Stanton Box Set

I throw my pencil at him as I lean back and put my feet on my desk. “You’re an imbecile.” I sigh.

Ben walks in. “We’ve got a problem,” he snaps.

I put my head back onto my chair. “Enlighten me, Ben, on which problem this is about. The shit around here just gets better and better by the day.” I sigh as I blow out a deep breath.

“I just rang the prison and Coby Allender had a visitor on the weekend.”

Adrian frowns and stops what he is doing.

“And?” I reply.

He throws some photos onto the desk. “It’s the dude that broke into Natasha’s apartment.”

My face drops and I sit up immediately.

“I sent the security vision through to them this morning and it’s him. It’s fucking him.”

My eyes widen as I look at the black-and-white images taken via the jail security system spread over the table.

“Holy shit,“ Adrian whispers.

“The police are ecstatic. They haven’t had a definite link to him before but this proves without doubt that they are working together. They have issued a warrant for his arrest and are going around there as we speak to get the bastard.”

I shake my head. “God.” I frown at the photos as I put my hand over my mouth. “How many women did these sick fucks murder?” I ask.

“Twelve, and like weird-shit killing too. Tortured, raped and cut up,” Ben replies as goosebumps cover my flesh.

“And they wanted Natasha,” I whisper.

“Thankfully she has been guarded all the time. They may have gotten her if you two didn’t get back together,” Adrian gasps.

“See, this is why I hate her doing psychology in a jail. You’re messing with fucked- up psychopaths’ minds. She’s not doing that shit again. Over my dead body is she doing that shit again. What does she expect going to the fucking prison?” I stand in an outrage and rub my hands through my hair.

My intercom buzzes. “Mr Stanton, Robert Stanton is here to see you.”

Adrian pats me on the shoulder in a symbol of sympathy. “I’ve got stuff to do. We will go out for lunch to discuss this.”

“Yeah, ok.” I sigh as I watch Adrian leave the room.

Dad walks in and smiles at Ben and me. “Hello,” he greets us softly. I’ve never seen my father so broken. This was one of his closest friends that did this to his wife.

“I will be outside.” Ben gestures to the door.

“No, I want to see you too, Ben,” Dad replies.

Ben’s and my eyes meet. I knew this was coming. Ben nods and sits at the table.

I sit back down at my desk and my father sits opposite me.

“I want to have James Brennan taken care of,” he announces.

“Yes, I agree,” I reply. “He’s not getting away with this.”

Dad looks at Ben. “Do you… have the contacts?” he asks nervously.

“Yes,“ Ben replies flatly.

“Can you ring? How does this work?” Dad asks him.