To Breathe Again

Chapter 46 - Descent into Madness

Grant's POV

"I heard from one of my guys today." Trent says walkin' inta the kitchen. I haven't really been able to eat much since she went missin', which is not the best bein' that we may need our strength to save 'er. I'm forcin' myself to down a protein shake. I don't know how the fuck Trent drinks this shit. It's nasty.

"And?" I say, hopeful that at least somethin' could lead us to Flower.

"It looks like Manuel and Clark have been talking." He replies.

"What? I thought Manuel hated Clark." I said back, grimacin' while tryin' to not vomit up what I just swallowed.

"Yeah, well I guess losin' Michelle gave them a common enemy. Looks like they started chatting online and then started talking via phone calls. Most of it was Manuel telling Clark way more than I would want to know about my girl's new relationship but I guess Manuel wanted to vent to someone and Clark wanted the information." He said.

"Anythin' that makes you think one of 'em have her?" I ask.

"Yeah, actually. It looks like Manuel still had someone he knew back here in town and heard about where she worked and lived. When Clark said something about wishing she'd disappear, Manuel answered with something along the lines of least getting his son back would be a benefit. That tells me he had nothing to do with Tony, but he might have fueled a fire in Clark. I have my team looking closer at Clark's email history now that we found this one. He was using an email we would have never found had we not been looking into Manuel. They stopped chatting probably about six months ago." He was 'bout to say somethin' else when his phone rang. "Hello? Yeah. Send me the details. Alright. Thanks man. Great job!" He hung up the phone and looked back at me. "Clark has her, man."

"How do you know?" I asked, my heart sinkin' but at the same time hopeful now that we have some sort of lead.

"Henry found an email to Daisy's personal email address. They corresponded for a few weeks and then went silent. It looks like they're workin' together but we don't know why yet." He said, runnin' to his computer.

I ran after him after grabbin' my laptop from my office.

As we searched through all the records we could find on Daisy, I thought 'bout Flower's ex husbands. I never understood how somebody could be mentally normal and let 'er go or treat 'er badly. The woman is amazin' and so easy to live with. Now Manuel, I understand more. I know 'bout what trauma can do to the body and mind. I'd a friend from way back in my motorcycle ridin' days who had a purty bad accident. After he came outta the coma, he was a changed man. He went from a big 'ole teddy bear to a ragin' fighter. We couldn't take 'em anywheres without 'em startin' up some sorta brawl. He's in prison currently fer beatin' up his 'ole lady. Poor lil thing had stuck with 'em up to that point but now she's done moved away with the kids. I actually liked bein' able to be here fer Flower after knowin' what she went through, havin' some knowledge 'bout it. The man she loved and who was supposed to protect and love 'er turned inta the person she feared the most. I wanted to keep 'er wrapped up in my arms and protected from the world. Obviously I failed.

I know that even I got anger issues but that's what was purty awesome 'bout our relationship, the four of us. I knew that whenever I was bein' a dick, Trent or Sammy would either reign me back on in or would at least be there to pull her away from my tantrums. If Sammy was bein' a baby 'bout somethin' or wrapped up in his books or gamin' too much, she had me or Trent to spend time with.  If Trent was too overbearing, I could take 'er side and make 'em back tha fuck off.  She also seemed to like my size. I took full advantage of that part of 'er personality. Then I got to introduce 'er to my ropes. Fuck was that fun. She did so fuckin' well, my sweet lil delicate flower.