The Joy of Revenge

The Joy of Revenge CHAPTER 124 Missing Person Lisa | was on the freeway, driving hfrom Bismarck, feeling utterly hopeless. It was almost four in the morning. | needed to get ssleep, but finding Cris was much more important.

He was ruining himself with this obsession he had with whatever he and Pete were into.

Last Saturday night, after the Miss Honey Bee pageant, | received a text message from Cris askingto pick him up. | drove to Bismarck and found him standing on the side of the road beside Huff Hills mansion seemingly catatonic. Pete and | had to shove him into the backseat of my car just to get him inside.

As | drove us back home, he just sat there, wide-eyed, looking extremely scared, uttering the words, “I didn’t mean to, but she was so small, over and over again.

“You didn’t mean to do what, Cris? And who was so small?” | asked, hoping the questions would help clear his head and snap him back to reality. But he ignored my questions and just continued saying those nine words over and over again.

The next morning, | found him seated on the edge of his bed staring off into his space, pillow untouched, making it quite obvious he didn’t sleep at all the night before. | tried to feed him and bathe him, but it was next to impossible. So | let him sit and stare, making a m ental note to have him admitted if things didn’t get any better the next day.

Yes, | did panic when Liam and Dan showed up unannounced at our doorstep, looking for Cris, but | also felt grateful. | had a feeling they knew how to help him and | was right.

It only took Liam ten minutes to bring him back to his wits.

| was relieved to hear Cris yelling again, however the words | heard him utter maderealize the Cris seated in his bedroom was no longer the Cris | fell in love with. He was this monster who kidnapped and raped women. | had thought the rape of Joy Taylor was a one tthing, unfortunately | was so wrong.

Now, there was this mafia underboss named Alejandro De Vega of the East North Central States who wanted to exact vengeance because he and Pete couldn’t handle rejection.

This was more than | could handle.

1/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person ever happened. But when he cback hfrom Chimes, he was agitated and angry, like he was betrayed. | tried talking to him, but he toldhe just wanted to be left alone.

And that’s what I did, I left him alone.

What | should have done was have him admitted into the psychiatric ward, then | wouldn't be driving around town looking for him.

Despite Theodore Cohen’s death, my day was full of clients trying to sn atch up newly listed homes on the market.

However, it was Bo’s attorney, Lincoln Murphy, who caught my eye. He was dashing, very respectful and a complete gentleman. He bought the newly vacated McDowell residence without even negotiating the price.

“I'll take it it and whatever furniture is in it,” he said, writinga check. “I'll even add another hundred thousand dollars if you can givethe keys by tonight.” “Why would you want to move here?” | asked, suspiciously. “Your practice is in Bismarck, right? | believe there are condominiums in the city better suited for someone like you.” He sighed.

“I'm currently living in a condo,” he said. “The view is amazing, | live with so many other people, but to tell you honestly, | feel so secluded, so alone.” “Well, that’s an easy fix,” | replied, smiling. “You should make friends with sof your neighbors.” “And have them banging on my door late at night when they want to drink? Nah. Better keep them at a safe distance, like the homes in Highland Oaks. Houses are at a good distance. from each other, givingall the privacy | need while the townsfolk will makefeel right at home.” | nodded my head, agreeing with what he said.

| glanced down at the form | had him fill up. “It says here you're single,” | said, surprised. “Why buy a house so big?” “When | decide to start a family, | want everything in place,” he answered. “Big house with enough rooms and a big yard for the kids to play in. | think that’s what all married couples want.” | grimaced, knowing | would never get that from the man | was married to. Cris Murdock was. a sick man, but | couldn't leave him without damaging his reputation in this town. Actually/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person leaving him would damage mine even more.

“By the way, any single ladies here you can introduceto?” He asked casually.

“Well, there’s my bestfriend, Nicole Davis, and a woman who just moved in from Nevada. Her nis Virtue Sullivan,” I answered. “I have another friend, Abigail Reynolds, but she’s in the hospital.” “I've already met Virtue Sullivan through Bo,” Lincoln Murphy said. “She’s extremely beautiful. She's, uhm, out of my league. But I'm willing to meet your bestfriend when the tis right.” “Sure, Mr. Murphy,” | replied.

“Link. You can callLink.” Even his nicknwas s exy.

| wanted to kick myself. Here | was, a married woman, flirting with a handsand witty man. | sighed. Cris used to be like that. Now, he was someone | didn’t even know.

y car in our After participating in the vigil, | went hexhausted. | was about to park my driveway when | noticed Cris’ car was not in its usual spot.

Where the f uck did he go? | rushed inside our house, grabbed my laptop, and began tracking him through the small GPS trackers | placed in all his shoes as instructed by Liam. While his other pairs showed a green dot on my locator, there was no signal coming from one pair.

| began clicking away, trying to track his car. Sthing, no signal. | went through the town’s CCTV feed and | found nothing.

There was only one place | knew he would go to late at night. | exited the house, dashed back into my car, and drove to Huff Hills.

Last night, when he thought | was already sound asleep, he left the house. | tracked him down to the mansion on Huff Hills. | suspected he was meeting with Pete.

| was about to call Liam and tell him about Cris late night rendezvous, but decided to do it in the morning.

3/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person peeked inside Cris’ room and saw him sleeping peacefully. | decided to let his late night excursion slide since it was his first offense. | promised | would tell Liam if he ever did it again.

| decided to call Liam. Maybe he found out about last night and met up with Cris to reprimand him. At least knowing where he was would alleviate the worry in my heart.

Liam answered after several rings.

“Liam, Cris is missing,” | said.

“He’s what?!” Liam roared. Okay... Liam wasn’t with Cris. “What about those tracking devices | told you to place in his shoes?” “The pair he’s using isn’t pinginghis location nor is his car,” | said.

“Signal’s jammed,” Liam mumbled. “Where are you?” I'm on the freeway heading towards Huff Hills, | answered truthfully. “It’s the only place | can think off. Most of the establishments in New Salem are closed.” “Alright. If you find him, tell him if he wanders off again, | will kill him myself,” Liam growled before hanging up.

As | reached the foot of the hills, | was shocked to see the police, the firemen and emerg medical services blocking the entrance to the prneighborhood.

I rolled down my window to speak to the nearest police officer.

“Ma’am, this area has been sealed off from the public,” the police officer said.

“What's going on, Officer?” | asked.

“Groups of armed men were seen shooting at each other near Huff Hills Mansion” the officer said. “For your safety, | urge you to go home.” “But my husband is visiting a friend here,” | cried out. “I've cto pick him up.” “All residents have evacuated their homes,” the police officer said. “You might want to head to City Hall and check the manifest. The people there will tell you where you can find your ‘husband.” 4/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person hills. | parked my car to the side of the road and walked to a bunch of bystanders to get sinformation.

“I heard on the news police believe Huff Hills mansion was being used as a hideout by at group of drug dealers.

I'm guessing a deal went south. Only reason for them to kill each other,” | heard a man say as we watched from afar. “They say there are dead bodies.

everywhere.” | felt my heart constrict in my chest. It can’t be possible...

As | continued to watch, | noticed several white vans with ‘Medical Examiner’ printed on their sides exit the police barricade from Huff Hills. | entered my vehicle and proceeded to follow the vans. | needed to know if Cris was a casualty. If he was dead, it would be painful, but | would accept it.

At the morgue, | told them my story. They allowedto look at the corpses to help identify my husband.

Fortunately, he wasn’t among the dead...

So where was he? | dialed the only person who | knew would help me. He wouldn't be too thrilled | was waking him up, but he was Cris’ friend. Luckily, he answered right away.

“Lisa, shouldn't you be asleep?” Jack asked, yawning.

Cris is missing, Jack,” | said as | exited the freeway to New Salem. “I need your help in finding him.” “When was the last tyou saw him?” Jack asked.

“Yesterday morning before | went to work,” | answered. “I drove to Bismarck looking for him at Pete’s mansion on Huff Hills. Fortunately, he wasn’t among the dead the police pulled out from that area.” “What?!” “It has something to do about two rival groups shooting at each other,” | said. “Something about drugs. Anyway, will you helpor not?” “Of course, I'll help you, Lisa,” Jack said. “Swing by the station, so you can fill up a missing.

person's report.” 5/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person | heaved a huge sigh of relief.

| still had someone on my side.

My phone suddenly rang. The call was from an unknown number. | answered it thinking it was Cris.

“You won't find him,” a man’s voice said. It sounded familiar.

“Who are you? What do you mean | won't find him?” | asked, panicking.

“De Vega swears it's not him. He even gavea piece of information as a sign of goodwill,” the man said.

“What information?” | asked.

“Ortiz has sanctioned a hit... a contract made with Joy Taylor.” Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW 6/6