Dangerous Betrayals

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

Kennedy

The smell of antiseptic and sterile sheets filled my nose. My head felt like it was spinning, almost as if I was drunk. Then understanding hit me. The pain in my chest was a stark reminder of what I’d just been through.

All the memories of my mother’s murder played through my mind. It had only been months ago, and even though I’d spent time in counseling trying to compartmentalize and deal with it all, so as not to become a bumbling pile of mush, nothing would ever erase the incident from my mind.

The self-defense courses, the avoidance of the press, maintaining a regular schedule continuing with my classes and of course twice a week appointments with my therapist helped me function. Though an occasional Ambien never hurt, but I was careful not to a***e them.

I opened my eyes to see Amy right beside me, holding my hand. She gasped when she noticed I was awake. “Oh my God, Kennedy. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

I cleared my throat and it was so dry I could barely recognize my voice. “Me too. I’m so glad you weren’t there.” The thought of something happening to her terrified me. What if she had come home with me? The killer could’ve hurt her.

Amy shook her head. “I wish I was. We could’ve fought him together.”

I looked around the hospital room, not even remembering getting there. Everything was a blur, but the pain I felt was all too real. “How long have I been here?”

She frowned. “Two days. You’ve been doped up on pain meds.”

“Two days?” I shrieked, jerking my attention to the beeping heart monitor. My heart rate had skyrocketed. I turned back to her. “What happened? Did they catch the guy?”

“Yes,” she replied, squeezing my hand. “They got him.”

Relief washed through me, but it didn’t feel like enough. There was an emptiness inside me that ached to be filled. I wanted whoever it was to suffer, but if he was in jail, I’d never get the chance to see it.

Teeth clenched, I could feel my chest tighten, like skin pulling against my stitches. I hadn’t seen the damage yet, but I knew it was there. The scar would be a constant reminder of the hell I’d been through. “Who was it?” I demanded.

A knock sounded on the door and a man walked in, holding out his badge. He looked to be in his mid-fifties with closely shaved light brown hair, wearing a pair of jeans and a brown coat that hid his holster underneath. “Sorry to interrupt, Ms. Scott, but I’m Detective John Tallman. I’d like to speak with you if that’s okay.”

I looked over at Amy and she handed me a cup of water. “I answered as much as I could. The police have been working nonstop on your case.”

Taking the water, I drank it in one gulp. “I want to know who it was,” I demanded. “Do I know him?” Although I couldn’t help to tamp down the fear inside me, I was angry over the whole situation too and that someone wanted to kill me.

The detective nodded and moved closer. “You do, as a matter of fact.”

Amy squeezed my hand again. “He was one of your students a couple of years ago, and also one of your mother’s.”

The breath whooshed out of my lungs. I placed a hand over my mouth and swallowed a few times to keep my water down. I couldn’t think of a single student that I or my mother might’ve had a problem with. “What’s his name?”

Detective Tallman released a heavy sigh. “Shawn Wyatt. Your neighbor found him in the woods behind your house and had him restrained in your backyard when we arrived at the scene.”

My gut clenched and the bile rose up my throat. I remembered Shawn Wyatt very well. There were things that happened between us that I hadn’t told anyone. “This doesn’t make any sense,” I said, feeling sick to my stomach. I closed my eyes and I could hear the voice of my attacker. “The voice didn’t sound like Shawn’s at all.” Or maybe it was the trauma of events that made me hear it differently. Nothing made sense.

Detective Tallman sighed again. “Apparently he was obsessed with you. We searched his house and found pictures of you everywhere.”

Tears filled my eyes and I shook my head. I never thought Shawn could do such a thing. He was never violent around me or at school, but I did know he had problems. I just chose not to tell anyone. If he was the one who killed my mother and attacked me, I’d never forgive myself for not exposing him when I had the chance. I let go of Amy’s hand and clutched my stomach.

“My attacker said I ruined his life and that my mother had paid her price.”

The detective pulled out a small notebook from his pocket. “What would make Shawn say something like that?”

The blood rushed out of my face and I looked over at Amy. She could tell I was hiding something. “Kennedy, what is it?”

Detective Tallman stared at me curiously. “Ms. Scott? Was there something going on between you two?”

I shook my head quickly, realizing what he must be thinking. “Not like that,” I gasped, “at least for my part. He, on the other hand, had other things in mind.”

Amy slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I focused back on the detective. “I didn’t want Shawn to get in trouble,” I said, wishing like hell I’d listened to my gut and turned him in for stalking. “He started off by visiting me in my classroom. Just small talk at first. I’ve had plenty of students confide in me, especially when I first started teaching since I’m young. But Shawn was different, he’d wait for me at my car after school. It started to make me uncomfortable and I told him he needed to stop.”

“And did he?” the detective asked.

Swallowing hard, I nodded. “For a while until he graduated. After that, he left for college, but when he came home for the summer last year, he started sending me gifts. He also joined the same gym and would try to talk to me there. I threatened to get a restraining order if he didn’t stop. I haven’t seen him since then.” He’d gotten so angry with me for not giving him a chance. Granted, he wasn’t my student anymore at that time, but I didn’t see him romantically. After all the stalking, it started to scare me.

Brows furrowed, Detective Tallman wrote more notes down on his paper. After he was done, he sighed and sat down in the chair beside my bed. “Shawn confessed to stalking you, Ms. Scott, but he denied being the one who attacked you or the one who killed your mother. We found his fingerprints in your house, but mostly, in your bedroom.”

The thought of him being in my house terrified me. There was no telling how many times he could’ve been in there and I didn’t even know. “What happens now?” I asked.

He sighed again. “All the evidence is pretty much right there in front of us, but we’ll search for more clues and go from there. Mr. Wyatt is in custody and will face life in prison if convicted.”

Tears fell down my cheeks. “I should’ve done something about him a long time ago.”

Amy brushed the hair off my face. “You didn’t know, Kennedy. You can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

Detective Tallman stood. “She’s right.” He handed me his card. “I’m sorry this happened to you. My men and I are doing everything we can to bring you justice. If you need anything or remember something that’ll help with the case, please give me a call.”

I took his card. “Thanks, Detective.”

Turning on his heel, he walked out the door. All I wanted was to get away from it all. I knew the second I left the hospital, I’d be followed by the media again.

“What are you going to do now?” Amy questioned.

I didn’t want to leave Belmont or my students, but I had no choice. Gently, I pulled the gown down over my chest, but my wound was covered. I hurt like my heart had already been ripped out, but I could feel it pounding underneath the bandage.

“I need to get away from here,” I whispered. “From it all. Everywhere I go there are too many bad memories.” All I had was my mother and she was gone. There were no aunts or uncles that I knew of on her side, but my father had a sister that I hadn’t seen in years. I was pretty much alone. I had some cousins out there somewhere, but I didn’t know them.

Amy sniffled. “Where would you go? After the school season, I’ll come stay with you for a while.”

Nodding, I carefully placed a hand over my bandage. “Don’t know yet, but it’s going to be far from here.”

Very far.