Fatal Jealousy (Black Widow Book 1) (20 page)

“What does James have to do with this?”

“When you told me you were pregnant, I knew I didn’t have a chance of getting Dale back. You were popping another one of his spawns. So, I took you out of the picture. I figured I’d make him fall in love with me, and then when you came back he wouldn’t care. You’d be off to jail for murder and I’d be the new Mrs. Carson.”

She clenched her jaw, the dreamy look fading, “But the idiot is too in love with you! And when you told me you were having a boy, I knew he would be my retribution. He is going to be the only man, the most important of them all, to love me more than he loves you.”

Ellie staggered forward, “You are not getting anywhere near my son!”

Ellsa tugged at the nurse’s hair, making her whimper, “You have any kids?”

“One, and I’m all she has.”

Ellsa then clicked off the safety. The nurse jumped with a sob, the sound of the end ringing in her ear, “You should thank Ellie for making your daughter an orphan. Good night.”

“No!” Ellie screamed, moving forward.

Ellsa raised the gun and turned to her side. She squeezed the trigger, and the shot rang out, echoing in the corridors alongside the security guard’s cry of pain.

Ellie gagged, feeling nauseated as she watched the man sag down to his knees, his hand over the bleeding hole in his chest, and a frightened look in his eyes, “What have you done?”

Ellsa turned the gun back to the nurse who was frozen in shock, watching the guard bleed out inches away from her. “Why does everyone want to be a hero? Now where was I... oh, the orphan. I bet his kids will be wondering why daddy didn’t come home today.”

Ellsa pressed the barrel hard against the nurse’s temple, snapping her back to reality, “Please don’t kill me, I’m begging you, please!”

“That depends on Ellie, what do you say sis?”

Ellie watched the nurse cry helplessly. She shook her head as she sobbed, unable to say the words. She knew she was condemning her to death, but she couldn’t give up her son.

Ellsa shrugged, “Okay.”

“You shoot her and you won’t have a hostage. There will be nothing to keep us from shooting you!” Doran rapped out.

Ellsa’s lips pulled wider in a sadistic smile, “I know.” Then she turned the gun to the nurse’s station where three nurses were standing. “That’s why I’m going to be shooting them first.” She turned to Ellie, “I’m sure they have children too. You are about to make them motherless. There is only one solution to this Ellie.”

She nodded, “Yes there is... you kill me.”

Carson went to rush out, but Richard held him back, pinning him to the wall, “Not yet.”

Carson fought him, “She’s going to kill her!”

“Wait!”

“Kill you?” Ellsa blurted out, “Why in the world would I want to do that? You are my sister. I don’t want to kill you.”

“I’m the one you are mad at. I’m the one you hate, so kill me and end it all, because there is no way in hell you are getting anywhere near my son!”

“If I kill you, you do understand I can still take him?”

“You kill me and Carson kills you. You lose and I still win.”

“He won’t kill me.”

“Why? Because he is
secretly in love
with you
?” Ellie taunted, “He loathes you. The sight of you makes his stomach turn in disgust.”

“Stop it!”

“Why? I’m just telling you the truth. Just like George and Taylor, they never wanted you, it’s me they loved. Not forgetting, what’s his name....? Ned... your recent ex-boyfriend?”

“I had sex with them and they loved it!” She struck, hoping to cause as much damage as Ellie’s words caused her. “Your husband begged me for more and more! I pleasured him more than you ever could.”

Ellie’s lips rose in a mocking smile, “And I’m sure the entire time they were thinking about me. Did Dale whisper ‘Ellie I love you’ in your ear when he brought you to orgasm, because he loves to do that?”

Ellsa lifted the gun and pointed it at her, “You bitch! I hate you!”

“So shoot me! Shoot me and leave my son alone!”

“As you wish...” pulling back the trigger.

Carson sprinted out and rushed for Ellie as she stood there, waiting for the end. He scooped her up with one arm as the shot rang out loudly, echoing in his head. He placed her in the corner, between the pillar and the glass and shielded her completely with his body.

Another loud bang filled the air, and then another one.

And then, silence.

Ellie stayed quiet, pressed into a corner by Carson’s body. All she could hear was her heart beat in her ears, Dale’s heavy breathing and this terrible feeling that told her Ellsa was dead. She pushed at Carson, “Please move, I want to see her.”

“Ellie...” Carson whispered his head on hers.

“Dale, please,” squeezing out through a small gap.

She gasped when she saw Ellsa on the floor, a pool of blood getting larger around her. Gwen stood over her, her gun pointed down at her, “You killed her!” Ellie rushed for her, but Richard held her back, “Somebody help her! Please!”

It had taken a solid two minutes before two doctors rushed to Ellsa. Ellie stood there and watched, pensively chanting a prayer for her sister to be all right.

“Ellie...” Carson whispered, turning around. He watched as she cried for Ellsa. He knew she would never get over her death... and he wouldn’t be around to help her try.

That was going to crush her even more.

“Ellie...” he said, taking a heavy step forward. He wiped the drip on the side of his lips with his sleeve, “Ellie...” he said again, when she didn’t turn to face him. He tried to move his other leg, but it felt impossible. Everything inside him hurt and he couldn’t breathe. He felt dizzy.

“Ellie!” Carson then yelled, exhausting himself further.

“What?” She exclaimed, turning to face him. When she looked at him, a sickening feeling settled over her. He didn’t look right. There was something terribly wrong, “Dale?” she whispered, approaching him.

He pulled a smile over his pain-stricken face, “Honey...” he pulled in a strangled breath, “I need... to talk... to you...” He gasped out.

“Okay.”

“We need a doctor!” Doran yelled from behind him.

Ellie shifted her gaze to Doran, all she needed to know was written on his face. There were three shots... one of them was in Ellsa’s chest. She turned back to him, the taste of bile in her mouth, “Dale, are you okay?”

His head hung low and she saw the red on his lips. She reached up to touch it, but he caught her hand. He placed her palm flat on his chest.

Ellie stiffened. His heart beat... it felt off under her touch...

He lifted his other hand and placed his open palm on her cheek, “I love you.”

Ellie held his cold hand in place and smiled back, “I know that. Are you hurt?”

“I’ve been through worse,” he swayed on his feet and Ellie caught him, wrapping her arms around him and releasing a pain-filled groan from his lips.

“You are hurt!” She uttered in a panic. She pulled her hands back when all of a sudden they got wet, “Oh God, oh God, oh God,” starring at her shaky, heavily coated bloody hands. “Dale! Dale!”

“I’m sorry,” he breathed out, collapsing on her.

Ellie sunk to the ground with him. She cradled him against her, his face close to hers, “Don’t do this to me Dale Carson! You are not allowed to die!” She yelled shaking him. “You promised! Dale!”

“Ma’am you need to let go so that we can help him,” A doctor firmly instructed.

“No, I’m not leaving him,” she kissed his cold lips as she rubbed his cheek. “Come on baby, wake up. Stacey-Ann and James need you. You can’t die before James knows you.” She cried, “They need their father and I need my husband! Dale, please!”

“Ellie, come with me,” Roger said, dislodging her arms and pulling her away. Immediately Carson was free of her, they put him on a gurney and rushed him away.

“No! Where are they taking him?” She struggled in Roger’s arms, “I want to go with him! Let me go with him!”

Roger tightened his grip on her. He trapped her arms down with a tight hold across her chest, and then took the syringe a nurse offered him. He injected the content in her arm, “He is going to be fine, but you need to relax!”

Within seconds, Ellie began fading away. “He can’t leave me, he can’t leave his children. I can’t live without him, I just can’t.” She cried until she fell asleep in Roger’s arms a few seconds later.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ellie stood in a very sully mood in the elevator, watching the floor numbers change. This was her first day out of the apartment since the
incident
. The thought of socialising, especially with Dale’s team made her mood even worse. She wasn’t looking forward to it, and if she had a choice, she would have stayed home cuddling with her kids.

But, this was for Dale.

The elevator door opened, but she didn’t move. She just looked out at the busy lobby full of people in party hats laughing and enjoying the Christmas party.

Ellie groaned. She wasn’t looking forward to this at all.

Kris nudged her, “Ready?”

Ellie just stared at her, not saying a word.

Kris had stopped the elevator doors before they shut, “If you don’t want to be here, just say the word and we’ll go back home. They’ll understand.”

Ellie took a deep breath. She wasn’t a coward. She was very ready to see the woman who shot her sister, after four months of avoiding her.

Another gun, another badge.

But she couldn’t stay mad. Gwen only did it to save her family.

“I’m ready.” She announced pushing the double stroller out of the elevator. She made her way through the laughter and merry wishes with a tight smile and fading patience. All she wanted to do was go to Dale’s former office and hide.

“Hi!” Kevin said joyously, giving Ellie a tight hug, “How are you?”

“I’m fine, considering.”

“Don’t worry. We are all here for you.” Then Kevin opened up the double stroller to put them side by side, exposing the two sleeping toddlers, “I don’t mind babysitting my godson for a few days.”

“I don’t mind either.” Audrey announced, walking into the room. She went to Ellie and gave her a very tight hug. Ellie leaned into it. The sincere affection helped lighten her mood, “Are you sure you are okay? You’ve been through a lot.” She whispered in her ear.

Ellie nodded, “It’s been four long depressing months. I think it’s time I tried to put everything behind me and start living my life again.” She pulled out of the hug and looked at Audrey with a sincere smile, “besides you and Kris have been my substitutes long enough. It's time I took care of my kids myself.”

“If you are sure...”

“I am. And if I fall into another depression, I have you on speed dial.”

“Hi.”

Ellie turned to Gwen’s voice. It took her a few short breaths to simmer the stirring rage inside her, “Hi.”

“So do you still hate me?”

“You did what you had to do. I should be thanking you.”

She shrugged, “I’m glad that you are mad at me because, I don’t think I could take it if you acted like a gracious saint.”

“Anything to keep you happy Gwen,” she didn’t mean to, but that came out bitter and angry.

Gwen smiled and walked away, “thanks for the consideration.”

“Kris, Audrey, please watch them for a few minutes.” Ellie rushed away before she could hear their answer. She got to the corridor and called out, “Gwen. Can I speak to you for a minute?”

Gwen turned and looked at her, suspicion in her mind. She had reason to be suspicious; her sister had turned out to be a psycho. She brushed her elbow against her gun, “What’s up?”

Ellie walked to her, “I need a favor.”

****

Carson stretched his back out. He could still feel the two bullets sear painfully through his back. He had been shot a handful of times before, but none of them scared him as much. He didn’t have anything to lose then, but now, he had a wife, daughter and a son he would have left behind.

Ellie had been depressed for months and Carson didn’t blame her. Her daughter had been kidnapped, she’d been cut open, had her son pulled out of her, fell into a coma thinking she’d never get to hold her son and then wakes up to a standoff. Her husband and her serial killer sister got shot. Top all that off with what had happened to Daniel, George, Taylor and the recently discovered Ned.

He was lucky all she did was fall into a depression and nothing worse.

“Dada!”

Stacey-Ann announced him, as he walked into the room.

He kissed her forehead, leaving her in Audrey’s arms, “How’s my princess?”

She giggled then turned back to Audrey’s colorful hair, “Do you want her?”

“No. My back hurts.” He went to Kris, who was holding his son and rubbed his hairy head. It was amazing how his face could be on such a small person, “Third, how are you today?”

Kris rolled her eyes, “
Jamey
is doing just fine. The doctor said there is no reason to worry. He is a normal baby boy.”

Carson smiled, kissing the top of his head, “That’s great to hear. What about mommy?”

Ellie had taken care of him when he was recuperating, but he could clearly see she had faded away. His wife and the mother of his children, just wasn’t there anymore. He could sum up all the words she had said to him since the shooting, and they weren’t more than a dozen.

Kris patted his arm. She could hear the worry in his voice, “She says she’s fine.”

He swallowed hard, “But...”

“She’s really trying, Dale. It’s not easy.”

He knew that, but he just couldn’t accept it. All of this because of Ellsa!

“Carson, she’s smiling. Take that and be patient,” Doran encouraged.

He nodded, “Where is she?”

“She went after Gwen. She went to talk to her,” Kris answered.

The room went quiet for a moment and then Audrey walked up to the computer. She typed a few things in and brought up a live feed, “They’re in the shooting range.”

****

“Push your shoulders back and support your shooting hand with your other hand,” Gwen instructed, shifting Ellie’s hands around to cradle the gun properly. “Take a deep breath, then pull your finger back.”