Only You (Stevens Book 12)

Chapter 23

When Sam entered the museum, it was dark and quiet. He let the door close behind him softly so as not to alert anyone to his presence. Lincoln said that they were downstairs, and he searched his memory for the museum's floor plan.

He had visited with a few of his school field trips but hadn't visited the place in years.

Sam moved through the large exhibit room into the entrance hall and looked around. There were a few different doors, but if he remembered correctly, there was a stairwell to the right. Moving as quietly as he could, Sam started down the stairs, which were thankfully carpeted; once he reached the bottom, he was as still as possible, listening for a sound. The place was like a labyrinth, and there was no way that he could look without opening and closing doors.

Sam looked in front of him, then behind him, when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. A red light was on the floor at the end of the hallway. Sam walked toward it and realized that he was at the intersection of a T.

He looked left and then right, where he saw another light and walked toward it.

Someone was leading him in the right direction.

That was when he heard it, the singing. He didn't need help now.

The song was so eerie, and the voice singing the song was so slow and sweet that he could understand how the music itself could become its own kind of torture.

"It's all right, Mave," the voice said softly. "Thomas has brought the car around, see? All he has to do is make sure the coast is clear, then we can slip you inside, and we can go somewhere private and finish what we started."

Sam walked to the end of the hall, flattening himself against the wall as he thought that his good friend Thomas had been a part of it. Why? But that was what he was here to find out, wasn't it? He was here to get his confession.

Sam waited, along with Mave and the mysterious Angel, for Thomas to return. If he showed himself now, Thomas might sneak away.

Sam heard a door open and the sounds of music from the party drifted in with the night air.

"It's clear, but we need to move quickly." Sam heard Thomas's voice say.

Sam peeked around the corner and saw that he was reaching for Mave to lift her from the wheelchair she was sitting in.

Suddenly, the door behind Thomas slammed shut with a clang, and he jumped, immediately turning to open it again, but as hard as he pushed, it wouldn't open.

Sam realized it was his chance and stepped into the open.

Angel, who he realized was Tally, squeaked at the sight of Sam, making Thomas turn around.

Thomas's face turned pale and then red before he pulled out a gun and held it to Mave.

"Don't move, Sam!" he yelled.

Sam stopped and looked at Mave, who was staring blankly before her.

"What did you give her?" Sam demanded.

"Don't worry, our intention wasn't to kill her with the drug; it was only to make it more convenient to move her. Tally wanted to spend a little more time with her before we said goodbye." Thomas looked at Mave with an evil smile.

"You're both in this together?" Sam asked. "Why?"

"Does it really matter why?" Thomas asked in a bored tone as he turned to try the door one more time.

"Yes, it does! I thought you were my friend!" Sam stepped toward him, but Thomas raised the gun to Mave once more.

"Stop!" he ordered. "Tally, search him!"

Tally looked at Thomas, her face turning red in the glow of the emergency lighting.

"My name is Angel!" she hissed.

"Fine, Angel! Go search Sam!" He waved the gun in Sam's direction.

Tally or Angel walked over to Sam with a cheerful smile and did a quick pat down. He hadn't tried to hide the gun, so it was easy for her to find.

"Oh, how romantic, Mave! Sam came to save you!" Angel looked at Sam and patted him on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sammy, but she's mine. Thomas promised."

Angel returned to Thomas, handed him the gun, and stroked Mave's hair as she watched Sam and Thomas stare at each other.

"What else did Thomas promise you?" Sam asked. He knew they were being watched because the light had told him which way to go, and he wished that they would end it already. He wanted to get Mave to a hospital and hold her in his arms.

"Nothing," Angel said, only that I could have her for a little while like the first time."

"Like the first time? Tell me, Angel, did you cut Mave the first time?" Sam asked, his eyes trained on Thomas.

"No," Angel shook her head.

"Shut up, Tally!" Thomas insisted, but his use of her old name made her angry.

"You're not the boss of me, Thomas! I'll tell Sammy anything I want to!"

"Tell me, Angel?" Sam encouraged.

"Mave's so beautiful. I only wanted us to be best friends. She hardly noticed me when we were kids, but one day, after we saw one of her movies and told Thomas that I had always wanted her to be my best friend, he offered to make it happen." Angel sighed. "It was an easy plan. We would surprise Mave and then take her on a nice vacation somewhere where she and I could have fun together and she could get to know me. Thomas promised that once she did, she would love me. Only..." Angel looked at Thomas and frowned in thought. 

"Only..." Sam urged.

"Only we didn't go somewhere fun. We went to an abandoned home and he locked her up in the basement. I told Thomas it wasn't right, but he said it would take time, that I should feed and visit her, and she would grow to love me like a sister."

"That's enough, Angel!" Thomas said as he raised the gun in Sam's direction.

"Why did you do it, Thomas?" Sam asked, his heart thundering in his ears as he stared down the barrel of the gun. "Come on and tell me. What does it matter? You're going to kill me, right?"

Thomas shrugged as he thought about it, lowering the gun.

"I hate you. I hate everything about you. Your life has been so easy. You became a doctor, you have the best parents, a lovely home, a good education, and you got the girl. The prettiest girl." Thomas reached down and played with a piece of Mave's hair. "I wanted something you had. I wanted it, and then I wanted to spoil it for you." His finger left her hair and traced her cheek.

"So, you cut her," Sam said roughly, his face red in anger.

"Yes, and I would have done more, but she got away when Tally left to go to a friend's wedding." Thomas shot Angel a look.

That must have been all that was needed because, out of nowhere, a team of men in black surrounded them, and before Thomas could lift the gun, he was down. Angel was easier to take because she was so shocked she didn't even think of putting up a fight.

Sam rushed to Mave, crouching before her and checking her pulse.

Then, before he knew it, the outer door was opened, and he and Mave were whisked to a waiting car, where they were driven straight to the hospital.