Let me die free.
Maurice,
I’m sorry you’ll wake up and find me gone. Believe me when I say it has nothing to do with you. I need distance between us while I still can. Your concern over the marks has become too much for me to bear. Not because of your love for me, but because I’ll only cause you more hurt when I don’t listen.
You’ll always mean so much to me, but I can’t be around you. I need to do what I’ve always done. Let me die free, Maurice. Forget about me. I’m gone already.
Love, Ocean.
What the bloody hell did that mean? And this Maurice loved her? That left a harsh taste in my mouth. I could see why she’d be loved, and she obviously loved him too. Deeply.
A cold boulder settled in my gut. There was no point chasing her. Yes, I wanted to know her secret of vanishing, but I also wanted to know the woman. Something inside me connected with her on a deeper level—the same level that her icy exterior protected. And now she was off limits.
Hope unfurled as I read Maurice’s reply.
From: [email protected]
Date: 10 December 2011
Subject: You are free, but you will come home.
My Dear,
It was not a surprise to wake up to an empty house. I expected as much after our argument. I will not accept your guilt for causing me pain. To not have you in my life would be ten times worse than what I’ll feel if you disobey me.
Take the time you need to rid yourself of your worry. I will wait every day for your return. I have no doubt I will see you again. Until then, Sweet Girl, I will wait, and try to figure out the meaning of the marks.
Love, Maurice.
The language. Could Maurice perhaps be older than her? Would a lover call her ‘sweet girl’? The boulder in my gut lightened to a cloud. Maybe she wasn’t off limits after all.
The more I learned about this woman, the deeper I sank into trouble. What was she up to? Marks? What was that? Code?
I opened up my own email, fully intending to write to her, demanding that she see me again, but how to do it so she thought I was guessing? She'd despise me if she knew I hacked her personal space. I despised myself for stooping so low. My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
“Bliss.”
I jumped a mile, guilt plastered all over my face, as Captain Gray stuck his head in my shoebox. His sideburns were meticulously groomed, his moustache the same color of wish-washy brown on his head.
Swallowing, I tried to resemble stoic innocence. “Eh, yes, sir?” Be cool. He doesn't know what you're up to.
“You're to accompany Wade and a few of the newbies. Someone discovered a body in the Cross,” Gray muttered, then stormed away with all the air and grace of a magistrate—and the station was his kingdom. He never minced words or lingered. My kind of man.
I looked at my blank email. Shit. I just found what spent me hours to find, and now my day job decided to get interesting.
After deleting all evidence of my hacking, I stood and clipped on my police utility belt. It was bloody uncomfortable to wear while sitting at a desk. I checked it was complete: cuffs, taser, walkie-talkie, gun, baton, and water bottle. Ready and armed for the masses of morons who seemed to think they were above the law.
Swiping my hands through my hair, I ran straight into Wade, who bolted past my office. “Jeez, Mark. Where's the fire?” Pudgy Mark Wade wasn't the sharpest wombat in the Outback, but he was a nice guy. I didn't mind being partnered with him. He gave me the space I needed to work the way I worked. However, I caught him watching me now and again, eyebrows drawn together. Did he suspect I was completely over qualified for this humdrum job?
“Ready?” Wade asked. He rubbed his forehead with his arm, a sheen of sweet appeared on his sleeve. “I hear there's a lot of blood.” For a cop, he had a weak stomach.
“Civilian? Or perp?” Death of an innocent never failed to make me boil with anger. Death of a perp, well, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. That would
Maurice,
I’m sorry you’ll wake up and find me gone. Believe me when I say it has nothing to do with you. I need distance between us while I still can. Your concern over the marks has become too much for me to bear. Not because of your love for me, but because I’ll only cause you more hurt when I don’t listen.
You’ll always mean so much to me, but I can’t be around you. I need to do what I’ve always done. Let me die free, Maurice. Forget about me. I’m gone already.
Love, Ocean.
What the bloody hell did that mean? And this Maurice loved her? That left a harsh taste in my mouth. I could see why she’d be loved, and she obviously loved him too. Deeply.
A cold boulder settled in my gut. There was no point chasing her. Yes, I wanted to know her secret of vanishing, but I also wanted to know the woman. Something inside me connected with her on a deeper level—the same level that her icy exterior protected. And now she was off limits.
Hope unfurled as I read Maurice’s reply.
From: [email protected]
Date: 10 December 2011
Subject: You are free, but you will come home.
My Dear,
It was not a surprise to wake up to an empty house. I expected as much after our argument. I will not accept your guilt for causing me pain. To not have you in my life would be ten times worse than what I’ll feel if you disobey me.
Take the time you need to rid yourself of your worry. I will wait every day for your return. I have no doubt I will see you again. Until then, Sweet Girl, I will wait, and try to figure out the meaning of the marks.
Love, Maurice.
The language. Could Maurice perhaps be older than her? Would a lover call her ‘sweet girl’? The boulder in my gut lightened to a cloud. Maybe she wasn’t off limits after all.
The more I learned about this woman, the deeper I sank into trouble. What was she up to? Marks? What was that? Code?
I opened up my own email, fully intending to write to her, demanding that she see me again, but how to do it so she thought I was guessing? She'd despise me if she knew I hacked her personal space. I despised myself for stooping so low. My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
“Bliss.”
I jumped a mile, guilt plastered all over my face, as Captain Gray stuck his head in my shoebox. His sideburns were meticulously groomed, his moustache the same color of wish-washy brown on his head.
Swallowing, I tried to resemble stoic innocence. “Eh, yes, sir?” Be cool. He doesn't know what you're up to.
“You're to accompany Wade and a few of the newbies. Someone discovered a body in the Cross,” Gray muttered, then stormed away with all the air and grace of a magistrate—and the station was his kingdom. He never minced words or lingered. My kind of man.
I looked at my blank email. Shit. I just found what spent me hours to find, and now my day job decided to get interesting.
After deleting all evidence of my hacking, I stood and clipped on my police utility belt. It was bloody uncomfortable to wear while sitting at a desk. I checked it was complete: cuffs, taser, walkie-talkie, gun, baton, and water bottle. Ready and armed for the masses of morons who seemed to think they were above the law.
Swiping my hands through my hair, I ran straight into Wade, who bolted past my office. “Jeez, Mark. Where's the fire?” Pudgy Mark Wade wasn't the sharpest wombat in the Outback, but he was a nice guy. I didn't mind being partnered with him. He gave me the space I needed to work the way I worked. However, I caught him watching me now and again, eyebrows drawn together. Did he suspect I was completely over qualified for this humdrum job?
“Ready?” Wade asked. He rubbed his forehead with his arm, a sheen of sweet appeared on his sleeve. “I hear there's a lot of blood.” For a cop, he had a weak stomach.
“Civilian? Or perp?” Death of an innocent never failed to make me boil with anger. Death of a perp, well, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. That would
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