Betrayed (The Worshipped Series Book 2) (38 page)

At this point I can’t even let myself get angry. What’s done is done. Nothing can change what Jason thought he had to do and I would be wasting my time dwelling on it. There’s no way I can get the pilot to turn the plane around and go back. Plus, Jason is probably long gone by now. I have no idea where he will go. I sigh in defeat. Even though I want to find him and tell him what an ass he is being, I know that he sent me away for a reason. I do trust him. I have to trust that he will come back. Just the thought of him me never seeing him again makes my chest hurt. I push these unwanted thoughts aside and try to be happy that I am going back home. 

In all honesty, I regret it. 

I don’t know if I can go back to the life I had before everything happened. I don’t know if I can be cool, calm, and in control Karen anymore. Jason has changed me, or rather, brought out my true self since spending all this time with him. I want to think things will go back to the way they were, but I have a feeling everything is about to change. 

Hours later after our plane lands, Frankie and I make our way to my apartment. Frankie’s rented a car from the airport and as he gets closer and closer to my home, I start to get really nervous. I shouldn’t be feeling this way. This is my home, well has been for a long time now. I should be excited to go back to my normal life. I should be excited to get back to work and be able to see Riley again. Knowing her, she has worn herself down with worry. 

 I shouldn’t be feeling dread. I don’t know what my problem is. A few months away and coming back feels, almost wrong somehow. Being with Jason and seeing how my life truly should be is making me question everything about myself. 

“Karen? You alright?” Frankie asks pulling me back to the now. 

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just strange to be back I guess.”

“I can imagine it is. How long were you gone?”

I shrug my shoulders as I say, “Maybe two months. Could be longer. I didn’t exactly have a calendar sitting by the bed I was handcuffed to.”

Frankie shakes his head and smiles at me. 

“That sounds like something Jason would do.”

“Yeah no kidding. Hey Frankie?”

“Yeah?”

“Where exactly are you staying? I mean, I know you said Jason asked you to stay for a while, but unless you have some friends here, where are you going to go?” I don’t know why I am so curious as to where he will stay. I think it is my way of keeping my mind busy so I don’t think of unwanted thoughts anymore. Plus it’s hard not to worry about him. He’s still a kid. 

“I’m crashing with you.”

“Of course you are.” I scoff. For some reason him claiming to stay with me doesn’t bother me as much as it should. I really don’t want to be alone and Frankie isn’t that bad to be around. My time spent with him that one time in the motel was actually nice. 

After a few moments of silence, I can’t take it anymore. I turn on the radio and I let my head fall back against the seat and I listen to the music. I actually listen hard to the words that are being spoken. Thinking of each word the singer is singing keeps the thoughts of Jason away. 

Time seems to go by quickly and before I know it, we are pulling into the parking garage of my apartment. We both get out of the car and grab our bags. I lead the way up the stairs to my home. The one place that was once my safe haven. I always loved coming home after a long day at the clinic to unwind. But now, now I feel a weight on my chest as if someone is sitting on top of me. I’ve never felt this way before and I find myself thinking of Jason. Of the times we spent nights here. Even if it was before I knew him and of his past, the memories we made together while here were amazing. Maybe the reason for all the dread and regretting coming home, is because I know he isn’t here waiting for me. I have no clue where he is now, and I already miss having him around all the time. 

Frankie hands me my keys and I give him a puzzled look. All he says is “Jason” and I should’ve known Jason would have them. We make our way down the hall and I look up at my door to see it’s open already. As far as I know no one has been here since I left. 

“Frankie?”

Frankie instantly sees what I am so worried about and he drops his bag. He turns to me as he pulls out a gun.

“Stay out here. I’ll make sure no one is still inside.” He tells me. 

“Where the hell did you get a gun?”

“Part of the job,” is all he says as he leaves me out in hall. I don’t know why anyone would want to break into my apartment. Sure I have some things someone might want to steal but nothing expensive. I never understood why some people wanted to waste their hard earned money on things that really don’t matter. All the money I’ve made over the years from the clinic is safely at the bank, so I know they aren’t after that either. 

Minutes feel like hours as I wait impatiently for Frankie to come back out. I keep going over it in my head as to why someone would break in. I hope it was just some random kid looking to take a few things to make a few extra bucks. I rack my brain over and over about it. Almost to the point of madness. Then finally, Frankie walks out. 

“No one is here. And nothing looks like it has been messed with. It’s the damnedest thing.”

I walk inside and just as Frankie says, nothing looks like it has been touched. Everything is exactly where it was before Jason took me. The only way anyone would know someone broke in is from the door being busted open. It’s strange. Why would someone want to break in and not touch a thing? 

“I’m still going to call the police. Maybe something like this has happened around the neighborhood. I’d hide that gun if I were you.”

“Yeah. Here take my phone.”

I grab his phone and I call the local police. While telling the dispatcher what’s going on, I walk around the apartment just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I tell her, that nothing seems to be missing, but she tells me she is sending out an officer just to make sure and so I can file a complaint. I hang up and I set Frankie’s phone on the counter. Now more than ever, I wish Jason was here with me. He would know what to do. 

I walk out to my balcony and just stand there. I look out at the busy cars, the people walking, and I can hear the sounds of the city. I close my eyes as I picture me being back on the beach. It calms me and I imagine the sounds of the waves. The feel of the sun on my skin. The sand beneath my toes. Not even one full day back in California and I want to run back to the beach. But I know I can’t. There is nothing for me there either. I hear a knock at the door and I overhear Frankie talking to someone. I assume it is the officer the dispatcher told me about, but how did they get here so quickly? It can’t have been more than ten minutes since I talked to her. 

Confused, I walk back inside. I see a familiar face talking to Frankie. I know the detective looks familiar to me. When he introduces himself, I remember where I have seen him before.  

“I’m Detective James. I heard there was a break in, and I was in the neighborhood so I thought I would come lend a hand.”

Frankie lets the detective in and I walk up to him to shake his hand. 

“I remember you from helping out with the case with Cammie. Thank you for coming.”

I don’t know if it is because I am shaken up from all that has happened so fast in the past few days or what, but as soon as my hand touches the detective’s, warning bells start to go off in my head. I quickly take my hand out of his and step a few inches away from him. I don’t know why he is giving me the serious case of the creeps, but I cannot ignore what my instincts are telling me. 

This man is dangerous. 

Stay clear of this man. 

Funny how I never got these feelings when I first met Jason. I shake my head and I tell him what happened when we arrived. He seems really interested in me for whatever reason. I want to think it is because he is good at his job, but the way his eyes gleam in wonder at me, it starts to freak me out. 

Frankie must sense something isn’t right and he moves closer to me. He crosses his arms over his chest as if he is warning the detective off. Frankie reminds me of an overly protective brother right now, but him doing this, makes me relax a little. 

I finish telling Detective James all I know and he surprises me by his next question. 

“You’re Karen Keens friend of Riley Blake are you not?” 

“Um … yeah. Why do you ask?” Alarm bells are going off like crazy. Something isn’t right about this guy. 

“Oh it’s nothing really. She just thought you were missing, but here you are safe and sound. Funny thing is, I ran a trace on your cell, and it said you were in Texas. Is this correct?”

“I went to stay with family for a while. I hadn’t realized Riley would worry so much. I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what this has to do with someone breaking into my apartment Detective.” For some reason I don’t want him to know where I have been. Something is telling me to keep my mouth shut about that whole experience. 

“It doesn’t. Just simply curious,” he says with a creepy grin. This guy is really starting to freak me out. 

I open my mouth to say something back when a knock at the door stops me. I quickly walk away, thanking whoever this is at my door. I open the door and it’s another detective. What the hell?

“I’m Detective Scott. We received a call about a possible break in?”

“Yeah, but you’re a little late Detective Scott.” He looks seriously confused and to show him what I mean when I open the door and so he can see the other creepy detective talking to Frankie. 

“I see.” Is all Detective Scott says before he lets himself in. I glare at his back wondering where the hell did all these damn cops come from? Detective Scott can dominate any room. He is a very big man and I don’t mean by overweight. He has the broadest shoulders I have ever seen, and he is at least six foot six. His black hair and green eyes go perfect with his dominating frame. I can say he isn’t attractive but I would be lying. 

I shut the door, thinking I should call my landlord to replace the door and locks. I walk over close to Frankie and the two detectives are arguing. About what, I have no clue. They are talking so low and through clenched teeth. I can tell neither like each other.

I clear my throat and say, “Detectives, if you wouldn’t mind taking your disagreement somewhere else I would appreciate it. I am exhausted and I have a few more calls to make.”

The stare each other down as I walk them to the door. 

“I just have a few more questions and I promise to get out of your hair,” Detective Scott tells me. He isn’t giving off any weird vibes so I reluctantly agree. Detective James does not seem happy about that one bit. 

 “Mason, I think she has had enough questions for the day,” Detective James tells the other detective but his sarcasm doesn’t go unnoticed. I know detective James is getting annoyed just the way he says the other detective’s first name instead of his last. 

“Vincent, I am following protocol. Now if you wouldn’t mind, I would like to do my job.” 

I can’t help but to notice the tension between the two. We all watch Detective James as he leaves and I have a feeling I haven’t seen the last of him. 

“Sorry about that. I just have a few questions of my own and I will be on my way.”

I nod my head and say, “Alright. What do you want to know?”

“When you called in the break in, you told the dispatcher nothing appeared to be missing.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And how long after you called did Detective James happen to show up?”

“I don’t see what that has to do with Karen’s apartment being broken into,” Frankie says. 

His doesn’t take his off me as he says, “Just call it a hunch.”

This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder. 

“He showed up maybe ten minutes after I called. Should I have something to worry about?”

“No. But take my card and if you see Detective James around, just give me a call alright?”

I nod and take his card. I put it in my back pocket and he turns to leave. I sigh and turn to Frankie. He looks just as confused as I am about this entire situation. 

“Is it just me or did Detective James seem different to you,” Frankie asks. 

“No, I felt it too. He gave me the creeps.”

“I thought so. Well, now that’s over with, what are you making for dinner?”

I walk over to him and I punch him in the arm. 

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“I don’t cook and I am not your own personal chef. There is a list of takeout meus by the coffee pot, call us something in.” I tell him as I grab my bag and head to my room. I shut the door and I let myself fall onto the bed. 

I look around my bedroom and I can’t help but think back to the cabin. My apartment reminds me of how open the cabin is. My small one bedroom apartment is almost set up the same, and I find myself thinking of Jason yet again. I kick myself knowing I’m not making this whole time away from him any better. I hear Frankie calling in our order for the night and I realize, pizza for dinner sucks compared to what Jason would be cooking for me. 

By the end of the week, I am ready to strangle Frankie. The guy’s a fucking pig. Not only does he leave his shit everywhere, but he leaves dishes in the sink, doesn’t put the towels in the hamper when he is finished, and I am sure I will have to burn my couch when he decides to leave. I have come to care for Frankie more as a brother, but I am at my wits end.