The Shepherd of Ashburn Court Pt. 05

Thirty seconds later the first security officers showed up. Dr. Granger opened the door and ran to Ben's room. Ben was unconscious and bleeding from his chest and the slash across his face. The medics burst into the room behind her pulling a gurney. They undid Ben's restraints and pulled him over onto the gurney. They strapped him in and rushed him out of the room with Dr. Granger in pursuit.

Administrator Cooper was standing in the gallery of the operating room they brought Ben into. Dr. Granger entered the gallery and immediately went to her side. "How is he?"

Hannah looked at her and her face was white. "He looks like a pin cushion! How many times was he stabbed? What happened to his face? It's covered in blood."

"Eli Sturn killed Hector and got into Ben's room. He was stabbing Ben in a frenzy. Ben was still locked in his restraints. But the man was leaning over Ben and Ben grabbed and squeezed his testicles hard. In retaliation he slashed Ben's face. I called out and he fled, right past me. The man had no upper or lower front teeth. He looks horrifying!"

"Dr. Padme has begun." Hannah said watching the operation with complete attention.

Tina made a light dinner for Ashley and the teens and they ate on trays in Ashley's room. The conversation was light and smiles were gradually replacing the nervous looks. Tina was closest to the door. She heard a strange tearing sound. She got up to investigate and the sound was coming from the kitchen. She flipped on the deck lights and she saw a hand with a knife cutting through the stiff curtain they'd lowered around the deck as extra protection.

While her heart leapt up into her throat, Tina immediately headed back to Ashley's room and addressed the teens in a calm voice. "We must go to the panic room. Now. This is not a drill."

Madison and Savannah froze but jumped when Tina clapped her hands together. Ashley didn't know what was going on.

Tina took Ashley's tray away and Madison grabbed one arm while Savannah grabbed the other. They helped their mother to her feet and walked her out of the room towards the stairs to the basement. The going was slow so they just reached the top of the stairs when Eli slammed his shoulder against the glass patio door. The three screamed but he just bounced off and slammed to the deck.

"Downstairs, NOW!" Tina barked and the three started moving again. Tina would not allow them to stop and look at Eli's futile effort to break through the armored glass. Ben hadn't wanted to give thieves an easy way in so he'd invested in the toughest glass panels available then double plied them. Eli saw his target disappearing and Tina following. He screamed at them but they didn't stop. He pushed his way back through the hole he's made in the curtain.

When the group got to the bottom of the stairs Tina went around them, down the hall to the lock panel to the work shop. She punched in the code and the door unlocked. She stepped inside and the lights came up. She urged the teens and Ashley to move faster. There was the sound of wood cracking and the three moved faster. They could hear Eli's screams of rage.

Finally Ashley was inside and Tina pulled them to the side. She closed the door. She flipped the panel on the wall and pressed the red button. There was a deep rumbling sound and the little monitor on the wall by the door flickered on. They could see an armored panel on the other side of the door was sliding over the doorway. The camera was focused looking down at the entrance so it must have been in the ceiling. Suddenly Eli was against the wall pounding on the exposed part of the door. Everyone shrieked and jumped back. He pushed at the sliding panel but it continued on its path without any sign of his interference. They heard a final 'thunk' and the panel was closed.

A voice came from the speaker next to the little monitor. "911, please state the nature of your emergency."

Tina looked at Ashley then back to the speaker. "Hello, my name is Tina Lee. I am at 16 Ashburn Court and I need to report that a bad man has broken into my house. He is trying to kill us."

"Mrs. Lee, are you able to get to a safe room and lock yourself in?" the voice said.

"Yes, I am in a panic room in the basement. I do not believe he can get in." she replied.

"OK, police are on the way. Please stay on the line."

"ASHLEY... MADISON... SAVANNAH! Open the FUCKING door RIGHT NOW!" Eli raged.

They watched him on the monitor as Eli looked around for something to open the door. Every now and then he'd stop and hold his groin and moan. Then he looked up and made an excited sound and left the picture. Seconds later he was back with a big sledgehammer in his hands. Madison and Savannah began to cry and Ashley hugged them. Tina saw their fear.

"It will not work." she said with contempt in her voice.

The girls perked up and looked at her confident smile.

Eli was trying to see where to hit the door. There wasn't much room to swing the big hammer in the basement and the whisky he'd drank to dull the pain from his teeth was fucking up his coordination a little. On his first two attempts he hit the drywall ceiling above his head.

Tina snorted.

Eli's third swing hit the door with a mighty boom... but it held.

Eli got into a pattern and began to make a big dent in the door panel. He was determined to kill the bitches.

Trish had been coming back from her late jog when she heard the cracking of Ben's front door. She looked down the street and saw the shape of a large man slamming a huge rock from the ornamental garden against the front door. She immediately ran into her house and called the police to report the break in. She gave Ben's address and her name then hung up and ran into the basement to get the fighting sticks she and John used to spar with. Fifteen inches long and made of solid hardwood, she'd learned a few nasty tricks with these. After sparring she and her husband would have the most aggressive sex! She pushed that from her mind and raced back upstairs almost colliding with Lily and Mason. Bouncing on the balls of her feet she told them to stay inside and she raced out of the house towards Ben's.

Eli was tiring quickly. Sweat dripped down his face and onto the floor. The sledgehammer was so fucking heavy and it started bouncing on the surface of the door as his swings weakened. Each impact against the door made the pain in his balls spike and his face was hurting so fucking much too. He needed a drink so bad!

He swung the hammer back for one more mighty swing when his concentration was broken.

"HEY! SHIT FOR BRAINS!" a woman's voice yelled.

He staggered forward and the hammer went right up into the drywall ceiling and got jammed there. He tugged at it but the handle just hung down. He spun around and saw a tall redhead standing at the base of the stairs partially in shadow.

"What the fuck is it with you interfering bitches?" Eli growled.

"I think you'd better put your fucking ugly face on the floor with your hands on the back of your head. The police are on their way shithead!" Trish growled in return.

Eli pulled out his knife. "No, I don't think I will. See this. I used it to make a dozen deep holes in the asshole who did this to my face. Now it's going to add a few more holes to you."

Trish froze. "You hurt Ben?" she said quietly.

"I FUCKING KILLED HIM! I'll carve you as his tombstone, CUNT!" Eli screamed as he lunged forward, knife jabbing towards her chest.

Trish screamed in primal rage and snapped her left hand down. The stick smashed into Eli's right wrist snapping the bones and spinning the knife off to the side. The point of the right club caught him in the sternum stopping him in his tracks. His eyes bugged out as he couldn't get a breath.

Trish was still screaming in rage as she spun the sticks once more. She broke his jaw with the right and cracked a rib with the left. Up came the sticks again as she spun them faster. His broken nose flattened under the left club and his elbow snapped under the right. He was trying to scream but he still couldn't get a breath. She kicked him in the chest hard and he careened back, knocking the handle of the sledge hammer up to the ceiling then he crashed into the armored door. He took two steps forward and fell on his face.

He lay there senseless and Trish stepped back heaving deep breathes as the reality of what Eli said finally sank in. Ben was dead! The man who loved her was gone! She sunk to her knees dropping the sticks which rolled away under the furniture and she wailed.

With the slightest squeak to announce its release the 20 lb sledge hammer slipped from the fragile grip of the torn drywall and fell. It struck Eli at the base of his skull with a small snap, breaking his neck.

Tina was in shock. Ben was dead? That couldn't be right! He was with Hannah in the hospital. He was safe!

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Hannah.

"Hello?"

"Hannah! Is Ben alright?" she gasped.

Hannah was still in the gallery above the operating theatre watching the Dr. Padme struggle to save Ben's life. His heart had stopped twice but the doctor brought him back each time.

She had forgotten to call Tina. "Oh my god! I'm sorry I should have called you. Ben's in the operating room now. He's been stabbed multiple times. He's in critical condition and the doctor is still working on him."

Tina slumped to the floor and felt tears begin to well up. Then she shook herself angrily and lunged back to her feet. She walked back to the little monitor and saw police coming down the stairs into the outer room. She lifted the panel and pressed the red button again. The deep rumble began but this time it was accompanied by a screeching whine as the dented door scraped against the wall. Tina yanked open the inner door and once the outer door was open sufficiently she ushered Ashley and the teens through and closed the inner door behind her. She heard the lock click shut. Tina made for the stairs.

An officer was kneeling beside the still body of Eli Sturn when Tina rushed past. "Miss! Wait!"

Tina stopped and spun around. "I cannot! I must go to the hospital! Ben is badly hurt!"

"Ben's not dead!?!" Trish seized on this news and looked hopefully at Tina who turned to her and shook her head. "Hannah says they are operating on him now. He is in critical condition. I must be with him!"

"I'll drive!" Trish gasped and leapt to her feet.

"No one is going anywhere until we get statements!" the officer yelled pointing to the body on the floor.

Trish gave him a frustrated look. "The fucker was pounding on the door with the hammer. It got stuck in the ceiling. He pulled a knife on me and I disarmed him and kicked him back against the door. He fell. I didn't see what happened to him after that." Trish growled.

"The hammer fell on his head." Madison squeaked and all eyes turned to her. She looked up at the police officer. "I saw it on the TV screen in there." she said pointing back to the work shop.

"I must GO!" Tina stomped her foot.

"Officer Jackson, escort these two ladies to..." the first officer began.

"Western Mercy." Trish said.

"Western Mercy and stay with them. Take their statements there." he finished.

Officer Jackson led the two women outside to his patrol car. He helped them into the back then headed off to the hospital.

"And you are?" the first cop, Officer Grant, asked the woman looking down at Eli.

"I'm Ashley Beaumont. That's my husband Elija Ray Sturn. These are his daughters, Madison and Savannah Sturn. I was watching the TV screen as well. What Trish said is what happened. I mean, I saw Eli pounding on the door with the hammer and then it got stuck in the ceiling. He turned, pull a knife out and jump forward. Then all I could see was his back until he flew back into the picture when Trish kicked him. He hit the hammer's handle and then the door. He fell then the hammer dropped and struck him." Savannah and Madison were both nodding with big eyes. They were trying not to see the body of their father on the floor.

Officer Grant led them back upstairs into the living room. The woman moved very slowly and he was told that this was because the deceased had badly assaulted her the day before. The teens gathered pillows and made her comfortable on the sofa then sat on either side of her resting their heads on her shoulders. The officer then slowly had them go over what happened again as he took notes. The forensic team came in and began their work. Ashley worried about all these strangers walking around in Ben's house.

Of course they were all police and her husband was dead so she was feeling safer than she had in a long time.

Officer Jackson led Tina and Trish through the hospital directly to the gallery of the operating room where Dr. Padme continued to work on Ben.

Tina rushed up to the window and looked down at Ben's unconscious form.

She spun to Hannah. "How did this happen in your hospital? I thought he was safe here!" she cried.

Hannah looked guilty. "It shouldn't have been possible. We don't know how he got in or how he found Ben. When they catch him we will ask him."

"He's dead." Trish said.

"WHAT?" Hannah gasped.

"He went to Ben's to find his wife and kids, probably to finish the job he'd started. Stupid fucker tried to attack me with a knife." She glanced at the cop who was paying close attention. "I disarmed him and kicked him against the door. He fell. The sledge hammer he was using fell from where it was stuck in the ceiling and landed on his head."

"How on earth did you know how to disarm a man with a knife?" Hannah asked.

"John and I sparred. A lot! Remember, if it was physical and dangerous John wanted to do it. I was better at it than him though." she smiled but it dimmed immediately. "How is Ben doing?"

"Most of the wounds are superficial or in non-critical places. His aim with the knife was thankfully poor. But a few were very bad." She didn't mention his heart had stopped, twice.

"Why is Ben's face bandaged?" Tina asked.

"The man slashed his face. Dr. Ramsey was in earlier and took care of that. I don't know how bad it was or how bad the scar will be. Dr. Ramsey is a specialist for those kinds of wounds." Tina's eyes welled up with tears.

Hannah's phone chirped. She looked at it in annoyance then guilt. She immediately sent a response. Moments later an orderly guided Gabriella, Catherine, and Rochelle into the gallery.

Gabriella and Catherine immediately went to Tina and hugged the woman. They pulled Trish into the group hug. Rochelle was wavering on the edge but Trish pulled her in then Hannah.

Dr. Granger arrived and took in the group hugging by the window. She caught Hannah's eye. "Any change?" she asked.

Hannah shook her head.

Trish suddenly got a puzzled look on her face. "Wait! How did he manage to stab Ben so many times? Ben kicked his ass the first time they met. Was he asleep? Drugged?" She saw Hannah was looking at Dr. Granger so she turned to face her too. Soon the entire group was looking at the psychologist.

The doctor felt incredibly uncomfortable under their scrutiny. She drew herself up and girded herself for their reaction. "For his safety", she paused when she saw the irony there, "Ben was in restraints."

The explosion from the group was frightening and violent. Catherine had to hold Trish back as she lunged for the doctor. Hannah gestured for her to leave, quickly. She did.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Trish yelled. "He had to lie there helpless while that asshole stabbed him again and again!" She suddenly looked green then she rushed out of the gallery and across the hall to the washroom before her stomach heaved. Officer Jackson stayed close.

Gabriella, Catherine, and Tina were all crying while looking down at Ben. Trish came back into the gallery after freshening up and rinsing out her mouth.

Suddenly the machines connected to Ben started wailing. His heart had stopped for a third time. There was a frenzy of activity but the machine continued to drone. The women all held each other and their breath. Dr. Padme looked up at Hannah. His weary look was grim.

Chapter 29

The family trip to Paris went ahead as scheduled. It was paid for after all. There had been some argument whether they should be going at all but this was a trip of a lifetime and wiser heads prevailed so off they went. Some last minute adjustments had been made to compensate for changes in list of travellers. Some destinations were switched out as well.

It was an overnight flight and the lights had been dimmed as people prepared to sleep on the flight over.

Gabriella leaned back in the plush first class seat and sipped at the champagne she hoped would help her sleep. A shiver went down her spine as her mind flashed back to that horrible night a little more than two months earlier. Catherine looked at her curiously to know what had caused her friend's face to suddenly look so sad. Gabriella forced a smile back on her face and shook her head to dispel the memory. She looked at Miriam and Daniel who were so occupied with their tablets they were missing the entire first class experience. She whispered to them that they should try to get some sleep as well.

Catherine turned back to her daughters who were busy arguing over whether or not they were going to visit Jim Morrison's grave at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris or not. None of them were really familiar with the singer but they'd been told it was the 'thing to do'. They'd have extra time in Paris due to the itinerary changes so they were trying to work out how to best fill the time. She smiled at the beautiful young ladies. This trip was such a gift. To spend time in France with her daughters was something she'd never have been able to do without... She had to stop as she was getting too choked up. She didn't want to cry and arrive in Paris with her make-up running down her face.

Tina was the last minute addition to the trip. She had made some adjustments to her University summer courses to be able to go on the trip. She'd be taking night courses to compensate when she returned. Daphne was watching Christopher and with Joshua to play with he'd be fine while she was away. Tina was dwarfed by the first class seat but she just tucked her legs up and tried to relax. She was glad she was here. She couldn't remain home alone. It was too soon. She wasn't ready. She shivered and her bottom lip trembled.

Gabriella noticed Tina's upset first and reached across to her. Tina took the offered hand and they squeezed each other's hands. Catherine leaned forward and asked if she was ok. Tina nodded shakily and Catherine raised an eyebrow. Tina smiled guiltily, caught in the lie. Cat checked her watch and nodded at Gabriella. Gabriella leaned over to Tina. "It's time."

Tina undid her seatbelt and quickly stepped over to the window seat. She lifted the corner of the blanket and snuggled in next to the sleeping man. She gently nudged him until he woke up.

"It is time for your medicine, Ben." she whispered.

He sighed. He'd been having a lovely dream. To be woken just to take a stupid pill that he probably no longer even needed... he sighed again. He knew he couldn't argue with the ladies. His health was their number one priority. Gabriella came over with a cup of water and the pill. Just something to prevent infection in a wound that had healed weeks ago.

Right! Don't argue. He took the pill with a smile.

He felt Tina trembling so he put his arm around her. He looked up at Gabriella in worry. Tina had taken his 'death' the hardest. She was still having nightmares and couldn't be out of contact with him for longer than a day. Ben was going to have her see a councillor when they got back.

The third time Ben's heart stopped Dr. Padme made a dangerous decision. The final wound he was working on was right next to Ben's heart. The pressure of its beating was making it impossible to safely suture the large, dangerous wound so he decided to leave the heart still while he quickly finished. The women became frantic as the heart monitor drone went on and on. When he finished he used the paddles to restart Ben's heart but he wasn't responding. He tried three times but Ben's heart remained still. His gamble was for nothing. When the doctor leaned back the women screamed for him to try again. Tina had been the loudest. She wailed for Ben to come back. He didn't know if it was due to the residual charge from the shock paddles or if it had been the sound of their cries but Ben's heart began to beat on its own and he rallied once more.