HUDSON
I go back to my office, snatch my keys, and head to the apartment. I need to explain to her why I had to do that and then apologize over and over. As soon as I get downstairs, I get in my car and attempt to call her again, but it still goes straight to voicemail. Why would she turn her phone off if she’s at home?
When I finally pull up to our building, I collect my stuff and head upstairs to the apartment. To my surprise, when I get inside, she isn’t there. Calling out for her, but get no response. I knock on her door, but still nothing. Something isn’t right. Maybe Lacey’s?
I walk down the hall to find Lacey’s door kicked down. My hands run through my hair. I run into the bedroom and see Laurel and Lacey on the floor with blood all over them. I search the rest of the apartment, but nobody else is here.
Back in the bedroom, I try to get one of them to talk, but both are unconscious of what looks like several blows to the head, chest, and abdomen. Who did this? I pull out my cell phone and call 9-1-1. Waiting for them to arrive, I don’t move either of them in case it makes their injuries worse.
When the ambulance arrives, they take both out on stretchers. I call Chris and let him know what is going on. I need to know who did this. The police advise me they want to ask me some questions since I found them.
“Do you know anyone who would want to hurt these women?” the police officer asks.
“Lacey was attacked several months ago by an ex-boyfriend who is in jail, and an ex-boyfriend assaulted Laurel just yesterday. Both men should be in jail.” I can’t keep my words from stuttering.
The police promise they will find Shawn. In the meantime, I ride in the ambulance with Laurel, holding her hand.
When we reach the hospital, they ask me to stay behind so that they both could get tests done to see the extent of the damage. I didn’t want to let her go, but I knew it needs to be done. While I’m sitting in the waiting room, my mother shows up.
“Son, what happened? I saw your building on the news, and then you wouldn’t answer your phone. I was so concerned. Who is it? Who is hurt?” she asks, with tears streaming down her face.
I look down at my feet, trying not to cry again. “Mom, it’s Laurel and Lacey. They were both brutally beaten. Right now, the doctors are looking at them.”
She bobs her head in disbelief and puts her face in her palms. I never thought something like this would happen again. It needs to end. Right now! “Mom, I have some things I need to take care of. Can you call me if they have any news on them?” I ask her, before walking out the door.
Right now, all I want is for Shawn to be caught and put away forever. My thought is Chris could likely get his number and trace it.
I call Chris. “I need you to meet me at the office in ten minutes. It’s an emergency.”
“Okay, boss. I’ll be there,” he says, before hanging up.
If anyone can find Shawn, it will be him. He constantly stuns me at what he can do. The information he can dig up on people is superb. That is why he’s my go-to guy for this.
I drive way too fast down the street. Right now, all my rage is consuming me. I want to get my hands around his throat. He needs to be taught a lesson on how to treat women.
Pulling up to my building, I park right out front. I didn’t care if it says no parking. I take the elevator up to Chris’ floor, and he’s in front of his computer waiting for instructions. “What can I do for you, boss?” he asks eagerly, looking at me for direction.
My fists clench as I hand him a piece of paper with a number on it. “Can you trace this phone number? I need to know where this person is, and fast.”
He doesn’t hesitate, takes the paper, and starts typing into his computer furiously. “Boss, is everything okay? You seem tense.”
“Don’t worry about that right now. Just work!” I yell, but I don’t mean to.
“He is somewhere on 8th Avenue. I can’t pinpoint the exact location, but somewhere on that street. Looks like he has been there for over an hour,” he says, handing the paper back to me.
“Thanks, you can go back home now. I’ll explain later,” I say to him, as I rush out the door, pulling out my phone.
“I might have a location on Shawn. Somewhere on 8th Avenue. I’m on my way there now,” I say into my phone.
“Okay, I’ll send units there now. Wait for us. We will have to canvas before we go in. He could be anywhere on that street,” Leo says.
I get in my car and drive insanely fast to 8th Avenue. Pulling up, my mind is running through the ways it can play out. I can’t go in because he knows what I look like. He will run in a heartbeat or cause a scene.
“Have you seen him?” Leo says, jumping out of his car.
“No, you said to wait. I follow direct orders,” I say. My military training always taught me not to rush into a situation without having a plan. It never ends well.
Leo is followed by three cop cars that backs down the block with no lights on. We don’t want to cause attention. The element of surprise is going to be our biggest asset right now.