on the counter. There was no denying what was in them, bringing back vivid memories of the jars back in Wesley's basement during Halloween.
She was looking at a human heart and tongue.
And if she had to guess, they either belonged to Taylor Vaughn or Ella Jacobs.
Or both.
So, the previous chapter was a little rough, but I did warn you guys that it was going to be much darker than Spider. I'm not holding back on this one at all, and if there is a chance that it has to fall under an M rating, I will let you know.
I would love to thank everyone for their reviews: Michelle Gallichio (You really should try your hand at writing. You'll never know if you don't take the chance!), max2013 (I hope that was a compliment because that's what I was aiming for…), MarvelAsh (Welcome! And thank you so much for your wonderful compliments…and I'm sorry if I gave you nightmares. Unfortunately, there are plenty more of those to come), samuel.j.1993 (I actually do enjoy writing gory scenes like that, which is funny because I refuse to watch any horror movies whatsoever.), Xdaisy chainX (Wesley is definitely cuckoo for cocoa puffs…and he's only going to get worse), Caranath (You're feeling better! YAY! Best advice would be not to eat or drink anything for a few hours after you read one of my chapters. And if this diet of yours works, let me know because I want in on it myself!), MinecraftDanny (Updating as quickly as I can!), FreshKicks (Thank you so much! I haven't actually watched Criminal Minds in a few years, but I know the kinds of deaths they show on there. I am extremely flattered that you're ranking my death scene with them!), Cupcake (Let's just say I plan to go pretty far with this one…), Jabba1 (It was pretty intense to write as well. As much as you guys are freaking out as you read it, I'm having the same reaction as I write it), misslady92 (Wesley is pure evil indeed…no other word for him), SC15 (All will definitely be revealed, she says with an evil laugh…), and Lady Emily (It was icky to write…I was cringing the entire time as I wrote it!).
You guys rock!
I especially have to thank Lady Emily again for staying up and allowing me to rant about what I want to happen. You are such a wonderful sounding board and support system! I couldn't do it without you!
I apologize for any mistakes and let me know what you think!
