In Your Shadow

© 2016 by J. Middleton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

The traffic was very intense coming out of Albany New York going into Hudson.

Katie singing with the radio as the car was slowly moving. She stopped and got a bottom of champagne and his engraved watch that she had placed on order. She smiled knowing every time he looked down on his arm he would think of her.  He was the love of her life ever since they laid eyes on each other in the spring of 1994. Katie was looking forward to spending the evening with her husband. Their three-year anniversary was tomorrow. Mitch had to go to a construction site in Dallas early in the morning so he was going to surprise her tonight. He had a great evening planned.  She was very excited their business was taking off and she had a wonder husband by his side. A few weeks ago they had sold their house and were moving to Manhattan. Everything was packed up and ready to go.

“Finally,” she thought as the driveway came into view. His car was already
in the
garage. Smiling from ear to ear she couldn’t wait to get inside.

She parked and hurried to the door. The door was cracked opened a few inches. Only sound she heard was the water from the shower. There was the scent in the air of musky
c
ologne.

“That’s a new smell,” she thought.

She dropped her keys and purse down on a small table by the door. The other hand was carrying his gift with a bottle of champagne tucked under her arm. She walked to the kitchen and sat the champagne down and his present on the corner.

“
Honey I’m home!” she yells.

Popping the top off the bottle she poured two glasses. From the corner of her eye she could see something shining on the floor. She turned her head and there was glass broken not far from where she was standing. She peaked around the corner and seen the sliding door was shattered. There were dirty footprints that made a path through the kitchen leading into the hallway. Her face fell as her heart started pounding as the blood was rushing to her head. She could almost hear every beat. Her body started trembling as she took a few steps.

“Honey” she yells her voice scratchy.

Still no answer just the sound of the shower. She calls out again, still nothing. Following the footprints down the hallway she froze instantly. Her husband half-naked body was lying on the floor and steam was rolling out of the bathroom. Blood pooled around his head and shoulders. The light reflected his pale skin, making the blood look dark and oozy. Katie felt her stomach knot up as she fell to her knees, in front of him. She tried to scream but no sound would come out. Nausea hit her hard, as she started to gag. Holding the vomit down she pressed her hand hard against her mouth. He was face down his hair was covered in this dark red liquid. She screams out of horror and covers her face as tears broke free from her eyes. Reaching out with her trembling hand and grabs his hand. There was no warmth in his body it was like holding and ice cube. She swayed back and forth as voluntary bawling escaped her body. It felt like there was no air in her lungs. Trying to grasp for air with her face wet with tears. She took a long breath and exhaled.

“No-o-o! she yelled, her voice cracking and broken. Her head collapsing into her hands again.

“Mitch” screaming his name, but no answer came. The smell of blood filled the air as she started to gag.

“No-o-o this can’t be” sobbing hysterically. She was not ready to let him go.

She heard a loud sound and everything went black.

Not remembering falling to the floor, or how long she had been there. She was in complete darkness.

She woke up at the hospital with a doctor over her bed. When Katie came to the only thing she remembered was hearing voice’s but she didn’t know where they came from are whose they were. Everything else was blank. The doctor told her she had been shot and the bullet barely missed her heart. She looked down at her chest and there were a few bandages it was sore from the surgery.

Katie was lucky to be alive. The bullet went through her shoulder blade and out the other side. The pain was so unbearable it felt like someone had cut out her heart. This pain was like a poison slowly killing her. The love of her life was no longer here. This seemed like a nightmare and she was ready to wake up.

“Why? “she cried.

A stream of tears rolled down her face like a waterfall never ending.

Katie tried to remember anything that happened, only thing that came to mind was the loud sound she heard before darkness consumed her. She went into a shell blocking everything out.

The medical examiner report said he died of his gunshot wounds to the chest. The detectives combed the area but no prints. Only thing they had to go on was the dirty prints that were left. Whoever came in the door wore a size eleven boot. The entire area was dusted for prints but no was found. The only thing they had was a strand of dark hair, and part of a print left behind but nothing they could use. The called it a random act. They said clues pointed to a break in and they left before they could finish. Katie wasn’t satisfied with their answer. No one in that neighborhood had any trouble. There was more to it she could feel it but what. She tormented herself with this obsession for months and but still found no answers. Every time she would look in the mirror she would see her small scar and she would be reminded of that horrifying evening. Nothing made sense to her anymore so she poured herself into her company hoping it would ease her pain. It was all a blur for days and months even. She walked around in a daze no wanting to accept what had happened, she went to her father’s house and stayed for a month.  She never could understand who would do such a horrifying thing.

After a few months after Mitch’s death, she moved to the middle of Manhattan. Katie never went back to their home just left it like it was. She left everything there even her clothes. She couldn’t bear going back to the place he had died. Her father got someone to board up the windows and they locked it down. He knew one day she would want to return and everything would be as she left it.

Her heart hard and her life hollow she pressed on. His death still remains unresolved with her. She called the detective every day for months and nothing. Katie would go to their office once a week, no news, no leads. The case just stayed cold, it was like they just stop trying. She couldn’t believe they had no glues just dirty footprints that was left behind but still no killer no motive, nothing. She didn’t understand how someone could do this and no one saw anything. Years later her father bought her company and merged it with his. He retired and let her take control of the business he just gave her advice as she needed. She was a harsh business woman and showed no mercy are no feelings about anything. Everyday her heart got harder and her business grew. Showing no emotions and not caring about anything she pushed on.

Daniel knew that this was the only way he could keep an eye his daughter and at least, try to keep her busy. He even hired a private investigator, but still nothing. He only got a description of a strange car in the neighborhood and what kind of boot the man was wearing, but no real leads. The case went cold.

It wasn’t long after that when her mother passed away from a heart attack. That really sent her over the edge. It was a life of seclusion for her and nothing but work. Katie diverts her mind even more so into her business and that was her life nothing more. No hassles just work, no pain, no nothing. 

A couple of years had passed and still no answers. Driven by her grief it made her a harsh hard business woman. Almost four years had gone by, the night of December 14th all things changed.

Will she be able to let her past go and have a future are will it haunt her forever?

When he looked back and knew for sure no one saw him he pulled off the shoulder of the road as he watched the ambulance pass him. He stopped by this massive tree, and watched the moon silvered through the dark branches. His muscles in his legs and arms were shaking. An hour had passed and it was pitch black only a few light on the streets were shining. He looked in the distance and it looked like a storm was coming. The wind started to blow harshly against the car. He looked in his rearview mirror and let out a long slow breath, the lights from the cop cars were surrounding the house. The sound of the sirens had woken up the neighborhood. The flash of light from detective’s shined on the dark curtains. He was unable to see what was going on. Areas of the property had been cornered off with orange tape. The zone was treated as a crime scene in which it was. They had every possible entry of the house blocked. He could see a well-groomed officer march out the front door and approaching the ambulance that was parked in front. He closed the door of the ambulance and it pulled off. Flying past him with its siren, he ducked down in his car. A moment of fear wiggle down his spine as one cop passed by him. Rain started to fall as it hammered against the car. Steaming up the car windows so he could barely see behind him.

He looked up through the windshield again, debating whether to follow the ambulance to the hospital. With the loud sound of the rain beating above his head. He knew this storm would move by fast so he waited, listening to the loud thumps of rain hitting the hood of the car. Looking down at his hands there were a few spots of blood were he reached over and touched her. He lifts it to his mouth and sucks lightly at the spot. He closed his eyes as a low moan vibrates in the back of his throat. The scent of blood filled his nostril as if that was all he could smell.

“I didn’t mean to shot you love, but you made me do it, you shouldn’t have come home so early,” he said to himself.

The rain had finally slowed down, he was freezing, with a slight wind coming through his cracked window. When he looked back in his mirror a few police cars were getting ready to leave. The flashing lights was turned off and they were just sitting there in the open. His knees knocking together from the cold and fear. He knew he had better move now before they noticed him. He slowly moved off the side of the road and drove away. Staring straight into the dark and wet night. A new moon was showing its face from behind the clouds Shinning on the wet street’s making a refection across the moisture. He finally seen his road leading to his house he jolted down this long gravel road into the woods. Apart from the sound of the engine, it was quiet. Looking back into his rearview mirror making sure no one was behind him, he swung to the right. Turning  down another road where the trees were covering the top. A few minutes later he pulled up to an old wood frame cabin.

Walking to the doorway with the cold night air assaults his senses, jolting him back into reality. Pushing the door open he looks around he noticed the fire in the fireplace had long burned out leaving nothing but gray ash. Leaving the door adjured to allow the musky smell to travel out.

This was his family’s old camp house that no one ever came to. When he walked in all he could see was her face everywhere. Her beautiful green eyes that haunts him, her long brown hair that shined when the light shined upon it.

“You will be mine soon my darling, and you will forgive me.”

Walking around the room with her image still frozen in memory. He visualizes her standing before him, as a smile came on his face. Seeing himself leaning over her and stroking her hair. With his finger he moved back a piece from her face and gently moves it behind her ear. Suddenly she disappeared. Not wanting to move from that spot hoping she would come back.

He finally made his way to his bedroom as the rain started to fall again hitting the tin rooftop harder than before. Hanging his jacket on the rack by the door he reached for his cell phone and called the hospital and got her condition. After he found out she was stable he took a shower to washing the scent of blood off his body.

  Shortly after he went to the local tavern to get a drink he was like a caged rat trying to find his way out The tavern wasn’t but a mile down the road. He walked in and approached the bar, and ordered him a beer.  Physical stress and despair filled his mind with the alcohol wrapping around his brain, that was affecting his emotions. He sat there looking around to see if anyone was looking at him. Paranoia set in as he just looked down at his beer bottle hiding under his hoody hoping not to be noticed.

Thirty minutes later he finished off a few more beers and he could hear a couple talking about a murder that had just happened. He never looked over to see who was talking he just sat there and listened closely.

“It was a break in from what I heard someone got shot.”

“I don’t know a woman got shot too.”

“One neighbor she saw a car. They are interviewing everyone.”

His heart started to pound when he heard her speak of a car that was seen. He quickly trembled in his chair.

“I couldn’t believe it happened in such a good neighborhood.”

The conversation just kept on but no one seen anyone enter her home.  He smiled to his self, knowing he did it and was sitting right next to them.  He finally heard enough and finished his beer. He was getting very nervous now that they spotted a car. No one said anything about the color are what kind it was. He paid for his drinks and walked out of the bar, looking around to see if anyone was watching him . Quickly he got in his car and drove away, looking back in his mirror no one came outside. His paranoia was really bad now, he knew he had to get out of town and closer to where she was. Katie was still on his mind, he wanted to be by her side and tell her he was sorry.

The dark drive home let him mind wander again on her. When he arrived back home he threw himself across the tangled sheets and pulling a pillow close to him, he buried his face, the image of her was fresh in his mind as the beating of the rain but him fast asleep.

The sun was blaring through the window as he opens his eyes and looks at the ceiling. Cobwebs hung from the corners, dust had settled on the furniture. This place needed to be condemned.

The thought of yesterday was still freshly in his memory. He grabbed his phone and called the hospital and she was going to be released this afternoon. That put a smile on his face, he knew it was a clean shot and it didn’t kill her. That was one thing he knew that was guns.

He drove down to the local gas station and bought him a paper.  He wanted to see if he made the first page. Hurrying back home and rushed in turning every page. It had made the third page.

“The Third page, it should have made the front.”

He threw the paper on the floor and started pacing. So aggregated that it didn’t. It just read there was a possible break in and one dead. He didn’t like that at all, it should have announced a lot more than that.  Pacing the floor like a raging lion getting ready to jump on his pray. Back and forth, for it seemed hours until he stopped. He stormed out the door and headed to the hospital. There was a parking place right across from the emergency door. So he parked and waiting for her to come out. There was a couple sitting on the side smoking a cigarette talking. Finally, he saw her father pull up and go inside. He was getting nervous now, he would get to see that beautiful face. A few minutes later the door came opened and his father was pushing her in a wheelchair. Her long brown hair laid around her round face as her big blue eyes sparkled when light shined in them. She didn’t look like she had any makeup on, her face pale with only her rosy cheeks. Katie was attractive women. It didn’t matter to him if she wore any are not she was beautiful. He watched her as she froze for just a split second and then got in her car.  It was almost like she was staring straight at him. Sitting there studying her taking her image in absorbing everything about her. He didn’t move, his mouth came open to call he name but no words came out.  He wanted her now more then he realized, his heart was beating so fast he could hear it pounding. He watched the car pull out of the parking and waited for a few minutes.

When he pulled out they were nowhere to be found they had too much of a lead. He drove back to his house with her face implanted in his memories.

….

He woke up the next morning to a cloudy cool day, he was going to the funeral and it was this afternoon. He had to be there and watch over Katie.

Mitch’s obituary was in the morning paper.

“They didn’t say how he died, it just said a sudden death. That wasn’t fair it should have listed everything.” His mind going crazy with anger and frustration.

“My darling Katie they didn’t even put you in the paper. Maybe next time they will” he mumbled to himself with a slight grin.

He got his black slacks out and a long dark jacket a pair of sunglasses and a hat.

When he drove up to the cemetery there was a line of cars all the way out to the main highway. He parked a block away so so his car would be noticed. He got out and eased toward the group of people that had gathered around the casket. Moving into the crowd, he finally got her in his view. He moved just close enough he could almost touch her. She was sitting by her parents on the front roll. How he wanted to protect her and take her away so he could hold her close to him. Just the thought of feeling her warm skin against his make chills run down his spine. He wanted her so badly, he dreamed of her every night.

When he closed his eyes all he saw was her dreamy deep green eyes. Heat builds within him, he wanted to kiss her, to taste her, touch her but he knew he couldn’t get any closer. He closes his eyes for a moment and she was standing in front of him with a smile on her face her arms reaching from him. When he opened his eyes she wasn’t there, she was sitting in the chair by her father. He was getting furious with himself now.

“I can't stand here any longer not with her so close to me, I will have to touch her.” He thought.

The minister begins to speak and he listens to his words but he can’t take his eyes off of Katie. She wipes her tears out of her eyes with a tissue her father hands her. He noticed every few minutes she is wiping her face and it caused his heart to ache for her.  Minutes later Katie stands up places a rose on top of the casket then turns around. She was wearing a black long sleeve dress with black heels with her hair in a ponytail. He could see the outline of her size five body. She starts delivering the eulogy wiping her tears constantly. She stops and looks up straight at him for a second with her brow moving slightly then she returns to speak. He quickly puts his head down.

“What am I thinking? I shouldn’t be here.” He thought, looking down to the ground. Quickly putting his trembling hands in his pocket.

Finally, it got quiet as he looks up she was sitting back down. His heart beating rapidly as sweat formed on his forehead. He makes his way behind the crowd until he sees a large tree and steps behind it. Leaning back against it he takes in a deep breath. Moments later he finally starts walking and makes his way back to his car not even looking back. It becomes clearer that he may not ever have her if he doesn’t do something.

“It takes time, don’t move to fast,” the voice in his head said as he nods his head from side to side.

He gets in his car and sits there staring out of the window. They are about to lower the casket in the ground.

Dark gray clouds start to roll across the sky as he gets a glams of people coming up to her hugging her neck. His knuckles were tight on the wheel, with muscles bunching in his forearms. Sweat had started run down his hairline. He turns twisting in the seat looking out his back window so he could see more.

“No! That should be me holding her.” He spoke so loud his voice echoed.

He was so angry. He didn’t want anyone to touch her are even get close. He had to calm his self-down are he would attract attention.

The crowd was so large he could barely see her. He sat there and watched until everyone started to leave, he started his car as he spotted her walking to the limo. He drove away looking at them in his rearview mirror.

Days past as he watched for her but never seen her anywhere he was beginning to panic.

“Where is she? Where did she go? He was driving himself crazy watching for her. He would go by her work, but nothing. He paced his room staring at her picture dreaming of her return. Days passed weeks even no sign.

Finally, one morning as he was walking in front of her building when she appeared, his heart started racing his body froze as panic set in.

“She back,” he was all excited, the adrenaline was pumping through his vines like a blazing fire.

He watched her go in her building as he took a deep breath. The wind was blowing slightly as he caught the scent of her perfume. He didn’t want to leave that spot stand there forever. He could smell her all around him. Closing his eyes for a moment breathing in her scent. He was in heaven, when he opened his eyes people were going up and down the stairs. He pulled his hoody down and walked away.

He returned every morning just to watch her go up the stone steps to her building. He had watched her live her life of solitude and that was the way he liked it. Every time he seen her she never looked up are smiled always looking down and very conservative. One morning he waited by her office building again. Pacing the sidewalk looking down at his watch he turned around and almost bumped into her, he quickly grabbed his cell phone and protected he was talking on his phone. He turned and walked the other direction. He was so close he could smell the scent of her shampoo. It smelled of fresh spring flowers. That was the closest he every got to her, he could almost touch her. The more he seen her the harder it was for him.