Chapter 9
'Everything looks good Cate, all up to code and I see Jill and the team put the other suggestions we made last visit in to action.' Fire Chief Morris said as he checked off the paperwork on his clipboard. 'Happy to sign off.' He smiled as he signed the papers and handed them across to Cate, who smiled warmly accepting them.
'That's great, thanks Chief and yeah, Jill and the rest of the team have been doing a great job here getting everything sorted. The plans and ideas you and the guys left for us last visit really helped out.' Cate explained as she slipped the signed papers into the file she held waiting for them.
'Good, I'm glad and can see.' Chief Morris smiled indicating to the file Cate held under her arm. 'I also see that the ring fits.' He smiled nodding towards Cate's engagement ring. Cate smiled as she looked down to her hand. 'You'd better tell that fiancé of yours to get a move on then and hand in his transfer papers.' Cate paused for a moment, smile frozen as she absorbed that new piece of information.
'I absolutely will chief, have no doubt!' Cate laughed as she walked Chief Morris to his car.
'I've no doubt you will.' Chief Morris chuckled as he got in his car. 'Well, you take care of yourself, pass my best on to your sister for me. Speak soon Cate.' With that the Chief drove off. Cate watched after him for a few moments before turning on her heel and walking back into the school and up to her office.
Cate had sat in her office for the rest of the morning trying to make the figures add up and something still wasn't right, and it wasn't just the fact that Riley was yet to put in his transfer papers, that would have to wait for a while to really dwell on. Her mind was set, she had to head off to the one person she knew could help her see what she wasn't, or perhaps agree with what Cate was seeing in the books and that was a whole other mess she would have to deal with. Packing up the books, Cate grabbed her jacket and bag and headed out of her office to find Jill. She first tried Jill's office on the off chance she might actually be in it, she wasn't.
'The track then.' Cate sighed and she took the stairs down to the garage and track, she could hear Jill before she found her.
'OK Seb, turn it again.' Jill called out to the young mechanic, who did as he was asked switching on the car, it started for a few moments, made some odd noises before conking out. 'Damn it.' Jill sighed.
'Sounds like you're having a fun day to.' Cate said as she reached Jill's side.
'Yeah, but at least the engine is turning now, even if only for a little while. Where you headed to?' Jill asked noticing the bags in Cate's hands.
'I'm off to see some friends. Walk with me?' Cate asked, taking Jill away from the others around them and ears she didn't wish to share her concerns with. Jill nodded grabbing a red cloth as she did to clean her hands on.
'What's going on?' Jill asked as they were away from unwanted ears.
'I'm not sure so I'm going to the Run Through to see Ruth, she can tell me if my maths is terrible or it's not and there's a different problem.'
'Serious?' Jill asked folding her arms across her chest.
'Perhaps, but I've only just found it, so if there is a problem and it's not just some mistake giving me a headache and a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach, Ruth will see it. Plus, it will give a chance to see how things are at the motel and how Ruth is.'
'Is Ruth not well?' Concerned, Jill asked as they arrived at Cate's car.
'As far as I know she's healthy and fit as ever, but she's also not getting any younger and I had a call from Jake the other week asking me to drop in next time I was here in L.A.' Cate explained as she put her bags in the trunk of her car.
'That doesn't sound good. Any of it.' Jill said as she leaned back against the side of Cate's car.
'Not really, he said there wasn't a problem, just asked me to drop in.'
'Did he know you were coming home this week?'
'I mentioned I would be, I think to Ruth, she must have passed that along.' Cate said as she shut the trunk and looked to Jill, who was lost in thought, her brow creased as she was obviously lost in thought. 'Don't worry Jill, I'm sure everything there is fine and everything here will be to. Trust me.' Cate smiled winking to Jill as she stepped forward to hug her goodbye. 'I'll call you as soon as I have any answers.'
'And to explain fully what's going on. Especially as you didn't say anything about this last night when we were all together.' Jill said, practically demanding, obviously worried about the school and bothered about not being told right away.
'I know Jill, I'm sorry that I didn't, but to be honest, I just wanted a night off from thinking about it and we had other things to catch up on which were far more interesting and fun! For now, Jill, some numbers aren't making any sense and I need a second opinion.' Cate paused for a moment. 'I hope you don't mind that I'm taking the books to Ruth for the second opinion?' Jill looked up to Cate almost surprised and broke out a classic Jill smile.
'What? Of course, I don't mind! Ruth is one of the best at keeping the books I have ever known, you have to go to her! And I get why you didn't say anything, just keep me posted as soon as you have anything.' Jill said nudging Cate on round to the driver's side door.
'OK, thanks, I will just as soon as I know anything. I told Kel this might happen, but I'll call her on my way out of town, I need to make sure I can stay with her when I get back.' Cate explained as she got into her car. Jill looked at her frowning, not understanding the last part of Cate's sentence. 'I have friends coming to stay at my place, Kel was fine with me staying with her, I'm just reminding her, checking again with her.' Cate explained to which Jill slowly nodded catching up. 'Speak to you soon, and Jill.' Cate looked round to her friend who looked back expectantly. 'Try not to break anything whilst I'm gone!' Cate grinned back before shutting her door. Jill rolled her eyes and laughed as she waved her friend off and headed back in to the garage.
'Alright Seb, let's try it again!' Jill called out as she went.
'Alright Cate, I'll see you in a day or two.' Kelly said down her car phone. 'Yes, of course it's fine that you stay with me when you get back. Cate, just concentrate on getting to the Run Through and call me later. Alright, bye.' Kelly smiled as she hung up the phone.
'Everything OK?' Lauren asked sat beside Kelly driving them both in the orange Ford Pinto.
'Fine I think, Cate's going out of town for a night or two.' Kelly explained looking out to the road ahead of them.
'Is she OK?'
'Fine, Cate owns a motel so is heading out there to check up on some things and catch up with her friends that run it.'
'She's a busy woman your sister.' Lauren commented, smiling to Kelly before returning her gaze back to the road.
'She is.' Kelly smiled proudly.
'You must miss her a lot when she's in Nashville.' Lauren said as she pulled in to a gas station.
'I do, but we're, or, I'm getting better at that and it makes me take more vacation time from the agency to go and visit her and her brother.' Kelly explained as Lauren pulled alongside a pump. 'Why don't you go in and pay and I'll fill?' Kelly suggested.
'Sure, sounds fine to me.' Lauren nodded and smiled as she got out of the car, Kelly doing the same.
'Don't forget to get a receipt.' Kelly reminded as they passed each other, Lauren nodded again as she carried on into the store. Kelly moved round to the fuel cap to start fuelling. As the gas started to pump into the car, Kelly didn't hear him as he approached her and spoke.
'Hello Kelly.' Kelly had her back to him, she turned keeping the fuelling hose between them.
'Peter, what are you doing here?' Kelly asked uncomfortable, on edge and looking around her to see who might be watching them.
'I came to say hello, I haven't seen you in so long Kelly, I miss you. I told you that.' Peter smiled at her, it just about reached his eyes, but his eyes weren't warm, they were cold, dangerous.
'And I told you Peter, we're over. You need to leave me alone and stop sending me notes and gifts.' Kelly said as she continued to look around her, hoping someone might interrupt them.
'You don't like the notes and gifts? Funny, you used to love that, said it was sweet – romantic even.' Peter reminisced as he leant against the gas pump.
'That was before, this is now. Please leave.' Kelly asked quietly, not wanting to draw attention.
'Well, right now I want to speak with you.' He said, shifting his weight.
'Peter, I..'
'Kelly!' Lauren called out as she rushed over to her. 'I thought that was you!' Lauren enthused as she grabbed Kelly and pulled her into a hug, smiling over to Peter. 'Excuse me,' Lauren said over to him. 'I haven't seen her in so long, I just had to come over the moment I saw her.' Lauren enthused moving herself between Peter and Kelly, blocking his view of her.
'Oh, I quite understand, I was much the same. Well, perhaps I should leave you both to your reunion.' Peter almost smiled, Lauren could see in his eyes that he was pissed off with the intrusion, she continued to smile sweetly as she spoke.
'Why thank you so much! Kelly, you done here?' Lauren asked turning back to Kelly and looking to the gas pump. Kelly nodded as she replaced the hose in the pump. 'Well come on then, let's go and get a terrible cup of coffee and have a little catch up, and by little, I mean long!' Lauren laughed throwing a look over her shoulder to Peter, making sure he was moving on which, he was. Once inside the store, Kelly went towards the back of the store, Lauren watched and slowly followed after her, keeping an eye out at the same time.
'Thanks for that.' Kelly said as she turned back to Lauren, her hands shaking ever so slightly as she buried them in her pockets which, Lauren picked up on.
'No problem, looked like you needed the assist. Want to talk about it? There's a diner not far from here, it's pretty quiet and secluded.'
Kelly looked up to her new team mate and nodded.
'Alright then, let's go, he's gone now.' Lauren explained nodding towards the exit and Peter driving away, his foot heavy on the accelerator. 'I'd say he's an angry driver.' Lauren commented.
'He's an angry man.' Kelly replied as they left the store.
Lauren walked ahead of Kelly into the diner, looking around the place she headed towards a booth at the back corner.
'This should do us.' Lauren smiled to Kelly as they each slid on to the seats. A waitress soon followed to deliver menus and offer coffee which both Angels took. With the coffee poured Lauren turned her attention back to Kelly and the angry man she witnessed earlier. Kelly was looking down into the dark liquid in her cup.
'His name is Peter, Peter Wills.' Kelly started, slowly, Lauren patiently listening. 'We met in the Spring, he was the perfect southern gentleman. We got along perfectly, had a lot of fun, spent a lot of time together, when we could, and my case load allowed.'
'And then things began to change?' Lauren asked, gently moving Kelly along as she paused, drifting off in her memories.
'Then things began to change. He became possessive and jealous, started to lose his temper – he even nearly went after one of our clients thinking I was cheating on him, I stopped him before there was any form of an incident, but it just went on from there, alarm bells started going off in my head. I started distancing myself from him, not seeing him as much, blaming it on cases and having to go out of state when required, he followed us once.'
'He what? Did the other Angels know this?' Lauren asked as she took a sip of her coffee.
'No, they didn't know, they knew I was seeing someone, but I hadn't introduced them to him, I'm quite thankful for that now.' Kelly explained looking out across the diner at the few other patrons sat around.
'What was the last straw, him following you or…'
'He hit me.' Kelly said as she watched an elderly couple eating their meal, the man holding his wife's hand as she drank her drink.
'Kelly?' Lauren called to her. 'Do you want to go on?' Kelly smiled appreciatively to Lauren as she carried on.
'He only hit me once, and that was it, it was over. He apologised straight away, tried to blame his temper flare up on his feelings for me, and that his apparent love for me drove him crazy and he couldn't bear to see another with me.' Kelly looked down to her cup again before looking up to Lauren.
'You didn't buy that crap.'
'Not at all, we've dealt with a lot of men like him before on many cases, I just didn't expect to find myself dating one. No, I ended it and told him to leave and not return.'
'He didn't take that well then?'
'He took it very well, too well.' Kelly explained. 'I didn't hear from him at all for a few weeks and hoped and thought it was all over with.'
'You didn't report him or tell the team or Charlie?' Lauren asked her brow creasing as she tried to understand the situation Kelly had been in.
'I didn't, I felt I had dealt with it and that he was out of my life. I didn't want the team worrying, fussing or attempting to do anything that would bring it all out to the open.'
'You were embarrassed.' Lauren stated. Kelly looked up to her quickly, Lauren was right, Kelly was embarrassed by it all, she just hadn't expected someone she hardly knew to see it. 'It's a common reaction Kelly, for the victim to feel embarrassed, especially when that victim is perhaps a cop, or a private detective who feels they should have a sixth sense to these kinds of things.' Lauren explained smiling supportively as she did. Kelly nodded as she listened.
'So, I didn't tell them or my sister.'
'You were afraid of what she might do?' Lauren asked frowning slightly. Kelly smiled, laughing ever so slightly to herself.
'I know my sister, and her temper, especially if someone hurts her family, any of us. Woe betide the person that dares to hurt one of us.' Lauren sat back slightly in her seat as Kelly said this. 'She's calmed slightly just recently, but well, I thought it safer to not tell her.' Lauren nodded understanding.
'And now you're changing your mind?' She asked. Kelly sighed heavily as leaned to her right, resting her head on her hand, her elbow propped on the table.
'I don't think I have much of a choice.'
'Peter's been harassing you.' Lauren stated more than asked.
'In a way. Today's the first time he's actually approached and spoken to me, until now it's just been notes and gifts and a message on my answering machine every once in a while, trying to get my attention to call him or see him again.'
'He's not catching on that you don't want to do that.'
'He's not, I also think he obviously knows I didn't report him or tell anyone about him hitting me, so he must think that means in some strange way I care too much about him to do that.'
'What's changed about that now?' Lauren asked leaning toward Kelly as she noticed Kelly's look change from tired and strong to fear.
'He's threatening my family.' Kelly explained looking up to Lauren. 'He sent a bunch of roses to Cate's home, he knew she was home and purposely sent them there, addressed to me, but he did it to prove he knows where Cate lives, that he can get to her.'
'Then the note at the office this morning, that was from him as well?' Lauren asked to which Kelly nodded, sitting up straight again and leaning in towards Lauren.
'He's proving he knows my whereabouts, where I am at any given time.'
'He's stalking you.'
'Perhaps, and I can't have that, the team can't have that. I just don't know what he will do.'
'Well, let's report him before he can do anything.' Lauren suggested.
'I want to, but I need to talk to someone about it first and I need them to be here with me when I do it.' Kelly explained, looking down in to her empty coffee cup.
'You need Cate to be here.' Lauren said nodding, knowing this was exactly what Kelly would be waiting for. Kelly nodded, then looked up to Lauren, her eyes glistening.
'I do, sometimes I just need her strength.'
'And to know she's with you and safe when you report Peter, and not possibly going after him.'
'Or him going after her. I need all of that.' Kelly agreed.
'Well, hopefully Cate won't be out of town for too long and you can report him and this can all come to an end.'
'I hope so.' Kelly smiled slightly as she looked at her watch. 'We should get going, we're running behind. Lauren nodded as the two Angels stood and walked to the counter where Lauren paid for their coffees and followed after Kelly back to the Pinto. As they reached the car Kelly stopped placing her hand on Lauren's arm to stop her also. 'Thank you, Lauren, for helping and listening today. It's been so hard keeping this all to myself and the fear of it getting out or Peter coming and causing a scene or worse.' Lauren took Kelly's hand, gently squeezing it.
'You're welcome, and now that I know, perhaps you'll feel a little stronger to tell the others?' Lauren suggested.
'I will, but after I have spoken to Cate.' Lauren nodded understanding. 'Until then…'
'It's all right Kelly, I won't tell a soul. But if you need anything, even just someone to spend the evening with you, so you have company, just say or call. Promise me you'll at least do that.' Lauren asked. Kelly smiled back to her, appreciative.
'I promise, thank you.'
