Manhunt (27 page)

“Of course,” Wes said with a smile. “Nicole, could you please describe the nature of your relationship with Michael Brennan?”

“Michael and I have known each other since we were little kids. He’s my best friend, my first and only true love, my family. He’s my everything.” Nikki finally looked up at Michael and saw him smiling from ear to ear back at her, his eyes glistening.

“You say that Michael is your ‘only true love,’ yet you were in a relationship with Sebastian Cross until shortly before his death, were you not?”

Nikki’s face scrunched up as though she had eaten something sour for a second before she could remove the expression from her face. “Yes, I was.”

“Can you please explain to me how that came to pass?”

“Well, ummm, from what I can remember, Sebastian and I knew each other since we were little too. When Michael broke up with me right after high school, I started spending more time with Sebastian, and it just kind of progressed from there, I think.”

“And, from what you can remember, what was your relationship like?” Wes asked.

“I remember good times with him, times when he was a great friend, or was caring and thoughtful. But I also remember bad times, times when he hurt me.”

“How did he hurt you?”

“He was verbally abusive, for one. He would say mean things to me, usually when he was drunk and usually about Michael. He would... force me to have sex with him, to prove to him that I belonged to him. Then one day he backhanded me so hard I had to go to the hospital for stitches to the inside of my cheek. That’s when I broke it off with him and filed a restraining order.” Nikki started wringing her hands together, bits and pieces flashing through her mind...

Red...

“But evidence shows that Sebastian Cross was in your home on the night in question?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Can you remember anything about that night?”

“Yes, some. Not all. I remember running from Sebastian. First I ran to my bedroom and locked the door. Then I ran in to the bathroom and did the same thing.”

“Just so it’s clear for the jury, Nicole, your bathroom was attached to your bedroom, with no other entrance, correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Okay, thank you. Please, continue.”

“I called Jeremy from the bathroom, I remember telling him I thought Sebastian was going to kill me. I heard Sebastian break down the door to the bedroom and then he was pounding on the bathroom door. He said, ‘Even your precious Michael can’t save you now, bitch.’ He broke down the bathroom door and I had to jump to get out of the way. He grabbed me by my hair and was dragging me out of the bathroom. That’s all I remember. The next memory I have is of waking up in the hospital.”

Nikki looked at Michael and saw the anger in his eyes, his hands balled up in tight fists on the table. She was sorry he had to listen to this, and tried to show him with her eyes it was okay, she was okay. He didn’t look convinced.

“Why did you think he was going to kill you?”

Nikki was starting to panic, her breaths coming fast and shallow. “I don’t know. I just remember him chasing me and pounding on the door.” Nikki shook, chanting to herself over and over. Keep it together. This isn’t even the district attorney. This is the guy who is on our side. You can do it.

Wes stepped right in front of her. “Do you remember anything else, Nicole? I know this is hard for you, but it’s important. Please try and remember. Sebastian grabbed you by the hair, pulled you out of the bathroom. Then what happened?” Wes pressed.

Nikki was angry at him for a second; he had promised when he prepped her that he wasn’t going to do this, but if it would help Michael, she would try. And then, as though someone had finally told her that the key to unlocking everything had been in her hand the whole time, the door opened. Everything came flooding back to her in shades of red.

*******

“Nikki, you skanky whore, you’d better get your skinny ass out here right now if you know what’s good for you! Not even your precious Michael can save you now, bitch.”

She heard the bedroom door crash to the ground, and knew she only had seconds before the bathroom door did the same.

“Jeremy, please help me,” she whispered frantically. “I’m in my bathroom. I think he’s going to kill me this time!”

The bathroom door crashed to the floor. Nikki screamed, barely jumping out of the way in time. She pressed her back as far against the wall as she could, knowing it would do nothing to help her. Sebastian walked in, eyes bulging and bloodshot with drunken fury. He stomped over to her and grabbed hold of her forearms, but she started scratching and clawing at him with her fingernails, drawing blood.

“Leave me alone!” she screamed.

He backhanded her, grabbing a fistful of hair when her face whipped to the side and pulling her behind him as she pressed her heels down, desperate to slow him down. Her feet slid along the tile. She grabbed for the towel rack, but only was able to get her fingers on the edge of a bath towel before it was out of reach.

“You little whore, you thought you could get away from me that easy? Use me to mend your broken heart and then call me a fucking ABUSER to the cops to try and gain Michael’s sympathy so he would take your sorry ass back? Well, if you want to act like a whore, I’ll treat you like a whore. On your knees, bitch. First you’re gonna suck my cock, then I’m gonna fuck you so hard you won’t be able to remember Michael’s name tomorrow. Assuming I let you live that long.”

Sebastian let go of her and started to undo his blue jeans. Nikki backed up a step or two, begging him. “Please, Sebastian, you don’t want to do this. This isn’t who you are. You’re a good person, you just had too much to drink...”

“Good person, huh? Damn straight I’m a good person. But not good enough for you. No, I’ve never been good enough for you, no matter how much of your bullshit I put up with. Not as good as that son-of-a-bitch Michael. You know what, Nikki? Shut the fuck up.”

He slapped her again, harder this time, and she fell to the floor, the phone falling out of her hands and sliding several feet away. She hadn’t even realized she was still gripping it. She looked up at Sebastian, terrified at the crazed look in his eyes, the sneer in his smile. She scooted on her hands and knees backwards towards the door. Sebastian moved slowly, still smiling. He was a predator stalking his prey, knowing full well the prey was cornered with nowhere to go.

Nikki grabbed the door frame, pulling herself up and running downstairs, tripping and falling down the second half in her rush. She saw stars for a minute, blinding pain searing behind her eyes. She could smell copper and iron and knew without looking she was bleeding. It gave Sebastian the precious seconds he needed to catch up with her before she could run out the door. Sebastian lifted her up by her forearms in front of him.

“Awww, come on now, Nikki,” he cooed, pulling her closer to him so he could whisper in her ear. It scared her even more than the screaming did. “You should be more careful. I just wanna have a little fun. How am I supposed to enjoy breaking you if you’re already broken? Let’s get you to the couch. I want to tap that sweet, tight ass of yours before I bash your head in.”

He laughed at her as her jaw dropped. She knew it then. Knew it with every bone in her body. She was going to die tonight.

Thoughts of her friends, her family, her unfulfilled dreams all flashed through her mind as she stared death in the eye. But mostly she thought of Michael, how much she loved him, how she wished things had been different and he had never let her go. She should have fought harder to get him back. Now she would never have the chance.

Then she thought of her dad, and how disappointed he would be in her for giving up. She could almost hear his voice in her ear telling her to fight back. It was as though a switch flipped in her brain.

She got angry. More angry than she’s ever been in her life. She decided then and there that if Sebastian was going to kill her anyway, she was going to make him work for it, because she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. She wanted to live, and Sebastian didn’t deserve to take that away from her. She’d already given him too much.

Nikki smiled back at him, an evil sneer much like his own. His expression turned to one of confusion seconds before she slammed her knee into his groin with every ounce of strength she possessed. She dug the side of her foot into his shin, scraping all the way down as she stomped on his foot. Sebastian doubled over in pain and Nikki ran for the telephone stand in the hall. The one with her father’s gun, a tiny little thing with a mother of pearl handle. He’d taught her how to use it, aiming at empty milk jugs on the lake when she was little. She’d never had the heart to get rid of it. Nikki had just enough time to grab it and point it at Sebastian with shaky hands before Sebastian stood back up and came after her again. She didn’t even know for sure if it was loaded.

“Nikki, what are you doing, baby? You’re not really going to shoot me. All you’re doing is making it worse for yourself by pissing me off. Now you’ll be wishing I’d just killed you quickly and got it over with.”

Sebastian smiled, but she could see the fear creeping in.

Nikki shook her head vehemently. “No, Sebastian!” she screamed. “You are never going to touch me again! Leave. Now! Get the fuck out of my house and never come back!”

Sebastian just laughed. “I can’t do that, baby. You still need to be taught a lesson, although you probably won’t be around long enough to learn from it, I suppose. Still...”

Sebastian lurched for her, reaching for the gun.

Nikki fired twice in rapid succession against his chest.

He looked shocked for a second then screamed in pain, stumbling towards her; one step, then another before falling down face first in front of her. Blood was dripping down her face from the gash on her forehead, but it was nothing compared to the pool of blood creeping towards her feet from underneath Sebastian. She didn’t know if he was alive or dead, and she wasn’t sticking around long enough to find out.

She stumbled outside, frantic to get out of there. She had no idea where she was going or what she was supposed to do, she just needed to run, before he got back up like the villain always does in those bad horror movies Sophie used to make her watch. She tripped again in a divot in her front yard, hitting her head once again on something hard. Probably a rock, she thought before she blacked out.

*******

With tears in her eyes as she finished relaying her newfound memories, she looked around the courtroom, shocked faces on everyone present, including the judge. Everyone except Michael and Christian. They were looking at her with pain and pity and regret. Her eyes focused back on Wes, who seemed unsurprised as well, but was oddly smiling.

“It’s going to be all right now, Nikki,” he said to her softly before taking a step or two back and addressing the judge.

“In light of this testimony, I respectfully request that all charges against Michael Brennan be dropped and the case dismissed,” Wes said confidently.

Judge Stone turned to look at Nikki. He had the same odd look of pity and regret Michael and Christian did. After a moment, he turned back to the court.

“I want to see counsel for both sides in my office. Now. Bailiff, please take Ms. Wright into custody while we sort this mess out.” Nikki saw Dorothy make her way to the front of the gallery, lean over the bar, and whisper in Wes’s ear.

“No!” Michael shouted, standing up, slapping his hand on the wooden table as he’d done once before. “It’s not her fault! He was going to kill her! It’s my fault! I left her alone with him! It’s my fault, not hers! God damn you, Wes!”

Suddenly, it all made sense to Nikki. Everything Michael had done from that night forward had been for her. He’d kidnapped her, taken the blame for the murder, everything. He’d done it to protect her. Her hands flew to her cheeks when she thought of how hard she had been on him on the road, thinking he was a kidnapper and a murderer, when in truth... the murderer had been her.

Not only that, but Nikki had a strong suspicion Christian and Wes had known all along.

“Sit down, Mr. Brennan. You will not do anyone any good with outbursts like that. Any more from you and I’ll have you arrested for contempt. Don’t think you’re out of the woods yet, young man.”

Michael didn’t move, refusing to back down.

Wes, clearly anxious to draw the judge’s attention from Michael, cleared his throat and spoke. “Your Honor, Ms. Wright is represented by Dorothy McKnight.” Wes waved an open hand in Dorothy’s direction. “She respectfully requests to be present in all discussions involving her client.”