Chapter 44

44 RECORDS

SEB

They have to drag me out of Night Stalker. I don’t want to go until I find my wife. She can be just cooling off somewhere in that premises. She can’t go anywhere. She doesn’t have money, and she left her phone in her purse.

I can’t believe I was yelling at her in front of Lincoln and Logan. I just love her so much, and her safety is my top priority. I lost my shit when she wouldn’t believe me that her psychopath best friend is her stalker. Now she is nowhere to be found.

It’s been six fucking hours, and nobody can tell me where she is. It’s been six fucking hours I’ve been living with my own regret.

I want to punch something for what I’ve done. I can’t think straight every time I remember what happened to Abby years ago, and I’m scared shitless of the possibility of history repeating itself. It’s killing me to think that she’s in the middle of nowhere, scared and alone. I wish she’s just hiding from me and trying to taunt me for what I did to her I can still accept it because I know when she calms down, she will still come back to me. Why can’t she just call me or leave me a message that she is okay? She’s just so stubborn.

“Any fucking news?” I know it’s nothing, but I’m still waiting for updates. I massage my temples. I’m sitting here on my desk, but I feel like hanging on a thread. I’m so scared to hear the news that I might like it.

I wipe my face. I’ve never been like this until I met my wife. I’m so lost and worse I don’t know how to find my way back.

Just a few days ago, she kicked me out of her apartment, then I drunk to oblivion, and she found me in my cellar, then we were so happy for these past few days, and now she’s gone. Fucking gone!

“I call Riley who is Boston based. He’s working on finding if Tennings is here. I also told him to check his workplace, new apartment, and the woman he’s dating. Maybe we can get any pieces of information soon,” Logan answers, he doesn’t look at me in the eye, and I know he blames himself for Abby’s outburst.

“I gave Abby’s picture to the local police so that they can ask everyone near the perimeter of the club if someone saw her leaving. Still no news, though.” Lincoln looks devastated, but I’m worst.

“Mr. King is on his way back from his business trip to Dubai,” Lincoln adds.

I sniff. I don’t know to face her father when I promised him that I would protect Abby with my life.

“I should have followed her when she left looking for you. She wants to ask you if she can order a drink again. Now my best friend is missing. I want her back, please?” I look at Trixie who has been crying since Abby’s missing. She has no idea I’m willing to give all my money if I can just see Abby right now. I don’t give a damn about everything, even if she won’t talk to me for months for as long as I know she’s safe somewhere.

“I swear to God. He will pay if I see his face again. In my heart, I know he took Abby. I just don’t know where he hides her.” Patrick is leaning against the wall. He doesn’t even care that Mason is with Trixie, cooing her to stop crying.

Mom opens the door, carrying water and a bottle of Tylenol. “Honey, I think you need this. We’ll find Abby. I promise you, son.” She kisses my head and rubs my back.

I can’t hold on any longer, I pull her into my arms and hug her tight. “I can’t lose her, mom. I can’t. I’d rather die. I promised her that I would keep her safe, but look at what I did. I broke my promise.” I cry until I release all my frustrations, but the pain is still gnawing in the chest.

“Honey, you won’t lose Abby. We’ll find her. If she found you, I know in my heart that you will find her.” My mom’s words give me hope enough to pull myself together.

“Seb, we have some news. I just talk to Paul. One of his bartenders left home early for a family emergency. I think he saw Abby enter the car. Chevrolet Impala 2016. The driver opened the door of the passenger seat for her.” Mason’s news catches my attention.

“Abby won’t just get inside the car and sit in the passenger seat if she doesn’t know the driver.” Logan has a point. I scratch my head.

“There were lots of Chevrolet Impala in this area. How do we check it one by one?” Patrick asks and looks hopeless again.

“Then we’ll start at the rental near the airport. Can I use your laptop?” Lincoln comes to me. I rise from my chair and give him space. I sit on the couch next to Trixie and hug her.

“We’ll find her, Trix. I promise.” She’s still crying. “The moment I find her, she won’t ever be out of my sight. If I have to work from home, I would do it. Stop crying and be strong for her, please?”

“It’s already morning, why don’t you go and get some sleep, Seb. I will wake you up as soon as we have news,” Lincoln tells me with a concerned look.

“I will never sleep until I see Abby. I can’t sleep in my bed alone. I will wait for her here.” I shrug and look down at my wedding ring and play with it.

“You’re just like Abby’s, son. When you were missing, she didn’t want to sleep too,” Mom says while playing with my hair. I glance at Lincoln. He’s busy talking to someone on the phone and taking notes.

Mason is cussing outside my office door, and I think my heart just crushes. I stride and follow his voice. I run my fingers through my hair, and I want to pull it out of my head, but Abby loves it.

Mason ends the call then he looks surprised to see me here.

“What is it, Mason?” I’m still waiting for him to answers, but he just opens his mouth and shuts it again.

“Fucking talk Mason or I will wring your neck right now!”

He swallows. “She’s dead.”

Before he can continue, I grab his collar and push him to the wall, making everyone gasp. “Take it back! My wife is not dead, motherfucker!” She can’t be dead. My world just turns black and I can’t see straight anymore.

“N-not Abby.”

What? I blink back my tears. My chin trembles when I think I hear it right. “Who is fucking dead?”

“N-not A-Abby. P-put me down, man.” I blink again.

Logan asks behind me. “Then who’s the fucking dead?”

I release Mason. He fixes his shirt while clearing his throat, and I’m still patiently waiting for him to answer, and at the same time, I thank God and all the angels that Abby is alive somewhere.

“Lucy,” he whispers. Riley is on the plane right now. He found something that can be confiscated by the authority. They’re from Tennings new apartment. Riley took everything with him that looked like Tennings’ doing.”

I’m confused. “What are those Mason?”

“It’s hard to explain, Seb. We just have to wait until he arrives. I will pick him up at the airport. Can I borrow your car?” I nod at him.

He rushes away to the door after giving a short glance to Trixie.

“Seb, found something, but more likely a dead-end. The rental car was abandon at the gas station 10 miles away from Night Stalker. The company will send me a copy of the GPS he used. We can find out the last place he went before he abandoned it.”

I nod and slump my body to my couch. I remember this couch where we cuddled after the hot sex. We watched movies with ice cream and then made out.

Please, baby, hang on there. I’m coming to get you. I pray over and over again, I prop my elbows on my knees and cup my face. I ask myself why this has to happen to me and Abby?

My phone rings in my pocket, and it’s Mike. “Mike, still no updates. We are still gathering information. I can’t tell you anything conclusive right now.”

He sighs. “I’ll get there almost afternoon. Send me a message when you have any updates. I will read as soon as I land, okay?”

I rub my eyes with my fingers. I can’t cry while he’s on the phone.

“Of course, I’ll keep you posted. I broke my promise, Mike. I hurt your daughter and put her life in danger again.” I sob when someone rubs my back.

“Don’t blame yourself, son. Let’s just be positive that we will find Abby.”

I wipe my tears from my face. “Okay. Stay safe. I’ll see you soon.” I put my phone on the couch.

***

Everyone gathers in my apartment, and this never happened before. All the people I cared about are here to support me, which supposed to make me feel better, but the more I see their faces, the more the reality hits me hard that Abby is missing.

I’m still lucky though that I have them here with me. When this will be over and have my wife back, I will marry Abby again with these people around. I lie my head down on my mom’s lap, and she plays with my hair until my lids feel heavy.

“ Hey, bad boy. come and get me. If you can catch me, I will give you something you never have.” Abby motion her finger to me. She’s wearing a white summer dress, her hair is flying in the air. I run after her on the huge lawn while she’s laughing and running away from me.

”I will catch you, beautiful. You can’t run away from me.” I almost catch her.

I jolt awake. Everyone is on the couch. I rub my eyes, and my mom is not anymore here.

“How long did I sleep?” I ask Trixie who’s sitting beside her Mom.

“Almost two hours.” She’s twirling with her hair, pouting.

“Almost two hours? Where’s Lincoln, Mason, and Logan?”

She shrugs. “They didn’t tell me. Mason is on his way with Riley.”

My stomach grumbles but I don’t think I can eat right now.

“You should eat, Seb. When Abby is here, she will get mad at you for not eating.” She just reminds me of Abby that she’s not around.

The door opens, Mason walks in with someone older than him with a traveling bag on his hand. He must be Riley. I stand up and gesture them to follow me. I let them get inside my office. Riley zips the bag open, and I see DVDs about a hundred and a black plastic bag that used to cover film to avoid exposure.

“What’s in these DVDs?”

He swallows. “I took one and play it on my laptop,. It’s um—not good,” he hesitates. When I glare at him, he finally speaks.

“It’s live footage of your wife in her apartment.”

My jaw drop, I might have a heart attack. My chest tightens, making me hard to breathe. I fall to the couch and cup my face. I feel cold that seeps through my bone, and I want someone to hit me hard if I’m still stuck in a bad dream.

What had he done to Abby?

“You should see what’s in the black plastic, Mr. Hughes.”

He places it on my side. I take a breath and squeeze my eyes shut. I open the black plastic and check what’s inside. I grab some, it’s all pictures of Abby since she was maybe a year younger or more. I put it all back inside. Riley grabs something under the DVDs. It’s a flash drive, and he offers it to me. I take it from him, go to my chair, and open my laptop.

“I didn’t watch that. I don’t know what’s inside, but it’s in his safe. I have something here. A folder and an envelope. Maybe documents,” he says while searching inside his bag.

“I’ll check this first.” I insert the drive then click some folders. One folder is in Abby’s name. I click it.

“Jesus Christ! “ My eyes widen with what I just see. I can feel the color drain from my face. I cover my mouth in shock. My heart nearly stops.

“Seb, are you okay? Man, you look so pale.” Mason comes closer to me. I gesture him not to come closer. I don’t want anyone to see these.

“Seb, you’re scaring me. What’s in there, man?”

I shake my head. There’s no way I can’t tell them about this video.

My tears fall from my eyes when I can’t hold them anymore. Jesus, Tennings is a son of a bitch psychopath who stalked women and beat for pleasure. I will kill him with my bare hands if Abby is with him right now. He can’t do it to her again. No fucking way.

“Let me see that folder?” I ask Riley, and he obligingly hands it to me. I open the folder, and it’s his medical records, including the Psychiatric records.

“Jesus, he has SPD.”

“ SPD?” they ask in unison, and I ignore them.

I open the envelope and grab the papers inside. It’s a land title. Jackpot.

“Tell everyone to meet us in my parking area. I think I know where to find Abby.”