Chapter 13
Damaged Heart
Gale Fears
Iyawned, rubbing my tired eyes, and wondering where the hell Hillary was. After we had made love, she had laid in my arms, relaxing with me. The two of us were enjoying a peaceful evening, that is, until Jack called me to discuss some crucial matters. Hillary had gone out to feed her cats, even though I had told her to wait for me. Jack had a discussion with the prosecutor; it seemed that my dad had pulled some connections, and he was only expected to get a few years in jail.
I couldn’t believe it. Even after all that had happened, he was still using powerful connections and bribery to get his way; it seemed there really was no justice for men like him. I knew I should speak up. Even though he was my father, he was a criminal, and he deserved to be punished for it.
“Hillary,” I called out, walking outside. “Where are you?”
I frowned, wondering where she could have gone. And then I saw it, written in blood on the wall of the house.
The words, ‘Come and get her, Gale.’
The earth vanished from beneath my feet, and my heart sank into my stomach as I realized what had happened. I couldn’t believe it. He had her. Daniel had her.
∞∞∞
“I am here,” I said as I walked into the empty warehouse. “You texted me to come here, and I am here! All alone, just like you said! Now, let her go, Daniel!”
“Why would I do something like that?” His silky voice rang through the warehouse, and as the lights turned on, I saw Hillary tied to a chair, gagged and unable to move.
“You see,” Daniel said. “I made Joe a promise. He would do everything I asked him to do – like kidnapping Erica – and in return, I would give him Hillary. He can keep her, abuse her, play with her, kill her – do whatever he wants with her.”
“Who else do you have on your payroll?” I asked.
“Well, Stella is working with me,” Daniel said. “I offered to pay her a lot of money if she did. Plus, she wanted revenge on you. After all, you broke up with her. And then, of course, there is Seth.”
“Seth?” I asked, confused.
“Well, the poor man had no idea what he was doing,” Daniel said. “All Stella had to do was sleep with him and he was willing to provide all the information necessary. It sucks, I know, but that’s how it is.”
“Why are you doing all this?” I asked.
“Because of your father,” Daniel said. “He took money from the real murderer and deliberately messed up my father’s defense so he would go to jail instead. Because of you, my mother had to run from there, change the family name, and live her life crying and missing my father. Because of your dad, she went through all that, and I lived my life without knowing the warmth of a father. Where is the justice, Gale? Your father pays off a few people, lives a comfortable life in jail and that’s it? No, that can’t be it. He will suffer. I lost my father, so he will lose his son.”
“Your fight is with me, then,” I said, desperately. “Leave Hillary out of this.”
“No, I want you to see this,” he said. “I want you to lose her. I want you to watch as her abuser takes her back, and I want you to die knowing that she will be miserable for the rest of her life. I have taken her away from your Gale. She is gone, forever. I could just kill her, but it would bother you more knowing she is suffering, and you can’t do anything about it.”
“Daniel, this is my last warning,” I said. “Let her go. Let her go!”
“Too late!” Daniel said with a smirk.
I watched as Joe grabbed Hillary, who was crying and struggling against him.
“You and I are going to be together forever, peach,” Joe snarled. “And this time, you won’t get away from me.”
“Leave her alone!” I shouted, making my way towards her, but Daniel raised a gun.
“She is his to torture, Gale,” Daniel said. “And you are mine to kill. Say goodbye to her. What awaits her is a lifetime of pain, and what awaits you is death. Then, I would have my revenge. I lost my father, and your father will lose his son. Justice will finally be served.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth? I would have helped you. I would have—”
“No,” Daniel whispered. “You all deserve to suffer. I don’t want help from the family that killed my father. I want nothing to do with any of you.”
“I would have helped you,” I said. “You were my best friend, and I really cared about you. I would have done whatever was in my power. I would have been on your side!”
“I can’t take help from my father’s enemy,” he whispered. “He suffered, Gale. He really suffered. He insisted that he was innocent, but no one listened. He was in pain and misery, knowing he was innocent but being blamed as a murderer. He couldn’t take it, Gale. He killed himself. And your family is responsible for it. I truly was your friend. I was with you through thick and thin. I was there for you when Stella made you miserable with her toxic traits. But then, I found out the truth, and I knew I couldn’t rest until I had my revenge. This is how it is meant to be, Gale. I am sorry, but this is the end.”
He raised his gun and pointed it at my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Joe dragging Hillary away, and I knew I couldn’t save her. I closed my eyes, a tear escaped me.
“I am sorry, Hillary,” I whispered. “I am so sorry.”
And then, with finality, a shot echoed throughout the room.
