Drake Forever (Unrestrained 7)

A convenient human to kill.

I tried to push the story out of my mind and took a deep cleansing breath, walking along the sidewalk to the grocers down the street. Mike walked behind me about twenty feet and I only noticed him when I stopped at one of the fruit stands outside the store. I glanced sideways and there he was, hands in his pockets, glancing away from me quickly.

I did my shopping and after I was finished, Sophie and I went back to the apartment, Mike in tow. I stopped at the entry and fumbled with my keys. Mike came up a few feet from where I stood.

"Having problems?" he asked softly.

"Just trying to do too much," I said and gave him a smile.

"Will you be going out again this afternoon?"

"No, I'll wait until Drake gets home if we go out again."

Mike nodded and stood with his hands folded in front of him.

"You're not going to stand guard outside the apartment, are you?" I asked.

"No, ma'am. I'm going to sit in the van you can see on the street. I'll keep watch until my shift's up at seven. If you change your mind about going out, let me know."

"I will," I said and finally managed to get the lock opened. Mike held the door for me and I went inside, checking the mail on my way. There was nothing but a couple of flyers but there was one letter that looked curious. I checked the postmark and it read from Wards Island, New York.

That was where Lisa was staying. She was transferred to the Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island. She'd attempted suicide and so had been removed to the Center and put on suicide watch.

She'd sent a letter addressed to both of us.

I swallowed hard and went up the stairs, Sophie in my arms, the stroller in the other hand.

Dammit.

The last thing we needed was a letter from her.

Drake

I asked John to stop at a deli on my way to meet with Lara so I could pick up a couple of corned beef sandwiches and drinks for our lunch. I offered to get him something but he already had a bagged lunch and held it up for me to see.

"No, Sir. I'm doing paleo so I have specific needs. No sandwiches for me. But thanks."

John parked close to the deli and on my way, I passed the spot where I almost lost Kate and had to stop. I remembered back to that day with a sense of dread, despite the fact that she survived and our baby, little Sophia, was delivered and was fine. Sophia thrived, in fact, and had done well, leaving the NICU even earlier than usual.

Still, that day was the result of mistakes on my part. I'd become involved with an unstable woman -- without my knowledge of course -- but she was still unstable. I failed to contact anyone early enough in the whole business to deal with it properly, and Lisa had gone off the deep end and tried to murder Kate to get her out of the way.

I was responsible. No doubt about it. I should have been more thorough in my vetting of Derek's submissive. I usually was, but I trusted that Derek had done his own due diligence. I trusted that Lisa was mature enough and mentally stable enough to know what she wanted when she signed that contract and NDA the nights we were together.

That was in the past, and there was nothing to be done about it except to try to be the very best husband and father that I could be. That was my goal every day of my life with Kate and Sophie -- and hopefully soon, Liam.

I wanted to be the very best father and husband. The best family man -- like Ethan.

I purchased the sandwiches and then John drove me the rest of the way to Lara's office, letting me off half a block from the entrance. My mind was so focused on the case that I almost ran into someone and had to apologize when the older man called out, "Hey! Watch where you're going, buster!"

I walked towards Lara's building and exhaled as I approached the entry. I had to get control over my emotions and not dwell on the case and trial. I was a bit player in it and would have my small role to play, providing testimony for the prosecution as they built their case that Lisa had planned and carried out the murder of Derek Richardson with the help of Jones, her submissive partner.

Then, she coerced him into killing himself -- probably threatening him and making him think that he'd end up in a prison for life, at the mercy of a bunch of prison sadists who wouldn't care about his wishes. From what I had read in the papers, and what Lara and I had discussed, Jones had been suffering with clinical depression for years and when the whole events with Derek transpired. When Jones was arre

sted, he spiraled back down. Lisa had worked her evil ways with him, and convinced him that he was going to be in hell if he was convicted.

She'd told him he might as well kill himself, according to Lara's contact in the prosecutor's offices.

Lisa was a horrible woman.