I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, suddenly tired to the bone, and drifted off for what was the first peaceful rest I’ve had since the night I walked into our home and found her gone.
Cade
I don’t know how long I’d been out when I heard the door open behind me. I jumped to my feet, placing myself between her and whoever was entering the room.
I relaxed when I realized it was my parents and brother. I’d totally forgotten they were waiting out in the hall all this time. I looked back at the bed to make sure she was still okay.
“Son what’s going on?” Mom moved around me to the bed and screamed. I shushed her and moved her quickly away before turning to look at Zandi, who didn’t seem to have been disturbed.
She tried moving in closer to touch her, but I pulled her away again. “She’s asleep, she needs her rest.” I didn’t want even my own mother near her. Not now, not yet.
“Is that…? But how?” Dad and Mike came closer both wearing the same expression of disbelief. I guess mom and dad had called Mike to meet them here, something I’d forgotten to do.
He called me aside after looking at his sister in law and I stepped away from her side reluctantly. “The cops are here to talk to you, they’re right outside. What do you want me to do?”
I’d forgotten about them too. I guess the hospital had called them after my wild tale. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to them, but knew there was no help for it.
Two years ago they’d turned my life upside down looking for proof that I’d killed her and dumped her body somewhere. For a while there it was the talk of the town.
If not for my upstanding character, and the fact that anyone with eyes knew I was crazy in love with her, they probably would’ve sold that theory. Needless to say there is no love lost between us.
If I didn’t need them to get to the bottom of whatever the hell this was I’d tell them to go fuck themselves, but I needed answers.
I looked back at her torn between leaving and staying by her side. I didn’t want to let her out of my sight and felt a moment of panic at the very thought.
“Don’t worry bro, I’m staying right here.” Mike clapped me on the shoulder. If there was anyone I knew I could trust other than myself to keep her safe it’s my brother.
“Call me if she wakes up.” I walked back to her side and leaned in close. “I’m right outside the door baby, don’t be afraid.” I had no idea if she heard me or not, but her breathing seemed to change.
I brushed her hair to calm her until she settled again. With a kiss to her forehead I turned away from the bed still torn.
I stepped out of the room and it was like stepping into a different world. People were moving about, and I could now hear the sounds that had been dimmed behind the closed door. Life was going on.
It seemed strange that all these normal everyday things were happening around me when my world had been knocked for six. I felt a disconnect that I guess was going to take getting used to in the coming days.
I saw the same two men who’d handled her case before, leaning against the wall deep in some secret discussion. I didn’t need to guess at what they were thinking.
I approached them, some of the old anger coming to the forefront. Maybe if they’d spent more time trying to find her tracks instead of trying to find ways to pin her disappearance on me we wouldn’t be here today.
Maybe she would’ve been found days later instead of having to endure whatever the hell she obviously had the last two years had they been more competent. But as they say, that’s water under the bridge.
“Mr. McClintock.” The lead detective reached a hand out to me, which I ignored. “She’s back. I don’t know how, I don’t know much of anything, only that I came home from the hospital and she was crouching in the corner of our bedroom like a scared little girl.”
The memory of that will haunt me for the rest of my life. In the beginning, when she’d first been gone I’d imagined her return a thousand times. Nothing I’d seen in my mind’s eye could’ve prepared me for the reality.
“Is she awake? Where has she been?” I glared at the asshole lead detective wishing I could plant my fist in his jaw. Of the two of them he was the worst.
“Didn’t you hear me? I don’t know anything. She fainted before I could get an answer out of her.” I hated the smug look on their faces.