Sorry it took so long! School's back….
Nothing is mine!
"Anthony, please…one more bite and I am going to be sick." Jeannie groaned pushing away the spoonful of chicken soup that her husband was trying to feed her. Tony nodded and set the utensil down.
"Alright darling, but I want you to have some Jell-O in a little while." He picked up the food tray from the coffee table and carried it in the kitchen. Jeannie stared at the television as he cleaned up. After turning it on earlier to find out that she was all over the news, Tony told her to keep it on the movie channel.
There was a western on. She loved westerns, but right now, she could hardly pay attention to it. All she could think about was Tony's face when he walked into the hospital room after she talked with Dr. McKenzie. He looked so ashamed, so repulsed. He even hesitated to hold her hand when the police began questioning her. She should never have wandered off by herself, she knew better.
Jeannie was so absorbed with her self-scolding, that she almost missed the movement outside the living room window.
/
Tony scrubbed the soup bowl out as quickly as possible. He loathed being away from her too long. She was still on edge, that much was clear. She woke up this morning in a state of panic, calling his name and sobbing. He didn't want her to feel anything but safe in this house. It was their sanctuary, and no one would ruin that.
Suddenly, Jeannie's voice shook him back to reality, "Anthony!"
Not missing the apprehension in his wife's tone, Tony dropped what he was doing and dashed out into the living room. Jeannie was sitting up on the couch and staring at the window in terror. "Jeannie! What's the matter?" The major demanded kneeling down in front of her and taking her face in his hands.
"Someone's outside." She whimpered pointing at the window.
Anthony turned and ran over to the window just in time to see a reporter fleeing from the house and into his car. The enraged Major hurried outside and felt like he was breaking land speed as he quickly approached the man and knocked him to the ground.
"Stay away from her!" Tony shouted taking the camera and throwing it forcefully onto the sidewalk. "If I see you here again I'm filing a lawsuit! Do you hear me?"
"Yeah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The man sniveled holding up his hands in self-defense.
Tony stood up and kicked the camera to make sure it was truly damaged. As he headed back towards the house, he realized he left a very upset Jeannie on the couch, so he began to run.
Jeannie was right where he left her. "Anthony! Who was he? Was it him?" She stood up and threw herself into his arms as he approached. "He's back for me isn't he?"
"No! He's in jail sweetheart. He's never coming near you again!" Tony insisted kissing the side of her head softly and carrying her back over to the couch and sitting with her in his lap. "It was just a reporter. I took care of him…relax." He rubbed her back and began rocking her back and forth.
"I'm sorry…I guess I'm still a bit…"
"Shh…don't apologize. I want you to be on the look out. If that's what it takes to make you safer, then I'll accept it." He rested his head on hers and closed his eyes contently.
Jeannie soon began to doze off in her husband's protective embrace. Once he knew she was in deep sleep, Tony laid her down gently across the couch. Then he ran over to the living room windows and closed the drapes. Soon, all the drapes and blinds in the house were closed. Anthony looked around for anything he might have missed. For the first time in years, he locked and chained the front and back doors in broad daylight.
He wandered back over to Jeannie and sat on the coffee table so he could watch over her.
/
It was when he was finally able to doze off in one of the armchairs, that the doorbell rang. Jumping up and making sure that Jeannie was still fast asleep under the three blankets he tucked around her. Hurrying over, he opened the front door to reveal a short balding man in a gray suit.
"Major Anthony Nelson?"
"Yes that's me."
The man pulled out a badge and flashed it at him. "Detective Paul Chevette, I need you and your wife to come with me." Tony stared at him, trying to shake his confusion.
"I'm sorry…now?"
"Yes please. We need to ask Mrs. Nelson a few questions regarding last night incidents." The detective's face held no regret. "I'll wait out here while you two get ready, try to make haste." He turned and headed back to his car.
Anthony was dumbstruck as he watched the man retreat. After a moment he shut the door and hurried to get his wife ready.
/
"Mrs. Nelson, Major Nelson thank you for coming." Another officer, Detective Reese, greeted them at the door.
"Well we didn't have much of a choice." Tony sighed, keeping a firm arm around his wife's shoulders as they were led without another word to a room near the back of the Cocoa Beach Police Station. "About how long is this going to take?"
"Not too long, we just need to get a confirmation." Reese shut the door to the dim room they entered.
"A confirmation detective?" Major Nelson swallowed; he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach when he saw a large window before them. On the other side was a smaller room. "A confirmation of what?"
"In a moment, we'll have a lineup come in behind that window. You will be able to see them but they won't see you." Reese explained sitting down in a chair near the back of the room. "We need to know if you recognize your attacker."
Jeannie's jaw dropped. "H-he blindfolded me…" She choked.
"You didn't see him before?" The detective's eyebrows arched.
"He hit my head from b-behind."
"Did he speak to you at all?"
"A little…I already t-talked to the p-police…" Jeannie began to tear up; this in turn upset her husband,
"I'm sorry, but if you don't believe my wife was attacked, take a look at the bruises…or at her medical records." The Major growled standing up with his wife. "Now if you'll excuse us…"
"With all due respect Major Nelson, this man got a lawyer with a silver tongue. And if we can't get a confirmation from your wife, then there's a chance that he'll be a free man this time next week."
Tony stopped what he was doing. "I saw him come out of the women's bathroom, can't I make the confirmation?"
"You can, but you'll have to step out of the room so you don't influence your wife's decision. When she's done, you can come in and she can step out. If you both identify the same man, then we'll be able to implicate." Reese opened the door and motioned for the Major to leave.
Tony glared at him momentarily before pulling his wife into a tight hug. "I'll be right outside if you need me." He whispered kissing the side of her head and stepping back. "Don't worry, He can't get you in here." Jeannie nodded and watched him leave.
After the door shut, Reese went to place a sympathetic hand on her shoulder but she flinched away. "Are you ready Mrs. Nelson?" He said quietly. Jeannie nodded and let them lead her over to the window.
A minute or two passed before five men were led into the small room on the other side. All of them were a bit over six feet tall, with dark hair. They each held a card in their hand, numbering one through five. Jeannie didn't recognize any of them. She shook her head to indicate as such and looked at the detectives hovering behind her.
"Is there anything that you distinctly remember him saying to you?" Reese asked. Jeannie thought a moment before nodding hesitantly.
"He kept telling me to s-stay still. He said it over and over." She whimpered wiping at her eyes.
Reese leaned forward and spoke into an intercom in the wall. "Going down the line, starting with number one, I want each of you to say 'Stay still', and nothing else."
So, starting with the first man, each of them did as he said. Jeannie watched them each say the phrase reluctantly, and with each one nothing clicked. That is, until number five said it. That was Jeannie began to panic. "Th-the last one…" She choked pointing at the angry gentleman behind the window. "Th-that's h-him…" She turned and covered her face.
"Which one?" Reese urged gently.
"Number five…his voice…"
"For the record, where to recognize his voice from?"
"From…l-last night…fr-from the b-b-bathroom…where he…he…" She began to sob. "Anthony…I want Anthony…" She turned to run out the door, but Reese stopped her.
"Mrs. Nelson, you can certainly see your husband. But we strongly advise you not to tell him which man you picked." Jeannie nodded desperately.
"F-fine…" She choked as they opened the door. Tony barged in and ran straight over to his wife.
"I'm here." He whispered kissing her forehead and pulling her into a strong embrace. "Deep breaths…you're okay…" Jeannie complied by slowing her breaths and sniffling. He turned and looked at the window, and then switched his gaze to the detectives.
"Number five." He growled.