Me Plus You

Dirty Past

"Why are you so angry at me? You've attended hundreds of calls where people have been D.U.I"

Starmer face hardened into stone. His color was pallid and his small eyes sallow.

"You're a junkie...just like your bastard husband. And it was you and him that got my baby brother hooked on the same shit you two snorted."

Stella was bemused. " Your brother? I don't know your brother!"

"Why would you?! You don't remember anything about your dirty past do you?! Locked it up and pretend it didn't happen. My brother wasnt so lucky... he bought dope from your husband. But he went on to bigger and better stuff. Ended up dead with a needle in his arm at twenty."

Starmer was almost spitting at her and Stella shrank back from his anger.

"I'm sorry about your brother. I never sold any dope to anyone. Ever. I know I used...but that was it."

"And that's ok? If it wasnt enough for your husband to be a dope head, he had to reel others in too. And now he's paying the price too. Hopefully they will turn off that ventilator soon. No point keeping someone alive whose going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life.....although maybe that would be fun to watch."

Stella gasped. " Grant was you?! "

Starmer smiled. "Well strictly speaking, I had to pay someone to feed him him the fentanyl but yeah I am proud to admit that I am responsible for him being in the hospital..although..he was meant to die to be honest."

He was psychotic Stella realised. How had she never seen any sign of it?

"And all the packages to the station? Why?"

Starmer laughed. " You kind of played into my hands with that. You started fucking the Lieutenant so reminders that you were a whore were needed. I wanted to make sure that you were not taken seriously as a firefighter!"

"But it didn't work though did it?" Stella sneered at him. "51 didn't turn against me..."

Starmer stepped forward. "I would shut your mouth.

Stella needed to be brave.

" And the momentoes..what was that about?" She cut in trying to distract him.

"Reminding you about your dirty past. That its never going to go away. Doesnt matter how hard you try to hide it. Had that fuck Severide not installed that doorbell camera I would have had a lot of fun with you in your apartment..."

Stella paled. He was mad. She was sure of it. And there was no way he was going to let her go.

Boden drove at breakneck speed with the sirens ringing as they headed towards Starmers firehouse. But a quick call ahead by Casey told them he wasnt on shift so they changed direction towards his address, details of which the station admistratative assistant had shared with them.

Severide's heart was in his mouth. Why hadnt they suspected Starmer?! Rationality would have told him they had had no reason to suspect him but he wasn't feeling rational. He was going to tear Starmer apart limb from limb if he had hurt a hair on her head.

Starmers house in Bucktown was in darkness. There was no vehicle outside. A cursory look around the perimeter suggested he wasnt around.
But Voights team didnt have to play by the same rules as the CFD. They acted and asked questions later. Upton and Halstead took the back, Burgess and Ruzek the front. Attwater stayed back to capture any outside threat.
Upton banged on the door but there was no response so they went to second base and broke the door down. Severide didnt wait and despite Boden's protestations ran up to the house and ran inside after them, but careful to ensure he kept his wits about him.
The house was silent. It didnt take very long to conclude Starmer wasnt there. Nor was Stella. Severide's heart sank. He had really been convinced they would find her here.