Page 123 of Shattered Souls
There’s nothing for several minutes, and then fuckingBertramsneaks along the hallway, looking shifty as shit, before he steps into the bathroom. My teeth grind to dust and the next few minutes, waiting for them to exit and not knowing what the hell he’s doing to them in there are some of the worst of my life.
Eventually, they reappear. “That bastard,” I snarl when I see he’s holding Aurora hostage against him. “He’s using Aurora to force Riley to leave with him.”
Blue must have compiled the video clips as the camera moves with them through the stadium and outside until they climb into a sleek black car and pull away from the drive. But not before I catch Riley’s pale face and terrified eyes as she scans her surroundings, pleading for someone to help… pleading for one ofus.
And we fucking let her down.
“Where does the car go?” I seethe when the screen goes black.
Royce shakes his head. “Blue is working on that now.”
“We’re not just going to stand around here and wait for him to track them back to wherever the fuck they go.”
“So what do you suggest we do?” Grayson drawls, though I can tell from the firm set of his jaw that he’s just as furious as I am.
“Go back to that apartment. Maybe they’re there, or there’s a clue as to where he’d take her. Hell, we can ask the other residents if they know anything.”
Royce scrubs at the thick scruff on his chin. “It’s not a bad idea while we wait for Blue. We might be able to find some clue that he hasn’t.”
I’m already stalking toward the bathroom door with the girls’ coats and bag in my hand. “Let’s go, then,” I bark over my shoulder.
We’re pulling up outside the apartment building in record time. Grayson views the speed limit as a guide rather than alimitas he drives like a maniac through the quiet town streets.
We don’t dawdle outside this time, marching straight into the building and up to apartment eight. The door is closed, but I turn the handle and arch a brow at Royce and Gray when it opens.
Royce slides a gun from the waistband of his jeans, and I momentarily wonder whether he had that on him all night, before he’s stepping in front of me, weapon raised as he moves into the apartment.
I’m on high alert as we enter the apartment, scanning it for any sign of our girls. It looks much like it did last time except… “What is that smell?” I pull the neckline of my t-shirt up to cover my nose against the heavy, cloying stench that smells like the garbage hasn’t been taken out likeever. That smell definitely wasn’t here last time.
As a unit, we move toward the back hallway leading to the bedrooms. With every step, the smell grows more potent. Even through the fabric of my top, the scent is suffocating. I can feel my throat closing over, the urge to gag overwhelming.
Gray and Royce don’t seem to be fairing much better. They’ve also covered their mouths, the three of us sharing an ominous glance as we reach the door behind which the smell is strongest.
We all hesitate, none of us wanting to be the one to reach out and turn the door handle. Whatever the fuck is on the other side of that door, it’s bad.
Really fucking bad.
Mumbling something indecipherable, Royce reaches out and turns the handle before pushing open the door. None of us make a move to step into the room. Thank fuck, because the second the door swings open, it’s like hitting a brick wall of unbearable stench. I can fucking taste it. It’s like rot and body fluid odor all rolled into one. My eyes water immediately, and I hunch over, gagging.
“Jesus.” Gray turns his back on the scene, and I can tell he’s as close as I am to losing the contents of his stomach.
Royce is the only one who doesn’t appear physically affected. I guess he’s used to being around the smell of blood and body odor, but holy shit, this is on an incomprehensible level.
“Who is it?” I manage to choke out. The good news is it can’t be Riley or Aurora. Bad news is that it’s not Bertram.
“Pretty sure I have an idea,” Royce mutters before hedging into the room for a closer inspection. Yeah, I think I’ll just stay here. I absolutelywillvomit if I get any closer.
Keeping a safe distance from the bodies, he edges around the perimeter of the room. One of the bodies is lying flat on the floor in what I think is a pool of his own blood, while the other is slumped against the wall. That one is the worst because I can essentiallyseethe extent of decay. I can only look at the body for a second or two at a time before I have to look away. However, from those brief glances, I’m pretty sure it’s Lydia. I recognize the skimpy dress she was wearing when she escaped from Dax’s club.
But who is the other one?
“Pretty sure that’s David,” Royce clues me in when he’s finished inspecting the room. He closes the door, and we quicklyreturn to the hallway outside the apartment, only pausing briefly to check out the other bedroom and ensure it’s empty.
I swear I can still smell the lingering stench of decay once we’ve closed the apartment door, and I’m wondering how we didn’t notice it before or if it’s now permanently embedded in my skin. God, I need at least five scalding showers before I dare to breathe through my nose again.
“Guess that answers our question about whether or not they got on that plane,” I say when I can finally talk without gagging.
Gray shakes his head, staring wide-eyed at the door. “He just left them there,” he states almost absently. “He’s completely fucking lost it. Who just leaves dead bodies there for anyone to find? I’m surprised the neighbors haven’t called the cops yet. It’s only a matter of time.”
