by Dawn Doyle
“We need to go to Alex’s first.” Holly said, anxiously. “He needs to change and make sure Dev’s Ok. He needs to see his family. I need to go…” Holly felt her hands shaking ands her heart racing. “I don’t want to be alone. No, I can’t.”
As Holly began to hyperventilate, they could all see she wasn’t as fine as she had made out to be.
Alex looked into her eyes as he held her.
“Breathe, Holly. I’m not letting you out of my sight. Ok?” Alex took deep breaths for Holly to follow. “I’m not going anywhere without you” He whispered.
Holly swallowed as her breaths evened out, some tears escaping down her cheeks. Kim and Oli were watching as Alex calmed her again.
“He’s got the magic touch with her” Oli said to Kim as she curled into his arms.
“They’re obviously made for each other” Kim replied in wonderment.
Holly heard the exchange and smiled. Looking at Alex, she knew he’d heard them too. It felt good knowing her parents understood the connection between them and were supportive.
“Try to eat something, baby girl.” Said Kim. They sat at the table, and Holly ate a little but she wasn’t feeling particularly hungry.
They left the house to get in Rami’s car. Holly checked the back of the car first, before getting in, and Alex held her door open for her.
“Baby, nothing is going to happen ever again, Ok? I meant it when I said I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Holly simply nodded, and Alex took her hand and kissed across her knuckles. The bruising peeking out next to the edge of the support bandage from when she’d been pummelling her fist into Stacey’s face.
They drove to Alex’s house and he parked in the garage.
“Holly, how are you honey?” Evie said as she greeted them, holding Holly’s face in her hands.
“I’m doing ok, thanks.” Holly said as she looked to Alex. Dev and Ben appeared, and they both walked quickly over for a group hug. Holly could tell that Evie and Rami were trying not to be obvious as they were checking them for signs of distress.
Holly could feel her legs shaking and tried her best to remain calm. The last thing she wanted was to be taken to hospital for shock. She wasn’t feeling that bad, just a little…nervous.
“Oh my God, Hol!” cried Dev. “I’m so glad you’re ok. When I thought…she had…” Dev shook her head and then squeezed Holly tight again.” I’m just glad you’re ok.”
Ben had bro-hugged Alex and then hugged Holly.
“Hey short stuff.” He said as he crushed her with his arms.
“Ben…need to breathe.” Holly squeaked.
“Oh, sorry.” He apologised as he released her, making everybody chuckle.
“It’s ok Ben, I’m fine”
“I need to get changed, and then we have to head back. The police are coming over to talk to us.“ Alex told them.
He took Holly upstairs, keeping her with him, as promised.
Rami had just gotten off the phone with Oli when they came back down. Dixon had called as they’d uncovered more information that they all needed to hear.
Once back at Holly’s the officers were just pulling up as they got out of their cars.
Kim wrapped Holly in a tight hug.
“My baby.” She breathed. Kim pulled back, still holding onto Holly and checking her over. Satisfied that Holly wasn’t falling apart, she let go and motioned for everybody to go through to the living room.
They all sat down, Alex next to Holly on her other side, as the officers stood at the front of the room to address them with the information.
“Thanks for meeting us so soon” Dixon said. “I know this has been a very difficult time…”
“Difficult? Don’t you mean a fucking shit-storm of fuck ups?” spat Alex, angrily.
Evie place a hand on his shoulder.
“Please, Alex. Let him speak.” She said, calmly.
“I agree, there have been some grave mistakes made with the previous arrests of Miss. Scutter. I can assure you, she will not be released into society for a long, long time.” Dixon spoke to Holly. “Could we record the details of what happened after you left Mr. Valencia’s home last night? We could go to another room…”
“It’s ok. I don’t mind that everybody hears” Holly said. “I’m only going to go through it once again. I don’t want to talk about it anymore after that. Ok?” Alex squeezed her gently and kissed her temple. “Everyone can hear it from me and then that’s it.” She added.
“That’s fine, Miss.” Said Jones as he took a dictaphone from his pocket and set it to record. He stated the date, time, and Holly’s name.
“I said goodbye to Alex, walked down the path and got into the car. It didn’t even occur to me to lock the doors…” Holly continued recalling the horrifying details of her kidnapping at gunpoint. The room was eerily quiet as she spoke. Only Alex had heard the details in the early hours of the morning.
Kim was silently sobbing into Oli’s chest, for her daughter. What she’d been through at the hands of a crazed lunatic.
“Thank you.” Said Jones as he stopped recording.
“Three times that girl attacked them” Oli said angrily. “None of this should have happened. After the attack on Holly’s car, and her priors, that girl should’ve still been in custody!” He raised his voice. “After Saturday morning, your department should have been more vigilant that the same mistake would not have been made! Holly could’ve been killed!” Kim sobbed out loud as she held onto Holly and shook with grief over the possibility of what the outcome could have been.
Evie and Dev were also weeping. Holly had been through more than most people could cope with, and she was sitting there… brave and calm.
Evie moved to kneel in front of her and hugged her.
“Oh you sweet, brave girl. I am so sorry this happened to you…” She cupped Holly’s face as she looked into her eyes. “You will never go through that ever again.” Evie pulled her back in for a hug. When she let go, Dev tackled her.
“Honey…” She cried. “I’m so sorry.” She sniffled. “You must have been so scared! I’m glad you beat the shit out of her.” Dev finished with hatred in her voice.
The officers waited patiently whilst everybody took their turns hugging Holly.
Alex immediately reattached himself to her side, and she was more than willing to as she rested her head on his chest when his arms came around her, holding her hands. Holly held his left with her right. Looking at the rings they wore, and Alex lifted their hands to kiss them.
“We need to inform you of the incidents that took place leading up to, and the reason Miss. Scutter was released.” Jones said as Dixon stood next to him as he told them everything.
Stacey had been detained and been in a holding cell whilst a warrant was applied for, to search her house.
They found nothing.
During her previous arrest in San Francisco, the police had found the evidence of her stalking the victim. This time, they had nothing, and filed a report stating the fact. But, as she’d vandalized Holly’s car and broken into the Valencia house, she remained in custody pending a psych evaluation.
Without Dixon and Jones’ knowledge, a judge had ordered Stacey to be released under parental custody and house arrest. She was tagged and told not to leave. The officers confirmed what Stacey had told Holly about how she had orchestrated the plan to remove the tag and get to Alex’s house.
Stacey had driven across town, dumped her mother’s car, and took a cab to the Valencia house. When the officer showed up, they found her mother unconscious. Stacey had given her Rohypnol, commonly know as the ‘date rape’ drug. They’d radioed through and went searching for her. By the time the report came through, Stacey had already taken Holly.
When the officers pulled Holly off Stacey, at Piper’s Farm, they got a good look at the inside of the brick storage shed. The evidence was taken away and tagged.
They’d found three more vials of the drug, in liq
uid form, and the gun Stacey had pointed at Holly. It was registered to her mother. They’d found Jeans, a T-shirt, large sunglasses and a cap she’d used to disguise herself with when stalking in public.
Holly’s dream of Stacey, in disguise, was so vivid. She had seen her like that before. Outside her house, but she’d not paid much attention to her then as she didn’t know who she was.
They’d also found a diary with explicit details of what she’d done up to that point and that she’d planned to do the same to Alex. Also confirming a failed attempt at a party. The officers couldn’t give the names of the other victims, or what had taken place, but it involved parties and spiking drinks. Stacey had written that the others had turned her down too. When Stacey had failed to get Alex at the party, the previous year, she’d turned her attentions to somebody else… somebody older.
The officers told them that an officer was speaking to Jake about the real reason he’d had sex with Stacey.
She’d told Holly she’d used ‘chemical persuasion’ and just enough to keep his equipment working. The others knew this because of Holly’s statement. They knew about Steve the senior the previous year and knew it had happened to him too, and from what Jones had said, there were others.
“The evidence was presented to Miss. Scutter, and she admitted everything” added Dixon. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this Miss Edwards, Stacey targeted you, not solely because of your relationship with Mr. Valencia, but because she saw you as her competition for others. When you started school and she witnessed you receiving any male attention, she planned to ‘remove’ you from the equation. She also told us that she came to terminate Mr. Valencia, but chose you instead when she saw you, to eliminate her ‘rival’ and to teach Mr. Valencia a lesson.”
The gasps around the room were audible. Holly and Alex were frozen.
Alex could’ve been killed.
“You can die happy knowing you saved his life” Holly sobbed. “That’s what she said. I thought she meant she had come for me. She had come for… If I hadn't had been there…” Alex held her tight to his chest as she cried.
Stacey had shown up intending to kill Alex. Seeing Holly there, she’d made the decision to Kill her instead. Holly felt sick knowing Alex was targeted.
“She’s not getting released Miss” Dixon assured her. “She admitted everything like she was proud of it and there was nothing wrong. If she doesn’t get locked away in a mental hospital, she’ll go to prison for a long time, due to the crimes she admitted to.”
“The people responsible for her release will be hearing from my company.” Said Oli, furious with the mistakes made by the judge.
“Off the record? Make them pay, sir, make them pay.”
The officers thanked everybody for their time and left them to digest the information.
“I hope she fucking rots!” Spat Dev as Ben held her close.
“It’s over.” Said Holly. “She can’t get to us anymore.” She was rocking back and forth as Alex held her.
“My precious girl” he whispered. “She’s not going to hurt you, us, again.”
“I’ll see to it you don’t have to testify” Oli said. “With her admission, and with what they’ve gotten, there’s no reason to.”
Holly turned into Alex as much as she could and breathed deeply.
“Thank you.” Said Evie, wiping her face. “They’ve been through enough without that too.”
“What’s happened is over now. Holly doesn’t need it brought up again and again” Alex told everyone. “None of us do”
“You got it, son.” Said Rami and everybody else was in agreement. The only thing they needed to hear now was how long Stacey’s sentence was.
“I want to go to my room” Holly said, with a frown.
“Ok baby girl.” Said Kim and she stood to hug her. Holly reached for Alex’s hand, and nobody made any comments as she led him out of the room.
They lay on the bed; Alex arms protectively wrapped around Holly. She buried her head in the hollow of his throat and inhaled him. She felt safe in his arms.
Protected, loved.
He stroked her hair and her back as they lay together.
They stayed in their embrace as they both fell asleep. Still tired from the ordeal.
Alex awoke when he heard a soft knock at the door.
Kim and Oli had brought a holdall, from his Mom, with some clothes for the next day and Kim had gotten Holly a new phone to replace the one Stacey had thrown out of the window. Kim sat down on the bed, next to Holly, stroking her head as she stirred.
“Hiya love, how are you feeling?” Kim asked, quietly, as Oli sat down next to her.
“Hiya Mum, hiya Dad.” Holly replied as she sat up and looked to Alex. Seemingly checking he was there. “I’m ok”
Alex could see the worry behind their eyes.
He couldn’t even begin to think how they felt to have almost lost their daughter. They were clearly putting on a brave face so as not to distress Holly. He understood that completely. He was also trying not to show how it was affecting him. He’d almost lost his other half. The split second decision from a psycho had put Holly’s life at risk instead of his. He would’ve given anything to have been able to switch places with her. She would have been safe at home.
“Alex” He heard Holly’s voice and felt her hand cupping his jaw, bringing him back out of his horrifying trance. Holly was looking into his eyes, searching. He couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He whispered over and over as he rocked them.
“Don’t” Holly told him. “You don’t need to be sorry. It’s not your fault” Holly’s voice was shaking as she held Alex’s face.
They remained in each other’s arms as Kim comforted them both. She told them the only person to blame was lunatic who was in custody. She made the decision, as the officers had said earlier.
Stacey saw Holly as a threat before becoming involved with Alex.
Holly and Alex stayed in her room, Kim bringing them lunch. Trying to get them to eat.
Holly felt better just being next to Alex. His arms around her. She turned over so she was facing away from him. That way she could mould her body to his. His legs tucked in behind hers, his hard abs against her lower back.
He brushed her hair away from her neck and gently kissed, causing butterflies to dance in her stomach.
“Oh my God!” he said, suddenly. Making Holly turn her head to see what was wrong and the butterflies to freeze. “Babe, you have bruises.” He said with sadness in his voice.
“I do?” Stacey hadn’t hit her so the only explanation was when she’d been pushing her forwards to the shed.
“Yes” he gently pulled down the top edge of her vest top to look closer. “There are a few. Did she do these?”
Holly could hear the upset in his voice.
“Probably from when she pushed me…” she didn’t want to mention the weapon involved. For them both. “…Towards the shed. She pressed it into my back” she finished. Holly felt Alex shift behind her and felt his warm lips against her skin. He kissed each of the bruises before pulling her back to his front. He buried his face into the back of her neck and took a deep breath.
“I love you.” Holly could tell from his voice that he was trying not to say anything else. Neither of them wanted to talk about what Stacey had done.
“I love you too” Holly replied as she brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles.
She didn’t know what she would do if Alex weren't there with her. She was strangely calm and not anxious. She had been, that morning, when she had the thought of being alone. She’d burst into tears when she was showering, even though Alex was only across the landing. Holly knew that the ‘normal’ behaviour of a kidnap victim was to go into shock, have anxiety, nightmares and sleep problems. She barely remembered the paramedic mentioning other symptoms. She even wondered if that was a symptom in itself.
Holly looked to the small bag her Mum had brought for her.
The new phone.
Stacey had thrown the other one out of the window.
They both sat up so Holly could set it up. The note on the bag said that Kim had already had her number transferred to the new one, and the old phone had been wiped, via ‘find my iPhone’. Holly switched it on and restored it from iCloud. Everything was there, even the pictures of Alex. She had a big smile on her face when she showed him her pictures.
“I was only bothered about losing these.” She chuckled.
“You could’ve taken more.” He said with a sexy smile.
“Oh, I intend to.” She replied as she bit her lip. Holly leant into Alex to bring their lips together. His lips were soft and warm as she glided hers over them. She let out a small moan as his grip tightened on her and she felt heat surge through her body, causing her skin to tingle.
Then, her phone started to beep.
Repeatedly.
There were lots of missed texts that had started to come through from the girls. Dev would’ve told them earlier that day as Holly wouldn’t want to keep it from her friends, but she also wasn’t ready to face them just yet.
She quickly replied to the ‘How are you?’ and ‘Oh my God are you ok?’ texts. She explained she was fine, and they needn’t worry. Even Ben had texted to ask about her too. Before Alex and Holly could resume their kissing, Kim knocked again, with Dev and Ben.
