Chapter 5

He was going to enjoy this. She was another whore who deserved what was coming to her. He stalked her for two weeks and changes in her living situation only made the task more exciting. She was going to be harder to take, but he accepted the challenge and expected more pleasure from this encounter. She was young, about 16 or 17, she had long brown hair and brown eyes, just like all the others. And, just like all the others, she was a whore. He just needed to find a time when she would be vulnerable tonight and he was patient.

She didn’t know she was being targeted, she was unaware of being hunted and she was about to be caught in his snare. He just needed to be calm; he couldn’t let his need take over his mind. He felt the blood rushing through his veins, he felt the adrenaline ramping up and he felt his senses heightened. She was almost his. She was going to belong to him forever, just like the others.

She was alone; she didn’t realize the freedom she just won, he heard her talk about it with one of the other girls, made her more vulnerable. He watched her go into a store and talk to more gang members. She came out of the store and locked eyes with him. She saw him and knew he was watching her. She pointed him out to one of the “brothers” but he just shrugged.

She kept her eye on him and now the chase was on; he was going to make her run for it, but she was going to run to where he wanted her to run. She wasn’t going anywhere safe, she was just going to believe she was safe. He started to follow her and tried to get closer. He watched her turn to an alley that headed towards the woods. She thought she was going to lose him in the woods, but that was exactly where he wanted her to go. Away from any help.

She ran faster, she was having a hard time breathing, she looked behind her and saw him chasing her. He was coming closer, she sped up, but he was still closing the gap. She felt his hand grab out for her and she screamed when his fist closed around her hair. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his other arm around her neck.

“I got you now, you little whore,” He sneered into her ear as he brought her body next to his.

“I am not a whore,” she said, struggling against him.

“Oh, you are a whore,” he tightened his grip on her neck to prevent her from escaping. “You lived like a whore, you will die like a whore.”

“I am not a whore,” she screamed. “I am not a whore. Let me go, you bastard.”

“You will admit you are a whore before I am through with you,” he said angrily. He dragged her farther into the woods and threw her down.

She tried to get up to run, but he was faster than her and pinned her down. He ripped open her jeans and top, started to crudely fondle her breasts, and slapped her across the face to get her attention.

“You will admit you are a whore,” he said as he roughly held her jaw to make her look at him.

She was going to die, she thought, this man was going to kill her if she didn’t get away. She decided to fight. If she was going to die, she wasn’t going to submit. She started to cry, her life had changed, it started to go right. She found someone who really cared about her and wanted to build a better future with her.

She wasn’t giving up that future without a fight. She glared at him and started to fight back hard, she kicked him, punched him in the nose and raked her nails across his face. If he killed her, he was going to leave with marks, she thought. Hell, he might leave with a missing eye.

She looked at his eyes and he seemed to read her mind, he balled up his fist and struck her along the jaw to knock her out. He couldn’t afford to go home with scratches and bruises. He didn’t know how to explain that to his wife. He watched her go under for the first time. She will be very submissive when she regains consciousness, he thought.

He undid his pants, forced his shaft inside her and started to brutally penetrate her. He felt her stiffen and saw that his penetration had brought her around.

“No,” she cried. “No, get off me.”

She started to fight back again, but this time she was weaker, her head hurt, she was sore from his mistreatment and she felt a lot of pain from his intrusion. He wasn’t going to give her any reprieve from the pain. He enjoyed the violent ravishing too much. He started to really beat her, he punched her in the face, he grabbed and bruised her breasts and he started to draw blood from her with his penetration.

She continued to fight, but the pain was overwhelming and she was losing strength. Oh, Patrick, she thought, I am so sorry. I won’t be able to come home to you.

She lost consciousness for the second time and he realized that she accepted her fate, she knew that she wasn’t getting out of this alive. He won and he exerted his power over her body by drawing her back with more pain.

She started screaming and sobbing from the pain. She wanted it to end but didn’t want to beg for her death, she thought she might be able to escape if she made him think he killed her or if he grew bored because she wasn’t reacting, but the pain was too great. He was punching her, he was impaling her with his shaft, becoming more and more rough with each thrust. He made her feel every excruciating act he was performing on her body.

He put his hands around her neck and started to squeeze. She started to fight for air and clawed his hands. He didn’t release her but only tightened his grasp and watched the light go out of her eyes. When she finally stilled and her pulse stopped, he released himself in her body. He took her panties, wiped her down and captured her scent along with his semen. He put the panties in his pocket, picked her body up and started the long walk to the burial grounds about 100 yards away. He put her in a pre-dug grave and started to cover her body. She would stay here with the other girls.

He walked to his car, got in and drove to his rental house, opened the door and walked upstairs to his wife. She should be ready for him, he thought. She knew the routine well.

“Keith is that you,” Nancy called out in the dark, she had put on the nightgown he liked.

“Yes, Nancy it is me,” Keith undid his shirt and his pants, took off his underwear and crawled into bed with her. “I hope you are ready.”

She nodded as she opened her legs for him to slide in. She was slick and wet. Keith groaned as he removed the nightgown. She was so sweet. He was gentle with her, he caressed her breasts and remembered beating the whore’s breasts. Nancy was perfect and she responded to him well during this time. She let him satisfy himself with her. She moved against him and sighed.

He kissed her tenderly and she sucked his bottom lip. He groaned again and his hands skimmed over her whole body. He kissed her neck, remembering throttling the whore’s neck, sucked her breasts as he remembered bruising the whore’s breasts. He started to move in Nancy faster.

“Yes,” Nancy panted, “yes, faster, faster, Keith. Oh, harder.”

Nancy’s pleas met Keith’s ears and he started to thrust harder. Nancy lost herself as Keith plunged into her and spilled himself inside her.

They both lay in bed, exhausted.

Veronica woke up in her bed screaming again. Her mother ran into the room, turned on the light and ran over to her daughter’s bed.

“Veronica,” Judith patted her back in an effort to soothe her. “What is it, what happened?”

“She's dead, Mom,” Veronica sobbed. “She felt so much pain, it was so brutal, she suffered so much and died alone.”

“Who did, Veronica,” Judith asked softly. “Who died?”

“Casey,” Veronica wailed.

“My dear, I am sure Casey is fine,” Judith said calmly. “I am sure she is OK. I am sure she is home. Safe.”

Veronica shook her head. She knew Casey was dead, she felt it. Veronica felt the pain, she felt the loss and she felt Casey accept her fate and die.

“The bad things don’t have to happen, Veronica,” Judith said.

“But this did,” Veronica said. “Now, we have to find her. I am good, Mom. I need to go to sleep. Can you call Maddison in? I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“I will get her,” Judith got up and walked out the door.

Maddison walked in shortly and, still half asleep, crawled into bed.

“Whatever happened, you can tell me in the morning,” Maddison said. “I am tired.”

Veronica yawned and nodded as she snuggled in. Maddison rubbed her back, just like Veronica would do when Maddison was sick.

Veronica wanted to go to the police station as soon as she woke up, but her mother suggested that she talk to her therapist first.

“I don’t need to talk to Melissa,” Veronica said. “I need to talk to Lieutenant Feldman. I have an obligation to Casey...”

“We will take you to talk to the police,” Judith said. “But first, we have to see to you. We, your father and I, have an obligation to you.”

Fifteen minutes later, Veronica was at Melissa’s school, sitting in her office and apologizing for the short notice.

“That is OK, Veronica,” Melissa said smoothly. She was Veronica’s therapist since Veronica’s father and mother became aware of her visions. “I told you that I will be here for you no matter what.”

“This is stupid,” Veronica said. “I need to get to the police. We have to find Casey’s body.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Melissa wanted Veronica to take care of herself before wanting to solve the issue at hand. “Can you prevent Casey’s death?”

Veronica should have expected the question. She knew where this was going just as she knew the tide would come in.

“No,” Veronica said. “I can’t prevent it. And, tell me, what good are the visions if I can’t prevent my friends from dying or getting hurt?”

Melissa knew Veronica would start blaming herself for Casey’s death, “Do you feel responsible for Casey’s death?”

“Yes,” Veronica said. “I feel like if I was stronger, or if I was better at this, I could have saved her.”

“What were you doing when she died?” Melissa asked.

“Do you think she is really dead?”

“You do,” Melissa pointed out. “You said you felt all the pain she went through, you felt her accept her fate and you felt her die. We have been through this since the beginning. I have been with you since you prevented your father’s death. You have seen things that helped a lot of people, now, this might be the hardest challenge you will face. This will not be for Casey’s parents because they gave up on her a long time ago, this isn’t about closure for anyone but you.”

“Do you think that is selfish?” Veronica asked.

“No, I think you think that is selfish, but I am here to tell you: everyone needs closure, including you. I am going to help you as much as I can,” Melissa placed her hand on Veronica’s. “You can trust me, just as you have trusted me before.”

Veronica and Melissa continued to talk for a few more minutes and Veronica left her office to get back into her mother’s car.

“Melissa said I should give it a little time,” she told her mother. “She said to go home and really think about what I saw and gather all the clues I can. Then, I can go to Uncle Maxwell with the information.”

“That is a good idea, I will have your father drive you to Maxwell’s this evening,” Judith put the car in drive and made her way back to their house.

Later that day, Howard Conway drove his daughter to Maxwell’s office for the second time in a couple of days. Maxwell smiled at his niece and led them both into his large office. He asked the secretary to get a transcriber into the office before asking them to sit down.

“We have never had a transcriber before,” Howard observed.

“I will never do anything to compromise my niece,” Maxwell said. “You can be assured of the discretion, but I do want everything about this case to go on record. If the girl was killed in the way Veronica is about to describe, her death will rock this town. The brutality alone will make your daughter a target for the media. I suggest you allow me to speak for the family. That way, your daughter stays out of it. Howard, I am only acting in Veronica’s best interest, I want to protect her too.”

Veronica went over everything she saw, everything she felt and everything she heard. The transcriber was appalled at the story. Howard and Maxwell just listened.

“He wanted her to admit she was a whore,” Veronica said. Then she turned to her father, “Daddy, she was no whore. She was my friend. She had people who cared about her, he didn’t have the right to take her from us.”

“The police will deal with it, Veronica,” Howard assured her. “This monster won’t get away with this.”

Veronica nodded. She finished her story and Maxwell told the transcriber to get the document ready.

The trio went into the police station and were ushered into Lieutenant Feldman’s office. Lloyd was still working on the gang related homicide. They had the information Veronica gave them and were tightening the noose around Loco.

“I appreciate you coming in again,” Lloyd said. “I don’t have any questions, but we can go over what you saw one more time. That would be helpful.”

Howard was a little confused. He knew he should have called ahead, “What are you talking about?”

“Well,” Lloyd said. “There are a few details that I need if Veronica has them. I need to know where Coyot was when the victim was shot.”

“He was there, but there is something else we wanted to talk to you about,” Veronica said.

“Now, he was there,” Lloyd continued. “Was he looking at the victim, or was he looking at Loco?”

“He was also walking away,” Veronica said. “He looked unhappy when Loco shot the rival member.”

“OK,” Lloyd said. “That really helps. Thank you, if I have any more questions I will give you a call.”

He got up out of his chair and started to escort the trio out.

“We are here to file a missing person’s report,” Maxwell said coolly.

“You are?” Lloyd was confused.

“Yes,” Maxwell said. “We feel something has happened to a young girl by the name of Casey Hammond.”

“Oh,” Lloyd sat down. “Well, let’s see if we can get that missing person report filed for you and we will start locating the girl. Any ideas where she might be?”

“None, as of yet,” Veronica said.

“Who does she hang out with besides you?” Lloyd started writing.

“She hangs out with Shorty,” Veronica said.

“That will be helpful,” Lloyd said under his breath. “Any ideas as to what happened to her?”

Veronica looked at her uncle and the attorney nodded.

“I think she is dead,” Veronica said. “I think she was raped and strangled.”

Veronica told Lloyd the whole story and the description was vaguely familiar. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was exactly like Molly Hemsworth about twenty years ago.

“I don’t think you should worry about your friend,” Lloyd said. “Chances are Casey is safe and will get in contact with you as soon as she can.”

Veronica doubted it. She knew she had to do something, her father wouldn’t approve, but she needed to get into Casey’s world. Her first contact will be Shorty. He will know what she was up to. Just getting to his place will be difficult. Veronica will have to be careful.

She left the police office with her father and uncle and agreed to let the police handle the case and keep an eye out for Casey. The police made everyone feel like Casey was just around the corner.

“It is how they build hope,” Maxwell said. “Without a body, they are really not able to do much. There are about several dozen open missing persons cases. Men, women, teenagers. It is like they are falling down a black hole somewhere.”

“I want to make sure Casey doesn’t fall down that same black hole,” Veronica said.

Later that day, Veronica told her father that she was going for a bike ride. She trained with Maddison who had a bout in two days. Even though they were four years apart, Maddison wanted to learn how to fight a left-handed fencer and Veronica was a stronger fencer. If Maddison could hold her own against Veronica, then she was going to take the day. At least that is what she told Veronica. Maddison told Curtis something completely different.

“I want to wear her out,” Maddison said. “She can work out some of that energy.”

“She is going to crush you,” Curtis mused.

Veronica crushed her. Several times, then Veronica got an idea. She would go for a ride and talk to Shorty. She got on her bike and rode to the south side of town. She wanted to see Shorty herself.

Shorty was a mess, Casey didn’t come home last night and there was no sign of her. The “brothers” thought she skipped out and were looking for her. If they found her before he did, she might not survive the night. He got one of his recruits to follow the leaders around and keep him informed. He had a network of ears and eyes throughout the gang.

“Oh, damn,” Shorty thought when he saw Veronica Conway riding up on her bike, “I do not have time for this.”

“Hello, Veronica,” Shorty said. “What can I do for you?”

“I need to talk to you,” Veronica dismounted, parked her bike and locked it up. “I want to know if you have seen Casey.”

Shorty looked at her and saw something in her eyes, “No, no, no.” He hit the ground and Veronica picked him up.

They walked into his house and into the same office where he and Casey were intimate for the first time. He enjoyed her company, she was smart, she was going to be a good partner.

“I haven’t seen her in 12 hours,” Shorty said. “She went to have dinner. I had a meeting with the “brothers” and she couldn’t stay in the house. I sent her away for a few hours. She was OK with it. It was something we talked about. She never made it back. She wanted me. She was the only one who wanted me.”

“Patrick,” Veronica said softly. She knew she had to keep her voice down. The “brothers” can’t know what she knew about this young man. “I know she looked forward to the life you two were building together. She told me. She didn’t skip.”

“I know,” Shorty said. “I wish she had because she would still be alive. You are here so she is dead. What am I going to do?”

Veronica didn’t know how to answer him; She didn’t know what she was going to do. They were interrupted by the recruit Shorty sent with the “brothers” who were out looking for Casey.

“Shit,” Shorty said as the recruit came into the office and saw Veronica. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She was a choice piece of flesh and Coyot would love nothing more than to claim her and flaunt her around town. Veronica was what the gang leaders would consider a luxury girl. She came from a prominent family who had money and she had standing in the city herself.

As if he read Shorty’s thoughts, Coyot came in and saw Veronica sitting in a chair across from Shorty. He looked her over with a gleam in his eye.

“Well, well, well,” Coyot said as he approached her. “What do we have here? Are you holding out on us, Shorty? You know the rules. All the girls must be shared.”

“She is a visitor, under my protection,” Shorty said coldly. “She is not for consumption unless you want this whole goddamn town on your head. You want to keep things the way they are, you leave her alone.”

“You telling me what to do?” Coyot played with Veronica’s hair. She was calm, she knew she could disarm Coyot if she needed to. She already saw the knife in his right hand. He was holding it loosely. The way fighters who learned off the streets held blades. She wasn’t off the streets. Her training was more formal, more lethal.

“I am fulfilling the obligation I have to you and your other leaders by giving you the best information I can give you,” Shorty said. He has seen Coyot fight and he has seen Veronica fight. He knew how the scuffle would end. It was everyone else who concerned him. They were not above shooting her. “She is here asking about Casey, Coyot. She is Casey’s friend.”

“She can take Casey’s place,” Coyot said as he grabbed her and held the knife to her throat. “I am going to claim her first.”

He expected to see fear in her eyes, but he just saw that she was a little bothered and bored. She moved her hand quickly, faster than he expected a girl to move and then he found the knife to his throat.

“Shorty,” Veronica said, holding the knife to Coyot’s throat. “You know where to find me if you hear anything. Coyot, did you just say you wanted to escort me out so I don’t get hurt? How kind of you.” Veronica caught his hair in the ponytail and made him cover her as she started to walk out. “I don’t mind slitting your throat. So, if they try to kill me, I will kill you.” To make her point, she pricked his skin with the knife.

Coyot felt the blood go down his neck and hit his t-shirt, “Don’t shoot,” he called out. “The girl leaves unharmed.”

The gang watched in horror as they realized their leader was being threatened by a small girl. She got to her bike and released him but kept the knife. She unlocked her bike and got on to leave.

“You will pay for that, you little bitch,” Coyot said as he pressed his hand against his wound.

“Not if you are smart,” Veronica said before she rode off. “Thanks for the knife. It is a good one.”

Coyot watched her go then stormed back into Shorty’s office, “Why the hell didn’t you do anything when that bitch threatened me?”

“I did do something,” Shorty said without looking up from the paperwork, “I told you not to harass her.”