The Arrangement

Chapter 18

Detective James bursts into the room making the door hit the wall hard. The sound frightens me and I look up to see him running down the stairs his gun pointed at Chris. Michael rushes down the stairs looking from Chris to me, his expression is unreadable. He should be resting. He is followed by a couple of uniformed officers. Michael reaches me and I drop the pipe, quickly I put the safety back on of the gun and toss it away from me. I throw my arms around him and he hugs me tightly lifting me off of the ground. Over his shoulder I see Lilly at the top of the stairs. She came back. When Michael puts me down I pull out of his embrace and walk to the stairs. “Thank you, Lilly.” I tell her and Michael turns around.

“I should thank you.” She replies giving me a little smile. She descends the stairs and Chris yells, “That b***h attacked me! I’m pressing charges!” He is pointing at me. Is he serious? Before I can respond Lilly says, “She was only defending herself.” She pauses and frowns, “And me.”

“Well it is your word against mine.” Chris says getting up and point to the pipe and the gun, “She attacked me with that.”

“There is a camera, it recorded everything.” Lilly squeaks and points to the far corner, “I know where he keeps the footage.”

A horrible thought crosses my mind. Did he videotape her in here? Michael looks down at me and takes my hand. His hand is warm and trembling.

“Peters, cuff him.” Detective James says to one of the officers. He turns to Lilly and says, “Please show us.”

Lilly leads us up the stairs, Michael doesn’t let go of my hand. He is worried. Worried about what he’ll see. I want to tell him that Chris didn’t touch me. I wouldn’t have allowed him to. The words won’t form. How can I assure him? I squeeze his hand and he looks down at me, “I’m okay.” I mutter. He doesn’t look convinced and he swallows hard.

We follow Lilly up a set of staircases and she opens a door, presumably to Chris’s bedroom. It’s big a lot of dark colors. Lilly walks up to a laptop and after clicking a couple of times a video pops up. We all take position to watch. Chris appears, he is holding me in his arms as he walks down the stairs. I shiver and Michael puts his arm around me and pulls me closer. We watch as Chris puts me down. “So beautiful.” He says stroking my cheek then stands up and looks me up and down. I’m nauseous. I anxiously watch to see what he does next. He cuffs me then ties the cuffs to the chains, his hands are on me too much but thankfully he doesn’t touch me anywhere that I can’t recover from, he makes sure I’m secured and leaves.

Lilly speeds the video along, from what I can tell I was out for about an hour and a half, I start coming around and Lilly sets the speed to normal. I watch everything play out as I lived it. Michael tenses up when Chris hits Lilly and he stays that way throughout our entire conversation. I know he had no idea what happened, if he did he would have done something. I’m feeling extremely good about the gasps of amazement that Detective James has. Michael occasionally glances at me in surprise. I have to admit seeing myself kick Chris’s ass in such splendor gives me pride. My dad would have been so proud.

Detective James stops the video after they’ve arrived.

“Well Miss Henderson, I for one wouldn’t dare mess with you after seeing this.” He chuckles. “Where did you learn to pick a lock like that not to mention your fighting skills?”

I can’t help it, I beam at him. “My dad. He always said that if he couldn’t be there to protect me he’d rest easier knowing that I could protect myself.”

“Your father was a very good man.” Detective James nods.

“He was.” I say more to myself.

“Well then Miss Rosenberg, we had a deal, after we have come to help, you’d turn yourself in freely.”

Lilly nods and walks over to the detective as he takes out handcuffs from his belt.

“No! Why are you arresting her?” I panic and pull out from Michael’s embrace. I feel very protective towards Lilly. It’s strange but I don’t care.

“She admitted to wanting Mr Wellington dead.” He states shocked at my reaction. “She also got her boyfriend to fire the gun that shot you, Miss Henderson.”

I know this but…

“Saying something and doing it, it’s not the same thing. She can’t be responsible for someone else’s actions.” I argue.

“She conspired to commit a crime, Miss Henderson. I’m just doing my job.”

“She doesn’t need prison. She needs another kind of help. Please.” I beg.

“Mr Wellington, would you like to press charges against Miss Rosenberg?” Detective James asks Michael, he looks down at me. I’m begging him not too, she’s been through enough. I will understand if he wants her to go to prison she did want him dead after all.

“No Detective. I don’t.” He replies and I smile up at him. “Thank you.”

“All right then.” Detective James nods, “Miss Rosenberg, let’s get you to a facility.”

“As long its government run. My parents have disowned me.” Lilly says looking down at her feet.

Hell no!

“Detective, please take her to the best facility available. I’ll pay for everything, just give them my information please.” I say.

Detective James nods in acknowledgement and Lilly runs into my arms, she hugs me while crying. I’m a little surprised but I hold her and after a few moments she lets me go. “I’m sorry.” She sniffs.

“I know you are.” I say and she turns to Michael. “I’m sorry for everything I did to you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize what was going on.” He replies. He is upset, I get it.

I’m going to cry. Lilly gives him a smile, “Don’t be. You were good to me but ultimately we weren’t right for each other, you are with the right person now, I can see it. Please don’t blame yourself for anything. I should have said something but I didn’t, that’s on me. I hope the two of you will be so happy.” Lilly says and throws her arms around Michael. It doesn’t bother me I am just happy to be alive and that Lilly will finally get the help she needs and deserves. No one deserves to be assaulted whether it is verbally, emotionally or physically.

Detective James escorts Lilly out of the room. I’m alone with Michael and I strangely don’t know what to say to him. He blames himself for everything. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me against him. I love being in his arms.

“I lied to you.” He whispers.

“About what?” I ask surprised.

“I promised that you’d be safe with me.”

“This isn’t your fault.”

“I don’t see how it’s not. You’ve been hurt so many times now and it’s because of me.” He says lowering his head.

I put my hand on his cheek. “It’s not your fault.” How can I make him understand? He can’t control people.

“If I lost you…” He says then shakes a bad thought from his head.

“You didn’t. Besides I can take care of myself.” I smile trying to lighten his mood.

“That is very clear.” He smiles briefly.

“I’m okay really.” I tell him. Hopefully if I say it enough he will believe it.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help but feel responsible for all of this.” He says waving his hand around.

“Not your fault. I’ve told you before you can’t control people.”

“Maybe if you say it enough I’ll eventually believe you.” Michael says.

“How about I say this instead. I love you Michael Wellington.”

His eyes soften and he smiles. This might not be the best place but I needed to say it and I think he needed to hear it. I step closer and put my arms around his neck.

“I love you Jennifer Henderson.” He says and kisses me.

“I’m tired. Do you think we can leave?” I ask when the kiss ends. My adrenaline has faded.

“Yeah, I’m sure that can be arranged.” He grins.

After we promise to head straight home. Detective James lets us leave without an escort.

The ride home is quite on both sides each lost in our own thoughts. It feels like I haven’t been home in very long time. My bag and keys still right where I left them. I pick them up and we go into the house.

“You want something to eat?” Michael asks.

“No thank you. I just want a shower then some sleep.”

He nods. I’m sure he is just as tired as I am. The shower feels heavenly; I wrap the towel around myself and head for the bedroom. I hear the end of Michael’s conversation as I enter.

“Yes dad, she’s fine just tired.” He says lying on the bed and I drop the towel. He is definitely watching me. I like that.

“What?” He says and I can feel his eyes on me.

“I’ll call you later.” He says as I get dressed.

“Okay bye.” He says and hangs up. I get into bed wearing my tank top and panties I curl up to Michael, he is warm, it comforts me. I let my hand stroke his chest making little circles with my fingertips as he strokes my shoulder. Perfect silence. My eyelids are heavy and I finally drift off into sleep.