A Stone's Throw: Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Separation Anxiety   




2012 October 06th 01:00 

                        Today is quite. It hasn't been quite in the pass six weeks. It's almost as if people are tired of killing each other. The only thing that breaks the silence was the ominous thunder that ripped through the air with a sound that resembled the empty air from the bottom of a paper cup being sucked through a straw.

         It’s raining again. I hate the rain. My head always thinks too much when it does. All of the things I wished didn’t exist washes up. Chad’s mind pondered as he pressed his forehead against the window. Cold wind seeped through the glass as it passed through his flesh, howling among the empty caverns of his body. He pulled his head back as he saw a stranger’s familiar face. Startled by the random image, Chad’s hand flinched from reflex for his gun. Before he could touch the weapon, he recognized the peculiar figure. He felt stupid. Think by now he would be use to his new face. It had been almost two years since he had his stroke. His skin has slowly tightened back over the time since then. Still he looked a freak. Not often does he look into a mirror, so when he does catch his face in a reflection; it’s as if he staring at a monster.

         Yellow and orange light danced across his face as he lit up a cigarette. He clamped between two fingers as he laid his head against his arm. His face was so close to the glass surface that his reflection blurred. He stared into himself, looking the demons in the eye. A thousand yard stare into a window inches from his face.
Neither sleep nor consciousness could spare him. Taunted by reoccurring imagery that echoed with torment. Every night he wakes up with his chest feeling like something tried to claw it’s way out. Even now as he thinks back Chad rubs the left side of his chest as if he had suffered a terminal wound. So sore and so powerful, he thought his heart was trying to reject his body; maybe even trying to escape as Susan had done. He also thought maybe we was aging too fast and he was living his final days. He had endured more pain then most people have, perhaps his nervous system had enough. When Chad had left the hospital he was told that his right side would continue to hurt for the rest of his life as a reminder of what happened. But it wasn’t his right side that bothered him the most.

            So, is this where I win? Is this what I have been fighting for? We should have stopped it. Why? How did everything change? I thought everything I suffered was worth it in the end, because it was meant to bring to the moment where I stop something horrible. One moment we are escaping an explosion, the next Eric disappears; and the very evil we fought and destroyed, somehow acts unaffected. These events have defied all logic. How does a man standing next to me in an elevator suddenly vanish?

                                                        ***

2009 April 20th 

“Chad, if you don’t stop looking in that mirror, I am going to have to cover it in paint. And you know I can’t live without it.”
Susan Zemmith said jokingly.

              “Sorry dear, I have too look my best. Today I am being interviewed on Primetime for the new movie Where Devils Sleep. Since the producers based the main character on me, I have to look perfect.”

Chad said running a comb through his long black hair. He put it back into a ponytail as Susan walked up behind him. She put her arms around him and kissed his neck.
         “You do look perfect. If you would spend less time about being Mr. FBI hotshot, and more time being my husband; you might see that.”
Susan said hoping to persuade Chad into sleeping in the bed tonight.

                “It’s what I do, dear.”   
                                                                                                 
                He turned around as Susan kissed him firm against the lips. She held his clean shaven face in her hands. Chad brought up his hands against her neck as they pressed gently against her long brown golden hair. She was such a goddess. Her hazel eyes with those slightly red lips. Her cheeks full but not overbearing to her face. Her small nose that came to a point, in an odd way fit into a perfect portrait. Something about her always made Chad melt. No other woman could ever pull off being as beautiful as Susan; not even a twin. As mad as she drove him into the depths of unadulterated love and ecstasy, his passion for solving impossible murders was at the top of his priorities. 

         Susan wore a white silky nightgown that though covered her completely, still was see through enough to give hints of what was waiting for him. Susan ran her hands over his chest. She started to unbutton his satin white dress shirt. He brought his hands down onto her arms that sat wrapped around his neck. He ran his palms down her bare shoulders and over the strap of her gown. The slowly continued over her upper back and down to the lower. He stopped at her thighs. She pulled her face slightly and with a smile she lightly moaned.

         “Alright dear, I have to be going.”

         “WHAT? You get me going, and then you leave?”

         “Honey, you know I have the appointment. If I leave now I won’t be late. We can finish this later.”

         “Heh, by then you won’t have anything to finish. Like always.”

         “I promise, tomorrow.”

         “Just go. I’m tired.”

                                                      ***

2009 April 25th 

Susan just got home from work. She had spent a long day showing houses. As soon as she walked into the living room she could smell in-scents. If this were any other husband she would think Chad was trying to be romantic in hopes of getting laid. However, with Chad it had everything to do with his method of profiling.

              There he was. Sitting in his black leather recliner with a glass of bourbon in his hand. And he is again zoned out. On his lap are some grossest photos of bloody dead victims. She knew not disturb him. Last thing she wants to deal with is his deranged personality, somehow he is not himself when he does this.

              Chad sat there in another world, in the mind of the killer. His own personality would vacate his mind. He relaxed his whole body as he laid in his recliner. It had been at least two hours now, and he is becoming a new man, literally.  His body went numb as smells, feelings, and thoughts not his would invade his conscience. The bars, the restaurants, places he has never been, is now all he can see. He is scooping out possible victims. He sits in the corners of rooms where no one can see him. He observes their demeanor, their scents, and their habits. He picks one that he feels is the right one. He follows them back to there place. Then he kills them.

              He is the master of knowing them better then they know themselves. With his mind absent and replaced with the mind of his UNSUB he was unstoppable.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, she smells delicious. The UNSUB thinks to himself. I could just eat her alive… I just might…

            Chad walked into the kitchen and saw Susan standing over a counter scrubbing out a pan. He was back to feeling like himself for the time being. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck.

            “Stop.”
Susan said annoyed.

         “What’s wrong?”
Chad asked as he backed up a little.

         “Well…” A pause. She fights back her tears as one escapes from her left eye. “I… I took mother to the… hospice today.”

         “Oh honey, I’m sorry…”

         “The doctors say the cancer is moving fast. And she doesn’t want to prolong her suffering. It’s her wishes to take all the painkillers she can without it killing her and have that time with her family. I won’t be around much for the next few weeks. Not that will notice much.”

         “Susan, I will try to make some visits with you. This case is going well. It won’t take long before it’s closed.”

         “As soon as it is closed you will be on the next one. You always say you won’t, but you do.”

         “I will make sure this time.”

         “Fine, we will see.”

                                                        ***

“Chad, do you think it’s necessary to have bloody pictures of dead bodies at the dinner table?”
Susan asked as Chad sat at the kitchen table hunched over a yellow legal pad. He wrote vigorously as Susan talked to him with her back turned. His sliver $50 pen kept scribbling as she stirred some steamed vegetables.

         “There are more important things right now then food. I know I can catch this guy… I always catch them.”
Chad stated with a stressful tone. Susan scooped the food onto a plate and leaned over his shoulder as she sat his plate down, avoiding the grossest photos.

                “You think you could spare some time for your wife?”
         “Yes, Susan… sure. I will gladly not solve this crime just so we can chitchat.”
         “Knock it off Chad. My mother is on her deathbed. You have not made one visit like you promised. And now I can’t even talk to you at the dinner table.”

         “You are always hounding me about dropping the cases I work on so I can pay attention to you. You are a child.”

         “I’M A CHILD??? Chad? Do you have any clue how you act? Mostly when you are doing your voodoo with a case? My mother is dying… don’t you care?”

         “No. I don’t care… that’s why I spends hours a day catching murderers, because I just don’t care.”

         “Chad don’t belittle me…”

         “You have been belittling me. I am trying to work…”

         “All I want from you is to take a break from work long enough to have some time with your wife. I have asked over and over to not bring your work to the dinner table. This is suppose to be our time, the little we get with each other. Not to mention, it just freaks me out.”

         “How do it think it feels to the family’s of these victims? You think they are just freaked out?”

         “Chad, I am sure you can catch the killer just as fast if you take an hour break a day. Or even take a day off once in a while.”

         “Evil doesn’t take a day off. So I will not.”

         “Chad…” Susan said crying with her forehead braced with her fingers. “I am in pain here, all I am asking is for you to be here a little bit for me… not asking to take your whole day, just an hour…” Chad just ignored her. “CHAD… ARE LISTENING TO ME?” Nothing. “CHAD?” He continued to scribble with a strange glare in his eyes. She stared at him has he remained unaware of her. “How could you be so insensitive, after all I have been going through.” Susan held her face in her hands as tears ran through her fingers. “It’s like you are oblivious to my pain…” Chad looked up to her with a sadistic smile.

         “You have no idea what real pain is. Try gutting someone who won’t stop kicking or squirming. Imagine their pain!”
Susan looked at Chad with a strange fear she had never felt before. She got up from the table and locked herself in the bedroom. Chad continued to write his notes down.

                                                        ***

Five Hours Later…

Chad got up from the table. Now feeling back to his old self. He felt good. Now he has the case solved. He called in the description of the perp, and has put away his case. He heads to his bedroom, and as he tries to turn the doorknob he realizes it’s locked.

            “Susan… I think you accidentally locked me out.” He waited for a response, he heard a little moving around. Still not remembering their earlier argument, he tried again. “Susan? Are you okay in their?”

              “Yes I’m okay, and no, I did not lock you out accidentally. I need some time to myself.”

            “Time to yourself? But haven’t you been complaining about us not having time together?”

            “It’s late Chad. I just want to get some sleep. Don’t you even remember our argument earlier?”

            “No. I was probably working. You know I am not even in my head when I am working.”

            “Yes dear, I have noticed. Just let me have some time to myself.”
Chad walked away and headed for the couch. As he did his phone rang.
         “Zemmith…yeah… how many bodies? Three? A ritualistic killing? Fax me the file as soon as you can… no it seems I will be up for the rest of the night anyways, I don’t sleep very well on the couch… don’t ask.”
Chad snapped his phone shut. He went to the fridge and grabbed his bourbon. He poured a glass. He set it on his stand next to his chair. He sat there staring at the glass waiting for the fax. He dosed off and was waked up by the beeping sound of the last page finishing up. He rubbed his eyes and grabbed the file. He looked though the report. He then looked through the photos; something was very strange about this case. It was like he couldn’t even get a feel for this guy. Usually he gets at least some sort of strange feeling when he looks at a photo, but not this time.


                                                          ***


Just another day at the office as it would seem. Chad poured himself a glass of bourbon and sank into his leather chair. He looked over the crime scene photos and read the details of the scene. He closed his eyes and as he tried to envision the man, his mind went blank. Not like before when he would clear his mind. It was the mind of the killer that was blank to him. This was the first time in two years this had happened. It was as if the man didn’t exist. He went home to try there in case it was just the office. He still couldn’t get a read on the guy.
“Chad? Are you still sitting in that chair?”
Susan asked as she poured some wine in a glass.

                “Yes dear.” Chad snapped back. “I am still trying to see this guy.”
         “Take a break for a few minutes. I have dinner made.”
Susan said trying to have a nice meal with her husband.

         “Ahhhhhhh…”
Chad yelled with pain.

         “Chad? Are you okay?”
Susan came running into the room. Chad held his forehead as if something struck him.

         “SUSAN, I’M FINE!” Chad replied. “Somehow I got some kind of feedback…”

         “Feedback?”

         “Yeah, like when you hold a microphone near a speaker.”

         “Maybe you should rest.” Susan said as she held his arms and guided him into the kitchen. “We can pull through this if we stick together.”

         Chad looked at her with scrutiny in his eyes. “How can we stick together on this when it has nothing to do with us? This is my problem. I can’t do my job anymore.”

         “Chad, maybe this is a good thing.” She said disregarding Chad’s mean statement. “Maybe God took away your gift so we can be a family.”

         “You call me selfish all the time, and here you are glad that my gift is gone. I have no idea what I am going through.”

         “Chad, you are more then your gift. You are a person, and yo have a wife who loves you dearly. We have a chance here to make things right between us.”

         “You only think about us, but I am the one who is focusing on my job. I can’t make the money to provide for us if I don’t have a job. My gift makes the money. Maybe you don’t care, but my job is who I am.”

         “We can talk more about it when yo have some rest. You always get cranky after a vision.”

         “No. This isn’t my post anger from a vision. There was no vision. I have been trying to get into the mind of a ghost. Of a man who doesn’t seem to exist.”

         “Okay, then you are still having a hard time dealing with the loss of your gift.”
         “I don’t think I lost it. I think this man killing doesn’t exist.”

         “Chad, come on. If he don’t exist then how doe she kill?”

         “I don’t know. That is why I am so irate. Not only I can’t read this guy, but I feel like his soul is nothing. Like staring into black hole. It’s worst then nothing; it is like a strong feeling of absence. Almost like I have peeked into hell itself.”

         “I think you need to take a break.” Chad rolled his eyes and was about to snap. “I’m not talking about us, I am talking about you. Maybe this is what you need for you. And maybe it will help your job.”

         “Susan, making it about me won’t help either…”
         “There is just no winning with you, is there?”
Susan said cutting Chad off.

         “That’s it Susan, I am done talking about it. Leave me alone.”
Chad said as he got up and slammed the door to his den.


                                                            ***

Slam!
              Frightened by the nose Susan came running to Chad’s den. He had been locked up in there for days with out a word. Now she suddenly hears a strange sound. She jiggles the doorknob it seems lock.

              “CHAD?!? Are you okay?”
She didn’t hear anything.
              Susan ran to get a screw driver. She slid the flathead into a slot in the doorknob. It was one of those doors made in case a child would lock themselves in and needed help. She got it. She pushed the door and before she could open it very far she slammed into something.

         “CHAD? I CAN’T OPEN THE DOOR. CHAD? ARE YOU IN THERE?”
Afraid it was Chad wedged against the door, she continued to push the door as hard as she could. She finally got the door opened far enough to poke her head in the room. She looked down and saw a book-self blocking the door. She looked over at Chad’s desk and there he was sitting with elbows on the desk and his hands rubbing his head.

              “Chad, didn’t you hear me yelling for you?”

              “Yes… I have a migraine and you are making it worst.”

              “What’s going on in here?” Nothing. “Chad? What’s going on?”

                “I don’t want to talk about it.”

         Susan noticed an empty bottle of bourbon sitting on the desk. “How much have you been drinking?”

         “Not enough, evidently.”

         “You are really worrying me here.”

         “Leave me alone, Susan. I need some quiet.”

         “It hasn’t helped you in the last few days, it’s not going to help you now. What yo need is some help.”

                “I SAID I AM FINE! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!”
Chad yelled, as his eyes seemed to bug out of his skull. Susan was terrified. She had never seen him like this, not when he was in his own mind. Chad was never mean when he wasn’t in someone’s mind.

         Susan sat at the kitchen table in tears trying to figure out what to do. Chad stormed out of his den. He was still wearing the same dress shoes, dress slacks, and white button down shirt. The top four buttons were undone. His hair though in a ponytail was starting to fall out of the tie. His knuckles were red. His cuffs were also unbuttoned. He looked like he was falling apart. He walked past Susan as if she wasn’t there. He grabbed two bottles of bourbon out of his fridge. He must of used what he had in his miniature fridge in his den. As he closed the door he dropped one of the bottles on the floor. It startled Susan a little. Chad took the other bottle and smashed it against the wall over the sink. No words came out just a horrid stare at the broken glass. His fist were tightened up. His shoulders tense as if he was ready to kill something. He didn’t have to get into the mind of a killer, he looked as if he was becoming one all on his own.

         Chad leaned as he rested his hands on the edges of the sink. He felt a sharp bite. He looked at the palm of his hand. He must have cut it on one of the shards of glass. He stared at the blood as it poured from the cut the way clean cuts seem perpetually bleed. It was as if he was hypnotized. His eyes then followed the blood as it dripped onto the floor. He studied the pattern it made. The blood calmed him down as it made him feel he was at a crime scene. Susan ran upstairs and locked the door. She slid the chest of drawers in front of the door. She knew that Chad would never hurt her in his right mind. But it is clear his mind is anything but right.
         She grabbed a duffle bag and threw in just enough clothes for two days along with her best pair of sneakers. She listened against the door to hear for Chad. She couldn’t hear him. She didn’t know if that was a good thing, or bad. Susan suddenly thought of Stephen King’s The Shining, the movie. Not something to be thinking at a time like this. She kept expecting Chad to jump out with an ax and say, “Herrrrrrrrrre’s Johnny!” This was so ridiculous Chad would never hurt her. But for now she can’t be sure.

              Susan slowly walked down the hallway that leads to the staircase. She walked down quietly. She stopped at every creek with her heart caught in her throat. She made it to the end, and looked over at the kitchen. Chad was gone. The blood and broken glass was till on the floor. She walked past his den. His door was partly open. She could see him sitting in his chair with his back facing her. She could see cigarette smoke rising from the chair. She let herself out as quiet as she could. After shutting the door, she locked it. Buying her some time in case Chad was to chase her. She got in her car and left.


                                                            ***


2009 July 8th 10:00 hours

Chad woke up lifting his head from his arms. He was still at his desk. His hand ached. He looked at his palm that was wrapped with a bandage. He stared at the blood stained wrap trying to remember what happened last night. Oh my God, Susan! Chad thought. He couldn’t remember talking to her, but had a bad feeling. He got up from his chair and almost tripped over his book-self. He ran into the kitchen and saw the blood and glass. He was hoping the blood was his. He ran up to their bedroom. She was gone. He looked at his watch and thought maybe she was at work. But then realized it was Saturday. She should be home. He looked at the chest of drawers and noticed it had been moved from its spot. Also the drawers were left pulled out with some clothes hanging out of it. And he knew that Susan wasn’t a slob. Chad slumped onto the bed as he thought what did he do to her last night? He knew he would never hurt her. But why would she leave? Sure they were having problems, but Susan was always wanted to work things out. Whatever it was, it was bad enough to scare her off.

                Chad dug through her clothes as he looked to see what she took. Just a couple of T-shirts, a couple pairs of jeans, a couple pairs of socks, and some underwear. She packed light. She didn’t have a plan. She probably didn’t even know where she was going. Most likely somewhere Chad couldn’t find her. As he stared at her empty clothes, day dreaming where she could be, Susan’s cell phone rang. She must have forgot it when she left. Another clue she left in a hurry. On the third ring he answered it.

                “Chad Zemmith… No she’s not here at the moment… I don’t know when she will be back… What do you mean it’s about her mother? She died in her sleep? I can tell her when I see her again… thank you, bye.”

         Chad didn’t know what to do. Susan is gone. And he wants to tell her about her mother. She probably won’t go to see her mother if she really wants to avoid Chad. Because she knows how a cop thinks, and she knows Chad would look there. She needs to be with her mother. Chad suddenly got a feeling from Susan. Something about the cell phone. He could feel a vibe emanating from it. He got the premonition that she left the phone on purpose. It seem to feel like a stronger vibe he has been feeling about her reasons for leaving. His gift really never left. And now he was getting premonitions from his wife. He could use them to hunt her down, but it would probably scare her more. And there is no guarantee she would want to see him.
         Chad wanted her to at least know about her mother. Maybe he would use his ability to find her to just send her a letter about her mother. Then let her decide what to do. She deserves to know. It was the least he could do.

         Chad took her phone and sat in his chair. He could already smell her sent as if he was in the room with her. He didn’t even have to relax with bourbon. He could see her sitting on a bus. He didn’t recognize the scenery through the window. She must be out of state already. He was closing in on where she was when his cell phone interrupted his concentration.

         “Zemmith? Another one? Yeah, go ahead and fax me the file to my office. I am going to visit the scene. Because I have been having some trouble with this one, and I need the fresh air.”

         Chad hated to leave without finding Susan, but he needed to close this case. Especially if he wants to fix things with Susan.


                                                        ***

2009 July 8th 13:09 (1:09 pm)

Chad pulled up to a dark house that was blocked off with yellow crime scene tape. Chad got out of his car, and walked up to the scene. Some uniforms were there in a squad car keeping an eye out. His head was pounding. It felt like something was overloading. He ducked under the tape and as he stood back up his body fell hard to the ground. He shook as his right side of his body went into convulsions.

         Uniforms ran up to him as he convulsed on the ground facing up towards the sky. He could barely hear one of the cops radio for an ambulance. The only thought that passed through his mind was Susan. That he would die and not get the chance to tell her how sorry he was, and that he loved her more then anything…