Love Under Construction (The Love Under Series Book 1) (20 page)

I parked outside the Emergency Room where Suzie was brought into the hospital and descended the elevator to the ground floor to make my way out the way I came in through Emergency entrance. The only emergency room in town was hopping with activity, and gurneys lined the halls with bodies. As I passed the fourth one on the north wall, a hand grasped mine as I walked past. 

“Max? You came to see me.” I stopped and turned to see who grabbed me on full alert. 

“Jenny? What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you, but you weren’t home. You found me. I knew you cared.” 

“Jenny, that's bullshit, and you know it. I don’t give a rat’s ass either way. What do you mean you came to see me?”

“I went to your new house. I thought you might need to unwind. One of your workers roughed me up and wanted a piece of the action.”

“One of my workers? I don’t have anyone working on my house. Just me.”

“Well, it was one of your guys! You think I gave myself this black eye?” she yelled back at me. I looked her over, and from what I could see, she had a handprint bruising her neck, a black eye that was turning a nice shade of purple and blue, and scratches on her exposed skin poking from beneath her hospital gown. 

“Tell me exactly what happened …”

She told me how she bought a new lacy teddy and decided she would surprise me at my house. I was in no way shape or form interested in her lingerie. I had a feeling Jenny’s attack wasn’t intended for her the more she recalled her story. 

“He kept saying how when he was done with me no one would want me and how dare I embarrass him. Max, I didn’t know him. I only fucked that one guy that helped you with that cement job last year, but he doesn’t even live here. He went back to Arizona. I had no idea what he was talking about. The more I cried, the more he hit me over and over again. What the fuck was his problem?”

“Did he say anything else to you?” I implored her to try and remember anything that might lead me to Suzie’s assailant. 

“He said he was going to use me until there was nothing left for another man. He called me a slut for being in your bed after him.”

“What the hell were you doing in my house? I don’t even have furniture.”

“I made up a pallet with a blanket in the bedroom. I was waiting for you to come home.”

“I have been here. I haven’t been home.”

“Are you sick? I will take care of you.” She tried in vain to reach out to me from her hospital bed but quickly recoiled and held her ribs in pain. “Maybe you should take care of me.”

“I’m sure the doctors will take very good care of you. Jenny, stay out of my house!”

“Fuck you, Max. And tell your pig friend to stay the hell away from me! He is an animal. He made my ass bleed. He didn't even spit on it first.”

“He is no friend of mine. Call the police and file a report,” I mumbled on my way out the double sliding doors to the parking lot. That bastard that left Suzie for dead and beat the shit out of Jenny too. It was my fault. Not that I liked Jenny, but even a whore didn’t deserve the raping she received. 

"I'm gonna put your asshole friend in jail, Max. You don't get to pass me around to your fucked up freak friends," she screamed after me. Bill had to be stopped. 

Quickly showering and changing my clothes, I headed back to the ranch to help search for Bill. I pulled up to my uncle's house, and looking at the empty waiting guest house pulled at my heart. I parked next to Uncle Mike's truck and was met in the kitchen by a table full of ranch hands with my Uncle at the head of the table heartily eating. 

"Max. How's Suzie?" Aunt Kelli rushed to my side. 

"She is awake.
Was
awake. They gave her some painkillers before I left. I left only to take a shower and check on things."

"I thought you were banging out your worries on your house, cousin," Danny mumbled through his overstuffed mouth. 

"What do you mean?"

"I saw your pickup by your house. Mike said to swing by. It was lit up. I figured you were doing some work."

"I have been at the hospital this whole time with my truck."

"Well, I just saw a muddy pickup from the fence line. A pick up is a pick up. I just figured it was yours."

"We have to go.
Now
."

"We have been out all day and night. We will keep looking after the guys get their bellies full."

"You don't understand, Uncle Mike. I saw Jenny in the emergency room."

"Seriously, what were you doing with that wretched girl? Hasn't she caused enough trouble?"

"I didn't go to see her. She just happened to be there. She said she was attacked … at my house."

"The pickup was there this morning too," Danny added.

"It had to be him. Jenny thought it was one of my workers. Let's go. Maybe he is stupid enough to still be there."

On horseback and trucks tearing through the fields with mud, grass, and dirt flying from the wheel wells, we rushed across the pastures to my property. A million thoughts raced through my brain, and the only clarity I had was we needed to find Bill before anyone else got hurt at his hands. 

A dirty mud-covered pickup was parked on the side of my house. A paved driveway had not been installed yet and the side of the house was a good a place as any to park. The horses were well roused and still huffing from their ride, circling the house spreading out to the fence line. The house seemed quiet, and when I touched the hood of the truck, it was not warm. The windows were open, keys in the ignition, and a small automatic pistol sat on the passenger side of the bench seat. Covering my hand with my sleeve, I lifted the gun and shoved it in my pocket.

I climbed the makeshift steps awaiting the porch yet still to be built around the house and slowly opened the door. Holes riddled the sheetrock that was freshly installed and my blood boiled at each indent. A blood-smeared handprint stained the wall next to an indent the size of a head, and I cringed at the unmerciful actions that caused it. Bill was an animal. A monster that let loose his fury in the emptiness of my home still under construction. In the corner, under the yellow caged work lamp, were the pallets made to be a makeshift bed with flannel tartan printed sheets and a fleece blanket. The bed was tussled and more blood marred the yellow pillowcases. 

Bill was gone, but his destruction remained. The smear marks were dried, and Jenny had been in the emergency room long enough to be examined and cleaned up. It was fresh but still hours old, and that meant Bill could be anywhere or even gone by now. But the truck was still there. He couldn't have gone far. It was miles back to town from this side of the property. 

I quickly searched the other rooms' shells finding them empty with no further sign of Bill. More empty bottles of whiskey riddled the floor. He couldn't even drink good whiskey. Evan Williams was worse than piss. It was no wonder to me he was no more than an animal—he drank piss. 

I hurried out to report Bill's absence and the guys took off in starburst pattern in search of Bill. If he was still on the property, we would find him. We were close. 

Uncle Mike and I searched hours beyond dusk before returning to the house. Some of the horses were back at the stables, but two stalls remained empty. Carlos and Danny were still on the hunt. I needed food, gas, and I wanted to get back to the hospital to check on Suzie. 

Aunt Kelli waited at the kitchen table wringing her hands around her coffee cup. She was on her feet at the sound of the clash made by the screen door. 

"Did you find him?"

The look shared between Mike and me must have said it all as she sagged back into her seat. 

"Rob has been back for almost an hour. Rob and the guys ate, and he went home to Nicole and the kids."

"We have searched high and low. He is hiding well or is gone. We will look some more tomorrow. Is there any dinner left?"

"Of course, honey, have a seat. There is a fresh pot of coffee." Aunt Kelli pulled the Dutch oven of stew out of the oven and prepared two bowls full. 

"The last thing I need is coffee. I need your sweet cooking, a hot shower, and my bed. I'm getting too old for this."

Aunt Kelli set the warm bowls in front of each of us before refilling her coffee cup and sitting back down. 

"Mmmm, thank you, Aunt Kelli, this hits the spot." The chicken had shredded after cooking probably most of the day slowly in Kelli's pot. I took a spoonful of the stew chock full of cubed potatoes and well-softened sweet carrots that burst with flavor with the gentlest chew. 

"At least someone still appreciates my cooking."

"I eat, don't I?" Uncle Mike argued before shoveling an overflowing spoonful in his mouth. 

"It's just nice to hear, that's all. Thank you, Max." She gave my nearby hand a squeeze and watched me eat with deliberation. 

"Do you want me to speak or eat?" Uncle Mike mumbled with cheeks full of food. Aunt Kelli rolled her eyes and sipped at her coffee. 

I paused, not wanting to add fuel to my Uncle's fire, but I knew I would need some of my Aunt's rocket fuel to keep me lively, and I was eager to return to Suzie's side. 

"I will take some of your best brew, Aunt Kelli. I'm headed to the hospital to sit with Suzie."

"I will make her a plate. The hospital food has to be horrid." Aunt Kelli filled a thermos for me and prepared a Tupperware of her stew for Suzie.