Chapter 2 – Trouble (long)
Chief Burke took a deep breath, then turned to Jack and the young woman. He took off his hat as he approached.
"Hey Chief." Jack said.
"Afternoon, Jack." Chief Burke said. "Miss, may I talk to you? Also, I need to see your id for the record."
As Elizabeth reached for her id in her back pocket, she looked at Jack and then back at Chief Burke.
"Can Jack stay here?" She asked, handing over her id.
"If that is what you want." Chief Burke said. "My name is Chief James Burke, but you can call me Chief or James. What is your name?"
"Elizabeth Thatcher." She whispered.
"I promise, Chief won't hurt you." Jack said. "You can trust him."
"You won't leave will you?" Elizabeth asked, looking at Jack.
"I will stay here as long as you want." Jack said. "I know that you don't want to talk about it, but Chief Burke needs to hear what happened. It is the only way that he can help you."
"You will just let him go like everyone else." Elizabeth huffed.
"I promise." Chief Burke said. "If someone hurt you, I will not let them get away with it. I don't care who they are."
Elizabeth looked at Jack and he nodded.
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I came into the city with my friend. She had to do something with the drama department over at Columbia. I didn't want to hang around, so I caught a cab over here. When I got to the park, I saw that Charlie and his friends had followed me. I saw him at Columbia, but I didn't talk to him. I have told him to leave me alone, but he doesn't seem to get the hint.
Him and his friends followed me into the park. They confronted me. Charlie grabbed my arm, I tried to get away. That was when Jack and his friend stepped in. When they were all talking, I was able to get away from Charlie. I ran to Jack here."
"So you said that Charlie has bothered you in the past." Chief Burke said. "What has he done?"
"He has asked me out a number of times." Elizabeth said. "I have always told him no. In the last couple of months, he shows up when I don't want him to. It is like he is following me at times. He keeps trying to get me to come back to his frat house. He somehow got my number and he calls me all the time. I have told my father, but my father doesn't seem to see anything wrong with Charlie and told me that it was good to have such an important young man take an interest in me. I don't want his attention, I have told him repeatedly. I went to the local police and they told me that Charlie didn't do anything wrong. One of them also said I should be flattered that Charlie wants me. I was angry that they wouldn't do anything."
"Can you tell me Charlie's last name?" Chief Burke asked.
Elizabeth could be seen shaking. Jack wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and pulled him to her. He stroked her hair to get her to calm down. Jack looked at Chief Burke.
"It was Charlie Kensington." Jack said. "He was with Adam Miller and I didn't recognize the other."
"Eric Simmons." Elizabeth whispered.
"Thank you." Chief Burke said. "Did they hurt you today?"
"My wrist." Elizabeth said.
"Can I have a look?" Chief Burke asked.
Elizabeth slowly extended her arm. Jack kept his arms around her, stroking her hair. Chief Burke took Elizabeth's hand.
"Sorry, if this hurts." Chief Burke said. "But I need to move your sleeve up just a bit."
Chief Burke slid up her sleeve and revealed bruises forming on her wrist.
"Can I get a picture of this for the file?" Chief Burke asked.
Elizabeth nodded. Chief Burke waved over one of his officers and pulled out a small ruler from his pocket. He laid it on Elizabeth's wrist as the other officer took a couple pictures. When the other officer was done, he pulled her sleeve back down.
"Thank you Elizabeth." Chief Burke said. "I think I should have one of my officers take you home."
"Doug and I can." Jack said. "We have my Jeep."
"As long as Jack doesn't mind." Elizabeth said. "I feel better with him."
"That is fine." Chief Burke said. "Here is my card, if your father has any questions, he can call me. If you have any more problems with Mr Kensington, please call me. I will be having a conversation with him and his friends."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said.
"Call your friend and tell her you're headed home." Chief Burke said. "You can tell her what you want, but I think at least for the time being, you should not be alone in the city."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "My friend is a member of the drama department at Columbia. She is a student there. I will be joining her in the fall at Columbia. I know that I should maybe go somewhere else, given that Charlie is a student there, but I had my heart set on going there."
"Well." Jack said. "Doug and I will be students there in the fall with our friend Lee. If you still want to go to school there, we will be there for you."
"You don't have to do that." Elizabeth said.
"It would be my honor." Jack said. "We could all use a few more friends. You and your friend can hang out with Doug and I and our friend Lee."
"If you are concerned." Chief Burke said. "You don't need to be Jack, Doug and Lee are great. I don't just say that because Doug is my son. Honestly, they will not bother you if you don't want to."
"I will think about it." Elizabeth said.
"That is all I ask." Jack said. "I will leave you my number and email. You can contact me if you want. Also if you want to come into the city, Doug and I would be more than willing to meet you and make sure that you are okay. Doug and I will be gone for a couple of weeks, but will be back in the first part of July."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "Can you just take me home? I don't want to have to explain things to my father."
"Doug and I can talk to him." Jack said.
"Thank you Jack." Chief Burke said. "I will leave you be. I have everything I need from you Miss Thatcher. Please call me if you need anything."
Elizabeth nodded. Chief Burke walked away and then talked to his son for a moment.
"Miss Thatcher." Jack said. "My name is Jack Thornton. Are you ready?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "You can call me Elizabeth. I am sorry about all of this."
"Don't be sorry." Jack said. "I am just glad that you will be okay. So the other young man with me is Douglas Burke, but he likes to be called Doug. Don't ever feel bad about what happened. You didn't do anything wrong. Charlie Kensington is a skunk and needs to be taught a lesson."
"I take it, you know who he is?" Elizabeth asked.
"We have crossed paths a few times." Jack said. "I don't like him and the way he treats people."
Doug walked up and looked at Jack and Elizabeth.
"Doug." Jack said. "This is Miss Elizabeth Thatcher. Elizabeth, this is Douglas Burke."
"You can call me Doug." He said. "I hear we are taking you home. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I don't want to have to explain to my father what would happen if I was brought home by the police."
"We will talk to your father." Doug said.
"Jack said the same thing." Elizabeth said. "Are you sure that this won't be out of your way?"
"Oh no problem." Jack said. "My mother is hosting a number of ladies for tea. Probably better if we aren't in the house. Though I am sure that they are planning our futures, or so they think."
"I get it." Elizabeth said with a hint of a smile.
"Hey." Doug said. "Let's walk back toward Jack's Jeep. I was thinking of getting some coffee. Would you like some coffee?"
"Oh." Elizabeth said. "That sounds great. Rosie and I were going to eat when she was done at Columbia."
"Well." Jack said. "If you want something to eat, we can grab something. Call your friend while we walk you back to the Jeep."
Elizabeth pulled out her phone and sent Rosie a text and let her know that she was heading home and that they would talk later. When they got to the Jeep, Doug unlocked it and jumped in the driver's seat.
"I thought you said it was yours, Jack." Elizabeth said.
"Doug is more familiar with the area." Jack said. "So I let him drive. It was just that we left my house. Give him your address and we will swing by and grab some coffee."
Doug swung through the local coffee shop. While they were waiting, Doug turned to Elizabeth.
"So what do you want?"
"A caramel macchiato." Elizabeth said.
"Anything to eat?" Doug asked.
"A chocolate topped croissant if they have them." Elizabeth said.
"Jack." Doug said. "Usual?"
"Yeah." Jack said.
When they got to the board, Doug ordered a large caramel macchiato for Elizabeth and a large black coffee for each of him and Jack, his with a couple of cream. Doug also asked if they had any chocolate croissants and then ordered three of them. When they got to the window, Jack handed Doug his card.
"I can pay for mine." Elizabeth said.
"Nope." Jack said. "My treat. It is the least that I can do after what you have been through."
"Thank you again." Elizabeth said.
They got their drinks and headed to Elizabeth's house. Jack wasn't sure about the chocolate croissant, but cut one in half and tried it.
"I am not normally one for sweets." Jack said. "But these are pretty good."
"Except your ice cream." Doug said with a smile.
Elizabeth smiled at Doug's comment. After picking up their coffee, Doug headed north toward Elizabeth's home in North Riverdale. Jack and Elizabeth talked most of the way with Doug commenting once and awhile. It seemed to Doug that Jack and Elizabeth forgot that he was there, but he didn't mind. He could see the spark in Jack's eyes that he hadn't seen there in a very long time. When they pulled up to her family's home, Elizabeth looked at her father's car. She didn't want to deal with him. Doug barely had the car in park when a man, he assumed was Elizabeth's father, was out the door and coming toward them.
"Elizabeth." Mr Thatcher said. "Are you okay? Rosemary called and was worried."
Mr Thatcher stopped when he saw Elizabeth climb out of the Jeep along with two gentlemen that he had never seen before. One had a protective arm around Elizabeth's shoulder and Mr Thatcher didn't like what he saw.
"Mr Thatcher?" Doug asked.
"Yes." He said. "I am William Thatcher, Elizabeth's father. Who are you?"
"My name is Douglas Burke." Doug said. "That is my friend Jack. My father tasked us with making sure that Elizabeth got home safely. I want to start by saying that she is fine, a little shaken up by fine."
"What happened?" William demanded.
Jack didn't like the tone that William Thatcher had taken with Doug. But for Jack, his first priority was making sure that Elizabeth was safe. He wasn't confident that she was safe, he wasn't going to leave her here. Jack looked to Doug who caught his eye that he wanted him to explain. Doug squared his shoulders and took a step closer to William Thatcher. At the same time, Jack took a step back, taking Elizabeth with him.
"She was accosted in Central Park." Doug said. "It was Charlie Kensington and two of his friends. We heard Elizabeth yelling and stepped in. After they fled, we called my father Chief James Burke. He came and took a report. He will be following up on things. He said to call him if you have questions. Here is his card."
"Seriously Elizabeth." William said. "You called the cops on Charlie."
Elizabeth started crying again, she turned and buried her face in Jack's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back to try and get her to calm down. It was breaking Jack's heart to see her hurt like that. He was also not happy with Mr Thatcher and the way that he spoke to Elizabeth. He may have been her father, but he didn't seem concerned that she had been hurt by this young man that he apparently held in high esteem. Jack knew that he had to say something.
"Excuse me Sir." Jack said. "Charlie Kensington is an ass. He grabbed Elizabeth's wrist and left bruises. I shudder to think what would have happened to your daughter if Doug and I hadn't been there. Charlie Kensington has a reputation and it isn't a good one. Just because his father has money and usually has paid to make things go away doesn't mean that he is to be trusted. Fortunately, for Elizabeth, Doug and I were there. His father is not going to be able to buy his way out of trouble this time."
"You have no idea what you are talking about." William bellowed.
"I know more than you think." Jack said. "Think what you want, but I know what I know."
"How can a nobody like you know anything." William said.
Jack didn't respond, but just looked at Doug. Doug understood the look in Jack's eye and took a step back and wasn't going to say anything about Jack's background. Jack gave William Thatcher a moment to think about what he said. In the meantime, he gave Elizabeth a hug, then took her by the shoulder and moved her away from him a step. He took his finger and lifted her chin so she was looking at him in the eye.
"Elizabeth." Jack said. "Are you going to be okay?"
She nodded to him, still unable to speak.
"You have my number as well as Doug's." Jack continued. "Please call us if you need anything, I mean anything. Also don't hesitate to call Chief Burke. I know that I said we were going to be gone for the next few weeks, but if you need anything, I can come back. We are only going upstate to my grandparents. Now, don't forget to ice your wrist.
We leave on Saturday morning, but feel free to call me if you need anything. I will be back by the end of the month. Please don't let Charlie chase you away from Columbia. The offer stands, you can hang out with Doug and I and our other friend Lee anytime. You and your friend Rosemary. Tell me you heard and understand me."
"I understand." Elizabeth said. "Can I call you tomorrow?"
"You can call me anytime." Jack said. "Do you need anything before we leave?"
"Just my coffee that is still in the Jeep." Elizabeth said.
Doug stepped back and grabbed Elizabeth's coffee and the remaining croissants. He promptly handed them to her and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said before Doug stepped away.
"No problem." Doug said. "Just glad we were there."
William Thatcher stood there dumbfounded as he watched the interaction between his daughter and the two young men. There was something familiar about Jack, but he couldn't quite place it. Either way, he didn't like the way that the young man looked at Elizabeth. William had had high hopes when Charlie Kensington had shown an interest in Elizabeth. He knew that marrying into the Kensington family would have been good for business and it would have made Elizabeth set for life. It wasn't like they were poor, but they weren't as well off as many of the families that he worked for. Before Elizabeth turned and headed into the house, she leaned up and gave Jack a kiss on the check. William had never seen her like that with a guy and he was worried. Jack was taken aback with the kiss from Elizabeth, but he reasoned that it was just her way of showing her appreciation after an emotionally charged afternoon. Jack had to keep telling himself that, but his heart had other ideas.
"Thank you Jack." Elizabeth said as she turned and walked to the house.
"Take care of her, Sir." Jack said. "She was pretty shaken up when it happened. She probably won't want to talk about it, so please give her space. Have a good evening."
Jack didn't wait for a response, but turned and headed back to the Jeep. As soon as the door was closed, Doug backed out of the driveway and headed back to the city. He had planned to give Jack a few minutes to think before he checked how he was doing but Jack beat him to it.
"Before you ask." Jack said. "I am fine. Please don't tell my mother about Elizabeth. She won't understand."
"Understand what?" Doug asked.
"That I am going to marry that girl someday." Jack said.
Doug slammed on the brakes and pulled over.
"Marriage?" Doug exclaimed. "Where did that come from? You just met her, you don't even know her."
"Forget it." Jack said. "I didn't think you would understand. Just forget about it."
"No, I won't." Doug said. "You have never talked about marriage before. I won't say anything, but I think that you need to be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."
"I will be careful." Jack said. "I just don't know, it feels like I have known Elizabeth my whole life, not just a few hours. I promise I will be careful, just don't say anything."
"Okay." Doug said. "I won't say anything, but I will be keeping an eye on you."
"Fine." Jack said.
Doug pulled back into traffic and drove back to the city. They didn't talk for the rest of the drive, but that was okay. Jack was lost in thought. He hadn't meant to tell Doug about what he was thinking about Elizabeth, but it just popped out. Doug knew that he would have to keep an eye on Jack. He was glad that Jack was happy, but he was worried that he was going to get his heart broken. Doug realized even more that the trip to Jack's grandparents might be a good thing. It would put some distance between him and Elizabeth. Maybe Jack would have a clearer head when they got back