Author: DragonLady
Summery: What happens when Sharona's abusive ex-husband returns
Spoilers: Small one for "Asylum"
Disclaimer: Monk is the property of USA Network and Mandeville Films.
Rating: R
Chapter 1
"You're sure?" Sharona giggled softly. "Yes, I'm sure! Now come on, I'm starving!" Shrugging in defeat, her date stabbed a small portion from his plate and fed her a bite of his spicy dinner. "Not too hot is it?" Sharona shook her head, chewing thoughtfully. Suddenly, she grabbed her water glass. Ted chuckled as she swallowed quickly. "I warned you!" Sharona flicked water in his general direction. "You said it would be hot; you didn't say you frequently have your food marinated in Tabasco sauce!"
As they ate, Sharona plied her date with questions, learning about his position as part owner of a local department store. "I can get you a great deal on gold jewelry." Sharona smiled. "That's very generous. However, my kid and my job don't allow a lot of room for gold and jewels." Ted leaned forward, placing his arms on the cleared table. "Tell me about your job. From what you've told me, I understand there's very little time for privacy." Sharona placed her folded hands on the table. "Actually, it's not so bad... What am I saying, it's terrible! But I love what I do." At Ted's somewhat bemused expression, Sharona started again. "My work is demanding. Most of the time, I love what I do. I find my job exciting, stimulating, and better than anything I've ever done before. My boss, Adrian, is the sweetest guy I know, but he tends to drive me a little nuts sometimes." She shook her head. "He has a lot of blind spots, and not all of them are related to his O.C.D. He has a thing about money. He forgets that some of us need to buy groceries and pay bills." Ted laughed quietly, then leaned back, crossing his arms. "Is he on any sort of medication?" Sharona nodded. "He's taking a tricyclic anti-depressant. It helps a little, but doesn't do as much for him as we were hoping."
"What about Luvox, I heard that was supposed to be good." Sharona shook her head. "They tried that early on, it made him really sick, and he didn't sleep for about three days. Of course, I don't think he sleeps much anyhow..." At this point, the waiter appeared at the table. "Oh, no dessert, thank you."
"Actually miss, you have a phone call. The caller wanted me to express to you that it was urgent." Sharona sighed. "Adrian." Ted smiled. "Why don't you go get that, I'll wait for you here." Nodding gratefully, Sharona followed the waiter to the lounge.
"This is Sharona..."
"Sharona, thank God! I was getting worried, it's after 10!"
"Adrian! I told you, this is a date. Dates can run late, especially if they're going well. Now, was that the only reason you called?"
"Well, yes... but..."
"Then I'm hanging up."
"No, but Sharona, wait!"
"Goodbye Adrian." Sharona let the phone drop back onto its holder. "If he calls back, I'm not here." The waiter nodded stiffly.
Back at the table, Ted stood until she was seated. "Everything ok?" She nodded. "Just fine. Now, how about we get some dessert after all?"
Back at his apartment, Adrian paced back and forth nervously. He'd already re-arranged his desk twice. As well, he'd vacuumed, dusted, and mopped. He'd promised Sharona he wouldn't bother her on her date. But it was so hard! He couldn't stand having her out of reach. Unable to stop himself, he picked up the phone again and dialed. When he made his request, he learned that Sharona was not there. Further inquiry brought no answers. A call to her cell phone was useless, as she had it turned off. Figuring she was probably on her way home, Adrian allowed about 20 minutes for driving time, and another five minutes for goodbyes at the door. When he figured she was likely home, he called her. The phone picked up after the second ring. "Sharona, I'm glad you're home. Look, I'm sorry I called..."
"Sorry bud, Sharona ain't here." Adrian started at the male voice on the other end of the line. "What... who is this?" The voice chuckled deeply. "I'm Sharona's husband. Now just who the hell are you?"
Sharona sipped slowly at her wine. After dinner, Ted had taken her to a popular nightclub. She had been delighted to see it wasn't filled with people. Instead, only a few patrons wandered the club. The music was quiet, allowing descent conversation. Ted told her this was his one of his favorite hangouts. "It's very nice. Most of the clubs I been to, you can't talk below a shout." Sharona glanced at her watch. "Oh wow, I better call my neighbor and let her know I'll be a little late. She's watching Benjy for me." Ted nodded amiably while Sharona pulled out her cell. She smiled while she punched in the number. "Hi Darlene, it's Sharona. Is Benjy there?" Ted sipped his drink slowly. "Hi sweetheart. Yeah, I'm still out. Listen, I'm gonna be a little late tonight. Yes... yes, did you finish your homework? Great. Yes, I'm having a good time. Alright, I love you to, put Mrs. Owens on again will you? Darlene... yeah I am, I'm sorry. Thank you so much, I promise it won't be too late. Ok, great, I'll see you soon." Ted set down his drink while she hung up. "Any problems?"
"Nope, she just needs me there before one." Sharona started to reach for her glass when Ted took her hand. "Lovely lady, would you do me the honor of a dance?" Blushing, Sharona smiled widely. "I'd love to!"
Eyes watched from across the street as the man and woman chatted in the car. As the man leaned over for a kiss, the watcher's hands curled into fists. Before the woman exited the car, the hidden observer vanished into the night.
Sharona smiled a little dreamily as Ted's car pulled away slowly. Sighing, she walked up to Darlene's house and knocked. "Oh, hello Sharona, won't you come in?" Sharona smiled and shook her head. "I'd like to, but I got an early day tomorrow. I'll just grab my kid and get out of your hair." Darlene laughed at the insinuation that Benjy had been any trouble. "Your son is playing a zombie game with Chad on the computer, I'll go get him." Sharona waited just inside while Benjy was hustled down the stairs. "Hi mom! BYE CHAD!" An answering holler rolled down the stairs. "Thanks again Darlene!"
"It's no problem, I love his company! See you around Benjy!"
"Bye Mrs. Owens!"
Benjy ran ahead of his mom to their door. He waited patiently for her to catch up, then bolted inside as soon as the door was open. "Don't break any furniture!" The phone was ringing as she walked inside. Dropping her bag by the sofa, she picked up the phone on her way to the kitchen. "Hello."
"Sharona!"
"Yes Adrian, I'm home, you can stop worrying about me."
"Sharona, get Benjy, and get out of the house right now!" Sharona placed her hand on her hip. "What, why?"
"A strange man answered the phone when I called earlier, he said he was your husband." Sharona sighed as she grabbed the milk from the fridge. "Adrian, are you sure you called here? Maybe it was a wrong number. Look, it doesn't matter, there's no one here!" Adrian fairly crackled at the other end of the line. "I'm telling you, there was someone in your house, now will you get out of there!" The milk was shoved forcefully back into the fridge. "Adrian, come on! What do you want me to do. Benjy has school tomorrow, I have to get up early to drive you to your appointment, and you want us to load up in the car... and drive where, your place? Cause if we do, Benjy gets your bed!" Adrian's voice faltered a moment. "I'll, uh, I'll... get some clean sheets, just, please..." Sharona sat heavily. "God! Alright, alright. But you're payin' me extra for this."
Within half an hour, Sharona, Benjy, and an overnight bag were sitting in Adrian's living room. Benjy was already nodding his head in weariness. "Hey kid, how bout you get to bed huh?" Benjy looked up at Adrian worriedly. "Are you sure it's alright? I could sleep on the sofa if you want." Adrian smiled, clasping his hands tightly. "Go on." As Benjy started to stand, Adrian rubbed his arms. "Benjy, could you..."
"Yeah, I got my own sheets." Nodding in satisfaction, Adrian didn't hinder the boy further as he went to bed. Sharona had her arms folded as she sat across from Adrian. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Sharona, I know what I heard. I called your house at 10:47. A man answered. He said he was your husband, and asked who I was. When I told him, he told me to never call back, and then hung up." Sharona sighed. "Adrian... Look, I know you think you called my house, and I don't intend for this to sound mean, but a few months ago you thought you were in your own house getting ready to cook Trudy's favorite dinner." Adrian looked at his hands. "Sharona, I know you don't believe me. But please, just stay here tonight, and don't go home tomorrow until I have a chance to check out the house, please." Sharona groaned under her breath. "Ok, fine, whatever. But you promise me, If you don't find anything, I don't want to hear any more about the mysterious stranger." Adrian, reluctantly, agreed.
Ted Muhller jingled his keys in his hand as he walked the flight of steps to his front door. The taste of wine and Sharona's kiss was still on his lips. He was unlocking the door when an odd thought occurred to him. Why wasn't his motion detector coming on? A sudden movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to turn his head sharply. The keys dropped to the concrete with a clink as the shape dislodged itself from the side of the house and slammed Ted to the ground. A sharp, wet pain in his abdomen made him gasp. Red-rimmed eyes stared into his blue ones as the pain slowly intensified. "W-wha..." A hand covered his mouth as he tried to speak, there was blood on it. "Shhhh, we don't want our friendly neighbors to hear now do we friend?" Ted's energy quickly drained from him, soaking into the ground beneath his back. Another sharp thrust, and his eyes glazed over. The hand moved from his face, leaving behind a red clown's smile. The killer stood slowly, tremors working over his form. Leaving the knife where it was, he melted into the dark.
Chapter 2
"Sleep well?" Adrian twitched his head. "Oh, uh, n-not bad. Sofa's-quite comfortable actually." Sharona glanced over at Adrian and laughed. "You're a bad liar." Adrian's hands hovered toward the wheel. "Just watch the road will you?" At this point, he took notice of where they were. "Wait a minute, this is, this is Forest! Why are we on Forest, you should be on Hillcrest!" Sharona glanced in the rearview mirror. "We're goin' to my place." Adrian turned to her sharply. "What! But, Sharona I have an appointment! How could you do this!" Sharona glared at her boss. "Adrian picking up a suit from dry-cleaning is not an appointment."
"Watch the road, watch the road!"
"Besides, do you have money on you?" Adrian paused a second, his brows knitting together. "No, I..."
"I thought so, so how do you expect to pay for the dry cleaning? You'll expect me to do it. Well my wallet's at home. So if you want to get your suit, you have to come to my house first." Seeing she'd won the round, Sharona appeased Adrian by returning her gaze fully to the road.
In minutes, the car pulled up to Sharona's house. Inside, Sharona walked towards her dresser to retrieve her wallet. Adrian dodged in front of her to block her path. "Don't just walk in!" Sharona's posture immediately changed to what Adrian silently referred to as 'Adrian, you're driving me nuts pose #1'. "Why the hell not? Adrian, if you want me to pay for your suit, then I need to get my wallet." Adrian's voice took on the stilted speech he effected when dealing with a stubborn Sharona, which was frequent. "If the intrUder, came inside... he may have TOUCHED something." Sharona's arms crossed in front of her chest in a classic 'you're driving me nuts pose #2'. "If someone broke in here, then it would be logical to assume something would have been BROKEN."
"Sharona, just, please, could you give just one moment... please?" Irritated, but consenting, Sharona backed down, putting her hand to her forehead in familiar frustration. Already immersed in his investigation, Adrian used his pen to leaf through paper, open drawers, and move curtains. "When was the last time you used the phone?" Sharona shrugged. "Last night, when you called here."
"Did you wear gloves?" Sharona's jaw dropped. "Did I wear gloves? Why the hell would I wear gloves Adrian? I don't just automatically assume someone is going to break in my home and start taking calls!"
"Maybe we should bag it anyway..." Sharona held up her hand in 'you're driving me nut pose #3'. "No, Adrian, no! We're done. I'm getting my wallet, you're getting your suit, and we're both going home!" Adrian stiffened as Sharona took the phone from his hanky wrapped fingers. "Hey, there could be prints..."
"Yeah, my prints! Now come on!"
Stottlemeyer shook his head. "Great, just what we needed." He was standing near the body of one Ted Muhller, former co-owner of Kruger's department store. At his back, a white news van had just pulled up. "Captain Stottlemeyer, Frank Holbeck, channel 3 news. Could you tell us what happened here!" Stottlemeyer held up his hands as several more reporters began streaming towards him. "Hey, this is a crime scene, I'd appreciate if you'd please step back!" A flashbulb, then another, went off behind him. "Hey, hey! Get back, I said get back! This is a crime scene! The next person to trespass beyond the yellow tape gets charged with interfering with a police investigation as well as lose their press pass!" Loud complaints followed his pronouncement, but the reporters backed off. Assigning a few cops to hold back the press, Stottlemeyer returned to the sheet-covered body on the ground. A couple of officers knelt by the still form. One held up the sheet while the other bagged evidence. "Sir?" Stottlemeyer knelt down. "Yeah, what have ya got?" The officer gestured under the sheet. "It appears to be a butcher knife. One stab, knocked him flat." Stottlemeyer's lip twisted. "Obviously." The officer gestured again. "Take a look at the handle." Stottlemeyer lifted the sheet a little higher. Something was carved in the wood of the handle. He blinked, then looked closer. It was a picture of a dove, with an arrow through its heart.
Sharona dropped heavily on the sofa. She'd finally managed to drop Adrian off at his house, in spite of his protestations. Her head ached. In addition, she hadn't eaten all day. Lifting her body from the couch, she slowly made her way to the kitchen. A single look in the fridge confirmed her suspicions... she had no food. Correction, she had no GOOD food. Allowing the heavy door to shut, she turned her attention to he cupboards.
"Let's see... Campbell's Tomato... yish, why did I buy that?" She turned the can to see a dent on the side. Oh yeah, that was one she'd stolen from Adrian. She hadn't even looked at it when she'd retrieved it from his trash. The others weren't much more heartening. Giving up, she grabbed the jar of olives and some crackers and returned to the living room. With her feet propped up on the coffee table (something she'd never let Benjy do) Sharona munched her meager meal. Just as she was getting really comfortable, the phone rang. Sighing deeply, Sharona almost let the machine get it. Then she growled. If she didn't answer, Adrian would panic. Hauling herself upright once more, Sharona grabbed the phone on the third ring. "Hello?" There was silence for a beat, then a soft breath blew into the other end of the line. "Hhhhhhuuummmnnnssssshharoooonaaaahhhh�." Her heart stopped for a second at the drawling voice. "Who is this!"
"Mmmmm... a friennnnd. A very, ooooold friend, Ssssshhharoooonaaaahhh..." She covered her mouth in sudden fear, a wrenching suspicion filling her. Her own voice dropped to a whisper as she answered. "Kevin?" A gleeful laugh was the only response. "Kevin, God!" Her voice shook. "Ohh baby, I've missed you sooooo much! I wanted to come by and see you the other night! But you weren't home. I waited for you baby! A strange man called for you, you know. He sounded like he knew you realllly welll... are you screwing him? Are you, bitch! I told him he better not call back. And then, when you do come home, you're riding in a fancy car with another man! You're just selling yourself like a whore, aren't ya? Just a goddamn whore!" Sharona slipped to the floor, tears of fright streaming down her face. "I knew you were a whore when I met you baby, god you looked so good on that stage! You didn't mind showing it off for me then, didya baby. Guess you still don't mind!" Sharona dropped the phone. She could still hear Kevin's voice through the speaker. "Hey bitch, I'm talking to you! Pick up the damn phone! Sharona!!" Crying, Sharona struggled to her feet and began backing towards the door. A pair of sandals caught her feet. With a scream, she fell backward, landing hard on her back. Shaking, she clawed her way back up using the wall. Wiping moisture from her eyes, she ran out the door to her car, ignorant of her shoeless feet.
Adrian was pacing again. He was positive he hadn't called the wrong number last night, he couldn't have! Yet a questioning part of his mind was already bringing up instances where he'd been wrong. There were more instances than he liked to admit... A heavy pounding at his door pulled him back to the present. Swiftly he approached the door, swinging it open in mid-knock. "Adrian, thank goodness, you're home!" Adrian stepped back. "Captain Stottlemeyer, what, uh, won't you come in?" Stottlemeyer entered, but didn't relax his posture. "What can I do for you?" The captain sighed heavily. "Adrian, God, I'm not sure how to go about this." Adrian sat suddenly, so quickly that if the chair hadn't been behind him he would have hit the floor. "It's Sharona..." Stottlemeyer looked up sharply. "How... never mind. Yes, but it's probably not what you're thinking."
"She's being accused of the murder of Ted Muhller."
"How in the hell??" Adrian pointed to the television set where reporters clustered around the solemn face of Captain Stottlemeyer. Stottlemeyer strode over and quickly shut off the set. Sighing heavily, he crossed his arms. "Monk, they found one of Sharona's kitchen knives buried to the hilt in the body of Mr. Muhller." At Adrian's look, Stottlemeyer continued. We already dusted the handle, the only prints on it were hers. And yes, before you say anything, I know Sharona couldn't have done this. But as a police officer, I have to pursue it." Adrian stood. "Captain, there's no way Sharona could be the killer! First of all, why would she attack a man she was dating at his own doorstep, with her own kitchen knife!" Stottlemeyer held up his hand. "Sharona was dating this man?" Adrian looked down. "She only went on one date, it doesn't even count as 'dating' if it's just one� that's beside the point! You said the knife was buried to the hilt." Stottlemeyer nodded. "Sharona wouldn't have enough strength to shove a kitchen knife in that deep. In fact, a lot of men would have trouble doing it!" The captain held up his hands. "Adrian, I know, I've already said as much myself!" Sighing, he crossed to the door. "There was something else. A symbol was carved onto the knife handle." Adrian's arms hung at his sides. "What sort of symbol?"
"A bird, a dove, with an arrow through its heart."
Sharona could barely see the road as she sped from her house. Her only thought was escape. Glancing once in her rear-view mirror, she screamed. Kevin was crouched behind her, a cell phone in his hand. "Well, well, my little bird has returned home." Before Sharona could react, he leaned forward, pressing a screwdriver against her throat. "How about we take a little drive baby?"
Chapter 3
Sharona tapped her feet impatiently while she waited for Ellie to finish talking with the bartender. "Ellie, come on!" The brunette glanced at Sharona and held up her hand for another minute. Rubbing her arms, Sharona glanced at her watch. God, she was gonna be late! Kevin hated it when she was late, he always assumed she was seeing someone. "Ellie!"
"Cool down! I'm talkin' with Gus, I'll be right there!" While she waited, Sharona replayed the last phone conversation she'd had with her sister, Gail.
"Sharona, leave him, he's a bastard! Come to San Francisco, you could stay with me while you look for an apartment!" Sharona's own answer had been short and to the point. Besides, she doubted if Kevin would ever let her leave. Especially if he found out about her pregnancy... At that point, Ellie walked up. "You ready?" Sharona startled, then grabbed her bag. "Yeah, let's get out of here."
At the door of Sharona's house, Ellie grabbed her arm and squeezed it tightly. "Sharona, honey, please. Maybe you should listen to your sister." Sharona pulled her arm from Ellie's grasp. "And maybe you should back off!" Seeing the sudden hurt in Ellie's eyes, Sharona leaned back against the seat. "God, I'm sorry El. It's just, well I don't know what to do." Ellie's comforting hand fell short as Sharona suddenly exited the car. "I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow!" Shrugging in defeat, Ellie drove away.
Sharona's hands were shaking as she opened the door. "Hey, I'm ho..." A fist cut off her words with a crack. "Where the hell were you! I told you a hundred times, you get here immediately after work!" Strong hands grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet. Before she could block her face, another fist hit her, splitting her lip. "Don't you fight me Sharona, why do you always fight me!" The strikes became more random as Kevin worked through his rage. Five minutes later, she finally heard his steps retreating upstairs. "I set out some hamburger. I'm hoping you'll make spaghetti tonight." Sharona waited until she heard the door to the bathroom shut before she finally dared move. She could already feel her eyes puffing, and her wrist felt as though it might be broken. Limping, she pulled herself to the kitchen. Sure enough, a half-frozen lump of oozing meat sat on the counter. The sight of it nearly made her retch. Turning on the stove, she dropped the hamburger, package and all, into the pan. Next, she set a kettle of water boiling and dropped in a box of pasta. Slowly, she began shaking, terrified tears rolling down her cheeks. The slam of a door upstairs galvanized her to action. Pausing only to grab the keys to the truck, Sharona ran for the door.
Sharona slowly opened her eyes. She was sitting in the passenger's side of her car. She looked up slowly, to see Kevin sitting beside her. They were parked in an alley between two buildings. Sharona started to sit up, only to have her hair grabbed savagely by Kevin. His gray eyes turned to regard her coldly. "You plannin' on goin' anywhere princess?" Sharona locked her fingers around Kevin's, trying uselessly to pry his hand from her hair. He laughed, then slapped her twice, causing her to cease struggling. "You didn't answer the question." She breathed out quickly, gasping out words as he pulled at her again. "No, no I'm not going anywhere!" Kevin's hand released its grip, sliding down the side of her face, down her body, to come to rest on her leg. "That's good, that's real good. I want you around for this." Sharona suddenly realized where they were. "Oh God, No!"
Adrian clasped his hands, pacing back and forth as the Captain spoke. "Look, Captain, you have to let me call her..."
"Adrian, we already tried, Sharona isn't answering either her home phone or her cell. I already sent a unit out to her place, they'll call us as soon as they get there. For now, all we can do is wait." Stottlemeyer stopped talking at the sound of his radio. "Stottlemeyer, yeah, oh Christ. Ok, I'll be right there." Adrian's head came up as soon as the radio crackled. "What is it, have they found Sharona?" Stottlemeyer held up his hand. "No, we got a different problem. Look, I gotta head over to the crime scene, you just wait here. If you hear from Sharona, call me." Adrian shook his head. "I'm coming with you." Stottlemeyer held up his hand. "No, you're not. I need you to stay here. If Sharona calls anyone, it's likely to be you. I need you here." His tone allowed no argument. Briskly, he grabbed up his coat and strode to the door. "Oh, and Monk?" Adrian looked up. "Don't talk to any reporters ok?" With that, he shut the door behind him. Unsure what to do, hating the idea of simply waiting, Adrian grabbed the broom.
Sharona swallowed heavily as the tip of the screwdriver pressed into the flesh of her neck. Above the rim of the dash, she could see Captain Stottlemeyer cross the street to his car. Desperate to cry out, Sharona could only sit in panicked frustration as the Captain started his car and drove off down the street. Smiling, Kevin laughed softly. "Good, I always hated having a chaperone."
Adrian dropped the broom at the sudden rap at his door. Darting to it quickly, he nearly sank to the floor in relief at the sight that greeted him. "Sharona!" His smile faded as Sharona made no move to enter. Instead, her eyes were open wide, fearfully darting to the side repeatedly, then coming to rest on his face once more. Adrian's own face crinkled in confusion. "Sharona, what..." He was cut off as Sharona was suddenly shoved into the room, her progress halted when she crashed into Adrian. His hands came up automatically to catch her, and his eyes automatically tracked to the figure that quickly entered and locked the door. "Kevin Sarks." Kevin's eyes narrowed. "I see Sharona's been talking about me." Adrian took a step forward as Sharona backed against the wall, folding her hands tightly around her body. "She didn't say a word. I knew who you were the minute you walked in here." Kevin laughed, playing with the screwdriver in his hand. His eyes lit up gleefully as he examined the man before him.
"How bout it, Monk, you wanna fight me for her?" With a jerk, he tossed the tool to Adrian, who fumbled it, allowing it to clatter to the floor. As he bent to retrieve it, he found himself face to face with a handgun. "Never hurts to have back-up, now does it?" Adrian backed away from the screwdriver, coming to a rest next to Sharona. His eyes left Sarks for a moment as he turned to study her. "Are you alright?" She only had a second to gaze up at him before Kevin shoved Adrian to the floor. "Don't you talk to my wife you son of a bitch! I know all about you two! You been enjoying her, huh?" Adrian pushed himself partway up on his elbows. "Sharona isn't your wife, she hasn't been since the first day you hit her!" Kevin almost cackled. "You hear that Sharona? This little man thinks he can lecture me about how I treat my own woman!" Laughing again, Kevin sauntered up to Sharona and pressed her against the wall. "What do you think, baby? Figure he likes to watch?" Adrian pushed himself off the floor. "Leave her alone!" Kevin winked at Sharona, then suddenly spun, swinging out with the gun.
"Kevin, no!" She was too late. The barrel of the gun caught Adrian on the side of his face, throwing him to the floor once more. This time, he didn't sit up. "You bastard!" Sharona dug her fingernails into Kevin's cheeks. Reaching behind him, Kevin grabbed a wrist with one hand, pulling her around in front of him. His other hand struck her across the cheek, dragging a ribbon of scarlet behind it. Sharona landed on the floor near Adrian's body. Kevin, breathing heavily, wiped a streak of blood from his face. Baring his teeth in rage, he kicked out his foot, catching Sharona in the ribs. She made no sound as his pointed toe made contact. Her lack of response only made him angrier, so he kicked out again. He was pulling back for another strike when a pair of hands grabbed hold of his foot. Kevin lost his balance as he pulled away from the scrabbling fingers. Monk! Somehow he'd managed to pull himself to consciousness. While Kevin was untangling his legs, Adrian dragged himself to Sharona's side. He draped his left arm over her body, while his right arm wrapped around her head. The little bit of strength he'd used to accomplish this quickly drained from him. Just as the darkness descended once more, he managed to whisper two words. "I'm sorry."
Adrian cautiously opened his eyes, groaning at the pain in his head. Wherever he was, it was dark. He was lying on a cold floor, his hands were tied behind his back, and duct tape covered his mouth. Worse, his nose itched. Working his face didn't help, just made it itch more. Rolling onto his back, Adrian looked around himself, trying to penetrate the darkness. He listened, and could hear a faint noise, a sputtering, crackling kind of sound, like something was frying. He sniffed, and could detect the scent of ground beef. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he realized he was in the bathroom. Another noise sounded beyond the closed door. He listened intently, trying not to breathe too loudly. It sounded like voices. They were getting louder. Suddenly the door burst open and Sharona ran inside, spinning quickly to slam the door behind her. Just as it shut, something heavy smashed into it, almost knocking Sharona down. Desperately, she shoved herself against the door again, managing to lock it in the process. The pounding on the other side only intensified. "Open the door bitch, open it or I break every bone in your body!" Adrian wriggled himself to his knees. "Mmmph, umph, rhoomph, uhh!" Sharona turned, almost as though she hadn't realized Adrian was behind her. "Adrian, oh God!" Quickly she ripped the tape from his mouth. "Aaahhh! Could you pull a little harder? I think my lips are still attached!" Sharona didn't respond as she untied his hands. "Sharona, what happened, did he hurt you again?" She shook her head behind his back. "Not really, just shoved me around a little. You know, the usual stuff." She sounded really calm, considering. When Adrian was free, he stood, turning to face her. "Let me see your cheek." Sharona turned her eyes toward him, and winced. "Forget about me, what about you?" Quickly she rushed to the sink, allowing the cold water to run while she retrieved a small cloth from the cabinet. Soaking the cloth, she passed it to Adrian. "Here, hold this against your head." Adrian held up his hands. "I'm fine, you can use it more than me..." Sharona blew out a breath, then placed the cloth against his head herself. "Sharona, I told you, I'm fin... Oww!"
"Just keep it there! It'll help, trust me, I'm a nurse, remember?" Adrian brought up his hand to hold the square of material in place. As he was standing there, something suddenly occurred to him. "Hey, what happened to Sarks?"
Chapter 4
Stottlemeyer had to clench his teeth to prevent himself from berating the officer again. The crime scene was in complete disarray. Thank God the coroner had picked up the body already or someone's head would definitely roll. "Disher." His young assistant walked up to him quickly, eyes betraying his anxiousness to please. "Yes Captain?" Stottlemeyer turned and began walking back to his car. "Have Wendell take over here for Fuller. I want to make sure no more friendly neighborhood journalists spill their coffee on the blood stains." Disher nodded. "Yes sir, I'll take care of it immediately."
"Also, I want you to run a background check on Sharona."
"Sir?"
"A hunch, just a hunch."
Sharona placed her hands against the bathroom door and leaned her ear against the wood. Her brow furrowed as she listened intently. "I don't hear anything." Adrian moved up beside her, copying her motions with the opposite ear. He looked at her face as, he too, listened and heard nothing. "I don't get it, why make threats, but then just give up? It makes no sense." Sharona shook her head. "We're talking about Kevin. Nothing he's ever done has made sense." Her eyes clouded with her statement, old pain rising in her expression. Adrian felt his heart tear a little at the hurt he saw on her face. He stepped away from the door and reached a hand out to her. "I'm sorry..." His words were cut off with the sound of a splintering crash against the door. The wood shook with the impact. "No, no!" Sharona backed quickly from the only exit, turning to examine the one window in the small room. "Can we get out this way?" Adrian shook his head. "No, damn it, it's a straight drop, two stories." Sharona placed her palm against the glass. Behind them, the door shivered again, a long crack splitting halfway up the center.
"Adrian, he's gonna get in!" Adrian looked around desperately, looking for anything... there! "Sharona, grab the shower nozzle, turn it this way!" Not questioning his orders, Sharona did as he said while Adrian retrieved something from under the sink. It was a gallon of liquid anti-bacterial soap, lemon scented. Quickly, Adrian unscrewed the cap, then paused. "Adrian!" He bit his lip. "God, this is hard!" The door split further under the thundering blows. "Adrian, do it!" Turning away his eyes, Adrian up-ended the liquid soap onto the floor, groaning softly as the sticky fluid spread across the tile. Casting the container to the floor, he joined Sharona by the showerhead. A blow split the crack open more, another blow shattered it. "You ready for me bitch? You're gonna hurt now!" Kevin's hand whipped through the crack in the door, quickly releasing the lock. Grinning, he started to step inside, to be met by a spray of water in his eyes. Though the water wasn't at a very high velocity, it was distracting, and prevented Kevin from seeing the soupy puddle at his feet. Flailing his arms wildly, he crashed to the floor as his shoes slid on the viscous substance. Adrian and Sharona had already started to run past him before he'd even started falling. Sharona made it past without a problem, even managing to avoid the red-handled axe from Adrian's fire emergency kit that was lying on the floor. Adrian, however, was not so lucky. His dress shoes could not keep him upright as he stepped in the yellow muck. "Aaarrhhh- ooohhmmph!" Sharona turned as she heard him fall. "No Sharona, run! Get out, go!" Sharona grabbed his hands and pulled. Just as he regained his footing, a steely hand grabbed his ankle. "Where you think you're going huh?" Adrian pulled against the grip while Sharona pulled on his arm. "Kevin, let go!" Kevin chuckled, lifting his gun to point it at Sharona. "I don't think I will."
The Captain raised his eyes as Disher strode up. "I've got that file you were wanting." Stottlemeyer leaned back as Disher passed him the folder. "This is Sharona's?" Disher nodded. "Yep. Did you know she'd been married?" Stottlemeyer glanced up. "You didn't?" Disher opened and closed his mouth. "Well, uh..." Stottlemeyer shook his head. "Never mind." Opening the file, he began rifling through the recorded incidents of Sharona's past. A few speeding tickets, no surprise there. Hmm, now this was interesting. Stottlemeyer glanced again as he felt a breath on the back of his neck. "You mind?" Disher straightened, his face coloring slightly. "Ehem, sorry Captain." Stottlemeyer lifted a page from the file. "Seems Sharona filed several complaints during the course of her marriage." Turning another page, he winced, covering his eyes. "Oh my God." A stark black and white photo met his gaze. It was an image of Sharona, her face battered and cut. Below the photo was an outline of her injuries, they were numerous. The next page showed an X-Ray of her arm, and another of her collarbone. Both had been broken. Stottlemeyer swore under his breath. Beyond him, Disher looked on soundlessly. Flipping past a few more pages, Stottlemeyer stopped when he came across another photo. It was Sharona's former husband.
Sharona froze when she saw the gun leveled at her. Adrian glanced at her terrified expression, then suddenly kicked back with his foot, connecting with Kevin's jaw. The gun in Kevin's hand jerked, going off in the process. Sharona screamed, and Adrian lurched forward as the grip on his ankle loosened. "Hurry, before he recovers!" Sharona grabbed Adrian's hand and they ran for the door. Behind them, they heard Kevin scream, and then the gun went off again, shattering against the doorframe as they escaped out the door.
Their breaths came heavy as Adrian and Sharona ran down the street. Just great, there was no one around. Behind them, they heard the outside door open, and another shot rang in the air. Sharona pulled Adrian around the side of a building. "Bet... you wish... you had those... running shoes!" Adrian stopped for a second to lean against the brick wall behind them. "I'd settle for a car." He realized at this point that he still had Sharona's hand clasped in his own. The grip felt sweaty. Releasing her hand, he moved to wipe his fingers on his jacket, and paused. "Sharona..." There was blood on his palm. He looked at Sharona, then swept his arms out suddenly as she started to crumple. "Sharona!" She brought her hands up to clutch at his shoulders. It was then that she seemed to feel the pain. A gasp spilled out of her, and she turned her head to see a blush of crimson spreading over her upper arm. Adrian held her tighter as her head started to nod. "No, no, don't pass out!" Frantically, Adrian whipped his head around, searching for an escape. His eyes landed on a large dumpster.
Kevin rounded the corner at a dead run, gun held at the ready. He slowed a little as he didn't immediately catch sight of his quarry. Pausing to check the rounds, he proceeded forward a little slower, darting his eyes everywhere in case they were hiding someplace. God dammit, Sharona wasn't gonna live after this. For that matter, her pitiful lover was toast as well. He knew he'd hit one of them when he'd shot back at the house. After regaining his footing, he'd found blood smeared on the floor. He amused himself by trying to guess which one he'd hit, and where. Something caught his eye at the end of the alley. It was a large metal dumpster. Something brown was hanging out of the edge of it. Smiling, Kevin slowed even more as he approached, raising the gun as he neared the bin. He was right next to the dumpster now. Breathing in one quick breath, he jumped forward and flipped up the lid of the dumpster, then swore, it was empty. He started to turn when a stinging pain in his wrist caused him to drop his gun. "Ahhh, Shiii..." Another crack across his shoulders cut him off in mid-curse. The blow nearly dropped him, but he managed to catch the edge of the bin long enough to turn around and see what had struck him. Adrian stood behind him holding a short plank in his hanky wrapped hands. He raised it again as Kevin made as if to charge him. A little ways behind Adrian, Sharona lie slumped against the wall, one hand wrapped around her arm. Kevin laughed loudly. "God damn, ain't this a pretty sight! I warned ya, didn't I bitch! I told you if I ever caught ya cheatin' I'd kill you!" He glanced back at Monk. "Looks like I get to kill your boyfriend too." Sharona looked up at him. "I never cheated on you Kevin. And Adrian is my boss, I work for him..."
"Really, you work for him huh? Well that ain't the impression I get from watching you two together." Adrian adjusted the plank in his hands. "Listen to her Kevin, she's not lying..."
"Oh, now I spose' to believe your words, huh, Romeo? Well believe my words, I don't give a damn about what you, or she has to say! Far as I know, ya'll are both a couple of liars!" Kevin suddenly darted forward, catching Adrian off guard as he slammed into him. Both men fell to the ground, and the board clattered away. Adrian's breath left him in a rush as Kevin's fist connected with his stomach. Another fist narrowly missed his chin. For his part, Adrian managed to kick out with his foot, landing a blow to Kevin's shin. The enraged man barely registered the strike, and only increased his attack. Adrian covered his head as the blows became more concentrated. All of the sudden, Kevin was off his body. Adrian hazarded a look to see that Sharona had somehow marshaled the strength to grab the board that he'd dropped and clobber Kevin in the side of his head. Unfortunately, the little strength she possessed wasn't great, and Kevin was still conscious. A tiny trickle of blood ran down the side of his neck. Oddly, he grinned, then stood slowly. "Hey baby, you never told me you liked it rough." His quickness caught Sharona off guard, and she suddenly found the board wrenched out of her hands. Kevin laughed again as he slapped the length of wood in one palm. "It's been a very long time sweetie. You have any idea how much I've missed you since you walked out on me? I called around, no one seen you. Paid a visit to your ma. You know somethin'? She had the frickin gall to call the cops on me! I spent a night in jail because of her, all because I wanted to know where my sweet wife had disappeared to!" Sharona backed away from him slowly, Kevin kept striking his hand with the plank. "I had friends of mine out looking for you. And you wanna know what the funniest part is? Your own sister was the one that led me to you. See, she was dating an old buddy of mine, and by the way, she's a much of a whore as you are! Anyhow, this buddy happened to see you when you stopped by to visit Gail. Such a good pal, described you perfectly. Shame I had to kill him."
Stottlemeyer looked a little closer at the photo. "Hey, Lieutenant, get me a magnifying glass, hurry!" Disher turned and began rifling through his desk, quickly coming across a Sherlock Holmes style magnifier. "I'm not even gonna ask." Muttered the Captain as he looked through the lens. Beneath the glass, the image of Sharona's husband jumped in size. "Oh God!"
Sharona glanced over Kevin's shoulder. Adrian was on his hands and knees, looking. She had to give him time. "Kevin, I'm so sorry. I was wrong, I didn't mean to hurt you." Cringing, she reached out and touched his face, sliding her fingers across his lips. "I love you." Kevin stood immobilized for a second, then smiled, shaking his head. "Sorry honey, but you ain't getting out of this!" His eyes opened a little wider as he suddenly swung the board up over his head. Sharona ducked, then jerked at the sound of a gunshot. The board almost pulled from Kevin's grasp. Lowering it slowly, he saw the wood had splintered from a bullet. He turned sharply to see Monk standing behind him, gun leveled at his chest. "Drop the board and step back!" Shouted Adrian, lining up the gun. Kevin suddenly reached around and grabbed Sharona by the shoulders. She cried out as his fingers squeezed the wound on her arm. "I don't think I will Monk! How about you drop it, and I consider NOT braining this lovely lady!" Sharona, having no desire to repeat the experience of having Adrian fire a gun in her direction, slammed an elbow into Kevin's gut. Gasping, he loosened his grip enough for Sharona to escape from him. Snarling, Kevin ran after her, raising the plank for another strike. Adrian raised his gun in response. "Stop, I'll shoot!" Kevin continued after Sharona. Adrian's eyes narrowed as he aimed, then pulled the trigger. The click seemed almost deafening. The gun was empty.
Sharona made it to Adrian's side and took his hand once more. Turning, he ran with her back the way they had come, slipping the gun in his pocket as he sprinted back up the sidewalk. The still empty streets frustrated him. "My God, where is everybody?" Sharona didn't spare the streets a glance. "Probably at work, ya know, like in an office?" Their diminishing steps soon brought them right back where they had started, Monk's place. Darting inside, Adrian slammed his door, shooting home the lock. "Quick, call the police. Sharona bit her lip. "I can't, he broke your phone." Adrian turned to see his phone shattered on his floor. As Kevin began pounding on the door with his plank, Sharona slowly made her way to Adrian's couch, and collapsed. Her arm was still bleeding, and her face had grown alarmingly pale. Adrian dropped to his knees beside her. His fingers hovered near her arm, not quite daring to touch her. Sharona's eyes were slowly starting to close. "No, Sharona, you need to stay awake!" His hand hovered again. Then, biting his tongue, he lowered his hands until they made contact with her arm. Sharona didn't budge as he gently tore the fabric of her shirt, exposing the injury.
Behind him, Kevin continued pounding. Then he heard a new sound. The pounding stopped, he heard voices shouting. There was silence for a moment, then the sound of a gun going off. A second passed, then someone pounded on his door. "Adrian, Adrian it's Captain Stottlemeyer, open up!" Gasping out a breath of relief, Adrian rushed to the door and pulled it open. "Captain, thank God! Sharona's been shot!" Stottlemeyer hurried to her side, clenching his teeth at the sight of her wound. "Someone call a paramedic!"
Sharona's eyes opened cautiously. Something pink filled her vision. Blinking, she focused her gaze. It was a balloon, attached to a stuffed bear. Off to the side, a vase full of roses filled the room with a lovely scent that almost managed to mask the smell of disinfectant. She turned her head the other way, and found herself staring into toffee colored eyes. "Hey, how do you feel?" Sharona managed a smile. "Better, except for the part about me hurting everywhere." She noticed his wrist was bandaged. "What about you, you ok?" Adrian glanced at his wrist. "Ah, just a sprain. I'm fine." Sharona tried to sit up, a motion that was prevented from happening by Adrian's hands on her shoulders. "Hey, the doctor said to keep still and give the wound time to heal." Sharona smiled at his mothering tone. "Yes sir Dr. Monk." Her smile faded. "What happened Adrian, I don't remember anything after we got to your place." Adrian looked down, his face solemn. "Kevin tried to break in. About that time, Captain Stottlemeyer showed up. He ordered Kevin to back down. Kevin refused to listen, and they, they were�" Sharona nodded, a weary tear sliding down her face. "Adrian, I am so sorry you had to get involved. I hated Kevin for what he did to me, but part of me still loved him too." Adrian nodded in understanding. "But after what he did to you, if I'd had a gun, I would have shot him." Adrian looked up again. Sharona's eyes had started to close. Then she shook off sleep and opened her eyes again. "Hey, how do the Captain know to come to your place?" Adrian twitched his head. "Apparently he came across a photo of Kevin. He had a tattoo on his arm that matched a symbol they found carved in one of your kitchen knives." Sharona felt fresh tears roll down her face. "The one he used to kill Ted." Adrian nodded. "He'd carved a dove on the handle. It was the same as the dove he had tattooed on his arm, just above your name." Sharona breathed out. Slowly, her hand crawled across the sheet. Adrian paused for just a second, then reached out and took it. "Thank you." Her last word ended softly as the sedative feeding into her finally pulled her to sleep. Adrian laid his other hand across the joined pair. "Anytime."
End