Half Of Rhea

The Investigation

Sage sipped on her coffee with one hand and controlled the steering wheel with her other, as she drove down the familiar road, excited to finish the packing. Tarns held the caramel latte they had picked up for Rhea as they headed towards her house, wondering why cars and police were coming from the property. It was only 730 in the morning. Her heart sank as she saw the throngs of strangers walking in and out of her gate.

“What the f**k Tarnsy?... What’s happened?” her voice was unsteady and panicked.

“Oh no, no, no, no, no.” They pulled up on the roadside, hastily grabbing their stuff.

“You don’t think he came and got her?” Tarns stating what they both were thinking as they shut their doors and headed towards an officer standing outside the house. Sage being the boldest and most forthright personality out of the two, half ran up to him.

“What happened? Where’s Rhea? Where’s Laken?”

“I’m sorry miss, I can’t pass on any information to you. Who are you? Are you family?”

“We are the closest thing to family that she has. Please is she ok?” Sage started panicking hoping that at the very least she was still alive. The desperation in her face was so obvious the officer took pity on her and sighed.

“Come in, speak to the detective, he will tell you what you need to know.” He turned, opened the gate and escorted the two women to the kitchen.

As they entered the house, the number of people overwhelmed them. The house had never had this many people in it, ever. Sage took a seat at the dining table and with a shaking hand reached out to hold onto Tarns for support. She didn’t want to ask anyone if her friend was still alive. She just waited, if no one spoke to her then she wouldn’t have to hear the terrible news. With her eyes closed the police officer who had let them in was walking through the lounge door with a plainclothes gentleman.

“Good morning, I’m Detective Senior Sergeant Sinclair.” He held out his hand to shake both Sage and Tarns hands. He took a seat opposite both of them and pulled out a notepad. His clothes were slightly crumpled, he had a slight shadow where his beard was and dark circles under his eyes. It was obvious he had been there for quite a few hours and hadn’t got any sleep.

“As you can see, there was an assault that occurred here last night. Fortunately, the neighbour heard and called authorities and police were able to make it here in time to try and save Miss Cooper’s life.”

Tears started coming down Sage’s face, she didn’t even try to wipe them away. A scowl sat on Tarns, her rage was the only emotion that she let seep out of her.

“Did you get that fucker at least?” Tarns gritted through her teeth.

“That’s what I was hoping you could help me with, who would want to hurt Miss Cooper?”

“Are you f*****g kidding me?” Tarns slammed her fist on the table. “There has only ever been one sadistic, son of a b***h who has ever hurt that beautiful woman.”

“And that would be?” Detective Sinclair asked while maintaining complete composure, not in the slightest bit intimidated by her outburst.

“Zane f*****g Thomas.”

The detective wrote the name down on his notepad and closed it, looking at the two women.

“Can you give me some history, so we know what we are dealing with?”

Sage was sobbing and reached out to grab a tissue, “Where is Laken? He will need to come home with me, I’m his Aunty and the only person he has ever stayed with, apart from his mum.”

The detective nodded, “he is next door at the Wilson’s residence, I will have him brought over shortly before we do, I would like to get some more information.”

Over the next 25 minutes, Sage divulged every detail of every attack Rhea had endured. Another female officer at this stage had sat down to take notes and clarify certain details, adamant nothing should be missed especially if Rhea didn’t make it, this would become a homicide enquiry. There was no room for errors at this point.

“So she was pregnant, and you say he may have only recently found out through mutual connections that she was having another baby?” The female officer asked.

Sage nodded.

“We were packing her stuff so that she could get away from him. His violent behaviour and drug use have been escalating for the last year.”

A weight was lifted from Sage’s shoulders, as she recounted the details for the police. She knew she should have done this sooner and the fact that now, it may be too late to save her friend, haunted her soul.

“Thank you, ladies, for your cooperation with the investigation. No doubt you will be wanting to go to the hospital. We received notification from the surgeon in charge of Rhea’s care, she is in a serious but stable condition. Unfortunately, they were unable to save her baby. She will need the love and support from her friends and family right now.”

Tarns nodded solemnly as more tears streamed down Sage’s face. Laken was brought through the door by a tall, muscular officer, eating chips and chatting away without a care in the world. When he spotted Sage, his face lit up!

“Aunty!!! Aunty where is mama? Is she better now? Is she hurt again?” He wriggled out of the officers grasp and ran towards her, his arms were outstretched, ready to jump at her.

She quickly wiped her tears and grabbed him, hugging him tightly.

“We will go see your mama k?”

He nodded vigorously, his happiness at being back home and with familiar people evident.

“Where’s Bully-boy?” He asked.

It wasn’t until then that she realised the dog was missing.

“Is there usually a dog here?” asked the detective.

“Yes, it’s Rhea’s dog, his name is Bully, he is a red nose pitbull.”

“Actually, he is my dog.” Said Laken looking sternly at his Aunty Sage, wondering how she could get it so wrong, as he shook his head at her.

“Sorry baby, yes he is your dog.” She smiled at his seriousness.

“Interesting, do you think he would have taken the dog?” Asked the female officer to Detective Sinclair.

“It could be a possibility at this stage. Any information can be helpful to us.” He looked down at his now full notepad.

“I think that is all the information we need, for now, we will be in touch if we have any further questions.” Detective Sinclair got up and left the room.

“Let’s go see your Mama, ok baby?”

“Yes please!”

~

The list of injuries was extensive, as the nurse in charge glanced over Rhea’s notes at the bottom of her bed. Broken nose, shattered eye socket, 3 broken ribs, 4 fractured ribs, punctured right lung, fractured radius and shattered right ulna, which required steel rods to be put in place. There was a significant bleed on the left hemisphere of her brain which had been drained with part of her skull removed. She had a perforated small intestine from the force of the kick to her abdomen, and last but not least the removal of uterine tissue and the unborn baby, she was so brutally forced to lose.

She shook her head at the list and wondered how anyone could treat another human this way. She was a fighter though, she had fought to save her life and the life of her baby, that had earnt the woman lying on the bed, this nurse’s respect.

There was a soft knock at the door, the nurse looked up to see the first people who had come to visit Rhea. There were shocked gasps as Tarns, Sage, Ma and Laken entered the room.

Laken leapt down from Sage and ran to the bedside, he was quickly stopped by the nurse who said he must be very gentle with her because she was very sore. He nodded at the older woman and approached much more slowly and tentatively.

“Mama it’s me…” He held her hand and looked at his mum, willing her to open her eyes and wake up.

“Please Mama… I’m here now, you can wake up.” He started to get upset as Rhea’s eyes remained closed.

“It’s ok baby, mama needs to rest we want her to stay asleep ok?” Tarns said, patting his head to try and reassure him.

He just nodded again, even though he knew his mum needed to sleep, he still wanted her to wake up quickly so she could look after him. He loved his aunties, but they weren’t his mum, and Aunty Sage had made his Weetbix all wrong this morning. He put his hands under his chin and laid his head down by his mama.

“You’ll make it my friend, after this, you will never be hurt by him ever again.” Sage made the promise to Rhea. Determined that if she made it, they would all make sure she was safe.

~

News had started to filter through the small community that Rhea Cooper had been attacked at her home, leaving her fighting for her life in hospital. It was the topic of conversation at most breakfast tables and cafes, as people woke up to notifications from the towns f*******: page. Messages were rapidly being sent from neighbours to people who had seen a large number of police cars outside the house. Nothing stayed unnoticed in this small town.

Zane sat amongst empty bottles and piles of washing on the couch, he was supposed to be sleeping on. However, sleep was the last thing on his mind. His phone went off for what seemed like the 100th time that morning. Friends, family and people he knew, asked him if he was aware of what happened to Rhea. He was thinking quickly, trying to figure out how he could get away with what he had done. There were no witnesses, only that stupid old fool next door. He was sure he hadn’t left any physical evidence behind, none that couldn’t be excused by the fact he used to live there.

He sighed as his hands ran through his hair. The lack of food and lack of sleep clearly evident on his face. His freshly washed boots and clothes were hanging on the line outside and sitting by the back door when Mikey came barging through.

“f**k bro!” He slammed the door behind him, looking like he had just run a marathon.

“Did you hear what happened to Rhea? I tried ringing you and messaging you but no reply my g?”

“I’ve been busy mate. What happened?” He tried to sound calm about the whole situation.

“Someone attacked her bro, she nearly died!... We need to go to the hospital and see if she’s ok and what about the baby? She was pregnant bro!” The shock and concern were genuine on Mikey’s face. He was not the sharpest tool in the shed, his naivety was exactly what Zane needed at a time like this.

“She wouldn’t want me there bro, she told me to never go near her again.”

“Yeah but what about your boy?” He was almost incredulous at this point, not understanding Zane’s reluctance to check on the mother of his son, or even just his son.

“You know Sage will have him with her. He’ll be fine.” He shrugged his shoulders at his friend and Mikey, now obviously annoyed huffed at him.

“Well whatever then you stink cunt, I’m going to go see Sage and check on them.” He grabbed his keys off the table and headed for the door as a skinny blonde, ratty-looking girl, walked in, past him.

“Who the f**k are you?” Mikey said to the stranger, obviously still angry at his friend’s nonchalant attitude towards this whole situation.

“I’m here to see Zaney…” She whined nasally, smiling towards Zane who remained sitting on the couch.

“f**k whatever.” Mikey slammed the door behind him again, leaving them in his house.

“Heeyy Baaabyy.” She stalked her way towards him, a smile went across his face.

“What’s up Chantelle?” He relaxed into the seat as she walked closer, straddling his lap.

“I need some stuff.” She said to him trying to be as seductive as she could, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck.

Their relationship was one that they knew exactly what they wanted from each other without having to say too much.

“Hmmm I’ll help you out Chantelle, but you have to do something for me first.”

“Of course.” She said, smiling through her decaying teeth, she reached down for his zipper, he quickly grabbed her wrists hard. She flinched at him, not understanding this reaction.

“Not this time sweetheart….. I need you to say I was with you all night last night if anyone asks.” He looked her straight in her eyes. She smiled back at him.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with what happened to your sweet little Rhea now would it?”

He grabbed her wrists tighter, making her lose her confidence.

“Will you say it or not?” He growled at her, his eyes now angry and threatening to hurt her, if she refused his request.

“Of course I will baby, you know what I need though.” She tried to be seductive again, slowly rubbing his thighs as his grip loosened on her wrists.

“Good.” He sighed, closing his eyes.

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic bag. Her eyes lit up at the appearance of the only thing she would sell her soul for. Zane chucked the bag on the floor as she scurried after it. She picked it up, put it in her bra and turned back towards Zane.

“Thank you, baby, I had a good time last night.” She winked at him and left the house.

Alibi sorted. He smiled again. This was going to work out perfectly.