It's time to move on

Chapter 8

The drive to the police station was quiet, we are both lost in our thoughts.

We are met by Jamie in the hallway.

“Do you need anything before we get started?” She asks.

“No thank you.” I reply.

“Maybe you will want to wait outside, it won’t be easy to hear or see.” Jamie tells Jason.

“She’s right.” I agree. If I am going to have to tell her about everything that Charles has ever done to me this is not something Jason wants to hear.

“I want to be here for you.” Jason says.

I know that after this he will never look at me the same again but I also know this has to be done.

I nod at Jamie and she says, “All right, please follow me.”

We follow her to her overcrowded office and sit in the two chairs facing her desk.

“First things first. I will be charging Charles MacAdams with attempted murder and assault.” Jamie says.

Jason clenches his arm rest; I can see his knuckles turn white. I put my hand over his; he leaves the arm rest and takes my hand and I give his hand a little squeeze.

“Now for the hard part Rebecca, please tell me again what happened tonight.”

I tell her again and as I do I feel Jason’s hand shaking in mine. Jamie writes down everything that I say.

 “Rebecca, I have some old photos here. I want to use them in the trail but the old police station didn’t keep them in order. I was hoping you’d be able to help but I have to warn you that some of these will be upsetting.”

“I can do it.” I reply, and then turn to Jason, “I don’t want you to see these.” Tears are forming in my eyes.

“I won’t look.” He tells me.

I take a stack of photos from Jamie and start sorting. One photo falls and it had to be one of the worst of them all. It lands face upon the floor.

My face is barely visible underneath the bruises and swelling, in my rush to pick it up before Jason can see all the photos drop and scatter on the floor.

I sink to my knees after pushing away the chair as fast as I can and look around. Seeing the worst years of my life in photo form all around me is my breaking point.

I start sobbing.

I was in the hospital every other day.

My body still has scars from the belt he used and other things he could get his hands on.

Jason drops down on his knees in front of me, looking only at me.

“He can’t hurt you anymore.” Jason says.

I nod and start collecting the photos after sorting I hand them back to Jamie, all except one. It was the last one taken.

“This is the one that made me leave.” I say. Jamie must know the one I’m talking about.

“There is a report for that one.” Jamie says, searching her desk.

“I can leave if you want.” Jason says. I look to Jamie for a reply.

I don’t want Jason to know but it’s all going to come out, he might as well hear it from me.

I hand Jamie the photo, “I was locked up for weeks.” I start, staring at my hands in my lap. “He was so angry with me. I wanted to get a job. He kept saying no but I kept on pushing, then he had enough and snapped. He hit me with a pan. I must have blacked out because when I woke up I was tied naked to the bed, he bound my hands and feet so I was spread out.” I shift, it’s hard for me to say out loud but I continue, “He then hit me with a belt repeatedly and for days and did other things to me too. Eventually I just wanted to die.” I glance over to Jason, he sits completely still looking in front of him and I see his hands shake.

 “One of my neighbours called the police; they found me tied up and took me to the hospital. I snuck out a day later, went home when I knew he’d be at work and packed what little I had. I found my neighbour William outside.” Tears are now falling into my lap, “He called me over and handed me an envelope and told me to run and I did.”

“Oh yes, I know about William Johnson.” Jamie says as she rummages through papers, “Here it is.” She says finding the file. “He called the police several times. He was a good man.”

“Was?” I panicked.

“Yes, he died four years ago but before you start feeling guilty, he died of natural causes. I doubt Charles even knew his name.”

“He gave me enough money to get out of that town, I was able to get here and start over.”

“I’m glad someone could help you.” Jamie says.

“What are the chances of Charles getting out?” Jason asks. Speaking for the first time since I told Jamie about what I’ve been through.

“To be honest I am confident he’ll spend a very long time behind bars. We have a high prosecution rate here and that is in cases with much less evidence than this one.” Jamie answers.

“Good because if he ever comes near Rebecca again…” Jason trails off.

“Don’t think you’d be standing alone, sir.” Jamie gives Jason a short nod.

“Detective, how did you get all this so fast?” I ask, just realising it all happened so fast.

“Actually Shirley told me about you a few weeks ago and I did some digging, sorry to say I didn’t recognise you at your home.”

“I don’t blame you, those photos look nothing like me.”

After we leave the station and get in Jason’s car he says, “I don’t want you to be alone. I’ll stay with you.”

“I’ll be fine, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“I can’t help it.” Jason replies.

“Because I’m a damsel in distress.”

“Nope. Not at all. So your place then?” Jason asks with a hint of a smile.

“Actually I don’t want to go back to my apartment just yet, maybe you can just drop me at the nearest hotel.” I replied, buckling my seatbelt.

“You can stay with me.”

“Thank you.” I reply. I feel safe with Jason. I know he will never do anything to hurt me not like Charles did.

A while later he pulls into a driveway.

Jason unlocks the door and switches on the lights.

He has a big house but is still inviting and cosy. I check the time, it’s just past two am.

“Do you want something to drink?” Jason says as we walk to his kitchen.

I am very thirsty. My throat is a little sore. “Coffee please.”

Although I’m tired I just have to stay awake for a few more hours. Jason makes us each a cup of coffee and we head to the lounge.

“We could watch a movie to make the time pass.” He suggests.

“Sounds great. What do you want to watch?”

“I don’t mind, anything you feel like.”

Jason rummages through his DVD’s. “Your options are Jackie Chan or Top Gear.”

I smile, “Jackie Chan, please.”

“Good choice.” Jason nods, he puts on Rush Hour. I like this, it’s a comedy and I do forget about it all although I wish I could do the moves Jakie Chan does. When the first movie is over Jason asks, “Are you hungry? I can make us some popcorn.”

“Yes please.”

While the sequel is playing Jason hands me a huge bucket of popcorn and we watch the movie not talking at all although it is a comfortable silence as we watch. Midway through the third movie my eyes can no longer stay open.

“You’re tired.”

“Sorry yes I can’t seem to stay awake any longer.” I yawn.

“I have three bedrooms so you can take your pick of any of them.”

Even after everything that has happened I still want to be with Jason but I’m afraid that now that he knows about my past he no longer wants me in the same way. I’m such a fool! How could I have let myself want anything normal? Charles broke me.

Jason takes me upstairs to a guest room.

He lingers for a moment then says, “You should get some sleep.”

“Thank you for everything.” I say as he turns and leaves.

I fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.