Chapter Forty-Two

Half an hour later, I was sat on the step of a medic van after getting looked at. The medic had wrapped up my hand that was cut with the glass, apparently I was lucky that I dropped the piece of glass when I did. They also gave me some oxygen to help me stop coughing, even though I told them I didn't want or need it. I look around the car park of the factory, people were still trying to put the fire out but you could tell they were struggling. Why is it that people either want to attack me or set a building I enter on fire? Do I just have that affect on people? Brandon was talking on the phone with Morgan which left me alone for a little awhile, Morgan was on his way but kept being held up by the director or other agents needing him to sign things. I soon remember the note that was in my back pocket, I hadn't had a chance to read it yet. I stand up slightly pulling the little note out, it read "Dearest Taylor, I just knew you'd be able to figure out what I was planning on doing next, which means Jared was saved in process. I never wanted to hurt anyone you've got be believe me Taylor, I know from all the digging and research you guys do that you know about Thomas. Trust me, that's something I will regret for the rest of my life. You might be wondering why I'm only addressing these letters to you now, I just feel like you and I have a better understanding of each other. It's like you're the only person that knows how to navigate my head, sometimes better than I can. Maybe you'll understand why I need to keep running, you trying to catch me is what gives us both purpose. Without this, what else could we do? I know I'll be seeing you very soon, but the question is will you see me? Best wishes Richard" I just stare at the letter dumbfounded, what is this guy trying to do? Is he trying to mess with my head or something? I have much more purpose than catching him, especially now I have Toby. I fold the note up slipping back into my pocket, whatever this dude was trying to play, I wasn't playing into it. Someone standing in front of me snaps me from my thoughts, I first assumed it was Morgan who had finally battled through the traffic and avoided people who want to stop him. But when I look up it wasn't him, but Jared looking down at me. "I just wanna thank you for saving me, if you didn't race in and help I would for sure have been a goner" he smiles laughing a little, I smile back saying it was fine "is you're name Taylor, by any chance?" He asks which definitely takes me by surprise, I never told him my name when we were in that factory. "Yes" is all I say still absolutely confused on how he knows this, maybe he's heard people talking and that's how he's learnt my name. "Richard said you were gonna save me" he says walking over and sitting beside me "he kept saying that I didn't need to worry because Taylor was gonna come and save me, I don't know how he knew but he was right" he smiles but I didn't return the smile, all I could think about was Richard. "On the drive over to this place he rambled on, he was hardly making any sense and sounded as though he was talking to himself. He was never like that as a boy, you already know I'm his uncle so I've saw first hand what kind of person he turned into" he sighs looking down at his hands as he spoke, we actually didn't know a lot about Richard before he started doing all the horrible stuff that he does "he used to really care about people, he would go out of his way to make sure everyone felt respected and looked after, that was until his mother passed" he says which once again was news to me, why hasn't Jared said any of this when he's called into the meetings he said he's been to? "She was like the glue that moulded our whole family together, but once she was gone it all fell apart. His dad tried his best but Richard was acting up and he couldn't handle it, he tried any technique that he could and even turned to the more harsh ways. I think he thought that if he whip Richard into shape that he would stop, but it just had the opposite effect" he says looking over at me to check if I was still listening, I definitely was. "So Richard started being the Richard we all know now, after his mother died?" I ask finally speaking since he started telling Richards life story, I assumed that Richard started like this after what he did to Thomas. "Yeah, after a few years his dad kicked him out because he couldn't handle him anymore, I got the blame for that for some reason which I think is why he attacked me" he sighs leaning back on the vans door slightly, that does kind of make sense as Jared was the first person he ever attacked that we knew about "I want you to be honest, what do you think is happening?" He asks looking over at me again, of course I had an inkling what was going around that man's had but you can't be sure with him. "This is just what I think, but we're getting so close to finding him so he knows it's the end of the road. Something happened recently that has made him switch gears, what happened to you here has just validated what I thought was gonna happen" I say finally getting what I think is happening off my chest, I've told Morgan a little but not the full extent "I think Richard is going back in order and re-attacking his victims, as you said he was rambling and wasn't making any sense, maybe he's reliving everything he's done in his life" I suggest looking back over at him, he just nods his head looking straight into the distance. "That does sound right, he attacked me at my work place which used to be here" he says looking over at the burning building, that's how I knew where to look this time "I don't have to ask you to catch him because I know you are, just bring him home safely" he says standing up slightly but takes a look down at me, I nod my head a little before looking down at the floor, I couldn't promise that. He waves me goodbye before walking away, this left me alone in my thoughts once again. But it didn't last long, someone takes a seat beside me looking ahead. "You really need to stop doing this to me Taylor, it's causing so much stress" Morgan smiles looking at me as he spoke, he wasn't angry or nothing, I sigh sitting up straight "I know where you went today, if you didn't want me to find out you should have turned your tracking off" he says which does get my full attention and look up at him worried "I'm not annoyed, I just hope next time you'll be a little more careful, yes I wanna catch Richard but I also need you to stay in one piece" he smiles placing his hand on my shoulder, just him bringing up Richard reminds me of the note I found. I reach into my back pocket once again, pulling the note out. Without speaking, I hand him the note while just looking off into the distance. He reads through it for a second, before his arm goes around me for a hug.