Deadly Hunt (Deadly #1) (9 page)

I made it home and went into the bedroom. Dad was right, she has deteriorated. She looks fragile, breakable. It’s devastating to see her like this. I walk over to the bed and take her hand, it’s cold and so small.

“Sweetheart, don’t be sad, you and your brothers made my life. I was very happy with your father, but I knew I wanted children. Then to find out I couldn’t, it broke my heart, but you and your brothers, they pieced it together with every laugh you had. I love you so very much Soph, you are my daughter. I may not have given birth to you, but I love you more for it.”

I cry hard, knowing deep within my heart she is saying goodbye. I don’t want to accept it.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” I do, I look into her eyes. Eyes that were always full of laughter are now sad and tired looking.

“I need you to promise me something.” I nod, I can’t speak at the moment. “Promise me, you will strive for happiness, you won’t settle for anything less than perfect. Dream big, live bigger. Promise me Soph, you will do that.” I’m crying now.

“I promise mom, I’ll dream big and live bigger.” She nods her head.

“I love you my beautiful baby girl.” I have to swallow back the sob that is in my throat.

“I love you too mom, you are the greatest person I have ever met.” She smiles at me, she closes her eyes and we sit in silence.

I’ve been sitting here for ages. Dad came in about two hours ago, followed by Luke. Scott was here earlier, he left after he spoke to mom, dad says I just missed him when I came home. I hope he comes back. The nurse turns up and she talks to dad outside. I haven’t moved from my spot since I came in.

“Soph, do you want something to eat?” Luke asks, I shake my head. I don’t want to eat and I don’t want to talk, I just want her to get better. The doctors could be wrong; she could get better. The bedroom door opens again; I don’t look to see who it is.

I feel someone behind me; they put their hands on my hair. “Soph, you okay?” It’s Scott, I don’t look up at him, I just nod my head and stare at mom. He leaves for a few minutes, he comes back in with a chair, he puts it beside mine and holds my hand.

Three hours later we’re all in the room, Luke and Scott are reminiscing, Dad looks like he’s about to shatter and I’m completely numb. We all watch as mom takes her last breath. Dad has tears streaming down his face, he stands up and pulls a crying Scott into his arms, and Luke joins them. I stay seated just staring.

“Soph, baby girl, come on let’s get you something to eat.” I face him and I shake my head. I need to be alone; I can’t be around them right now. I walk out of the room and into mine. I put my headphones in and listen to music; I have ‘Touched by A Rose’ on continuous repeat. I don’t want her to be dead, she can’t be dead. I don’t know how long I lay in my bed for, I still haven’t cried. I feel really numb. I make my way downstairs to get some water.

“Soph, you okay?” I see Luke sitting in the hall with his back to his bedroom door.

“Yeah. Why are you sitting there?” he smiles sadly at me, I think it’s pity I see on his face before it’s masked. He stands up and walks over to me.

“Soph, you’ve been in your room for almost five hours, you haven’t eaten in over ten. Dad is downstairs, he is worried about you. Come on, we will go to the kitchen and eat, yeah?” I shake my head; I don’t want this.

“Please leave me alone Luke, I just want to be by myself right now. When I get hungry I’ll eat okay? I’m going back to bed.” He nods and takes a step back, he turns and walks downstairs. I’m startled by Scott’s voice.

“I know you want to be alone, I do too, but you came out for a reason. What was it?” I look at him, he looks terrible; his eyes are red from crying. He looks older, even though it’s only been a few hours.

“I wanted a glass of water, but I can’t face them. I’m going back to bed, goodnight Scott.” He doesn’t say anything, he goes downstairs. I go to bed and lie down. A few tears slip out of my eyes but I don’t sob. I hear a knock on my door. It opens and I see Scott with a glass of water, he puts it on my desk. I get up from the bed and hug him, he puts his arms around me and his body bucks, he starts sobbing. I cry with him.

I hear a car horn, I look in my rear view mirror and see nothing, and still I can hear the car horn. I just turn to the left when I see the head lights, I put the gear into reverse, my heart is beating really fast. As I put it into reverse my car stalls, I’m running out of time. I turn to the left again, just as I feel the car being jolted and my world turns black.

I can hear talking and a light shining, but I can’t open my eyes, there’s fog, my world turns black once more. I’m moving, I can feel my body moving but I know it’s not me moving it. I hear sirens, I’m so confused right now, just as I’m about to try and open my eyes, the black starts creeping in again.

What the hell just happened! My baby girl left in tears, tears I’ve put on her face. My daughter is one of the strongest people I know. She has been through so much; how she turned out so amazing I’ll never know. The thing about my daughter is she may be tough, she may not let things affect her, but her heart is massive, and she will go to any length to protect those she loves. I remember the day Lydia brought her home.

I walked in to find this tiny little girl bleeding and filthy, she was so scared, her body shaking. She was scared of me. It was at that moment my heart broke. This little girl was terrified and I couldn’t help her. She finally let me hold her when Elliott the doctor was looking at her legs, that poor child had been hit with a belt. The rage in me was so bad but I had to tamp it down and be there for this little angel.

When Lydia put her to bed, she came downstairs and sobbed in my arms, I held her close.

“Oh Steven, you should have seen her, her mom left her by the dumpster. I saw her, she started walking away and that tiny little girl started following her. The mom turned around and slapped that poor little thing in the face, she then dragged her back to the dumpster and walked off. I had to bring her home, please don’t be mad with me.”

I wasn’t mad at her; I was mad at the scum who put their hands on an innocent child. We stayed up for a while, seeing what we were to do with Sophia, we had no idea. All I knew was I was very protective of her already.

I could hear moving around in Sophia’s room early the next morning so I got up to investigate, I wanted to make sure she was okay. What I found has haunted me until this very day, the poor innocent child was so scared she hid herself inside the closet. Lydia couldn’t get anywhere near her, Sophia thought Lydia might hurt her, Lydia left the room. Sophia told me that she had an accident. My heart bled for her, it was that moment when she hugged me that I knew she was part of this family. I wouldn’t, I couldn’t let her go.

I asked her what her mother’s name was, she told me her mother was called Sarah Anderson. I got my friend Kevin at the precinct to look her up, what I found was disgusting. Sarah Anderson aged 26. Arrested 5 times for solicitation, theft and possession. I got her address from Kevin. I recognize the neighbourhood straight away it is full of drugs.

Walking up to the address Kevin gave me I knock on the door. A woman answers, she’s strung out by the looks of things. I walk past her into the house.

“You cannot push your way into my home.” She slurs. Looks like Ms Anderson is an Alcoholic as well.

“My name is Officer Dallas, I’m with the NYPD. I’m off duty at the minute but if you don’t answer my questions, I’ll have them banging down your door before you know it, do you understand.” She crosses her arms over her stomach; it’s a protective move.

“I met your daughter last night.” Her eyes flash with anger, yeah this bitch is lucky I don’t bitch slap her.

“I’m going to do you a favour, and you’re going to accept, otherwise my boys in blue are going to come and arrest you. I’ll be back later with my lawyer. You’re going to have a lawyer too; you’re going to sign the rights to Sophia over to me. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” I shout the last part at her, I’m not messing around with her. She will give me Sophia.

“You can’t come in here and do that, who the fuck do you think you are. Get the fuck out of my house, and tell that little fucking bitch I want her ass home now.” I completely lose it.

I do something that I have never done, something men pride themselves on not doing. I put my hands on a woman in anger. I wrap my hand around her neck and pull her to me, our faces only inches apart. “You listen, you stupid fucking bitch, I’m not messing around. I’ll snap your fucking neck. You deserve it after what you did to Sophia. I’ll be back and you will sign those papers.” She has tears running down her cheeks. It doesn’t affect me. I’m not a heartless man, but this fucking bitch is lower than scum.

I walk out the door not even turning back to look at her. I come back two hours later with my lawyer and she is waiting for me, she signs the papers without any hassle. That sweet little girl is now my daughter. I’ll do whatever I can to protect her, to make sure that this woman stays as far away as possible. She has caused enough damage.

“You don’t see her ever. Do you understand?” she looks at me, she must see something in my eyes, she nods. I leave. We’re done with her.

My phone rings.

“Detective Dallas.” I say as I answer, it could be work.

“Steven, it’s Moira.” It
is
work, Moira works dispatch.

“Yes, Moira, where am I headed?”

“Steven, head to Metro as soon as possible.” Why would I be headed to the hospital? Before I can speak, she continues.

“It’s Sophia, Steven, she’s been in a car accident.”

I don’t know how I got here, I don’t know who rang my boys but they are here along with some other man I don’t know. Scott and the man walk over to me.

“Dad, this is Nathan Slade, my boss and Sophia’s boyfriend.” He doesn’t smile at me he just holds his hand out for me to shake, which I do.

“Mr. Dallas, any word yet?” I shake my head, no one has told me anything.

“Dad, what happened?” That’s Luke.

“We had a disagreement, she was upset and crying, I told her to wait, but she wouldn’t.” They look mad.

“Why was she upset dad?” I sigh I knew I would have to tell them.

“Ok, your sister came home, and I wasn’t expecting her. My company from last night was still there and Soph got mad.” Scott storms up to me.

“You let her get into her car when she was crying, and upset. What the fuck is wrong with you? We are not discussing the fact that you were fucking someone in the house you shared with mom, or the fact you just said that you weren’t expecting Soph, she lives there for Christ sake. How could you let her drive in that state?”

“I feel awful knowing that it is my fault she is lying in there. Don’t you think I know I should have stopped her? Don’t you think I know I should have gone after her. But I didn’t. So yeah it’s my fault.”

They say nothing, they just sit down. Last night was the first night in eight years that I have been with a woman and it may have ruined my family.

We’ve been here for hours and no word. I get up and walk to the nurses’ station; I need to find out something, this not knowing anything is making me fucking crazy! I see the nurse sitting at the desk, she has one of those faces, you know the ones, nose stuck in the air like she smells something rotten. She looks up at me.

“Can I help you?” in the most unenthusiastic voice I have ever heard.

“Yes, my daughter Sophia Dallas was brought in, she was in a car accident, we haven’t heard anything.” She looks at me. She has utter contempt on her face.

“You’re going to have to wait for the doctors, I don’t know anything. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be getting on with more pressing issues.” She can’t be serious.

“Do you know who we are?” Oh I know that tone, Luke’s had enough.

“I’m Luke Dallas, I want answers about my sister and I want them now.” She must not know who my son is; either that or she is just stupid.

“I don’t care who you are.” The smile that comes over Luke’s face is pure menacing.

“Oh but sweetie, you should know. I’m Luke Dallas. D.A. Now let’s try this again, how about you get the fuck out of that seat and find out what is taking so long.”

She scurries away, probably thinking Luke will have her fired, D.A.’s can’t do that but from the tone he just used you would think he could. She’s back a few minutes later and stuttering, he really scared the shit out of her.

“Umm Mr. Dallas, err your sister umm well she’s the err reason the doctor hasn’t been out to update you.” We all look bewildered.

“What? Why? What’s she doing?” The nurse looks at us.

“She’s shouting at him.” I burst out laughing, followed by Luke, then Scott. Nathan still looks to be in shock. I walk over to him.

“She’s okay, that woman is the strongest woman I know.” He nods his head, not looking at me. I leave him be, he’ll be fine.

The doctor finally comes and updates us, he doesn’t look like a doctor, he looks very young.

“I’m sorry I was so long. Sophia is fine, she has a mild concussion and will need watching tonight.” The doctor says and I want to cry with relief.

“That’s fine Doc, she’ll be staying with me.” I say with confidence, where else would she stay? The doctor looks at me uncomfortably.

“Umm, good Sophia said she was staying with her boyfriend, umm a Nathan Slade.” The doctor says and I feel like a failure. She hates me so much that she doesn’t want to stay with me.

“Yes, doctor that’s me.” Nathan says with a smile.

“Okay, she will be discharged soon. And again sorry for the delay.” The doctor says then leaves us.

We make it to Sophia’s room, I make a sweep of the room. The room looks small with all four men in it. I take Sophia in, she has a bandage on her head. She looks fine other than her eyes are blood shot. I take a step forward, hoping to give her a hug, I’m halted when she turns to face me.

“Get out.” I look into her eyes; all I see is pure hatred. I nod my head and leave.

What have I done?

I understand where they are coming from, they think I’m shitting on their mother’s memory, on our life we had together, I should never have brought that woman home, I wasn’t thinking.

I need to sort this out.

I need my kids in my life.