Taken By You Read online

  “So, I take it he lives there with his mother and she’s from Germany?”

  “Yeah, I met her when I was stationed there in the Army.”

  She dished up a plate of food for each of them.

  “I’d love to go to Europe, but I’m afraid to fly. How long does it take to get there?”

  “Yeah, it’s something like fifteen hours. It’s hard to just sit there for so long.”

  “You didn’t meet anyone interesting to talk to?” she asked, placing their plates on the table.

  “No one nearly as interesting as you,” he said, taking a bite of eggs. “Mm. These are delicious.”

  “Thank you. I love to cook, among other things,” she said, giving Roger a suggestive grin.

  “So, what did you have in store for me today?”

  “You’ll just have to stick around to find out,” she said, taking a sip of coffee. “It begins with taking a shower together.”

  ***

  Roger got home about four p.m. He went back to Kate’s apartment to search for clues to her whereabouts. The place was spotless, not even a scrap of paper was left behind to give her away. All of the kitchen drawers were empty. He had hoped to find something to go on. But he would begin his search soon enough. He knew that she didn’t work on Mondays or Tuesdays, so he would begin his stakeout Wednesday. “I’ll find you soon, my love,” he said out loud in the vacant apartment. “Very soon.”

  He returned to his apartment and decided to take a nap. Rose was going to come watch him play tonight. He couldn’t wait for the guys in the band to see her. He always liked it when others were envious of what he had. He grew up wishing for so much that he never got, so he had a lot to make up for in his life. He was determined to make up for his losses no matter what. He was owed and he would collect regardless of the circumstances.

  Chapter 2

  Kate got home from running errands to find a blinking light on the answering machine. She and Neil had created a message together when she moved into his luxury penthouse. She had given the number to Charlie and her family members to use if they couldn’t reach her on her cell. At first, she wasn’t going to listen to the message, assuming it was for Neil, but curiosity got the best of her and she hit the play button. As soon as she heard her Aunt Donna’s voice, she was glad she did.

  Aunt Donna had sounded grave in the message, which was very unlike her. Usually so upbeat and spunky, Kate knew something was wrong. Grabbing the phone, she dialed her aunt’s number, holding her breath while she waited for the connection to go through.

  Aunt Donna answered on the second ring, her voice sounding off.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Aunt Donna. It’s Kate. I got your message to call you right away.”

  “Hi, Kate. I’m glad you called. There’s no easy way to say this so I’m just going to come out with it. Your dad died. He’s been dead for a week and the police just found his body today.” Kate was stunned. She felt a pit in her stomach and thought she was going to vomit.

  “I can’t believe it,” she finally said. Tears started flowing down her face and her voice was shaky. “Do they know what happened?”

  “The neighbors noticed that he hadn’t moved his car in the past week and they thought that was strange, so they called the police. The police found your dad on the bathroom floor. They’re sure it wasn’t foul play. They think it could have been a heart attack, causing him to fall and hit his head.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Kate said, her voice barely audible. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

  Donna went on to explain that the police in Florida contacted the Minnesota police and that they showed up at her house with the news. His body was being flown to Minnesota. She promised to call Kate as soon as the funeral arrangements were made, but they assumed the funeral would be in a week or so.

  They hung up after saying “I love you” to each other.

  Kate felt numb as she sat there staring at the phone. She immediately called her mom to tell her what had happened. Her parents had been divorced for about fifteen years, but she had always thought that they still loved each other even though neither would ever admit it. Her mom was very sad to hear the news. Her despair was evident in her voice. Being a travel agent, she said she would start checking on flights to Minnesota for the funeral for Kate and her brother Eric.

  After Kate hung up with her mom, she reflected on her last few interactions with her dad. Their relationship had been strained for as long as she could remember. With the exception of a phone call at Christmas, she hadn’t seen or spoken to her father since she was fourteen-years-old. She had called him to ask if she could live with him. What a mistake that had been. He said “no” and had never bothered to see her or her brother again. She reminded him of her mom, which made seeing her difficult. Every time they were together, he was overly critical and couldn’t hide his disappointment that she had shared so many qualities with his ex-wife. He had never gotten over her mother, and although Kate had tried very hard to be different from her, his pain clouded his judgment and Kate and her brother reaped the consequences of his bitterness. Her dad hadn’t actually revealed these things to her, but that was the conclusion she had come up with.

  She sighed as she recalled their conversation at Christmas. She had decided that, after ten years, she would be the bigger person and call him. Her aunt had been telling her that his memory was failing and he had no idea why they didn’t speak to each other. They talked for about thirty minutes. He seemed genuinely excited to hear from her and their conversation was happy and light. That was nine months ago and now he was gone. Oddly, a month after she had called him, he had stopped paying his phone bill and his service was disconnected. She felt like he had done that to avoid having to talk to her again. The truth was that his mental illness was completely out of control. According to her Aunt Donna, he had stopped bathing and brushing his teeth. He didn’t associate with anyone and no longer had any friends. His diabetes was unchecked and he basically seemed to no longer care.

  She was sad to hear these things about her father, but she didn’t know what to do about them. If her aunt couldn’t get through to her dad, how would she be able to?

  Her heart was heavy. Her dad was gone and their broken relationship would never be restored. All she had was their last conversation. The memory of that conversation gave her a small measure of solace, that she had made the effort towards reconciliation by calling him. It had been a difficult decision, but, in effect, that final exchange now provided a healing that she hadn’t realized she would need, before now. Thank you, God, for that last phone call. She had nothing else to hold onto, but she at least had that.

  She sat on the sofa for a long time, not feeling connected to anything. At twenty-four-years old, she had now experienced the loss of two vital people in her life. She had learned through counseling that death would touch every single soul. It was inevitable and unstoppable. Her thoughts turned to Neil and she made a wish that they could have a long life together. So far, everything between them had been amazing. The past two months with him had been more glorious than anything she had ever imagined.

  ***

  The day after Roger left for Germany, she had packed up her belongings and moved into Neil’s condo. The ride to her new home had been filled with great anticipation and the beautiful glow of San Diego seemed just a little brighter. So much was swirling around in her mind that she had almost missed the exit. She had been concentrating more on how much she wanted to be with him and was therefore, driving on autopilot. Everything that had happened in her life before she met Neil no longer seemed as important. She was finally living again, not just surviving. His passion and strength gave her the courage to be vulnerable, letting go of the wall that she had built around her heart. She had forgotten what it was like to be deeply in love with someone, but Neil had awakened that joy within her. She was embarking upon a new journey; one that she hoped would have the happily ever after, that she could feel in
her bones.

  Neil met her down in the parking garage to help her carry up her clothing and boxes of personal items. The huge grin on his face said it all. He was happy. At least as happy as she was. They looked like two ridiculous grinning idiots, but she didn’t care. Neil Statton was the man of her dreams and he had indicated that she was the woman of his. This felt so right, and she couldn’t wait to start their lives together.

  She unpacked her things and felt settled into his place quickly. Neil’s penthouse was large and she had more than enough space. He even converted one of the spare bedrooms into an office for her to study. It was furnished beautifully, but what she really loved about it was the chaise lounge chair that he had bought her. It was covered in purple velvet and she often curled up on it to study or read a good book. She didn’t know what she had done to deserve such a thoughtful man. He did everything in his power to make her feel cherished.

  Her roommate Charlie had moved into a townhouse with her boyfriend, Mitch. She knew that Charlie was happy and that her relationship with Mitch was becoming more serious. Unbeknownst to Charlie, Kate had helped Mitch select a beautiful engagement ring and he was planning on asking her to marry him on Thanksgiving, his favorite holiday. It would most likely become Charlie’s favorite holiday as well. Kate was thrilled for her two dearest friends. She was looking forward to helping Charlie plan her wedding and imagining that Charlie would return the favor sometime in the next year.

  ***

  Now she had been living with Neil for an entire month, and she felt that they were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. Everything seemed new and romantic. She had learned from watching Charlie and Mitch that things change as time goes on. A year from now, their life together would be more like a well-worn pair of shoes. As much as she liked the beginning of their relationship, she was looking forward to really feeling like a couple. She wanted them to finish each other’s sentences and have background information about each other that would render explanations unnecessary.

  Kate curled up with the comfortable throw on the sofa. She laid down, feeling tired to her core. It was as if someone had added weights to her eyelids and she no longer had the strength to hold them open. She began dreaming almost as soon as she put her head on the decorative pillow.

  She was standing on the bank of the swamp. The sun was rising and she was trying to make out something submerged in the water several feet away from her. She felt compelled to enter the murky water to find out. As she waded in, her feet sank into the marshy soil beneath her. The mud oozed between her toes, causing a shrill sound to escape her lips. She took another step and saw the form of a man trapped under the water. She reached out for him, but there was nothing she could do. He was already dead. Then she heard his voice. It was her father calling out to her. He told her to get out of the water and return to the safety of the land. She didn’t want to leave him, but she did as she was told. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her voice was dormant and her soul felt troubled. Suddenly, two huge alligators came into view and devoured a part of her dad’s body. She began to scream. She felt someone shaking her, but she kept screaming.

  “Wake up, Kate. You’re having a bad dream,” Neil said, rocking her gently. “It’s just a dream.”

  Kate opened her eyes to see his handsome face staring down at her. He moved a loose strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear.

  She sat up and wrapped her arms around him. She was trembling and began to sob, despite the comfort that his strong body provided. As her shoulders shook, he whispered into her hair. “Baby, it’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here.”

  She pulled back a little bit and looked into his eyes. “My Aunt Donna called earlier. My dad died last week.”

  “Oh, shit Kate. I’m so sorry. Last week? Why didn’t you find out about this sooner? I thought that you and your aunt were close,” he said with a furrowed brow.

  “We are close. She just found out today. The police found him dead in his home. He died about a week ago in the bathroom.”

  The tears started coming again and she put her head on Neil’s shoulder. He held her and stroked the back of her head.

  The sun was starting to drop in the sky and the living room had an incandescent glow. Neither of them moved for a long time. Neil just held her, consoling her the best way that he could. “How about some wine?” he asked quietly in her ear.

  “That sounds good.”

  “You just sit here and I will get you a glass of Moscato,” he said, getting up in one graceful motion.

  Kate covered herself with the blanket. October was just ending and evenings had turned chilly from the ocean air. Neil turned on a lamp as he brought her the wine. He handed it to her as he took his spot next to her on the sofa. She took the wine eagerly, taking a big sip, hoping it would take the edge off. But how much wine would she actually need to not feel overwhelmed by what life had been throwing her way lately?

  “So, what’s the plan?” he questioned.

  “The plan?” she repeated, confused by the question.

  “Are you going to the funeral? When and where is the funeral? You know, what are the arrangements?”

  Kate nodded. “The funeral will be in Minnesota. My dad wanted to be buried there. My aunt is making all of the arrangements and she is going to call me when the date is set. It sounds like it could happen in about a week. My mom is looking for flights for my brother and me. I really don’t want to go, but I know it would mean a lot to my aunt for me to be there.”

  Neil took her hand and kissed it the way that he always did. “I know, baby. From everything that you have said, you’re dad wasn’t exactly going to win the father of the year award. He was pretty lousy to you and your brother. I don’t blame you for not wanting to go, but you might regret it if you don’t.”

  “You’re right. I don’t want to have any regrets if I can help it. Do you think you could come with me?”

  Neil scrunched up his face. “I want to go with you, but I can’t. I have to be in court just about every day for the next two weeks. We have a really busy caseload right now.”

  “I understand. It’s probably for the best anyway. Meeting my dad’s family under these circumstances isn’t ideal.”

  “Why don’t we take your mind off things by getting something to eat and then soaking in the tub? ”

  “Food sounds great, but I don’t feel up to going anywhere. Could we get take-out?”

  “Yeah. Let me get the menu selection.” He got up and walked to the kitchen drawer that contained the wide array of choices. “Let’s see, we have Greek, Chinese, Italian, and Thai. What would you like?”

  “How about a pizza? Comfort food sounds good to me.”

  “Do you want the usual?”

  Kate smiled to herself. He knew what she liked on her pizza. It was extremely special in her book, that they were starting to really know each other’s likes and dislikes.

  “The usual sounds perfect, just like you.” Kate felt it was just fine to be a bit gushy at that moment. She needed the levity.

  Neil waggled his eyebrows in response to her. She loved that he could be so playful. His gesture had the promise of an evening filled with passion, yet his eyes also spoke of tender love and concern. She felt so lucky.

  Neil called the restaurant and placed the order for pick up. “I’m going to go upstairs and change. They said it would be thirty minutes.”

  “Okay,” she said.

  Neil bounded up the stairs to the master bedroom. Kate followed behind, thinking that changing clothes sounded like a good idea. Actually, she just wanted to add more clothes as she felt chilled by the night air. After she slipped on a sweatshirt and changed from her flip-flops to her cozy slippers, she finally felt warmed. Neil changed into jeans and a long-sleeved button-down shirt. He looked sexy no matter what he had on.

  “I figured I would run by the store before picking up the pizza. Would you start a list for us? I know we need eggs and milk.”
/>   “Yeah, I’ll go start a list right now,” Kate replied. She went down to the kitchen and took out the notepad and a pen, and wrote down the items that needed replacing.

  Neil walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head back into his shoulder. “You know I’m here for you, right? Everything is going to be okay,” he spoke softly into her ear.

  She inhaled sharply and nodded. “I believe it when you say it,” she said, turning to face him in a hug. He had become one of the few people that she could truly count on.

  “Kate, I love you and I’m never going to let you go,” he said, wrapping her face up with his hands.

  “I know. I love you, too. I’m so grateful to have you in my life.”

  Neil bent down to kiss her. He picked up the shopping list from the counter.

  “Thanks for making the list. I’ll be back soon, my beauty.” He kissed her on the lips again and then headed out the door. She was so thankful that this wonderful man loved her so completely, and considered her his beauty. She doubted he could fathom how affirming that was to her fragile heart. After all, she was abandoned by her father, and then suffered the death of her boyfriend.

  He left and she poured herself another glass of wine. She made her way into the living room and took out her Rhetorical Theory textbook and began reading chapter 12. She knew that preparing for class was the best thing that she could do right now. That class that seemed strangely empty since Mark’s disappearance. Thinking about Mark, even for a second, naturally led to Roger invading her thoughts. She knew that he was back from Germany and she needed to be extra careful at all times. She hoped that her absence had not made his heart grow fonder.

  She had been living under the guise of out of sight, out of mind. But now she would need to assume that he was looking for her and that he was more clever than she probably realized.

  The thought of him sent shivers across her body. How could a man who seemed so normal be a killer? If circumstances had been different and she hadn’t met Neil, she might have considered dating Roger if he had been single. She had enjoyed his company and he had seemed nice. Plus, he was attractive. He didn’t look like a creepy serial killer. Rose had undoubtedly thought the same thing. But he isn’t nice, he’s a high-functioning sociopath who kills people. How was that even possible? What had happened to him to make him turn out this way? Maybe that was a question for Dr. Cox on her next visit. Having him to talk to right now was a huge support in her life. She had spent the month while Roger was gone talking about her fears. What if he found her? How would she survive him?