Criminal

Criminal: Chapter 17

Logan looked at her and took a deep breath. "Relax kid..I'm just here waiting on James to call. He should be here.." He looked at his watch.

Ashly looked at him with caution in her eyes. "Umm...did...did you...?" She choked up a bit as the memories of a man straddling her and her cheek hitting against the hard pavement.

Logan stood up and put his hands in his pocket. "You mean what happened with you and that asshole? Did I kill him? Did I rape you instead?" He said a bit too harshly.

She winced and clutched the sheet of the blanket harder. "Umm...I'm..."

Logan sighed stopping her, putting his hand up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound harsh. But I saved you from that guy. I just happen to be there and saw what was going on. Worse when I saw that he was going to rape my best friend's girl."

She smiled and tucked a hair behind her ear and looked around the room.

"Thank you. I'm truly grateful you were there."

Logan nodded. "Your welcome." He then tensed up. "I killed him. I had too." He said looking straight at her eyes.

She expected he say this. If they were professional robbers then, of course, they could kill without a flint of regret.

"I-I'm glad..." She let out a breath she was holding.

He chewed on his lip and walked away to the bathroom. He looked at his hands which were filled with dry stained blood. He's killed many. But what could he do? It's either be killed or kill. Simple as that.

The front door bust open to James walking in with Carlos and Kendall. He tried not to look desperate to find his girl laying on the couch half-naked. He appeared in front of her and bend down hugging her.

She winced from the pressure of his hug but her heart swelled seeing him near her. She breathed in his unique scent. "Princess...dammit princess.." He muttered in her ear.

Kendall was leaning against the wall watching while Carlos lit a cigarette from the other side of the wall.

"I'm fine.." She sighed deeply. "I'm just...I feel sore.."

James took in her sight and his anger rose deep in his chest. Her left cheek had a purple bruise. Her arms had the marks of a man who forced upon her. Her hair was disheveled and her face looked dirty with the stains of old tears.

"You're okay, okay?" He rubbed his thumb on her bottom lip and cradled her cheek with carefulness. She leaned into his touch.

Logan came out and saw what was going on. The boys looked surprise to see him so tender.

"Come on princess..time to take you home." James picked her up bridal style covering her body with a blanket and didn't say a word to the guys as he did one nod towards them and walked out.

---

Plop!

The guys saw the body bag sink down the lake with ease as bubbles floated up. Logan dusted his hands and watched his friends removed their gloves. 

"Well, that takes care of that." Carlos broke the silence. Kendall gave him a look and walked up to the rocky hill. Logan looked at his right hand carrying the I.D. of the man they just sunk in the lake and squinted.

"Hey, this guy couldn't have been just some random stranger trying to rape Ashly." He said looking at the guys who were walking up the hill. 

Carlos rolled his eyes. "What? You think it was someone who knew her?" He paused up at the top of the rocky hill. "The guy looked like a total creep! Didn't look like any rich moneybags." He gestured to the lake which consumed the body. 

Kendall looked at Logan and knew that look. "Carlos...Logan may be right. Something is off. I could feel it inside my guts." He took a deep breath as he looked around the dark area.

"Looks like we got a mystery here to solve dickheads." Logan walked up beside them and clasped their shoulders and smirked at each of them.

---

Carlos silently walked through the night with his hood over his head and padded through the sidewalk looking for his secure spot. He fought through branches and leaves as he hid from coming night runners. At the far end, he saw someone with a cloak and the sight of wispy blonde hair coming out of it. He took out his knife and smirked. 

He found his target.