Chapter 15

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Chapter 15

Todd's lips curled as he watched his Katie sleeping in his bed.. under his sheets.. against his pillow. It was all he could do not to lay with her.

But he'd just finished listening to a most interesting news broadcast on the radio in his car. It seemed Kate Watson was the topic of the day and he himself was on the FBI's Most Wanted list for homicide and kidnapping. It was just as he'd thought. Everyone was against him. They all wanted to take his Katie away from him. However, that wasn't about to happen.

After everything he'd done to keep her, the last thing he wanted was to lose her. Not again.. Never again. What happened at the gas station was apparently a top headline, too. The people he had shot and apparently killed had families. According to interviews with the family members, they were all very upset. 

What nobody knew was that he was prepared. Todd was bound and determined to keep his Katie forever. Anyone who dared to get in their way was going to die. There would be no stopping him. He had weapons, oh yes. His car was stocked full of them. And he would use every last bullet he had to destroy anyone who attempted to get in the way.

Kate wasn't aware of any of this. His precious girl was sleeping soundly, far away from the pitiful outside world. That's the way he wanted it. It would do her no good to know what was going on out there. The best thing was for her to stay oblivious.

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Chad Thompson, Louisville, Kentucky's Chief of Police, sat studying a computer screen in front of him. It showed a head shot of Nathan Delozier with background information beside it. The man had served in two wars. He'd worked as a Program Manager of a government corporation for 35 years after that and had retired at age 60. Nathan had been living with his son before he'd been murdered by him.

Nathan must have trusted Todd, or else why would he have agreed to live with him? Chad made a few clicks with his mouse, returning to the  screen he'd visited many times before- Todd Delozier's background information.

Todd had never been arrested before. He'd never committed a crime. He'd worked as a mechanic up until the age of 34 when he resigned. There weren't any reasons for his resignation. He moved in with his father and took over all of his financial responsibilities at the age of 35 and, according to Beth and David Watson, Kate had begun working for him almost immediately.  

There were no signs of trouble in Todd Delozier's life. That was what distressed Chad most. It seemed pretty obvious that Kate Watson was the key that unlocked Todd's impulsive, violent behavior. 

Police had investigated the Delozier house once they knew Todd was the primary suspect. Various pieces of evidence that Todd was obsessed with Kate had been found. From the multitude of clothing items he had of hers to the pictures he had taken of her without her knowledge, it was obvious that this had been a closeted obsession.

Now, after killing his father, kidnapping Kate, murdering five victims at a gas station, and taking her again, Todd was on the run with her.

Chad's cell phone began ringing then. He quickly answered it. "Chad Thompson."

A rather discouraged voice came through. "Chief, this is Alex Forrester." Alex was Chief of Police in Jacksonville, Florida. He and Chad had been talking off and on all day. "We just finished searching the house. It looks like they were here at one time, but they're gone now."

Chad's fist clenched. "Is there an estimate on how long ago they left?"

"That's the thing. We believe they left recently, within the past few hours. No sign of where they're going, but I have men in every part of the state searching."

Shaking his head at their misfortune, Chad sighed. "Thanks Chief. I'm going contact the station in Fargo, Georgia."

"Good. We'll continue to keep you updated," Alex said.

Ending the call, Chad rubbed his temples. He knew he had to inform the Watson's of this most recent upset before moving forward. He dreaded seeing the look of disappointment and helplessness in those poor parents' eyes.

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Todd looked in his rearview mirror examining both the traffic behind him and his love lying on the back seat. "You're being such a good girl, Katie. I like that."

Kate looked down at her bound ankles and wrists with weary eyes. She didn't say anything. What was the use of speaking? She'd lost any sort of hope she once had.

She knew why Todd had decided to abruptly leave the house they'd been in, even if he wouldn't tell her. It was because people were out searching for them. There wasn't a doubt in Kate's mind that her kidnapping was now national news.

But the fact that cops were looking for them wasn't encouraging. In fact, Kate felt more discouraged than ever. That was because Todd had relayed to her his exact intentions before they left.

"You're mine, every bit of you," he said, holding both of her hands. "Anyone who tries to get in the way of our love will be sorry. You see all those?" Todd opened the trunk of his car and Kate stared at the assortment of guns. "And there's more in the front seat. Yeah, I'm ready." He chuckled some. "Now let's go." He grabbed her wrists and began tying rope around them. He did the same with her ankles before picking her up and putting her in the back seat. "Lay down and stay there. Don't try to sit up or else.. I'll have to punish you again."  

In the past, such cruel treatment would have made tears come to her eyes. Now, however, Kate didn't have the will to cry. It would do no good. She finally was able to see and accept her fate.

She and Todd were on the run and would continue to be until some innocent person -or people- tried to ruin his plans. And then Todd would use his guns to kill every last person. He wouldn't stall, he'd just kill everybody.

There was another alternative, though. It was this alternative that made Kate's heart sink. This was why she had absolute zero hope- If whoever they came across gained the upperhand and she and Todd were backed into a corner, Kate knew he would apply his final option. It wasn't an option he'd said aloud. He didn't have to say it because the plan was clear.

If they were backed into a corner with no way out, Todd would do the only thing left that would still make him the victor... He would kill me. 

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Thanks for reading!  I'll try to update again really soon :-)

-Lauren

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