Someone Like You

Chapter 24

                                                JAMIE'S POINT OF VIEW

~ Chapter Twenty-Four ~ 

"Cheers!" I look around for Audrey. I guess she isn't here yet. 

"Cheers, Mate." Nate casually nods back. "A pint?" 

"Of course!" It's rare that I ever turn down a pint. 

"Give me a minute, I'll be back." Nate pours the stout and moves to the other end of the bar to serve other customers. 

The fire place is roaring and the Manchester United match is on the telly. Man United scores a goal! Yes! Goal! Joining in the chanting, the sounds of celebration reverberate around the pub. Nate throws high fives and rings the bell behind the bar. 

Once the stout settles, Nate tops it up. Handing mine to me, Nate picks up his own pint. 

"Just in time, cheers man." And we enjoy our stouts. 

"Where's my lovely sister?" 

"She's on her way. I thought she'd be here by now." 

"I thought she would arrive with you." 

"I called over to her flat just now, but there was no answer so I probably just missed her." 

"Wait you went to her house and she didn't answer? I just spoke with her not twenty minutes ago and she was just arriving to pick up her things." 

"I'll ring her now." I already dialed her number. 

"Joe! Over here, now!" Nate orders in a gruff voice. 

"No answer. It went to her voice mail." Panic strips me of all feeling as I stand up. I was just there! No one answered. Oh God, I feel sick realizing she was there all along. 

"Joe, it's Audrey, we can't reach her, something's wrong. I'm leaving. I'll ring you when I know something." He grabs his keys and shouts back to Joe. "Ring Lizzy now!" 

Nate and I jump in Nate's car and speed over to Audrey's. Feeling numb and nauseous, my mind races through the order of events as I reflect back to standing at her door, waiting with no answer, and leaving for the pub. If I had just stayed and looked around, would I be with her now? Would she be ok? Where the fuck is she?  

"Drop me off in the back and drive around to the front." I swear to myself if anything happened to her, I'm going to kill this bastard. "I'll check the back windows and meet you around the front." 

Jumping out, I shut the car door quietly and hop the fence to her garden. I drop between some bushes and stay low till I reach the side of the house. Standing, pressed flat against the brick, I peek inside the dining room window. Thankfully, the white sheers are transparent. There's a moving shadow in the kitchen and I move over to the back door to get a clearer look.  

Fear fuckin grips my gut as I see a figure is in the hallway dressed in head to toe black, wearing a black ski mask to hide his face. The intruder glances over his shoulder, sees me, and runs for the front door. Turning to find something to break the window, I drag one of the iron patio chairs to the door. Just as I throw the chair through the window, I catch a glimpse of Audrey's scarf lying on the island next to a vase of flowers.  

In one crack, glass shatters and flies through the kitchen while I throw the chair down. I see Audrey's hair splayed around her, lying still, on her side, behind the island with her blouse ripped apart. 

"Oh Christ, no, no, no, NO!" Please Audrey, wake up Luv!" Rushing over, sliding on the glass, I kneel down next to her. Cuts and abrasions mark her body and her stockings are ripped showing signs of a struggle. Her eyes are closed and her skin is pale. I stare down at her exposed chest and stomach and do not see her chest moving.