Broken Witness
Chapter
The steps to her house seemed to have increased in numbers. Spending the night at Leon Stella's the night before, she was already out of practise, or maybe it was a reluctance to go home. She would much rather be spending the night with Stella once again, pure heaven. She hadn't known he was capable of such things. Smiling to herself she pulled out her keys opening the door and entering the living room, smiling to her current boyfriend. A man whom was still busy thinking last night she had spent at work.
'Its a hard case Morgan, I wont be home till tomorrow, earliest, Stella wants full hands on. Annoying I know sweetheart.'
He smiled back and stood approaching to hug the woman he loved. Taylor McLuskie stepped forward and kissed his lips relaxing into the man's broad arms so gentle, but something was wrong. Something wasn't the same with him. He seemed less comfortable with her presence. Something she hadn't ever noticed before. "Morgan, honey what's wrong?"
"Its not a worry my love. You've had a hard day just sit down and relax, I'll get you some coffee... love.."
She thanked him and sat on the sofa, curling up to a cushion, soft and warm. comfortable and homey. Though, she was home, she still didnt feel it, she wanted Leon, not Morgan, she loved Morgan yes, but she needed Stella. An issue they had discussed just 18 hours ago he wanted her too. So much, but he just wasn't ready, something they would wait for. Something they would work towards and until then she had Morgan to keep her satisfied which he did a rather good job of. Though unemployed and a poor source of income, from time to time, sure he would bring some money in from various things he sold. Things she didn't know he had, but she didn't comment.
Thinking what she said to him the way he was reacting to her, she still couldn't help but think something wasn't right with him, between them. Had she done something wrong? Was he in trouble? Did he know where she had really been the night before? How could he?
Stella had looked around to make sure there was no one there before they had... The parking lot had been empty, completely empty. Only the normal. Cars no people. They'd both checked before they satisfied their urges satisfied her desire. The fresh air the.., what if the cars hadnt been empty? How easy would it have been to hide? She shuddered and turned to the kitchen doorway seeing Morgan in the kitcehn, seemingly minding his own business. Making coffee, maybe he didn't know. Of course he didn't know.
What was that? A knife? Why was he using a kitchen knife? But it wasn't the handle, it was leather bound. The blade, red.. blood... Oh god. No. He did know... As he turned, gripping the handle tightly, eyes cold and intentions colder she felt tears burn her eyes. How had she been so stupid?
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Stupid, yes Stupid that's what he had been. Letting her go home, he knew, he knew he would be there. He had let her go to her demise, let her walk into it. Leon Stella was in his Mercedes, foot on the throttle, speedometer touching the higher end of the 80 mark. It wasn't fast enough but the traffic was too bad, even with sirens. No one would budge. He was lucky to be gaining 90.
How could he have been so stupid? She was in danger thanks to him and he hadn't bothered to realise. She'd mentioned him, just last night. She had mentioned him. He hadn't taken account. He needed to get there, quicker, but the traffic wouldn't move. Wouldn't budge. Why now? Move!
His thoughts to Chicago went unheard but they were screaming in his head.
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'The silly girl Thomas, oh think about what she did to you, last night, the cheating scum. You saw enough the car, them, and he was rough, she let him do things she wouldn't you.. Are you just going to drop this because she's blubbing?" He looked over Taylor McLuskie, gulped and smiled, his sadistic urges taking over him. "No. I wont Morgan, what she did, it was unthinkable. He.. Oh he will get it worse." He turned to McLuskie and smiled kneeling down. "You wont have to watch what I do to him? Not unless your..." He turned to the door as he heard the knock.
"FBI Open up! You have one warning the area is surrounded. Any movement unauthorised shall result open fire. Step outside, hands above your heads leave all weapons in the house."
McLuskie lay on the floor, face down. Hands raised. Thomas Johnson looked around, panicked. "What do we do now? Thomas? What do we do? Do as they say, take her with you. She's your shield, they wont shoot, not with an innocent. They wont.. Will they?" He grabbed McLuskie pulling her to her feet and touching the blade to the bare skin on her throat. "We'll find out."
He pulled her to the door flinging it open, peering outside, no bluff. 50 agents, black uniform guns raised all to the door. He raised on hand glancing at the officer in command. Leon Stella stood next to the head of the SWAT teams aiming towards him now, the pain clear in the agents eyes made Johnson smile. Another vulnerability. Johnsons other hand dropped the knife reaching to McLuskies belt pulling off her FBI badge and holding it, each head turned to Stella who sighed and nodded to the SWAT time who loaded at command. "Release your hostage, we shall shoot regardless."
"Well Thomas, if they're not bluffing you take her with you. Thats worth as much."
"Thomas... please" The pathetic sobs filled his ears "Leon! No!"
Johnson looked just in time to release his grip on McLuskie before Stella tackled him to the floor, his chances of three victims today diminished as McLuskie crawled away. Distracted from the view as his nose cracked, blood splattered to the floor with the contact from Stella's fist. "You bastard!"
"Agent Stella. Step back or we shall fire." Taylor watched as to her horror, Stella didn't seem to have listened much less cared. She heard the click from the guns and the start up from the SWAT teams. "Your final warning Stella." Still nothing. She looked towards the teams, none would make eye contact then to their commanding officer who inhaled deeply. "Fire to injure. Injure only. Single rounds. A fatal shot is a felony."
A series of shots, each hitting the intended place. Most were made to hit the wall. As Taylor McLuskie opened her eyes she gasped, both men were on the floor. Johnsons eyes open his breathing laboured. Her concern though, Stella lay the knife firm in his gut, tears rolling down his cheeks. She ran skidding to a kneel by his side, her hand rested on top of his she heard his sobs. "Lee. Oh god.." She wiped her eyes and removed her jacket tacking it firmly around the wound trying hard not to move the knife. "It's going to be okay. Why? Why did you have to be such an idiot? Oh Lee..." A hand on his head told all she needed to know. His temperature was falling, his eyes showed agony. His breathing was deep. he was struggling. This wasn't fair, he did nothing wrong.
Three Agents came to a halt and knelt by him, lifting his head their SWAT windbreakers under his head. "We called for emergency medical response. They'll be ten minutes."
"We dont have ten minutes. Leon. " She shook his shoulder in an attempt to force him to open his eyes, nothing. He gripped her hand slowly lifting his lids, heavy she could see.
"Taylor. I'm sorry." He coughed each word, kissing his cheek she whispered for him not to. "I lo-" His eyes closing again she shook him, again nothing, His breathing decreasing before ending in a halt. Slapping his cheek gently, his name playing from her mouth on repeat. No response. The sirens in the background now more than ever before seemed to feel a whole world too far away.
'Its a hard case Morgan, I wont be home till tomorrow, earliest, Stella wants full hands on. Annoying I know sweetheart.'
He smiled back and stood approaching to hug the woman he loved. Taylor McLuskie stepped forward and kissed his lips relaxing into the man's broad arms so gentle, but something was wrong. Something wasn't the same with him. He seemed less comfortable with her presence. Something she hadn't ever noticed before. "Morgan, honey what's wrong?"
"Its not a worry my love. You've had a hard day just sit down and relax, I'll get you some coffee... love.."
She thanked him and sat on the sofa, curling up to a cushion, soft and warm. comfortable and homey. Though, she was home, she still didnt feel it, she wanted Leon, not Morgan, she loved Morgan yes, but she needed Stella. An issue they had discussed just 18 hours ago he wanted her too. So much, but he just wasn't ready, something they would wait for. Something they would work towards and until then she had Morgan to keep her satisfied which he did a rather good job of. Though unemployed and a poor source of income, from time to time, sure he would bring some money in from various things he sold. Things she didn't know he had, but she didn't comment.
Thinking what she said to him the way he was reacting to her, she still couldn't help but think something wasn't right with him, between them. Had she done something wrong? Was he in trouble? Did he know where she had really been the night before? How could he?
Stella had looked around to make sure there was no one there before they had... The parking lot had been empty, completely empty. Only the normal. Cars no people. They'd both checked before they satisfied their urges satisfied her desire. The fresh air the.., what if the cars hadnt been empty? How easy would it have been to hide? She shuddered and turned to the kitchen doorway seeing Morgan in the kitcehn, seemingly minding his own business. Making coffee, maybe he didn't know. Of course he didn't know.
What was that? A knife? Why was he using a kitchen knife? But it wasn't the handle, it was leather bound. The blade, red.. blood... Oh god. No. He did know... As he turned, gripping the handle tightly, eyes cold and intentions colder she felt tears burn her eyes. How had she been so stupid?
..................................................................................................................................................................
Stupid, yes Stupid that's what he had been. Letting her go home, he knew, he knew he would be there. He had let her go to her demise, let her walk into it. Leon Stella was in his Mercedes, foot on the throttle, speedometer touching the higher end of the 80 mark. It wasn't fast enough but the traffic was too bad, even with sirens. No one would budge. He was lucky to be gaining 90.
How could he have been so stupid? She was in danger thanks to him and he hadn't bothered to realise. She'd mentioned him, just last night. She had mentioned him. He hadn't taken account. He needed to get there, quicker, but the traffic wouldn't move. Wouldn't budge. Why now? Move!
His thoughts to Chicago went unheard but they were screaming in his head.
.....................................................................................................................................................................
'The silly girl Thomas, oh think about what she did to you, last night, the cheating scum. You saw enough the car, them, and he was rough, she let him do things she wouldn't you.. Are you just going to drop this because she's blubbing?" He looked over Taylor McLuskie, gulped and smiled, his sadistic urges taking over him. "No. I wont Morgan, what she did, it was unthinkable. He.. Oh he will get it worse." He turned to McLuskie and smiled kneeling down. "You wont have to watch what I do to him? Not unless your..." He turned to the door as he heard the knock.
"FBI Open up! You have one warning the area is surrounded. Any movement unauthorised shall result open fire. Step outside, hands above your heads leave all weapons in the house."
McLuskie lay on the floor, face down. Hands raised. Thomas Johnson looked around, panicked. "What do we do now? Thomas? What do we do? Do as they say, take her with you. She's your shield, they wont shoot, not with an innocent. They wont.. Will they?" He grabbed McLuskie pulling her to her feet and touching the blade to the bare skin on her throat. "We'll find out."
He pulled her to the door flinging it open, peering outside, no bluff. 50 agents, black uniform guns raised all to the door. He raised on hand glancing at the officer in command. Leon Stella stood next to the head of the SWAT teams aiming towards him now, the pain clear in the agents eyes made Johnson smile. Another vulnerability. Johnsons other hand dropped the knife reaching to McLuskies belt pulling off her FBI badge and holding it, each head turned to Stella who sighed and nodded to the SWAT time who loaded at command. "Release your hostage, we shall shoot regardless."
"Well Thomas, if they're not bluffing you take her with you. Thats worth as much."
"Thomas... please" The pathetic sobs filled his ears "Leon! No!"
Johnson looked just in time to release his grip on McLuskie before Stella tackled him to the floor, his chances of three victims today diminished as McLuskie crawled away. Distracted from the view as his nose cracked, blood splattered to the floor with the contact from Stella's fist. "You bastard!"
"Agent Stella. Step back or we shall fire." Taylor watched as to her horror, Stella didn't seem to have listened much less cared. She heard the click from the guns and the start up from the SWAT teams. "Your final warning Stella." Still nothing. She looked towards the teams, none would make eye contact then to their commanding officer who inhaled deeply. "Fire to injure. Injure only. Single rounds. A fatal shot is a felony."
A series of shots, each hitting the intended place. Most were made to hit the wall. As Taylor McLuskie opened her eyes she gasped, both men were on the floor. Johnsons eyes open his breathing laboured. Her concern though, Stella lay the knife firm in his gut, tears rolling down his cheeks. She ran skidding to a kneel by his side, her hand rested on top of his she heard his sobs. "Lee. Oh god.." She wiped her eyes and removed her jacket tacking it firmly around the wound trying hard not to move the knife. "It's going to be okay. Why? Why did you have to be such an idiot? Oh Lee..." A hand on his head told all she needed to know. His temperature was falling, his eyes showed agony. His breathing was deep. he was struggling. This wasn't fair, he did nothing wrong.
Three Agents came to a halt and knelt by him, lifting his head their SWAT windbreakers under his head. "We called for emergency medical response. They'll be ten minutes."
"We dont have ten minutes. Leon. " She shook his shoulder in an attempt to force him to open his eyes, nothing. He gripped her hand slowly lifting his lids, heavy she could see.
"Taylor. I'm sorry." He coughed each word, kissing his cheek she whispered for him not to. "I lo-" His eyes closing again she shook him, again nothing, His breathing decreasing before ending in a halt. Slapping his cheek gently, his name playing from her mouth on repeat. No response. The sirens in the background now more than ever before seemed to feel a whole world too far away.