There was no name at the bottom, but Frankie knew who it was from. The pain of Derek leaving was still there but slowly beginning to fade. Frankie took the card and put it on the refrigerator next to Tyler’s painting and Danielle’s permission slip to play soccer in the fall.
Frankie placed her hand on the card as she pressed it into the refrigerator and whispered, “I will always remember you too.”
Frankie let her hand drop and went into her bedroom to change her clothes. She sat on her bed and thought of all the changes they had experienced over the past twelve months. Frankie was starting to wonder if she should consider leaving SVU or possibly even the job. A part of her feared Danielle would refuse to come back in the fall, and she wasn’t sure what she would do if she did. The day she left was crystal clear in her mind. Tyler had sat on his bed with his guinea pig and refused to come out and say good-bye to Danielle.
“I’m glad you agreed to this, Frankie. I really didn’t want to have to get an attorney,” Chris said.
Frankie resisted the urge to curse Chris out. She refused to look at the man she had been married to but instead focused on her daughter.
“Danielle, do you have your bathing suit and allergy medication?”
“I have a bathing suit at dad’s house. He bought all of us new suits for our trip next month,” Danielle said.
“I’ll come and get you on my next day off, okay?”
“We have Bible Quiz meets and church on the weekend but if you want to come during the week and take me to dinner, I’m sure dad won’t mind.”
Frankie didn’t respond but instead grabbed her daughter and gave her a hug.
“I love you, Angel-girl. Remember that okay?”
“I know mom. I love you too.”
With that, her daughter climbed into her father’s SUV. Frankie stood on the porch with a lump in her throat as she watched a piece of her heart drive away.
Chapter 119
Victoria chatted amiably on the phone with her sister as she entered the dark apartment. She threw her lunch bag on the counter and grabbed a bottle of water without turning a light on. Minutes later, she was in her bed and telling her sister goodnight.
Victoria was startled awake. She looked at the alarm clock next to her bed and read the time. 3:00 AM. Victoria couldn’t explain it, but it felt like someone was inside her apartment. She grabbed her glasses and looked up just as a figure entered her doorway.
“What are you doing here?” Victoria asked.
The figure walked closer to the bed, silhouetted by a light coming from the kitchen.
“Who are you?”
The figure, which Victoria could now see was a man, stood beside her bed. He did not say a word, just pushed her back against the pillow and held her there.
“Please don’t. I have money. I mean, I can get money. I just got paid. It’s in the bank, but I can get it. Please just don’t hurt me.”
The man hesitated and seemed to give what she was saying some thought. A few minutes passed before he said, “You can get money? How much?”
“I’m not sure how much I can get out with my card. $300, maybe?”
The man lifted his hand from Victoria’s chest and said, “Get up.”
Victoria hesitated before sitting up. She slipped her flip flop sandals onto her feet and started to grab her purse.
“Wait.” The man picked up Victoria’s purse from the dresser and said, “Let me see what’s in your purse.”
The man grabbed Victoria’s wallet and threw it at her. He grabbed the keys to her car and put them in his pocket. The man grabbed her by the arm and led her to the door.
“Where’s your bank?”
“Not far from here. I can drive you there,” Victoria said.
“No, I’ll drive. Where’s your car parked?”
The man squeezed Victoria’s arm as he directed her down the stairs.
Victoria spoke softly, “It’s on the backside of the apartment building.”
The man continued to hold her arm as they walked.
Victoria nodded towards a dark blue Mitsubishi Eclipse, “That’s it.”
The man removed the keys from his pocket and opened the passenger door, “Get in.”
The look in his eyes told Victoria she better do what she was being told. The man walked around the car and got into the driver’s seat, pushing it as far back as it would go.
“Where’s the bank?”
“Go towards the theater. There’s an ATM in that parking lot. I use it all the time.”
The man drove to the parking lot and stopped. He looked at Victoria and for a moment, appeared confused.
“I have a job. I don’t need to rob anyone.” He asked, “What’s your name?”
“Gina,” lied Victoria. “What’s your name?”
He looked at her with a look of question, apparently wondering if she was telling the truth and wondering if he should tell her the truth.
“Kevin.”
Kevin turned the car around and returned to the parking lot. For a moment, Victoria thought he was going to take her home. He drove them back to the apartment complex and parked the car but did not immediately get out like Victoria had hoped he would. Instead, Kevin crawled across the console and got on top of her.
Chapter 120
The sky was beginning to lighten when he finished. Victoria laid in the passenger seat, blood trickling down her leg and pain shooting up her back. Kevin directed her to get dressed. Victoria struggled to pull her pajama pants up and clasped her shirt tight around her body.
“Come on!”
Victoria looked at the man standing at the passenger door, looking down over her body. She hesitated, unsure if she could walk. Kevin grabbed her by the arm and began to pull her from the car. Victoria winced in pain.
“Let’s go.”
Kevin held tightly to Victoria’s arm as he walked her back to the apartment building. He stopped at an apartment on the second floor and put the key into the door. Kevin tried to turn the lock, but it would not budge. Kevin tried a second key, but it wouldn’t fit. He put the first key into the lock a second time, but it still wouldn’t move.
“What’s wrong with your keys?”
“I don’t know. It worked fine earlier,” Victoria said, silently hoping whoever lived in the apartment would hear and open the door.
Kevin appeared confused, looked at Victoria then his surroundings. Realizing his error, he grabbed Victoria by the back of the neck and shoved her towards the stairs.
Kevin’s green eyes bored into her as he said, “You think I’m stupid? You think I don’t know what you are doing? Get upstairs.”
Victoria stumbled on the stairs, and when she got to the top, she tried to go the opposite direction of the apartment door. Kevin pushed her to the door and shoved the key into the lock. As Kevin twisted the knob, Victoria let out a blood-curdling scream.
Kevin grabbed Victoria by the neck and squeezed as he shoved her into the apartment.
“Try that again, and I’ll kill you,” Kevin calmly said.
Victoria gasped and coughed when he let go of her throat.
“Gina, why would you do that? Don’t you know how much I care for you?”
She looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.
“Can I have some juice? I’ve worked up quite a thirst.”
“There is juice in the refrigerator,” Victoria said.
Kevin walked into the kitchen to get a drink. Victoria began sliding across the couch towards the phone that sat on a nearby table.
“Don’t touch the phone. I really don’t want to hurt you, but I will.”
Acknowledgements
To all of my family and friends who continue to believe in, support, and encourage me on this writing journey, thank you. This past year has not been an easy one but you kept me moving forward even when it sometimes seemed easier to just stop.
To my friend and editor Kimberly Hanson. Thank you for the time, effort, and skill you put into th
is manuscript – especially when you have such a full and busy life! I value your time, insight, guidance, contribution, and friendship! This novel is the polished piece it is because of you.
To my cover artist, Jaycee, at Sweet N’ Spicy Designs. You continue to amaze me with your talent and ability to make my rough vision an unbelievable reality!
And finally, an enormous thank you to my readers. Thank you for taking a chance on these books and being so patient for this one to be released. I hope you find as much joy in reading this story as I did in writing it! And in case you were wondering, I have already started book 4!
For more information on how to respond to victims of sexual assault please visit www.startbybelieving.org.
Across State Lines Page 24
