Harmony: Behind the Screen, #2

By Iris Deorre

The plot thickens. Harmony allows the darkness in. It can’t be helped. A law abiding man, detective Price is forced into a difficult situation. Why won’t his heart let this woman go? She seems like more trouble than she’s worth. But as things unfold and he starts to discover a dark secret, his loyalties begin waver.

Harmony. Who is she really? The amazing surgeon has a past that is so dark she believes only God can deal with. But for now, the devil is on the throne!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iris Deorre
• Release date: Feb 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507057544

Iris Deorre

Iris Deorre is not only an Author but she is also an Entrepreneur. She loves to write erotic stories, weaving difficult love triangles with exciting and daring sex. Iris loves to mix her erotica with paranormal. You’ll find Shapeshifters, werewolves, vampires, to name a few. When Iris is not writing, you'll find her spending time with her daughter, taking long walks in the country or you will find her spending time with good friends and good wine.

Book preview

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One

Focused

Harmony had no choice but to focus. She scrubbed in and barged into the operating room.

‘What do we have?’ she asked.

‘Ruptured appendix! Too late for keyhole surgery. We need your expert hands on this one,’ said a surgeon.

She was in. Harmony became the doctor, the surgeon. There was no time to focus on the look on Derek’s face, no time to justify the tears she’d shed! Peritonitis had occurred, and the appendix had already formed a huge mass.

‘Lord Almighty!’ She couldn’t believe the patient had waited this long. Had there been no early warning sign?

‘My words exactly!’ said the surgeon.

They worked fast, the mans abdominal was packed. Harmony did her best to make sure the man didn’t die on her. She couldn’t deal with that today. It took a while, but finally everything was under control.

‘That was close,’ she said. ‘Could you close up?’ She asked the other surgeon.

‘Sure thing.’ He could tell there was something on her mind.

Harmony left the O.R feeling victorious and defeated at the same time. It was always great to save a life, give good news to a family, but she’d lost Derek. It seemed that way. It hadn’t been part of the plan. Harmony hadn’t expected to fall for him. It had just happened, and now she was left feeling alone.

****

Bumping into Harmony had hit him! It was so unexpected. She was supposed to be at a school teaching children. But instead, she was saving lives. Why couldn’t she just tell him the truth? Why had she hidden that important part of information from him! It hurt! Online dating had taken its toil on him, were there any women who were honest online these days? The world had gone crazy, people lied, they wanted instant gratification. Was he doomed to be single for the rest of his life? The thought shattered him. It was a hopeless case.

He tried to put Harmony to the back of his mind and concentrate on the work ahead. It was a relief the women had been found. At least that was good news. He waited until the doctors were done checking them over. He’d spoken to Yasmina to give an update, she was briefing the chief. The chief was happy and could address the media with confidence.

Derek stepped into Rose’s room. The colour had come back to her face, but looked tired.

‘Miss Armstrong, I’m detective Price. Is it okay if I ask you some questions?’

She nodded. He pulled a seat up towards the bed and sat down.

‘I’m sorry for what you went through. If anything is too hard to answer, you don’t have to answer it. If you’d rather speak to a female instead, I can arrange that for you.’

‘I’m fine thanks,’ she said.

‘Okay, great. I need to find out about the man who took you. He’s gone missing.’

She gazed at him, but there was no change in her face.

‘When was the last time you saw him?’

‘I’m not sure. I was in and out of sleep. My body felt so weak.’

‘I understand. Did he say or do anything specific? Do you know why he held you hostage?’

‘He held us to paint us.’

‘Paint you?’

‘Yes, paint me, capture me into a picture.’ She welled up as the thoughts about the days spent in that bedroom hit her.

‘It’s okay. Are you okay to continue?’

She sniffed and nodded. ‘He was crazy. He kept going on about how he wanted to capture our beauty. He had some theory we’d be kept young forever.’

‘That sounds bizarre.’

‘Yes I know. I think he wanted to sell the picture.’

‘To who?’

‘I’m not sure. But I’m sure he wanted to do that. All I know was that he was missing a third woman to complete his picture.’

Derek thought about Harmony.

‘I know he planned dates with her, but he never came back with her, and each time he came back empty handed it infuriated him.’ A tear drizzled down her cheek.

‘Do you have a name? Do you know who he dated?’

‘No, he never mentioned a name. He did however say she was tougher, than us. I was a fool.’

‘No you weren’t, you were just too trusting. Believe me, I’ve done that myself. It’s not you who’s done wrong, it’s the other person, always remember that.’

She nodded. ‘I just should’ve been more aware. I’m not happy that I fell for his charm.’

‘Please don’t blame yourself. You’re safe now.’

‘Yes I am.’

‘Could you describe him?’

‘Erm...’ She sniffed. ‘About six foot four, dark hair, blue eyes.’

‘Okay, any distinctive marks?’

‘Not that I noticed.’

‘Okay, this is helpful.’

He asked her a few more questions and then her parents arrived. The joy in their eyes was a sight to treasure. He left them and went to see Zara.

Zara said more or less the same things as Rose.

‘Do you know what kind of woman he was looking for? Was there any pattern to his painting?’

‘I don’t know. I was too scared to know anything.’

‘I understand. This has been very helpful.’

He left her and decided it was best to go back to the office and speak with Yasmina.

‘Derek!’ She ran after him just as he was about to step out of the hospital. ‘Derek, please wait!’

He stopped and swirled around.

‘Derek, please give me a chance to explain,’ she said. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt or disappoint you.’

‘What possible reason could you have? You lied, that say’s it all. What else are you lying about?’

‘Please...I’m sorry.’

He wanted to reach out and touch her, but his heart wouldn’t let him. It hurt. The last time a woman had lied to him, he’d found himself alone.

‘I can’t do this right now, I have to get back to work.’

‘Can we meet? Set a date?’ She pleaded.

‘I don’t know. I’ll let you know.’ He started to walk.

‘I really do like you.’ She shouted after him, but he didn’t turn.

Harmony felt defeated. There was nothing she could do. No amount of convincing would make him change his mind.

‘Doctor Moore,’ a nurse called. ‘You’re needed in the O.R!’

Harmony understood her place. She understood that when it came to work, there were no excuses. Heartbroken or not, her job demanded of her. Like a soldier she picked herself up and went to fight the battle. There was no room for loathing or self pity.

****

There was too much going on in his mind. Harmony, the woman he’d fallen for so quickly had lied. It was stupid to put his heart on the line like that. As he drove his mind moved from Harmony to the case. He had to focus on the case, find out what had happened to Marcus.

‘Any luck?’ asked Yasmina the moment he walked in.

‘The women are all right. Not so sure where he could’ve disappeared to. This whole case is strange.’

‘Did the woman give the reason for their capture?’

‘Yes. A painting.’

‘A what?’

‘He was painting them. He had some crazy idea he’d capture their beauty and keep it there forever.’

‘Wow, he’s crazy.’

‘That’s an understatement. Who does that?’

‘Were there any signs of sexual force?’

‘No. I think he got sexual pleasure from the art. The capture must’ve heightened it.’

‘We are looking for a sick man.’

‘Aren’t we always?’

She watched him a moment. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ He sat at his desk.

‘You sure?’

‘Yeah, why?’

‘You seem, distant, almost disappointed.’

‘I’m fine. Did you dig up anything on him?’

‘Erm...’ she hesitated a moment. She’d known him long enough to know that something was wrong.

‘I’m fine, can we focus on the case.’ He felt she would not let up, but he didn’t want to discuss it with her.

‘Not much information on him. It’s like he doesn’t exist.’

‘He exists. I think the reason we can’t find much on him is because it’s been made to seem that way.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘This guy is rich. He probably has parents who can buy the earth. He’s probably an only child who lacked attention when growing up.’

‘You think he’s been doing this awhile?’

‘Yes, I think if we go to the source. That would be his parents, we’ll find the answers.’

‘How the