The Curse Of Eden
Chapter 26 - At gunpoint

"Hey, I'm calling again but I'm being sent to voicemail.....again. You can't just leave me like that, the police will replace. It's just a matter of days, even hours." Newman let out a sigh. "Just try to contact me back." Collette scoffed as he entered the living room.

"What is he? Your wife? You're too easy and clingy."

Newman looked at her with a scowl but didn't utter a word as he turned to switch open the TV.

"Do you actually think that your daughter would want that? For all those people to be killed, even if they were in the wrong?" She pressed.

Newman snapped his head at her, his face contorted in a scowl. He marched up towards Collette in fumes.

"You know nothing about my daughter!" He growled, squeezing Collette's face in his hand.

"No, but I know about human behavior." She replied with a tightened mouth.

Newman let go of her face and walked a couple of steps away, turning his back to her.

"And I know that you're angry. I can see the guilt-ridden heart that you carry with you every day. But it wasn't your fault."

"Shut up." Newman's voice was low.

"You think that this will bring you peace, but it won't. You'll never replace peace in killing."

"I said shut up." Newman's voice got louder.

"E is just using you. You don't think he'll just easily get rid of you once he replaces no use for you anymore? Someone who worked so hard to never be found wouldn't leave any loose ends."

"I said shut up!" Newman yelled louder as he turned with his red face towards Collette. He marched his way out of the room and Collette could hear his footsteps ascending the stairs. Just like how she wanted.

She immediately bent down and started eating away at the rope tied around one of her wrists. She had been going at it ever since she woke up and with every chance she gets out of Newman's sight.

She wished she had rat teeth to help her with her tasks, instead of her weak incisors. But dedication always got you to your goal.

A smile tugged at her lips when she was finally able to cut the rope completely and discarding it to the floor.

She started untying her other hand then down to both her legs.

Her body ached from the posture she was in all this time and she might've heard a joint or two cracks.

Knowing that there was no time to waste, she carefully started making her way out of the room, seeking out the front door.

Her heart leaped in her chest when the sudden sound of sirens wailed everywhere and to her misfortune, Newman was running down the stairs.

His face fumed with smoke at the sight of her on her own two feet. He was quicker than she thought as her attempt to run to the door failed with his arms wrapping themselves around her body, pulling her back towards him. "You're a lot of trouble." Newman hissed behind her. He let out a gun he had hidden at the back of his pants making Collette gasp.

One hand held her body while the other pressed the gun to her forehead.

"Utter a word and it will be your last. And I don't really care what E would think."

Collette knew that it was wise to do as told for now so she kept her mouth shut.

Newman pulled her back into the living room and stood discreetly behind the curtains. He carefully peeked outside to assess his situation.

Contrary to his thoughts, there was only a single patrol car and two officers marching their way towards the house.

They knocked on the door patiently.

Newman tied Collette to the built-in, metal books and legs that stood beside the window. Knowing that she can't be trusted, he made sure to tie her properly arms and legs. The officers knocked on the door again.

Newman put the gun back in his pants and remained quite behind the curtain.

His eyes never left the two men outside.

They must've assumed that no one was home as they looked at each other, shrugged and went back to their car.

Newman turned to Collette with disgust. He untied her from the book stand and pulled her up and towards the stairs.

"Where are you taking me?" Collette couldn't help the question coming out.

Newman kept silent as he pulled her harshly towards a small, dusty cabinet under the staircase.

He pushed her in before locking the door shut. "This will you keep you put." He muttered behind the door, turning a deaf ear at Collette's yelling.

"Let me out! Let me out you psycho!" She screamed and banged her fists against the wooden door but it was all to no avail.

§ § §

Adam had gathered the team that had already been dispatched to Newman's original house and led them towards the new address they found.

"Hey, don't worry. Collette's a tough one, she'll be okay." Ken tried to calm his partner as they drove through the roads.

Even if Adam didn't voice it, his popping veins and white knuckles from pressing hard on the steering wheel said it all.

Not only was he angry about Newman's betrayal, but a part of him was angry at himself at the fact that Collette was taken right from under his nose.

Adam didn't say anything as he stepped on the gas.

Soon, 23 Emmet street was surrounded by police cars and men everywhere.

Adam didn't wait and impulsively started rushing towards the house, his gun ready in hand.

"Ken, you come with me. Alex and Avery, you take the backside. Ben and Max," he pointed towards two officers, "you come with us, Jake and Miller," he pointed towards two others, "you accompany the girls. The rest stay on the lookout if he ever manages to escape."

"I doubt that." Ken joked under his breath.

Adam smirked at his friend's remark before turning serious.

They all started moving carefully towards the house and as Adam, Ken, and their backup approached the front door, Adam wasted no time in knocking it open.

The four marched with their firearms ready in hand, pointed in front of them.

Adam checked the kitchen while Ken entered what appeared to the living room.

Alex and Avery were coming down the stairs when Adam approached it.

"It's clear. No one's there." Alex reported with a shake of her head.

"There's no one here either." Ken added as he, Max, and Ben joined.

"Backyard's clear." Miller reported.

"Basement clear." Jake added as he joined in as well.

"The house like it hasn't been touched in ages Adam. There's no way they were here." Alex said with a sympathetic sigh. "Fuck." Adam cursed in outrage.

"Call Elliot and Kristen, see if there's anyplace else." He ordered no one in particular but Ken was quick to comply.

He was just about to dial Elliot's number when Adam's phone started ringing and Elliot's number blared through the screen.

"We were just about to call you, there's no one here. Find me where they might be!" Adam hollered through the phone.

"Kristen and I are already working on it Adam. But there's something else. We need you to come back to HQ now."

§ § §

Collette had already given up on galling Newman to let her out. She started regretting leaving her place on the chair. She was at least able to watch the TV.

She hated cramped up places. She hated being locked up in the basement or her room or in the attic. She hated it so much that sometimes she even got claustrophobic.

Bad memories started coming back and she fought hard to keep them buried down. But the darkness didn't help.

"Please let me out." She begged in a weak whisper with teary eyes.

§ § §

"What's the matter?" Adam asked as he, Ken, Avery, and Alex approached Elliot.

"We just got this. It was scheduled to arrive today." Elliot replied as he handed Adam a parchment folder.

Adam opened the folder with furrowed eyebrows. His confusion increasing when a couple of photos along with a couple of papers stapled together and a folded letter fell from the folder.

He placed the folder on the table and decided to start with the letter first since it will guide him through everything else.

'She's the one who did it. She's to blame for Blake Jilles' murder. Prove my innocence if you want to replace your wife.

-E'

Adam turned towards the rest of the folder's contents. They were pictures of a woman in different situations, along with detailed information about her. "What are you going to do Adam?" Ken asked from beside him.

"We bring this woman in."