Mark returned, scowling. “You’re not going anywhere without me,” he said. “Tell me where you are at all times.”
Mark was worried. She tried for her most sympathetic tone. “Of course. Is anything wrong?”
“Something’s going on and until I figure it out, I’m not leaving you alone. It’s for your own safety.”
All of her plans crumbled around her, her opportunity of getting into his office, disappearing in the dust. “Well it might get boring for you.” She forced a smile. “I have a lot of work in here over the next couple of weeks.”
He scanned the shed. “It can wait. You can go to Mum’s when I have to go out.”
He had to be kidding. “It can’t wait. I have a bunch of new frames to build and supers to paint.”
“Just do what I say.” He stalked off.
She wrapped her arms around herself as nausea crashed into her stomach. She closed her eyes and breathed. Never had it felt so dangerous, not even when he’d been beating her. If she did the slightest thing wrong, she would pay for it. Standing up to him now would be deadly. She rubbed at the goosebumps on her skin.
Could she risk calling the police?
Her phone rang. An unknown number. Mark wasn’t in sight. “Hello?”
“Alyse Wilson?” The male voice was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.
“Yes.”
“This is Sergeant Lincoln Zanetti.”
Hope and fear filled her. She lowered her voice. “Jeremy spoke to you?” She strode to the entrance of the shed. Mark was by his man cave, getting something out of his car.
“Yes. The best we can do is ask the presiding magistrate to mitigate your circumstances.”
“But no guarantee?”
“No, I’m sorry. We don’t have immunity in WA.”
Cold dread filled her. It was a gamble, but her whole life was a game of Russian roulette with Mark anyway. “OK, I’ll tell you what I know, but we have to be fast. Mark’s getting paranoid. He says he won’t let me go anywhere alone or leave me out here by myself.”
Lincoln swore. “Is Mark there now?”
“Yes.” The man cave was open and the silver dinghy was inside. Mark was checking the motor—fixing it. Alyse eased back from the entrance so Mark wouldn’t see her.
“Give me a minute.” Lincoln put the phone on hold for a moment. “Adam says Mark’s team has football training tonight?”
“Yeah. At six-thirty.” A rare night when she knew he’d be away for at least ninety minutes.
“Will you go with him?”
“If he makes me. He usually doesn’t because he goes to the pub afterwards, but after today I’m not sure.”
“OK. Here’s the plan. If he makes you go, we’ll arrange for someone to meet you at the oval. If he doesn’t, we’ll come to you.”
She shook her head. “He’ll flip if he sees me talking to the police.”
“Can you go to the library, or a cafe?”
No way would he let her out of his sight. “I can ask.” Though asking would make him mad.
Lincoln sighed. “I don’t want to put you in any danger.”
“I’m already in danger.” At least this way she might end it. “Ask Zamira to forward the information she has to you.” A scuff of a shoe was the only warning she had of Mark’s approach. She whirled towards her work room, hanging up and stuffing the phone in her pocket. As she reached the door, Mark bellowed, “Alyse.”
She turned, her heart racing, praying Lincoln wouldn’t call her back.
“We’re going for a drive,” Mark announced.
He hadn’t seen her on the phone. Her breath shook. “Can you give me ten minutes? I’ve just about finished this batch of frames.”
“No.”
Frustration and fear bubbled inside her. “I’ll get my purse.”
He stepped closer, right into her personal space and glared down at her. “No need. Get in the ute.”
Her gasp came more as a whimper. Be agreeable. Do what he wants. “Of course. Where are we going?”
“Stop questioning me!” The force of the backhand knocked her back a couple of steps. He stalked towards her, fury in his eyes. Every hair stood on end. She suddenly understood the meaning of murderous intent. She backed away, heart thumping. This was it. He would kill her.
Her phone rang, and she dug it out of her back pocket and ran. Her finger shook, stabbing at the answer button. Mark grabbed her and yanked her back, pain ricocheting through her arm socket. The phone flew out of her hand.
He punched her in the face.
Agony as her eyes watered and her head spun. She screamed, “Help! Call the police.”
“Shut up!” He hit her again, and she staggered, falling against the wall of the shed, using its support to stay on her feet. Move. If the caller hadn’t heard her, she was on her own. Time to fight. As she stumbled outside, she blinked to clear her vision, and he hit her again.
“Stupid bitch. Don’t defy me. I own you. You’re mine.”
She coughed, blood flying out of her mouth and he stepped back. Acting on instinct she brought her knee up, right between his legs and he bent over, bellowing in rage.
Run.
She tripped as her feet tangled together, catching herself before she hit the ground. If she stayed still, she was dead. There was no reasoning with him now.
“Don’t run away from me.” The fury in his voice turned her cold. Seconds later he grabbed her shoulder, yanking her back around.
Nothing nearby she could use as a weapon. Her mouth was full of blood and she spat at him, the blood landing on his cheek. She wasn’t giving up. “Are you going to kill me?” she yelled. “Have I outlived my usefulness?” The swelling in her eye made it difficult to see, but his eyes widened and he let go. “Your father would be horrified,” she snarled. “His son unable to control his emotions. You’re pathetic. I hate you.” She stumbled backwards, towards her house. She’d never make it, but she’d try. In the distance sirens wailed. Too far away to help.
He reached out, and she leapt back.
“Don’t you dare touch me!”
Mark lifted his head towards the sharp pitch of the sirens and suddenly switched. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. You just make me so mad sometimes.”
Relief filled her. If he was trying to talk his way out of it, she was safe. She said nothing, not willing to risk him flipping again, but continued moving away from him.
“Let me help you,” Mark said. “I’ll get some ice.”
The sirens were louder now. She changed directions, heading for the driveway, her eyes never leaving Mark.
“I’m sorry, Princess. Forgive me.”
The slight panic in his voice as he glanced over her shoulder was sweetly satisfying. The police car pulled up next to her and Lincoln and Adam jumped out. She stumbled towards Adam, tears blurring her vision. Safe.
“We need an ambulance,” Adam called into his radio as he placed his arm around her shoulder.
Lincoln’s voice. “Mark, you’re under arrest for assault.”
Alyse leaned into Adam, as Lincoln handcuffed Mark and then read him his rights. She let out a shaky breath. How long could the police hold him? “I’d like to file a restraining order.”
“No you don’t,” Mark growled, the threat clear.
She ignored him and the spike of fear. Adam led her towards the house, but they both kept their eyes on Mark. He was compliant now, but he was a big man, much more muscled than Lincoln. Even handcuffed he could do damage.
“Get in the car.” Lincoln opened the back seat, restrained Mark inside and then walked over to Adam and Alyse with a first aid kit. “Are you all right?”
She wiped the blood from her face, her eyes stinging. “I will be.”
“You need a doctor.” Adam opened the first aid kit, put on gloves and took some gauze to clean up the blood.
“We’ll issue a police order,” Lincoln added. “It will give you protection
until you can get a restraining order. Do you want us to call anyone for you now?”
Her head spun as panic threatened to take hold. She stood on the precipice. A step forward would send her hurtling into the unknown where death or a real life could be waiting for her.
Or she could step backwards into the familiar fear and terror of Mark.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Not yet.” Every breath hurt, but she was moving forwards. “I’ll tell you everything I know about Mark, give you access to his office and shed.”
Lincoln nodded. “When the ambulance arrives, we’ll take Mark to the station and process him. Two Albany detectives would like to talk to you. They’re heading the investigation into Mark.”
“I’d rather talk to Adam.” She knew him, Kim trusted him.
“He can be there with you.”
Adam smiled at her. “Do you want me to call Kim now?”
She frowned and hissed at the pain. “Kim?”
“He called us, told us you were in danger. We told him to stay away until we assessed the situation. He’s at Jeremy’s.”
It had been Kim on the phone not Lincoln. He had saved her again.
The ambulance pulled into the driveway. “Yes, please. Tell him to come when you leave with Mark.”
“Will do.”
The two paramedics hurried over. “What have we got?” Cynthia asked.
“We’re worried about concussion,” Lincoln said.
She smiled at Alyse. “We’ll examine you in the ambulance.”
Alyse walked between the two paramedics, past the police car and caught the hate in Mark’s stare. Her blood froze, but she would do this. He had no power over her anymore.
Cynthia examined her while Guy spoke with Lincoln and Adam. “There are places you can go, people you can call about Mark hitting you.”
“I know. I’m charging him this time.”
“Good. That’s courageous. I’ll give you some phone numbers.”
Courage and stupidity were different sides of the same coin. She wasn’t naïve enough to think a simple restraining order would keep Mark away. His family would bail him out as soon as he called. She had to prepare.
“We’re taking Mark in,” Lincoln said. “The detectives are on their way.”
“All right.” She glanced at Adam.
“I’ll call Kim now.”
“Thank you.”
Cynthia finished bandaging the cut above Alyse’s eye. “It will probably need stitches.”
It would be another battle scar to add to her collection.
But it would be the last one.
***
Kim paced outside Jeremy’s house, waiting for his phone to ring. What was taking Adam so long? Was Alyse all right? Had Mark hurt her? Alyse’s scream over the phone had chilled him to the bone. The only reason he wasn’t with her right now was Adam had convinced him he would make things worse on Alyse if he showed up. But then the ambulance had driven past, sirens not on which had given him a little comfort, and Jeremy holding him back to stop him jumping in his car had also helped.
His stomach twisted, and he turned towards her property as if that would make any difference. He couldn’t see or hear anything from here. He hated this. He wanted to be by her side, supporting her, holding her in his arms, soothing her, protecting her. “What’s taking so long?” he demanded.
“They need to make sure Alyse is fine before they can take Mark away,” Zamira said.
Good.
His phone beeped. Message from Adam. Taking Mark now. Wait until we leave.
Finally. “I can go.” He strode to his car.
“Can I come too?” Zamira asked. “Alyse might prefer a female.”
Her words made him stop. She was right. He had to stop thinking about what he wanted and start thinking what was best for Alyse. “Of course.”
Both Zamira and Jeremy got into his car and after the police drove past, he headed for Alyse’s place. The ambulance was parked outside the house, its back doors open and Alyse was inside on the stretcher. Her whole face was bruised, her eye swelling and dried blood still on her face and over her jumper. His heart thumped in his chest as he controlled his anger and resisted the urge to run over and pull her into his arms. Instead he said, “You OK?”
She nodded.
“We’re taking her to the hospital to get stitches and a scan,” Cynthia said. “She has a concussion.”
Zamira climbed into the ambulance and spoke quietly to Alyse.
Jeremy tugged him back. “Give them a minute.”
Stepping away hurt.
“Mate, she’ll be all right.”
“Not if Mark stays around,” Kim said. “This is the second time he’s beaten her in a week.”
“I’m filing for a restraining order.” Alyse’s voice rang out.
Hope sparked.
She sat up in the ambulance. “I’m talking to the police. Mark won’t be coming back here.” The concern in her expression belied her set tone.
His chest filled with elation and trepidation. “Great.” He’d researched domestic abuse. The perpetrator rarely gave in without a fight, and Mark certainly wouldn’t.
“We need to take Alyse to hospital,” Cynthia said. “Do you want someone to come with you?” She directed the last question to Alyse.
Alyse glanced at him and then Zamira. Before he could offer, Zamira said, “I’ll go if you want.”
“Yes, please.”
Disappointment swept through him. He had to get over himself. Of course she’d prefer a female. “We’ll meet you there,” Kim said. “Give you both a lift home.”
“Thank you. Could you lock the house?” She threw her keys to him.
“Maybe get her a change of clothes too.” Zamira glanced at Alyse for confirmation.
“Please.”
“Will do.” He stood back with Jeremy while Cynthia and Guy closed the ambulance and drove off.
“Do you think she’ll get the restraining order?” Jeremy asked.
“I hope so.” He’d encourage it.
They walked through the garden gate, though garden wasn’t an apt description. The area inside the fence line was more weeds than plants, with only the hardiest plants still alive. There were hints of how the garden used to be, with trellises and gables, roses and grevilleas, paths trailing in different directions. Alyse’s mother had been a keen gardener, bringing plants to sell at the markets as well as the honey.
Inside the house, the interior was remarkably masculine. “You can tell Mark lives here,” Jeremy said.
Yeah, but where were Alyse’s touches?
He found two bedrooms. The master bedroom was messy and masculine and the other room had a single bed. This room was much more the Aly he remembered. The bedspread was a vibrant rainbow of flowers and the feature wall was a rich forest green. Her bedside table had an e-reader on it and over on the chest of drawers was a photo of Alyse and her parents on her graduation day, a jewellery box, a beeswax candle and a stick of deodorant. Tidy, no fuss, but colourful. He smiled.
“You take that room.” Jeremy gestured to the single room.
Slightly uncomfortable going through her drawers without her there, he opened a couple, found a spare shirt, a pair of tracksuit pants and a jumper, and tucked them under his arm. “Got it.” Did Alyse not sleep with Mark?
Kim locked the doors and as they left the garden, he spotted the shed door wide open. “Better shut it as well.”
He paused at the entrance, his gaze caught on the open door of the van. As he moved to shut it, he spotted flecks of red on the ground. Blood.
He clenched his hands and growled.
“He’s behind bars now,” Jeremy said.
“Yeah, but for how long?” He’d have to ask Adam how much time they had to gather evidence.
“Come on. Let’s get into town. Show Alyse she has plenty of support.”
Kim shut the van door and closed the shed. “I’m worried what Mark might do when he gets
out.”
Jeremy nodded. “He’s unlikely to pay any attention to a restraining order.”
Would Alyse be willing to go to a women’s refuge? Were there even any in the area? “We can set up a watch in case he comes back.”
“Yeah. I’m sure Elijah and Jamie will help.”
“Thanks, mate.” He spotted Alyse’s mobile lying in the dirt and picked it up, brushing it off and tucking it in his pocket.
Kim drove to town and parked at the hospital. Nerves rattled in his stomach as he walked into the emergency department. Alyse might prefer to avoid all men. Maybe he should drop off her clothes and leave her with Zamira.
Tim greeted them and showed them through to the back where Alyse sat on one bed, her red hair tied back and a doctor stitching the cut above her eye. Kim stayed back until the doctor finished.
“Keep the cut dry for a week,” the doctor said. “I’ll give you some waterproof dressings to take home. Do you have someone who can stay with you tonight?”
“I can.” Kim stepped forward. He’d call his father and tell him he couldn’t work. Eden could cover for him.
Alyse hesitated.
He winced. He was butting in again. “Or we can find someone else if you’d prefer.”
“Maybe we all can.” Zamira smiled at him. “We’ll get some take-away, watch a movie if Alyse is feeling up to it.”
“That would be nice,” Alyse said.
“All right. I’ll sort out your discharge.”
When the doctor left, Kim took her place beside Alyse’s bed. “How are you?”
“Sore.” Her eye was still partially closed. “Thank you for calling the police.”
“You’re welcome.” He wanted to hold her hand, but it might frighten her. “Want me to call Dad and put in an order for pho?”
“Not yet. I still need to talk to the police.”
“I can call Adam and ask him what they need.”
She smiled. “Please.”
Kim moved away from the bed and dialled his friend’s number.
“How is she?” Adam asked.
“Banged up, but OK. Zamira, Jeremy and I are staying with her tonight.”
“You heading out there now?”
“Yeah, we’re just waiting for the discharge papers.”
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