Simple Submission

Chapter 22-revisions needed

* * *

Ethan caught a flash of Bree’s backside out of the corner of his eye.  Immediately his attention was riveted to the screen as she bent over and picked up items all over the house.  He was pretty sure a few times there was nothing even on the floor.

Little chit!  She was torturing him on purpose.  He shifted in his seat and closed the video feed so he could actually get some work done.  With all the distractions she had been presenting he would be lucky if he was done before midnight.

It was several hours later when his phone rang.

“Ethan Zorne, how may I help you?”

“Mr. Zorne, this is Sergeant Manes. I just received word that Manuel Santiago was released several days ago and has not checked in with his probation officer.  Squad cars were sent to his home and there was no one there and it seems by the state of things that he didn’t return to the house upon his release.”

“Hold on, are you saying that he was released and now no one knows where he is?  For all we know that man is insane, I would think there would be a better way of keeping tabs on him.”

Ethan reached over and flipped on the monitor, His heart dropped through the floor.  Manual Santiago was standing over a motionless Bree, they were both covered in blood.

“He’s at my house! I…call an Ambulance!” 

Ethan sprinted out the door.

* * *

The final load of laundry was coming out of the dryer so Bree piled it into the basket and headed out of the laundry mat and down the street back towards the loft.  She wasn’t aware of the eyes watching her.  She slipped into the building and up the stairs, not noticing that the door did not shut behind her.  She balanced the basket on her hip and slipped the key in the lock.  As the door swung open, she felt a shove between her shoulder blades as she fell forward onto the unforgiving floor of the apartment. 

She cried out with alarm unable to catch herself because of the load in her arms.  The edge of the basket caught roughly in here ribs as she rolled to face the person who had pushed her.  Before she saw his face she knew who it would be. Her intuition which was normally a bit off was, to her disappointment, correct.  Manuel Santiago his face twisted with rage stood over her menacingly.

She was scared, but not terrified of him and what he had done.  She saw the glint of something metallic in his palm as he advanced towards her.  She scrambled backwards grabbing the half full laundry basket, flinging it towards him.  He easily swiped it away, but it gave her just enough time to get to her feet.  She ran for the phone, the handset was on the table, but Manuel saw her goal, and he was close to the base, which he yanked from the wall with ease.

He was between her and the door but she had a clear shot to the playroom. 

“Oh, what’s this?” she heard Manuel call after her, “You want to play?  You really are a slut aren’t you?”  He said as he followed.

She grabbed a large wooden paddle and held it like a baseball bat standing to the side of the door.  As soon as he entered her field of vision she swung with all her might for his head.  He grabbed her wrist and the wood glanced off the side of his head with a crack.  HE stumbled and his fingers loosened from her arm.  She darted past him but not before he was able to bring the knife up and slice open her left arm from shoulder to elbow.  Blood coursed from the wound soaking the once snow white shirt.