New York Detectives (Book 3)

Chapter 32

Nathan Maiden had walked into the Empire State Building, walking to the elevator and pressing the up button.

He heard the familiar ding and waited for the doors to open fully, then stepped in, hitting his designated floor.

As the elevator began to lift, he closed his eyes, seeing images from the other night appear in his head.

He saw Destiny, and she looked beautiful. She definitely took after her mother, but her eyes came from him. He remembered the ache he felt when she called him by his actual name, but he shouldn't have expected anything. He wasn't a father to her, and he needed to realize that.

After hearing the gunshot, he remembered seeing the shock on her face and he remembered the blood, her shirt soaking it up.

He remembered being pushed into the car and looking back, watching the crowd surround her and she fell. She had collapsed as they turned the corner, and he opened his eyes in time for the elevator doors to open.

His plan for leading Destiny back into his and Lucie's life was faltering. Lucie hasn't been able to contact him, and he was beginning to worry.

He sighed and walked out of the elevator and to his office, his steps silenced by the tan carpet. He reached his door and turned the knob, entering the darkened office. He walked to his desk, keeping the lights off, and froze.

There was a slideshow of the pictures he had on this computer, it wasn't the lock screen.

"I hope you don't mind. I took some of that scotch you had." he heard a voice say and he jumped, bumping into his chair which crashed into the wall.

The intruder stood up, glass of scotch filled more than halfway. As she stood, she winced and grasped her lower stomach.

"I was just sitting here, reading over messages between you and Lucie. She really doesn't like to delete messages, does she?" she asked and as she turned, Nathan recognized Destiny.

"Destiny, I-"

"Oh, this one is my favorite. Happened just a few days ago," Destiny said, clearing her throat.

"Good morning, Babe. I hope you're swell. Last night was great, and I hope you're ready for the day. Destiny will be stopping by, I don't know when, but she will be. You should stay away from the house and from your job." Destiny scrolled down, reading Nathan's next message.

"OK, will do. Don't forget to tell her about Sherlock, we can't have him interfere. He could help solve this case faster, and we wouldn't want that. We need to see Destiny again, and get her on good terms." She looked up at Nathan, and even though he couldn't see her face he could feel the glare she had for him.

"We wanted to see you again." Nathan said after a minute or two of silence. She laughed but the laugh was anger filled.

"Then you could have asked! You could have called!" she sneered at him, her hands moving as she talked. Nathan could remember when she did that as a little girl.

"Would you have said 'yes'? If I or Lucie asked, would you have came and saw us?" Nathan asked and he saw Destiny stand still. She straightened her back more, if that was possible, and she chuckled.

"Honestly? No. I wouldn't have. I had to deal with you hitting me. You would leave bruises, and you would drink, and you would buy me cigarettes so I could die faster. You remember that? You remember telling me that on my birthday? You threw the pack of cigarettes in my lap on my 15th birthday and said you hoped I'd die quicker."

Nathan cringed, he did remember that. It was one of the few moments he was sober, sadly. All of his memories with Destiny were bad and when he was sober.