Take a Breath (Take 1) (21 page)

   “Well, isn’t that the truth.”  

    Matthew raised his eyebrow.  “Dad is there something else you want to tell me?”  

 
  He looked at Jake’s arm around my shoulder and Jake
stiffened.  He whipped his arm away a little bit too quickly and
Matthew raised that eyebrow at me, smirking questioningly.  

    I looked back at him and smiled also giving myself away and he shouts out, “I knew it.”  

    He gets up out his chair and starts waving his finger at us.  

 
 “I knew there was something going on between you two, you could
feel it in the air.  I think I knew it was happening well before
any of you did.”  He placed his hands on his hips like he just
gave us a telling off.  

   “You’re not angry are you son?”  

 
  Matthew waved his hands as if to say, ‘I don’t give a
damn.’  “I think it’s great.  You know I love you
Ana.”  

 
  Tears welled in my eyes as I bounced up and gave him a big
hug.  “I love you too, you big lummox.”  He squeezed me back
and we let go.  

   “Does this mean I can call you Mom now?”  

 
  I hit him in the arm, “Hey, one step at a time buddy.  I
want to know how your trip went.”  Jake was smiling at us both and
Matthew came over and gave Jake a hug too.  

   “I’m happy about this, I really am.”  

 
  Jake was mesmerised at his son’s acceptance of us and it made me
beam inside.  I couldn’t be happier than I am now.  It
finally feels as though I am part of a family.  

 
 “My trip was great.  We went hiking during the day and
camping round at night, eating marshmallows by the fire and telling
scary stories to keep us all up at night.  It was fun.” 

The telephone rang at that point and Jake went to answer it.  Matthew comes over to me again and sits down.  

 
 “I knew something was definitely up when before I left he seemed
mad at you and I for the little prank we played on Clive.  He was
virtually seething by the time we all left.  I felt really bad for
you.  Did he go ape at you?”  

 
  I didn’t know quite how to answer this.  Yes, he did go
ape, he threw me against the wall, pinned me to the bed and fucked my
brains out until I screamed.  The thought suddenly had me wanting
him again.  When will it stop?  I look sheepish at Matthew,
“Erm, yes sort of.  We got talking really on Saturday and things
just seemed to have developed quickly since then.”  The noise of
Jake’s rumbling voice came bounding through, so we all stopped and
listened.  

   “Wait, when did this happen?”  

    Matthew and I looked at one another, realising something was up.  

   “Who’s down there now?  Ok, yes, Ana is here with me, she’s fine.  I’ll be right there.”  

    Jake hung up the phone and starts cursing.  Something was definitely wrong.  

 
 “There’s been another murder in Reston.  I’ve got to head
over there now, but I’ll speak to the boys outside and keep the alarm
on the house until I get back ok?  Matthew it’s important for you
to stay here in the house with Ana please.”  

    Matthew nods his head, “Of course, I’m not going anywhere.”  

 
  I sit there stunned, rooted to my seat as Jake comes over to
me.  He places both hands on my arms and kisses my
forehead.  

   “I’ll be back as soon as I can ok Ana?  Ana?”  

 
  I nod, “Yes, yes of course, you go.  I’ll be fine here with
Matthew.  I’ll help him unpack and get him something to
eat.”  He squeezes my arms and grabs his car keys from the
bowl.  I hear the alarm go and know that it’s armed.  The
thought of another girl murdered feels me with horror.  What else
must we have to endure until we catch this son of a bitch? 
Matthew gives me a hug and tries to tell me everything will be
ok.  It amazes me just how much Matthew has grown up in the last
few months that I’ve known him.

Chapter 18

The
afternoon goes by quickly as I make Matthew a sandwich and help put all
his stuff away from his trip.  I also load up the washing machine
and get done with some much needed ironing.  It is all done
swiftly as he is anxious to get a shower and get on with any last
minute homework and prep for school.  It was 7pm by the time I was
sitting down with my feet up, watching Marley and Me.  I was so
busy crying my eyes out at the part where Jennifer Aniston’s character
loses the baby, that I almost didn’t hear Jake’s car pulling into the
garage.  I dart up and run to the toilet to grab some tissues, so
I can dry my eyes.  I don’t like people to see me cry over
movies.  I run into the kitchen and start putting on some
spaghetti, so I can make us all some quick Bolognaise now that Jake is
home.  He swings the door open to the kitchen and I run and throw
my arms around him.  He squeezes me into him and inhales the scent
of my hair.  He has only been away a few hours and it’s
frightening just how much I’ve missed him.  “Tell me Jake
please?  I can handle it, honest.”  He sighs and lets me
go.  I sit on the bar stool and wait for him to start.  

 
 “I won’t lie Ana, it wasn’t pleasant.  The scene I found
when I got there was horrific.  She wasn’t strangled this time;
she was stabbed multiple times, in a frenzied attack.  She has
been left there since the early hours of Saturday morning.  They
say time of death was, somewhere between 1am to 5am.”  

    This just gets worse.  “How do they know it is our killer then?”  I ask.  He looked pained.

 
 “She fits the right description. Blonde hair, blue eyes, in her
20’s, but that wasn’t the most damning part.  There was a
note.  Another note, we know it’s him.”  

    I braced myself for what he was going to say next. “What did it say Jake?”  

 
  He sighed, “It was only one word, but same paper, same
writing.  They’re going to examine it for sure, but we’re fairly
certain it is the same.”  

 
  I waited and nothing was said.  “Jake, please, what did it
say?”  I grabbed his hand to try and pull him out of it.

   “Bitch, it said bitch.”  

 
  I looked up startled not knowing what all of this meant. 
Did he mean I was the bitch, or that poor girl he stabbed to death was
a bitch?  One thing was definitely certain.  He was
angry.  Why?  What has changed to make him so pissed? 
“Was that agent there?”  

    He nodded, “Yes along with Tom and Michael.”  

   “What were his thoughts?”  

 
 “He asked after you and then warned me how grim the scene
was.  Tom and Michael both looked sick.  First time I’ve ever
seen the smug look wiped off Tom’s face to be honest.  The bottom
line is he’s pissed so something has changed.  We’re all concerned
it has made him more dangerous.  He’s changed his M.O. and it has
made everyone nervous.  We’re having to bring in more men on this
to nail him ASAP.  He has to be stopped.”  

    I nod and cup my hand on his face and kiss him gently.  “He’ll be caught soon, I know he will.” 

I
get up to grab some spaghetti from the pantry and start loading some in
the pan.  I take some meatballs from the fridge and start lightly
frying them up.  I’m stirring the meatballs, when I feel a set of
arms wrapped around me from the back.  Jake kisses my neck and I
make a light humming sound in my throat.  We’re like that a while
until Matthew comes bouncing through the door.  Jake jumps out of
his skin and moves quickly.  I start laughing which also sets
Matthew off.  

   “Wow Dad, what a way to look guilty.  Did I interrupt something?”  

 
  He winks at me and I blush.  “Don’t tease your father
Matthew, he feels a little delicate about all this.”  We both
start laughing again and Jake is standing there shocked.  

 
 “Well, I’m glad you both find me so amusing.  This is all
new to me you know.  I’m not sure how I’m supposed to
act.”  

 
  Matthew sits himself down on the stool.  “Dad, I’ve told
you, I’m fine.  It’s ok, honestly, take a chill pill.”  

   “Take a what now?”  

 
  The look on Jake’s face was priceless.  Everything already
forgotten, as I try and push these awful dealings away and try not to
let it rule me.  Matthew and I laugh again and eventually Jake
relaxes his stance and lets out a chuckle.  I grab the sauce for
the meatballs and get some parmesan cheese out of the fridge. 
“Matthew take a seat mate, the dinner’s nearly ready.”  

    He salutes me and sits down, “Alright Governor.”  

 
  I give him a stern look for his mickey taking and he just
giggles at me.  After a few minutes of stirring everything, I
gather three big bowls and start dealing out the portions.  Jake
grabs some cutlery and we sit down to eat. 

They both make appreciative noises.

   “This is good Ana, I didn’t realise how hungry I was.”  

 
  Matthew smiles and I say thank you.  Jake touches my hand
and winks at me.  If Matthew wasn’t here, I would dribble some of
this sauce on my chest and request that he lick it all off.  My,
my I have it bad.  

 
 “You know Clive really has the hots for you Ana.  He
wouldn’t stop going on about you and how much he wishes you were his
stepsister and what a lucky, erm person I was.”  

    He looks at his dad, obviously choosing his words carefully not to aggravate him.  

   “Boy is he is going to be angry when I tell him what’s been going on whilst we were away.”  

 
  Jake puts his fork down, “Matthew I think it's best you don’t
tell anyone anything until we have caught this killer.”  

   Matthew sucks on a piece of spaghetti, “So what happened earlier, has there been another murder?”  

 
  Jake nods his head, “Yes, another girl in Reston. 
Forensics are there sweeping the scene, so we’ll probably know more in
the morning.”  

 
 Jake wasn’t going to say anymore and Matthew wasn’t going to
push.  He knew he wouldn’t get much more info out of him, than
what he had already divulged.  Jake gets up and moves to the
cabinet and gets two glasses.  He then moves to the fridge and
pours out some Rose into the glass.  He places it on the table for
me and then gets Matthew a drink. 

We
sit there for a while eating and the boys practically licked their
plates clean and muttered their approval.  Jake then loads the
dishwasher up and starts its cycle.  Matthew excuses himself so he
can finish off getting ready for school and leaves Jake and I in the
kitchen.  I take a few sips of my wine feeling suitably filled and
refreshed.  

 
 “Back to work tomorrow and I am for now, fitting my hours around
you.  We’ll drive together and come home together.”  

 
  I smile, my caveman.  “Jake honestly, you can’t change your
life around me, I’ll be fine.”  He looks disgusted.

 
 “You think I’m going to let you out on your own knowing he’s
still out there, think again.  I won’t hear any more of it
Ana.  I’m the boss, I say what is what and that’s the end of
it.”  

    I suck in a breath, “Wow you’re really quite sexy when you get all caveman on me.”  

    He scolds me, “Ana, this is serious.  I want you to be safe.”  

 
  I nod my head, suitably told off and we finish off our
wine.  Who am I to complain, this means I get to spend 24/7 with
Jake, this is like heaven for me.  He pours us another glass and
we enter the living room.  We sit for a while watching a robot
going around murdering anyone associated with John Connor and we
snuggle so comfortably, that I must have fallen asleep.

   “Ana, Ana, wake up, it’s time for bed.  Come on its 11pm and we have to be up early tomorrow.”  

 
  I moan and I hear him laugh.  “So comfortable,” I
sigh.  He drags me in his arms and we head on up the stairs. 
I give him a kiss and go in the direction of my room.  

   “Erm, where do you think you’re going young lady?”  

    I turn and scratch my head still half asleep.  

 
 “Whilst you were asleep, I moved some things of yours in my
room.  I hope I got everything, but if not we can sort it out in
the morning, now in my bed.”  

    He points towards his room like he is ordering me in there.  

 
 “I’m just going to say Goodnight to Matthew if he’s not already
asleep.  I’ll tell him Goodnight for you, now get.”  

 
  I salute him and move into his room.  Jake disappears for a
while and I get out of my dress and underwear and climb under the
covers.  A few minutes later Jake is lying naked next to me and
spoons me.  I sigh contently and soon fall back to sleep.

Chapter 19  

I
hear the alarm going off, but I don’t want to move.  I’m so
comfortable just lying here.  I could lie here all day with Jake
next to me.  I feel him switch the alarm off and he’s soon back
spooning me.  Did we seriously stay like this all night?  I
feel Jake’s hardness digging into my back and I immediately feel myself
alert and ready for action.  “What time is it?”