The Symbol

By Patricia M. Goins

Joseph Battle, a registered nurse at Sylvania Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, has secretly loved his fellow colleague and best friend Mary Anderson since middle school. His dream of winning Mary’s heart is destroyed when she falls in love and marries the handsome new Neuro Surgeon, Dr. Devon Sotan.

After a nurse at Sylvania hospital becomes the 12th victim of a serial killer who leaves a symbol on all the victims, Joseph and his father discover that Dr. Sotan has a dark hidden secret. A secret so deadly, that it could destroy Mary, her unborn child, and all of humanity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728304557

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© 2019 Patricia M. Goins. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  03/15/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-0456-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-0455-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019903204

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

A Note From Patricia M. Goins

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

A NOTE FROM PATRICIA M. GOINS

G od is so wonderful, and I love Him so much! I want to thank Him for always making a way even when I couldn’t see the way, and for blessing me with the ability to write stories and turn visions into reality. I still remember the very first story I wrote in my 12 th grade English class about Space Herpes. Wow, it seems like a life time since I was in the 12 th grade. LOL.

The Symbol was given to me in a dream. A pastor from Safe Haven Transitional told me that God was going to give me a new book in a dream. Every time I would see her, she would ask, has God given you the book yet? And I would say No not yet. She would then reply, He Will. Sure enough, in the Spring of 2012, I woke up one morning from a very vivid dream, I immediately began writing what I saw in the dream, and my new book The Symbol, was created. It has taken me 7 years to release it, but the Holy Spirit let me know that NOW is the time.

I’d like to thank the people who were always there for me when I needed them. I want to thank my grandmother Kathleen Goins, Joyce Goins, Rita Goins-Hillman, the Goins Family, my mother Dorene Reid, Nicole Goins-Turner, Angela Stevenson, Javaris Stevenson. Cherise Reid, Jason Goins, Betty White, Safe Haven Transitional. Debra and Angie Neason, Woman2 Woman. I want to thank Gary Payne, Curtis White, Ryan Commedo for being such good fathers to their children. I want to thank Charmaine Reese Cook (my father’s caregiver). I want to thank my friends for always inspiring me and encouraging me to go after my dreams; Sudie Delbridge, Monique Bates, Apostle Mary Winfrey, Roberta Cox, and Courtney Young-Butcher, Keji Cochran, Marvin Baldwin Jr, and Phalando Lawson. To anyone I forgot to mention, charge it to my mind and not my heart.

I want to thank all the actors and sponsors of This Can’t Be Love. There are too many to name, but I thank all of you for believing in me and refusing to abandon ship even when the storm became fierce. I also want to thank all the crew and camera operators of This Can’t Be Love who helped turn my vision for that movie into reality.

I want to thank my children Aaron Goins, Ebony White, Isaiah Goins, and Joshua Goins for putting up with a mother who was always chasing a dream. Mommy loves you. No matter what you decide to do in life, always believe in yourself, do your absolute best, and never give up no matter what.

Last but not least, I want to thank all the readers who’ve bought my previous books and showed up at book signings and my events. I would also like to thank the new readers who decided to give an unknown author a chance. I hope you enjoy reading The Symbol.

I

dedicate this book to the memory of my baby sister

Naketa Reid

I love you sis, I know that you’re now one of our guardian angels.

PROLOGUE

W ow, tonight was probably Atlanta & Ribs busiest night in weeks. Peter said as he pulled cash out of the register and counted out ten crisp twenty-dollar bills, before handing it to the petite blonde-haired waitress.

I love it! I almost have enough for a down payment on a car. Marcy replied as she recounted the money before neatly folding it and sliding it into the back pocket of her hip hugging Levi jeans.

It’s kind of late. Do you need a ride home? Peter asked as he picked up a cloth and began wiping the counter.

Naw, I only live a few blocks away. I’ll see you tomorrow. Marcy said on her way out the door.

A gust of warm wind caused Marcy’s long, curly, blonde hair to blow wildly across her face as she began her walk home. She took the same route she’d taken for the last six months. Her parents had been so proud when she announced her scholarship to study biochemistry at Georgia State University. Marcy would be the first in two generations to earn a college degree. Like most parents, they worried about their only daughter leaving the small town of Decatur, Illinois and moving to Atlanta all by herself.

Marcy was deep in thought when she heard footsteps pounding the pavement. When she glanced behind her, she saw a tall dark figure following her. Marcy’s heart began pounding like drums against her chest as she began to run through the dark alley. She stumbled a few times when her high heels slipped into the tiny cracks in the concrete pavement. With her apartment building finally in sight, Marcy began frantically searching for her keys at the bottom of her large blue jean purse. As she continued to run toward her building, the words of her mother warning her not to walk around Atlanta alone at night, flashed through her mind. She breathed a sigh of relief when her fingers felt the small feather key chain. With keys in hand, she quickly walked up the three stone steps to the outer door of her apartment building. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand as she opened the screen door. Just as Marcy turned the key in the lock, a hand dressed in black leather covered her mouth and she was yanked off the front porch. Her eyes were wide with fear as Marcy tried to scream and fight. Her assailant dragged her to a waiting white van that had just pulled up. As the van door slid open, three dark figures jump out and helped drag Marcy into the van. One of the attackers slammed the van door shut and then quickly looked around for witnesses before jumping into the front passenger seat. The van sped off into the darkness of the night.

Early the next morning, Marcy’s naked body is discovered in west Atlanta, next to a rusty red dumpster by two garbage collectors. When they turned her corpse over on its back, both men let out a loud gasp at the grotesque sight. Marcy’s body was covered in blood. On the upper right side of her face was an empty socket that once housed her right eye. A symbol was carved into her abdomen. One of the garbage collectors ran over to the dumpster and began vomiting, expelling the eggs, bacon, and toast he’d just consumed before going to work. The other garbage man quickly pulled out his cellphone and dialed 911.

CHAPTER 1

M ary Anderson sped into the entrance of the Sylvania Hospital parking garage. After snatching a ticket from the garage attendant and tossing it on the dashboard, she whipped her silver 1995 Ford Taurus into a parking spot. She picked up the speeding ticket she’d just received moments earlier. Mary frowned as she balled up the thin pink paper, opened her glove compartment, and tossed the ticket inside. She glanced in the review mirror and inspected her short curly hair before grabbing her Winnie the Pooh stethoscope and Gucci knock off purse from the front passenger seat. Mary was in her late twenties and had a flawless dark brown complexion. She didn’t wear lots of makeup, long synthetic hair, and fake eye lashes like her roommate Laketta, in fact she hardly ever wore makeup. Mary’s natural beauty, toned athletic shape, and sexy walk always captured the attention of the opposite sex.

Mary jumped out of her car and smoothed down her black and red Betty Boop nursing uniform. She quickly locked the car doors before running the short distance toward the garage elevators. She pushed the rusty elevator button and then checked the time on her pink Minnie Mouse wrist watch as she waited for the elevator doors to open. It was already 8:00 in the morning. Mary was thirty minutes late for work. Other employees and patients walked up to the elevator just as the doors were opening. A wide grin splashed across Mary’s face as she stepped into the elevator and noticed her RN supervisor and best friend Joseph Battle leaning against the back wall of the elevator. He looked like he hadn’t had a bit of sleep. His faded green nursing uniform looked like it had seen better days.

I see I’m not the only one who’s late this morning, Mary giggled. Joseph laughed as he put his hand on his forehead.

I should’ve known not to go out on a Thursday night. I don’t know why I always listen to you guys. Joseph always complained about going out on work nights, but always tagged along whenever Mary and Laketta went out. Last night one of Mary and Laketta’s friends had thrown a surprise birthday party for a mutual friend at the Spinner’s Bar and Grill. They ate, drank, and danced all night. They didn’t leave the bar until 1:00 in the morning.

Joseph and Mary had known each other ever since middle school. They first met when Mary’s family moved from Mooresville, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia and began going to his father’s church. Joseph was a tall, very handsome twenty-nine-year-old man of half Mexican and Caucasian descent. His curly brown hair, baby face, and deep dimples, made him look like he’d just graduated from high school. His mother and father had met while his father was working as a missionary in Mexico, they fell in love and married. When Joseph’s father decided he wanted to pastor his own church he brought his pregnant wife back to Atlanta, Georgia. Joseph was their only child and was only three years old when his mother was killed in a car accident.

"Joseph, you know you had just as much fun as we did. Why are you so worried anyway? Hell, you’re the boss on