Chapter 10

By morning I was feeling better, I didn't ache as much and although my ribs were hurting they weren't as painful as they had been. My head still hurt a bit and as I stood in front of the mirror I teased my hair apart to find out why, there was a jagged wound in the skin but I was amazed at how intricate the stitches in my scalp were and the doctor hadn't touched my hair. I wasn't sure if I should shower yet so washed myself all over with soap and a sponge, it was my hair that felt a mess, but maybe if I talked to

Walter he'd let me shower this evening. I dressed in joggers and a large T-shirt, then slipped a sleeveless cardigan over the top, it was uncomfortable wearing a bra but I didn't want to advertise that fact in a house full of men. I walked slowly out of the room I'd been in yesterday and found myself on a corridor with doors leading from it. I headed to the end where light was coming in and then down some stairs into a large and sunny lounge area. It was the open doors that enticed me to go outside, to look down at the sea again. It really was beautiful here; I must remember to find out where here was. Footsteps behind me alerted me to company and I turned to find Ricky walking toward me carrying mugs and a coffee pot.

"Walter and Harry are bringing the rest, Stuart and William are just finishing off tidying the kitchen"

"Where are Thomas and Arnie?"

"They should be here soon, they're on their way back from New York with all our stuff"

"Are you all staying here?"

"Nah, there's a cottage next door and an apartment above the garage that Ranger said we could use"

"So what are you up to while you're here?"

"Looking after you of course"

Had I been alone in the house last night, that didn't make me feel very safe, surely Ranger wouldn't allow that, would he?

"We sorted ourselves out into teams and made sure the house was safe, so after breakfast Stuart and William will be getting some sleep and Harry and I will take over. Mind you this place is like Fort Knox, cameras everywhere and motion detectors so nothing would be missed by Rangeman"

Did that mean the men at Rangeman were watching me? I mean most of them I would trust with my life and had done on numerous occasions but there were still men there I didn't know. Ricky was so like Ranger because he immediately sensed my unease at that.

"Oh don't worry about that, only the inner circle know that you're here, they were the ones who rescued you and brought you here"

Well I knew that Tank, Lester and Bobby were closest to Ranger but I wonder who else is in that inner circle? When everyone was sat down we each helped ourselves to the plates full of food in the middle, I'd learnt my lesson and only took small servings but still enjoyed the omelets that been made. As we finished eating Stuart and William bid us good night and with a laugh headed for their beds. Harry and Ricky disappeared to do their guard duty, which left me with Walter.

"Right young lady time to change that bandage and check you over. Go lay down on the couch and I'll get my things"

I did as he asked and lay quietly while he changed the dressing and checked the bruises on my ribs.

"Much better, healing nicely"

"Can I shower Walter?"

"Put a waterproof over the top of the wound on your stomach and you'll need a plastic bag over the cast. Maybe we can get the cast changed for a brace"

"What about my hair?"

"Maybe wait till tomorrow, the wounds healing and the stitches are dissolving but give it another 24 hours for the wound to seal properly"

As I sat up and readjusted my clothes a car drew up and Thomas, Arnie and Kimbo came in through the front door.

"How are you doing today?"

"Much better thank you Thomas"

"I have your papers here, where do want them?"

"I don't know"

"How about that office out from the kitchen"

Why not? So Thomas took the box and put it on the table in there. It was a beautiful room, and yes an office, with boards along one wall and a desk and computer in front of it. There were glass doors that opened onto a decking area and a large table with chairs around it, yes that would be an ideal place to meet with Ranger this afternoon.

I looked through all the papers I'd accumulated over the past few weeks; I hadn't realized I'd collected so much information. Some people would say some of it was trivial but in my mind nothing was trivial, sometimes that's all it took to solve a problem, the thread that would unwind the rest of the mystery. I was worried, no anxious really that the person who was going to be hearing my story would think I was stupid, isn't that what most people think, certainly my mother would say that. I made sure I was comfortable, I had a bottle of water on the table and some tasty cakes I'd managed to find. The window was open letting in a pleasant breeze, causing the drapes to cast eerie shadows around the room. He was due any minute now so I wasn't surprised when the door opened and he came in and sat next to me. I could tell he was in a serious mood and as he put his papers down by the side of him I straightened as much as the chair allowed me to. Was he going to be mad at me for what had happened, think of me as a disaster magnet, or would he simply laugh at me seeing me as a joke. I cleared my throat and took a sip of the water; yes I was nervous but to hell with it, with him and what he thought. This was my story and he was dam well going to take me seriously. So starting again I began to talk and to tell him my story, exactly how it had happened and the thoughts that had gone through my head.