CHAPTER 41

Chase woke up nauseous and disorientated. At first, he thought he had gone blind, everything was dim and out of focus. Then he understood his left eye was swollen shut. Holding his throbbing head, he sat up slowly. Blood had dried at the side of his head. He ran his head over the cakey mess.

“What the fuck happened?” he asked the silent room. Only when he shivered did he realize he was buck naked. Chase tried to remember, but his head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton wool. Water. He needed something to drink.

A bloodied and dirty shirt he recognized as his own lay next to him. He put it on with shaking hands. Where was the rest of his suit, he wondered. What was he even doing here? He was supposed to be at home with Christine.

He stood, his legs shaking so much he almost toppled over and then he saw her.

A scream wrenched from his parched throat at seeing the naked body of the black-haired woman, her face beaten to a bloody pulp. She lay on the stained carpet, not moving.

“Oh,