Chapter 32

Patrick sat there with Gabrielle in the lobby and listened to her explain to the police about Vince. He held her hand while they waited to find out if it was possible that Vince had been the one to break into her apartment. He felt sick with her when he found out it probably had been. He became angry when he found out her family knew Vince was out of jail and didn’t tell her.

Gabrielle’s parents and sisters became the first people in his life he officially hated. He had already had issues with the way they’d treated Gabrielle when she was growing up, and now this. It just baffled him that people could be like that. She was their flesh and blood, and even after knowing she was a changed person, they still did this to her.

“I think we have all we need for right now from you. You should go get some rest. We will be in your apartment for a while longer collecting evidence. Is there someplace you can go?” the officer Gabrielle had requested to talk to asked.

“You can stay with me,” Patrick said without hesitation. He’d made up his mind a long time ago that she was staying with him. There was no way he could let her back into that apartment while the person who had done that was still out there.

“Thanks,” she whispered. He could see how scared and defeated she was right now, and it killed him. This wasn’t the Gabrielle he’d known for the last year.

“I’d also advise you not to return here until whoever did this is caught,” Officer Monahan suggested. Gabrielle nodded her head but didn’t respond.

“Thank you,” Patrick told the officer as he helped Gabrielle up and out of her seat.

After giving the police his address and phone number he grabbed the leashes for both dogs and led Gabrielle out to his car. The drive to his house was silent except for the sounds of the collars on the dogs in the back. Patrick wasn’t sure what to say, if there was anything, to help Gabby right now.

Once inside Gabby just headed straight for the bedroom and got into bed. Patrick made sure there was food and water available for the dogs before following her in. He found her curled up in a ball, eyes wide and staring off. He got into bed behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Try to sleep,” he whispered before placing a kiss on her temple. She didn’t respond, but he hadn’t expected her to.

The next morning he awoke to find himself alone in bed. A brief moment of fear struck him, but he quickly pushed that away. He got out of bed, and guessed on where Gabby might be. He poked his head in the doorway of the room he’d turned into her studio to find her sitting in front of a canvas covered only in a deep, almost black, purple.

The paint looked to be dry, yet Gabrielle had the paintbrush still in her grasp. She must have been sitting there, staring at the canvas for a long time. He wasn’t sure if he should say something, walk in quietly, or just leave her alone. He made his decision and walked quietly into the room, stopping beside her.

“Do you believe in past lives?” she asked, still continuing to stare at the canvas.

“What?” He wasn’t sure he’d heard her right.

“Past lives. Karma. Reincarnation. Anything like that. Do you believe in it?” she asked again.

“Not really,” he responded. “Why?”

“If any of that’s true, I must have been a serial killer.” There was no hint of humor in her voice. She’d meant it. He knelt down next to her and forced her to look at him.

“You did not cause this. This happened because there is some sick asshole out there who doesn’t like that you stood up to him.”

“It’s not just him. It’s everything. My whole life.” A single tear dropped from one eye, and he wiped it away immediately.

“Your past is only about a third of your total life. You have another two-thirds, and hopefully more left to enjoy, to have fun, to be happy, to do good things. I promise you that the rest of your life will look nothing like what you’ve gone through so far. Do you hear me? I promise.”

She nodded as she continued to look into his eyes. He saw that she struggled with what he said, but she wanted to believe him. He could see the hope in her eyes. There was no way he was going to break that promise. He was going to make sure that she lived an amazing life. He wouldn’t ever let anything bad happen to her again.










The latest coworker walked out of my office and I narrowed my eyes at their back. If one more person stepped foot in here to offer advice, condolences, a place to stay, or so on, I would scream. I’d only been away from the school for a day, but everyone seemed to know what had happened. Bad news travels fast, I guess.

I knew I shouldn’t be angry with them for wanting to make sure I was okay. I also knew I wasn’t actually angry at them. It was just the transference of anger from Vince, who was still missing, to people who were actually physically there.

Some people, Isaiah included, thought it was too early for me to be back at work. I didn’t see it that way. Work gave me something to do, something else to worry about. If I stayed at Patrick’s, I would just spend my day thinking about my apartment and Vince. Besides, there were kids here who needed my help. I couldn’t let them down.

“Should I reschedule?” Nathan asked, poking his head into my office. I groaned before motioning him in.

“You too?” He just shrugged.

“I get it. If you had a nickel for every time someone asked if you were okay…..” He let his voice trail off.

“Exactly. And I’m fine, for the record,” I lied. He smiled back at me. “So tell me how classes are going.”

I walked out of school a few hours later, as annoyed as I’d ever felt. Tomorrow I was putting a sign on my door telling everyone to just leave me alone unless they had a real problem. I was also not happy with leaving school earlier than I cared to today. I had things I wanted to work on, but I couldn’t.

I caught sight of Patrick’s car parked right out front. God, I felt like a teenager with a curfew. Well, what I assumed a teenager who had ever obeyed curfew felt like. Patrick and Paige together had decided I was no longer to be left on my own. Patrick drove me to school and picked me up, unless he couldn’t and then Paige took over. Just until Vince, or whoever had broken into my apartment, was caught. It was ridiculous and overboard.

“How was your day?” Patrick asked as I got into the car. I turned my annoyed glare onto him. “Okay, I get it.”

We were silent the rest of the trip back to his house. I wanted nothing more than to just close myself off from the world right now. Thankfully I had a very understanding and perceptive boyfriend. When we pulled within sight of Patrick’s house I noticed an unmarked, but unmistakable, police car in the driveway. Quentin was leaning against the side of it.

“Officer Monahan,” Patrick greeted him with a handshake when we got out of the car.

“I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, but we have some news. Would you mind if I came inside?” he asked us. We invited him in and sat across from him in the living room.

“What’s going on?” I asked, wondering what this news was, hoping they'd found Vince.

“We had a hit on some fingerprints we found in your apartment. We can confirm that Vince Watts was in your apartment at some point and is our main suspect.”

Although I’d been expecting to hear that it was Vince, and I’d had a feeling it was him all along, it still sent a ripple of shock and fear through me. Part of me had hoped that it wasn’t him, that I didn’t have to worry, and that I didn’t have to blame my family for not informing me that he was out of jail. That last bit of hope had just been crushed.

“So what now?” Patrick asked. It had been my question, but I felt like I couldn’t speak.

“We’re looking for him. We hope this was just one angry act of destruction, but he did break the conditions of his parole just by skipping out of town, so he is going back to prison no matter what. If you see him or hear from him it’s important you let us know.” I nodded, but still couldn’t get any words out.

“We will definitely let you know,” Patrick answered for me. Quentin stood up from his spot and Patrick and I both stood as well.

“I’ll keep you up to date on any new developments. We hope this can be resolved quickly without any more problems.”

We walked Quentin to the door and Patrick and he exchanged a few more words before he got into his car and left. I stood in the doorway watching him drive away until he was out of sight, still reeling at the confirmation that Vince knew where I was and where I lived. There was no doubt in my mind that this wasn't just a onetime thing.

“What happens if he’s still looking for me?” I asked Patrick, the words I’d wanted to say finally making their way out.

“Nothing, because I’m not letting anything happen to you. I made you a promise, remember?” I nodded, and wondered if this was one that he could keep.