Twisted, page 14
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“How did it happen?” Dee growled. “How did you two end up in bed together? Or was it even in a bed?”
Grayson sighed. “The details aren’t important.”
“They’re important to me!” She waved her arm. “How did it happen? How did your asses go from coffee to fucking?” her voice shook the room.
“Dee,” Winston said.
“Be quiet!” She pointed at him. “His ass needs to be embarrassed and ashamed and I deserve the entire truth. How did it happen, Grayson?”
“We flirted through coffee and went to a motel.” Grayson shrugged, looking defeated. “We had sex.”
“Made love?” Dee muttered.
“Sex.” Grayson glared at her. “Love had nothing to do with it. She was just a warm body, Dee. I would’ve hooked up with anyone at the time who showed me some attention.”
“Oh?” She leaned back. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“I’m sorry.” He shook his hands out to her. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“Then why did your fucking ass go?” She slapped him. “Huh?”
Winston gasped. “Dee.”
Grayson rubbed his cheek, lips shivering. “My world is crumbling without you. Please, give me another chance.”
“Aren’t you curious as to how I found out about Karleen?” Dee explained about her car being at her place and how she might be covering for whoever’s targeting Dee.
“Why would this person be driving Karleen’s car?” Grayson scratched his head.
“That’s the magic question,” Winston said.
“God.” Grayson groaned. “This isn’t coming back to me again, is it? I’m not the one doing this.”
“Do you know someone Karleen could be covering for?” Dee asked.
“No.” He scowled. “I want nothing to do with Karleen. She’s a psycho.”
“What?” Winston asked.
“She became obsessed with me after I broke it off.” Grayson paced. “She wouldn’t leave me alone.”
“Is this another lie?”
“I swear it’s true, Dee.” He raised his hand as if to pledge. “She fell in love with me she claims but after we slept together a few times she became so clingy. She’d call me all the time and even show up at my place.”
“Your bed,” Dee whispered, burning from heartache. “Did you ever sleep with her in your bed?”
“No.” He shook his head. “You’re the only woman I’ve had or wanted in my bed since I met you. I didn’t want anything to do with Karleen. Her way of thinking...” He squinted at the floor. “It was strange. She frightened me.”
“How?” Dee asked.
“When I tried to break it off, she got nasty. Like a completely different person.” He sat at his computer. “I can prove it. I downloaded her emails and saved them in case she did something.”
“You’re afraid she might be dangerous?” Winston asked as he and Dee gathered around Grayson.
“She’s twisted.” Grayson opened a folder and clicked on a file.
Various emails with dates came up.
“Jesus.” Dee leaned over, holding the computer monitor. “There’s tons of them.”
Grayson nodded. “Read one and you’ll see what I mean. She kept sending them for days right behind each other.”
Dee clicked on one and read it. Her stomach turned at the perverted threats Karleen wrote.
“This is twisted,” Winston whispered. “She’s talking about hanging you with a noose, decapitating you.”
Dee looked at another one. “Why didn’t you report this?”
“Because I didn’t want you to find out.”
Dee read through a third one. “She’s threatening me on this one.”
“Jesus,” Winston said.
“She even called me the N-word,” Dee said. “She’s a gem isn’t she?”
“I told you she’s vile,” Grayson said. “I’m the writer and I couldn’t come up with some of the stuff she said.”
“No one in their right mind would.” Winston stood up straight. “Forget about Grayson’s life being in danger. Look how she’s talking about you, Dee.”
“She’s never met me but hates me like I killed her family or something.” Dee pointed to the screen. “Read what she says. She’s blaming me for Grayson dumping her.” She jerked. “Damn.”
“What?” Winston asked.
“Fuck.” Dee tugged on Winston’s hand. “Winston, it’s not a man.”
“What?”
“It’s not a man who’s doing this to me.” Dee moved from the desk. “It’s Karleen. She’s the one who’s targeting me!”
Winston did a double-take. “That’s a leap isn’t it?”
“Are you reading the same emails I am? This woman hates me. There’s no one else who’d want to target me but her.”
“What about the call you got?” Winston asked. “You said it was a man’s voice.”
“I said it sounded fake and distorted too. She could’ve been talking through something to disguise her voice. You can do that shit through apps.”
“Karleen does know a lot about technology and gadgets,” Grayson said. “She lives on the computer. Surfing the net and hanging in chat rooms.”
Dee mocked. “And making fake profiles to ruin people’s lives.”
“Wait,” Winston said. “You said you saw a man in the car at the grocery store.”
“I thought it was a man.” She nibbled her thumb. “But it could’ve been Karleen with a baseball cap on and shades.”
Winston nodded. “You kept saying he had a small build and face smooth as a woman’s.”
“Goddamn it, it’s her.” Dee ran out the living room. “Come on, Winston!”
****
“Mm.” Jake opened his eyes in a bed with both wrists handcuffed to the headboard above him. “What the?” He was fully clothed and still in his shoes. “Rayne!” He jiggled his wrists. “Let me go!”
No sound or trace of Rayne.
“Rayne!” Huffing and puffing, Jake leaned up as a pain shot through his arm. He tried to slip his hands from the cuffs but they were too big.
It wasn’t until the adrenaline of trying to get away died that he realized where he was.
“God.”
Earth tones and rustic hues floated throughout the space. Forest green curtains hung from the window on the left of the bed.
Jake closed his eyes, drifting to not long before his accident. Clear as day he saw Katherine closing these curtains and sashaying to the same bed he was in wearing a thin nightgown.
What shocked him most? Rayne’s actions or being back in the one place he’d been afraid to visit since the accident?
“Rayne!” He focused on the vintage, oak dresser ahead of him.
Pictures of him and Katherine hugging and kissing remained in the order Katherine always kept them in. Along with that were pictures of Katherine with her parents and a photo of her as a girl with her younger sister, Erin. Next to that sat Katherine’s jewelry box and makeup kit.
He remembered how he used to tease her for how long it took her to do her makeup.
Footsteps approached.
“Katherine?” he whispered, hyperventilating. “Jesus.”
Course it couldn’t be Katherine.
What’s wrong with me?
“Aw, he’s awake.” Rayne stood in the doorway in Katherine’s white blouse with the roses on it and jeans he assumed were Katherine’s as well.
“Take that off!” he roared. “You take her clothes off right now or I’ll kill you!”
“Really?” Rayne leaned on the dresser. “Why am I not convinced?”
“I’m not playing with you, Rayne.” He panted. “Not many things get me this angry but you being in Katherine’s house does. How dare you bring me here? Is this part of your sick plan?”
“My you got your strength back fast didn’t you?”
“Come over here.” He jiggled the handcuffs. “And you’ll see how much strength I got.”
“Ooh.” She laughed. “I’m scared.”
“Whatever you got against me it doesn’t warrant you bringing me here.”
“Actually it does. I brought you here to inflict pain, and I knew this place would be painful for you. I’m guessing you haven’t been here since you killed Katherine. Your guilt really gets to you here, doesn’t it?”
“It was an accident! I paid my dues.”
She waved her finger. “Not yet.”
“What’s it to you? You didn’t even know Katherine.”
She walked toward him and leaned over. “You sure about that, Jake?”
He looked at her then glanced at the picture of Katherine and Erin.
No, it can’t be.
Rayne smirked. “You said I resembled her. Wonder why?”
“It can’t be.” He shook his head. “There’s no way.”
She stood. “What’s no way?”
“Erin?” He squinted. “You can’t be.”
“Bravo!” Rayne clapped, jumping up and down. “He finally gets it. Tell him what he’s won, Johnny!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“You...you can’t be Erin. Erin’s in an—”
“Institution?” She raised an eyebrow. “Not anymore. No longer Erin Greene I’m Rayne Jessup now.”
“Why did you change your name?”
“Because my parents deserted me, and I wanted no part of them, not even the name they’d given me.”
“I can’t believe this. Erin, why?”
“My name is Rayne.” She snatched his chin. “And don’t you forget it.”
“God, you blame me.” His chest heaved as he breathed. “That’s why you want revenge. Oh, Rayne. I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?”
“I told you I’d have traded places with Katherine if I could.” He swallowed, tears appearing in his eyes. “Please believe that.”
“But you can’t, Jake.” Her eyes darkened. “You’re gonna die tonight, and it’s gonna be the best thing that’s ever happened.”
“What are you talking about? Rayne, please don’t do anything stupid.”
“Oh, it’s not stupid.” She took out the syringe. “No, it’s gonna be quite entertaining and clever.”
Jake focused on the syringe. “Is that the stuff you gave me earlier?”
“No, that was Midazolam to knock you out.” She looked at the syringe. “This is death in a needle.”
Jake’s heart pounded.
“This is Succinylcholine.”
“What is that?” Jake’s voice shook.
“They use it for surgery, but in large doses it causes death.” She flicked the needle. “And, you’re about to experience it firsthand.”
He jiggled his bounded wrists. “Rayne, you can’t do this.”
“I can and I will. I’ve been waiting for years to kill you.” She moved closer to the bed. “But shooting or stabbing you wasn’t good enough. See, I need you to suffer. I need you to suffer the way I have since you took my sister away from me.”
“Rayne.” He sweated. “Please. It was an accident. I swear if I could change it I would.”
“It wasn’t an accident!” She leaned over him. “Your ass was driving drunk and Katherine paid for it with her life.”
“I paid too.” He sobbed. “Because not a day goes by when I don’t regret what happened. You gotta believe me, Rayne.”
“I don’t see you paying.” She paraded around with the needle. “You’re alive, living off disability checks, and you have a beautiful girlfriend. Where’s the suffering?”
“I suffered!”
“What, your legs? Give me a fucking break! You can still walk. Where’s the suffering?”
“I suffered when I lost Katherine.” He choked on tears. “I loved her more than anything.”
“Not more than me.”
“Katherine talked about you all the time.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about me.”
“I do.” He wiggled his hands. “I’ve always felt sorry for you. It hurt you being in that place. Katherine told me.”
“Shut up.” She waved the needle. “Don’t try to sweet talk your ass out of this. It won’t work.”
“Rayne, please.”
“You know what this does?” She patted his hair. “It breaks down your muscles, fucks up your breathing, and gives you cardiac arrest.”
“Rayne.”
“You’re gonna die slowly, Jake. Every moment is gonna be full of gut-wrenching pain. You’re gonna suffocate, begging for each breath until they come no more.”
“I don’t believe you can go through with it.”
“Hm.” She nodded. “I’ve been dreaming of watching every, single breath escape your body and you not being able to stop it. I wanna watch you moan, groan, drool, and whimper until your body goes cold.”
He closed his eyes.
“I’m gonna stand here and watch your last puff of breath.” She cackled. “Who knows? I might even film it and put it on Youtube.”
“You can’t do this.” Jake kicked at her. “Stay away from me!”
“Word of warning, Jake.” She lowered the needle to her side. “Never tell a woman what she can’t do.”
****
“Miss?”
Lisa awoke to a group of women standing outside the bathroom stall.
“Are you okay?” a woman with red glasses asked.
Lisa raised up, woozy. “Jake.”
“What happened?” A tall black woman reached for Lisa. “Did you pass out?”
“Jake.” Lisa quivered as she stood.
“Hold on.” The woman with the glasses held her. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“No.” Lisa pushed through the women and ran out the restroom. “Jake!” She grabbed the greeter when she got to the front of the restaurant. “Did you see my boyfriend? The guy I came in here with?”
“The man in the wheelchair?” His bald head shimmered under the light.
Lisa glanced around the restaurant. “Did he leave?”
“Yeah, with the blonde woman.” The greeter pushed his glasses up. “The one in the red dress.”
“Where did they go?” She shook him. “I’m a cop, answer me.”
“I don’t know.”
“Damn it.” Lisa yanked out her phone and dialed Jake’s number.
“Hello?” Rayne answered.
Lisa panted. “Where are you, Rayne?”
“You’re the brilliant cop. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
“I’m not playing with you,” Lisa yelled. “What have you done to Jake?”
The entire restaurant focused on her.
“Nothing,” Rayne said. “Yet.”
“If you hurt one hair on Jake’s head...” Sweat rolled down Lisa’s nose. “Honey, even the power of God won’t be able to save you from me.”
“Do I sound scared to you?”
“Where are you?”
Rayne hung up.
“Shit.” Lisa ran out the restaurant.
****
“Can I get you something to drink, Detectives?” Karleen escorted Dee and Winston to her living room.
“No,” Dee said, struggling not to rip Karleen in two.
“Please excuse the attire.” Karleen closed her robe while throwing a flirtatious glance at Winston.
“Interesting place.” He checked out the art on the wall. “You like art?”
Karleen nodded with a big smile.
“I’m an artist,” Winston said.
“I’m not surprised.” She tilted her head. “I could sense that about you.”
“I can sense things too,” Dee said. “I sensed that you knew me the first time we met. Am I wrong?”
“Yes.” Karleen kept her gaze on Dee as she walked behind her. “I don’t like games, Detective Quarter.”
“I don’t agree.” Dee smiled, crossing her arms. “I think you like games very much. You like playing with people’s lives it seems.”
Karleen’s expression hardened. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s over, Karleen.” Winston sat on the couch.
She turned in a circle. “What are you talking about?”
“Cut the shit.” Dee jumped in her face. “We’re not playing this game anymore.”
Karleen stepped back, pointing at the door. “I want you to leave.”
“Fine and you’re coming with us.” Dee got her cuffs out.
“For what?” Karleen gaped. “I haven’t done anything.”
“Besides putting up fake profiles of me?” Dee jiggled the cuffs.
“What?” She chuckled.
Dee rattled off the names of the sites.
“Is she crazy?” Karleen turned to Winston. “Why would I create fake profiles of her? I’ve never even met her.”
“But you know Grayson pretty well, don’t you?” Dee asked. “You had an affair with him and he dumped you.”
Karleen flexed the muscles in her cheeks. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Stop it.” Dee sighed, shaking her head. “I’m two seconds away from breaking your neck so don’t insult my intelligence anymore. He dumped you and you blame me for it. We saw the emails you sent him, Karleen. They were some of the most hateful and nasty things I’ve ever read.”
Karleen rocked with a cocky smirk.
“You’re the one who did the profiles and the one who showed up at my house.” Dee stuck her hand in her face. “I dare you to deny it.”
Karleen glanced at Winston and shrugged. “It wasn’t personal.”
“Wasn’t personal?” Dee gawked at her. “You almost ruined my life!”
“That’s pretty dramatic isn’t it, Detective? All I did was post a few pictures.”
“Pictures that embarrassed the hell out of me,” Dee squealed. “Pictures that you sent to my superior and friends! Pictures that caused me to be attacked in my own home. You’re a woman. How could you do something so disgusting?”
“I didn’t set out to hurt you.” Karleen walked around, waving her hands. “It was to get back at Grayson. It seemed like nothing I did would get his attention.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” Dee snapped. “You did it because you were hoping Grayson would see those pictures and go back to you. Well, guess what? Grayson and I broke up and he still doesn’t want your ass.”
