Run run as fast as you can (Emma Frost #3)

  Nora couldn't lie still. She was tossing and turning thinking about Tim and how wonderful everything was going to be as soon as he realized how much he loved her. Erik grunted in his sleep and Nora froze. The last thing she wanted right now was to wake him up. She wouldn't want to risk him touching her or in any way wanting to kiss her. She had tried hard to avoid it lately and especially she had avoided doing it with him. Oh the horror if she ever had to do that again. She loathed his big hands and his ugly beard that always hurt her when he kissed her. She loathed every line in his face and the fact that he was getting fatter and fatter every day now. No, she had to find a way to get rid of him. She had thought about just leaving him, but he would never let her go. He had told her that on numerous occasions.

  "I'll kill you if you ever leave me," he always said.

  Nora took off the covers and walked to the bathroom where she looked at herself in the mirror. The bruises on her stomach and back were better. It had been at least a week since he last beat her up. She had gotten better at avoiding his anger and pleasing him. Now, she wondered if she might be able to poison him and get away with it? Just slip it in his evening drink? She could use rat poisoning. They had a lot of it in the basement that Erik used for work as an exterminator. Oh, how she even loathed what he did for a living. Everything about him was just so … so disgusting and sickening. He was repulsive.

  Nora sighed, then walked to the bedroom next door where her little Maria slept in her crib. Erik hadn't touched her yet, and he was never going to. Nora was going to make sure of that. She put the baby's blanket over her small body, then walked out. In the hallway, she was startled by a strange sound coming from downstairs. What was that? Was someone in the kitchen?

  Probably just Erik getting a midnight snack. If he keeps stuffing his face like this I won't have to kill him. He'll do that on his own.

  Nora sighed and wanted to go back to bed, but something made her stop. It was the sound of the timer on the oven.

  Erik never cooks. He doesn't even know how to turn on the oven. Why would he set the timer?

  Nora closed her bathrobe, then walked closer to the end of the stairs and looked down. The light was on and someone was definitely down there. What was that? Was that someone humming?

  Nora walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She gasped, startled at the sight that met her there.

  "Lisa?"

  Lisa turned to look at her. On the stove, Nora's big pot was boiling. Lisa was holding a handful of scallions in her hand.

  "Oh, hi Nora. Did I wake you up?"

  Nora shook her head. What was this? She could hardly believe it. This had to be the strangest thing she had ever seen. "Lisa? What …What the hell are you doing in my kitchen?"

  Lisa grabbed the big knife, swung it through the air with a smile and chopped the scallions really fast, like a chef in a restaurant. Then she poured all of them inside the boiling pot.

  "Isn't it obvious?" Lisa asked.

  "Isn't what obvious?"

  "Stew. I'm making a stew."

  "What are you talking about Lisa? It's in the middle of the night. What are you doing in my house? Cooking? Have you completely lost it? I always suspected you were off, but this?"

  Lisa tilted her head like she was speculating about what Nora had said. "It's funny how it's always the quiet ones who cause the most trouble, isn't it?"

  "What?" Nora sighed. "Just get out of here, will you?"

  "It's funny how you had all of us fooled with your little quiet act, isn't it?" Lisa picked up a bundle of carrots and started chopping them.

  "I really don't …" Nora said.

  Lisa turned to face her and pointed the knife towards her. Nora gasped. Lisa looked like a madwoman. "Don't you know that what you did was very WRONG?"

  "What are you talking about?" Nora said and backed away from her. At least far enough to be out of reach.

  Lisa walked slowly closer. "You kissed him, Nora. You kissed someone else's husband, knowing he was married and just had his second child. That is WRONG, Nora. There is one important rule you never break in life. You never EVER go after someone else's husband. That is OFF limits." When Lisa spoke the last words, she lifted the knife and stabbed it through Nora's hand that was resting on the counter. Nora screamed. Lisa placed her hand over her mouth.

  "Now, don't wake up that sweet little husband of yours, alright. I don't think you'd want him to know what I know, do you?"

  Nora whimpered in pain behind the gloved hand pressed against her lips. Then she shook her head.

  "Good," Lisa said. She removed the hand from Nora's mouth, then returned to her cooking. She pulled out another knife from the knife block and continued chopping the carrots.

  Nora stared at her hand that was nailed to the wooden counter. Tears rolled across her cheeks. Blood was dripping onto the white carpet underneath. She couldn't move. She tried to grab the handle of the knife and pull it out, but it was too painful.

  "Now," Lisa said and poured the carrots inside the pot. "All we need is some spices and …" she turned to look at Nora. She stroked her gently across her cheek. Nora tried to move, but it hurt too badly.

  Lisa smiled maniacally. "… And of course … the most important ingredient." Lisa stared at Nora with piercing eyes. "The meat."

  30

  January 2013

  THEY WERE PACKING up. Thomas watched them through the binoculars with a pounding heart. Ellen was in the kitchen putting things into boxes, wrapping the plates nicely so they wouldn't break while being transported. The handsome husband was carrying the chairs from the dining room into a big truck parked outside. Three big men were helping him. It had all gone really fast. Thomas had woken up the same morning to the sound of the truck arriving and it didn't take him long to realize what was going on. Frantically, he had been watching them for hours, and now they were almost done.

  How come he hadn't seen this coming? How come she hadn't told him about this? Not a signal, not a sign, not a word had he heard from her. She had to be scared, he soon concluded. The husband probably forced her to move.

  Thomas growled while watching the husband carry out a heavy table with one of the moving guys. Thomas imagined the table falling on the husband and killing him. Oh what a joy it would be if the man would just die right here and now. Or vanish somehow. He was the only obstacle between Thomas and Ellen. Always had been.

  Thomas found his phone and dialed Ellen's number. He looked at her while waiting for her to pick up. If he gave her the chance, she could manage to tell him where they were going once she picked up. Finally it went through, but Ellen wasn't moving in the kitchen, she wasn't picking up the phone. A cold and indifferent voice in the other end spoke:

  "This number is no longer in use."

  Thomas threw the phone across the room in anger. He clenched both his fists while staring at Ellen through the window.

  "Where are you going, Ellen?" he said to the room. He stormed to the window once again. The truck was still there, but they were almost done packing it. How long had she known about this? A move like that took planning, didn't it? She could at least have hinted it to him, so he could start preparing as well. She had to leave him a clue somehow, she simply had to. She loved him too much to be able to leave him like this. They couldn't live without each other. It would kill the both of them.

  Damn that husband! It is all his fault. He is forcing her to do this. He is forcing her to leave me. I'll kill him. I'm going to fucking kill that bastard!

  The moving men closed the back of the truck and the movers sat in the front seat. They said something to the handsome husband then drove off. Ellen and her family got into another car.

  "They're leaving. Hurry up," Thomas shrieked and grabbed his coat and ran outside and jumped down the stairs taking several steps at a time.

  If you follow them, they'll show you where they're going. She wants you to follow them. That's what she wants.

  Thomas stormed out the door and towards his car,
still with his eyes fixated on Ellen's car. She was holding the door for Gerda to get in.

  They're still here. You have time. Just get behind the wheel and follow them. Don't let them out of sight and you'll be fine.

  Thomas walked towards his car, still staring at Ellen waiting for her to look at him, waiting for her signal that she wanted him to do this, wanted him to follow her. And just like that, it happened. Right before she opened the door to the car's passenger-seat she turned her head and looked directly at him. Then she nodded. It was a nod he couldn't misunderstand. Thomas smiled widely and nodded back. He watched her as she got inside the car, then turned and sprang for his own.

  But he never made it that far. Two officers jumped out of a parked car next to his and approached him showing their badges.

  "Going somewhere, Thomas?" one of them asked.

  The other shook his head. "I think you're staying here for a little while." Then he lifted his baton and swung it through the air hitting Thomas in the neck, knocking him out instantly.

  31

  November 2013

  LISA FELT SUCH a thrill as she beat up Nora. She breathed in a deep breath, then lifted her clenched fist and slammed it into her face again and again. A tooth flew out and blood ran down her chin from her broken lip. Nora had lost consciousness a little too early, Lisa thought. She had made the mistake of slamming the thick wooden cutting board in her face to begin with and, after that Nora had barely been awake enough for it to be really fun.

  But this will have to do, Lisa thought and slammed her clenched fist in Nora's face once again.

  Lisa was sweating from all the excitement and wiped her face on her sleeve. She was too smart to use one of Nora's towels and leave DNA behind. No, Lisa was so much smarter than that. The only thing she was afraid of now was that Nora's husband would wake up and come downstairs. If he did, she would have to deal with him as well. There was still room in the freezer at home. But apparently Erik was a heavy sleeper since, so far he had slept through all the turmoil and Nora occasionally waking up screaming before she lost consciousness completely.

  Lisa hit her one final time, then pulled out the knife that had gone through Nora's hand. It made a delicious sound as it came loose. Lisa shivered in delight. The hand fell to the ground next to the lifeless Nora.

  Lisa kneeled next to her and listened. She was still breathing, but not for long. Lisa panted, then walked to grab the butcher knife. She bent over Nora and started planning what she was going to cut off first.

  "The fingers are the easiest part," she mumbled. "But they won't do as meat. The best meat is on the stomach and thighs. With those fat thighs, she’ll make a great stew. The rest I'll have to put in the grinder for later use. I'm thinking sausages, and lots of them."

  Lisa giggled thinking about all the times Christian had applauded her food lately, not knowing what he was eating. For a second, she wondered if it was possible to make a smoothie of meat? She had never tried, but maybe it was about time she did. Lots of good protein in that.

  Lisa looked at Nora and stroked her bloody cheeks. "Sorry but it ends here, little Nora. If only you had made better choices, then this wouldn't be necessary." Lisa was about to start cutting the meat off of Nora's right thigh, when suddenly someone was at the back door. Lisa froze and lifted her eyes to look. A shadow was moving outside the door. She saw it through the frosted door window. Lisa gasped. It couldn't be Erik could it? He was upstairs sleeping, wasn't he?

  The handle turned downwards and someone was fiddling with the lock when they realized it was already unlocked, just like Lisa had realized a couple of hours earlier. The door slowly opened and Lisa hid in the closet next to her. She held her breath and looked out through the crack. A man entered through the door, and closed it after him. Then he walked towards Nora and kneeled next to her. Lisa sized him up and decided she could easily take him out. Probably nothing but a burglar picking the wrong house at the wrong time, she thought to herself and felt the weight of the butcher knife in her hand. The man studied Nora's face, then bent over to listen to see if there was a pulse.

  Lisa snorted, then clenched the knife in her hand and prepared herself for her upcoming attack. She put her hand on the door, took in a deep breath, and thought it through. She was going to storm out, then stab the man in the back, hopefully killing him instantaneously; if not then she'd have to pull it out and stab him again. The man was big, but he was no match for Lisa. She exhaled, then grabbed the door to the closet, but then something happened that made her stop.

  The burglar bent down, grabbed Nora's arm, and pulled her onto his back. Lisa stared, startled, as he carried her towards the door, opened it and left with Nora on his back.

  Baffled, Lisa stayed in the closet for a long time before she finally decided she should probably leave as well.

  32

  November 2013

  MORTEN STAYED AT my house all night. After the bath, we went to my bedroom and, still shaking, we snuggled up together under the covers and fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, I felt much better. Morten was still sleeping. I turned and looked at him. He was smiling in his sleep. I leaned over and kissed his forehead, then crawled out of the bed and got dressed. I went downstairs to start breakfast. It was Saturday, but Maya had dance class and Victor was always up early, especially on the weekends when he finally got to play outside all day.

  He was sitting at the kitchen table when I came in. "Victor. You startled me," I said. I looked at him. He sat bent over his notebook, while writing in it. "How long have you been up?"

  Victor stopped writing and looked up. His eyes met mine and I smiled. His eyes were always so serious. It was like he was carrying so much worry inside of him, when all I wanted for him was to be a child, play, and have fun. I never knew what went on inside of that small head of his and I worried constantly about him. Since he never spoke much, I never knew how he was feeling … If he was sad or as troubled as he seemed. With Maya it was always so different. She had told me every little emotion she ever had all of her life to the extent that I, at one point, stopped taking them seriously because there was always something. Now she had closed up as well, but that was normal behavior for a teenager. With Victor, nothing was normal. I hadn't talked to any of his doctors about him since we had moved away from the city. I was tired of them constantly telling me he was sick and wanting to medicate him. Yes, Victor was introvert and not like other kids, but I could handle him.

  "The bats again, huh?" I asked.

  Victor nodded.

  "Do you hear them now?"

  Victor stared at me. Then he nodded. "They'll be quiet soon. When the sun rises," he said. "Then they usually fall asleep. Except when someone is in the cage with them. The smell of blood wakes them up."

  I looked at Victor. His eyes were still so serious. I had no idea what to say. I nodded and went to open the freezer. I pulled out some bread and turned on the oven.

  "Will Morten have breakfast with us?" Victor asked.

  I turned and looked at him. "How did you know he was here?"

  Victor shrugged. He looked down at his notebook then continued writing. I made scrambled eggs, soft-boiled eggs and fried eggs, then heated the bread in the oven and cut it up for Victor.

  "Put the book away while you eat," I said and put a plate with his buttered bread and scrambled eggs on the table in front of him.

  Victor closed the book and pushed it aside. I poured him some orange juice and put it on the table. He picked it up and drank. I took a chair next to him and sat on it. I tried to catch his eye and have him look at me again, but without luck.

  "You're okay, aren't you Victor? Do you feel sad on the inside? Do you worry about some stuff we should talk about?"

  Victor didn't answer. He ate his food without looking at me. I guess he didn't think my questions were important enough to answer.

  "Do you miss your father? I can understand if you do."

  Still no reaction. Victor ate and drank like he co
uldn't care less about me or what I was saying. I chuckled, feeling silly.

  "Of course you're alright. I'm just being obsessive, right?" I said and got up from the chair. I walked to the stove and removed the boiling pot of eggs.

  "Smells good," a voice said from the door.

  I turned and smiled. "You're up."

  Morten smiled and nodded at Victor. "Hi buddy. Do you mind if I take a seat next to you?"

  Victor didn't answer. "Don't mind him," I said. "Sit wherever you like."

  Morten smiled and sat down. I served him some bread and eggs, then sat next to him with my own plate and started eating. It was very quiet at the table for a long time and I started feeling awkward.

  "Are you on duty today?" I asked to make conversation.

  "Yep," Morten said and looked at the clock. "Have to be at the station at ten. Gonna be another busy day, I guess, with all that went down last night."

  "Are the people from Copenhagen still in town to help you out with the case?" I asked.

  "Yes. Now that we've had a second case I'm sure they'll stay for a lot longer. It's good. With Tim out of the picture, we are kind of short on men."

  "I bet."

  Victor emptied his glass of juice and pushed his plate to the middle of the table the way he always did when he was done with his food. Without even looking at me or Morten, he got up from his seat. He grabbed his notebook and stood with it in his hands for a little while, his head bend and his hair falling into his face so we couldn't see his eyes.

  "What's wrong, Victor?" I asked. "Is there something you want?"

  Victor didn't move or speak.

  "Victor? Did you want to say something to Morten?"

  Victor finally moved. He took two steps towards Morten, then reached out the notebook towards him.

  Morten looked at me, confused.