Wicked Games: Book Two of The Psychopath Series

Chapter 54

Two weeks later.....

It was the last week of June. The sun glared bright in the cloudless sky as clusters of people marched through the parking lot en route for Barnet Field. It was the semifinal game of The Blackbird Tournament. The Boston Bengals and the New Foster Pelicans were squaring off in about an hour.

Isabeth, in a red polka-dot dress and white sneakers, unloaded containers of drinks, ice, and snacks from her truck to the dolly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Gidget inquired tugging a pack of water bottles out the truck. "No one expects you to be here." She huffed as she heaved the water onto the dolly. "Not after..." She stopped rubbing her hand over her hair pondering if she should finish her statement.

"Not after what?" Isabeth asked leaning over in her trunk. Her eyes begin to sting as water started to percolate. She took a deep breath before turning around. "You can say it. You say her name. I won't break."

"I-I don't think you'll break." Gidget wrung her hands. "I just think you shouldn't be here."

"Where do you want me to be?" Isabeth threw her arms up listlessly as desperation dripped from her words. "Stuck at the bar like Dalton. Asleep and clueless like Gavin. A blubbering mess like Harper, faking it like Malachi or stuck in the hunt like Alex." She breathed in a shaky breath as tears formed in the wells of her eyes. "I looked for her." She angrily wiped the tear from her cheek. "I looked for Faith everywhere. She vanished in thin air. There's no trace of her. No breadcrumbs to follow. My friend is gone.... she's gone...and the only people that knew where she was were dead." She let the tears fall. "So.... I'm here.... doing my job."

Gidget looked down at a whimpering Teddy, strapped in the stroller. "I'm sorry." She refocused on Isabeth. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't upset me." Isabeth bent over and stroked Teddy's head. "Life has upset me."

"I'll get these out to the field." Gidget wrapped her hands around the dolly's handle. "Take a minute to collect yourself."

Isabeth somberly smiled before Gidget pushed the dolly away.

"Sorry, I upset you," Isabeth whispered to Teddy. She gently kissed his forehead and his chubby cheeks grew as he smiled. "That's my boy." She tickled his stomach. He kicked his sock-covered feet as he giggled. "That's my Teddy Bear."

"He has your nose." The familiar voice sent a pain through her chest. She looked up and there he stood.

Fulton smiled at Teddy and the baby smiled back. "But.... he has my eyes. Gray eyes."

"What do you want?" Isabeth snapped turning the stroller around so he couldn't see the boy.

"You shouldn't speak to me that way." Fulton stepped a little closer making Isabeth take shallow breaths. "You should be thanking me. I didn't tell the police what you did.... or what your boyfriend did."

"You should be glad that's all we did." She seethed staring up at him.

Fulton reached for her face and she slapped his hand away.

"Feisty." He chuckled drawing his hand back. "I like it." His gaze rolled over her face. His attention made her skin crawl. "You gave me a son." He took a step back to take in more of her presence. "I knew you were special."

"He's Alex's son." She quickly spat out.

"Hmm." He coyly smiled. "We'll see."

"We won't see shit!" Isabeth's voice hiked up and a passerby looked her way. "If you touch him...." She lowered her tone so only he could hear. "I won't mistakenly stab you in the heart. I'll plug you in the skull."

Fulton's smile grew. "They say the best relationship starts off with hate." He winked. "I'll be seeing you.... my Isabeth."

She watched Fulton stalk away as she rocked the stroller, "Don't worry Teddy. You'll never know him. He won't exist in your world." She inhaled deeply then breathed out. "Next time I won't feel guilty." 

The Fulton problem, will it be solved? How will it be solved? 

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