A/N Please read chapter 5 first. Thanks.

Chapter 6

She moved to see in past him as he clicked on a light bulb overhead. She took in a breath at the awful sight. Jonathan Hart was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. He had on a filthy white shirt and dusty black trousers torn at the knee. His usually immaculate hair was tossed with damp looking strands hunging down over his face. One eye had a dark purple bruise and he had a visible cut on his bottom lip. There was blood matted into the side of his face from a head wound. She couldn't equate this to the man she had seen three days before looking so sharp dressed and professional.

"Its cold, you should get him a jacket," It was all she could find to say.

"Yeah I suppose we should clean him up or something. Wait here."

She nodded dumbly as Raymond left and hurried back to the house.

When he had gone she quickly rushed to his side.

"Mr Hart, can you hear me."

He gave just a brief nod of the head.

"Mr. Hart. I'm Melany. We met briefly before. I'm going to untie you but please don't hit me or anything. I'm not part of this."

Jonathan tried to look at her.

"Melany, his keys are in the door, get his keys."

She ran quickly and discreetly took the keys out of the shed door. She then ran to untie him.

"No, no Melany. He will do that. Just….put the keys in your pocket."

Jonathan tried to get some moisture back into his mouth so he could speak.

She quickly reached out and put the cup to his lips.

Once he had drank some he took a breath and turned sore looking eyes on her.

"Melany have you seen my wife Jennifer. Is she ok?"

Melany nodded. "She's ok. She's worried about you."

Jonathan gave her a warning look as Raymond was returning.

"I found this jumper," He threw it on a barrel by the door. "I have him in here because he tried to escape. I know he looks rough, I had to defend myself against him."

Melany went to stand with Raymond.

"Yes, he's trying to blame me for everything. Tell him it wasn't me, tell him I have nothing to do with it."

"Pay no attention. These rich types are all the same. They think everyone is responsible for where they end up. Here hold this."

Melany turned pale as Raymond handed her a gun.

"Keep it trained on him the whole time."

Raymond went behind and untied Jonathan's hands. Jonathan slowly brought his aching arms around to the front and massaged his wrists.

"Hold it, don't move."

Melany held the gun out and pointed it directly at him. Her hands couldn't stop shaking. Raymond straightened up and stared at her.

"Jonathan, can you get up?" She asked.

Raymond moved forward quickly and snatched the gun from her hands.

"It's not loaded you idiot,"

She winced as he reached a hand back to smack her across the face.

Jonathan exploded out of his chair. He went for Raymond punching him in the stomach and trying for a blow to the head. As injured as Jonathan was it was a weak effort.

Melany screamed as Raymond turned and smacked Jonathan across the face with the gun. He fell backwards over the chair and landed hard on the cement floor.

"Now that was your fault. Once his hands were untied, I had to hit him back to make sure he wouldn't attack us."

He took her by the arm and pushed her out of the door.

"We'll leave him there for a while, where's the key?"

Melany shook her head but her face immediately went red.

"Ugh I must have left it in the house. Wait here. No actually I'll take you in with me. I don't trust you. "

He took hold of her arm and marched her into the house.

"Stand there," he was about to move off but came back. She gasped as he took hold of the front of her jacket.

"You move from that spot and I'll kill you."

Melany tried to be brave but as he set off to search for the keys tears began to well in her eyes. As menacing as he was she felt maybe she should just tell him she had the keys.

She was about to call out to him but a sudden sound outside made her turn.

"Mr. Hart,"

He quickly took hold of her hand and brought her outside.

He now had an angry gash to his cheek which looked darker in the failing light

"Keys," he held out his hand for them.

"You can't drive, you're wounded. I'll drive. "

Jonathan nodded reluctantly. He stumbled over to the passenger side and got in.

Melany got in and started it up. She immediately put her foot on the gas. The car lurched awkwardly forward.

Jonathan looked at her.

"Do you know how to drive?"

"Well…no. Not really."

"He's coming back."

Jonathan quickly locked the doors and put the gear stick in the reverse position.

"Now hit that pedal."

She slammed down on the pedal and the car reversed at speed, destroying the front of the shed behind.

"Oh he's coming, what do I do now Mr. Hart?"

When he didn't answer she looked over.

"Mr. Hart please." She tried to shake him awake.

Raymond was hammering on the window.

"Open it, open it or I'll kill you both…..bitch."

He began searching around for something to smash the window.

"Mr. Hart please….wake up."

Melany began screaming as a metal pike was slammed into the window on her side.

"No please don't." She cried out in terror.

Again and again he slammed at the window. She covered her ears against the awful sound as a spiders web of glass threatened to come in on top of her.

She began to search around her door for the lock.

"No, that button." He pointed, his face flaming red with temper.

She looked over at Jonathan. He was out cold, there was nothing more she could do. She pressed the button.

Immediately Raymond dropped the metal bar and pulled open the door. He took hold and pulled her outside throwing her to the ground.

He then picked up the bar and walked around to the passenger side. Melany scrambled to her feet.

"No please don't hurt him, please Mr. Raymond," She shrieked as she tried to take hold of his arm.

He shook her off and she fell to the ground.

"I'm a gentleman, I don't hit girls. But pompous rich….."

He froze.

She had gotten to her feet. She staggered towards him.

"Please, you'll kill him."

But Raymond wasn't listening to her. He was staring out at the road.

Suddenly he pushed her out of the way and took off running.

She watched him as he took off running toward the trees and then she heard it too, the distant sound of police sirens.

She went quickly to the Passenger door and flung it open.

She didn't want to touch him, he seemed so badly injured.

His head turned slightly.

"Melany, where is he…..Melany I'm sorry….I can't help."

"It's ok. It's ok Mr. Hart. Help is coming." she breathed as tears of relief filled her eyes.

She took hold of his hand. "We're ok now Sir, we're ok now."

~o~

She was manhandled out of the way as a team of paramedics converged on the car.

"Where is he?" the inspector rounded on her.

She pointed to the trees and a whole team armed to the teeth headed off in that direction. Her grime streaked face turned to watch as the paramedics worked to make him more comfortable and transfer him to the waiting ambulance. Her eyes went wide as among the crowd of police she suddenly spotted a familiar face.

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. I could follow up with why didn't you tell me about any of this."

"Mom I just didn't want to worry you."

"Melany look at me."

Melany turned her tear stained face up to look at her mother.

"Melany, I am a cancer survivor, I am also your mother. You don't have to look after me anymore. You don't need to hide things from me. We're in this together. Your problems are my problems. Got it?"

Melany's exhausted face broke into a smile.

"Got it."

~O~

Jennifer knew enough not to interfere but it was killing her. His face was so bruised looking and he didn't appear to be conscious. She sobbed quietly as she watched from the sidelines as they gave him oxygen and hooked him up to a portable heart monitor.

"Is he alright, please say he's alright." She muttered, hugging arms around herself as she watched helplessly.

Finally they were ready to transfer him to the ambulance.

The chief paramedic called directions to the others.

"Ok, we have three cracked ribs. We don't want them stabbing any vital organs so go slow everyone."

As soon as he was in place Jennifer scrambled into the ambulance and took her seat across from him.

The paramedic smiled patiently at the distraught woman.

"Ma'am could you just lean back so we can strap you in Then you can hold his hand."

"Yes of course, I'm sorry," Jennifer nodded as she sat back.

Soon they were barreling along at speed towards the nearest hospital. The paramedic watched constantly the monitors overhead and took notes.

Jennifer stroked his hand and spoke gently to him little knowing if he could hear her or not.

She looked up anxiously as an alarm went off on the heart monitor overhead.

The paramedic saw it too.

"He's trying to come round"

He lurched forward suddenly straining wildly against the straps holding him in place.

The paramedic leaped forward and tried to keep all the wires and oxygen in place as the patient struggled against his bonds.

"Mr. Hart, can you hear me. Try and calm down Sir you are on the way to the hospital."

Jennifer quickly undid the straps holding her to the seat. She went to him running a gentle hand over his face.

"Jonathan, it's alright. Jonathan you're safe now."

"Jennifer." A look of immense relief came over his face at hearing her voice.

"He told me you were dead. He told me he had killed you."

"Shh, sweetheart I'm alright Everything is going to be alright now."

"Jennifer," His face relaxed into a weak smile.

"Never so glad to see anyone in my….."

His voice trailed away as heavy lids began to close.

"The pain medication will have kicked in. That's why he appears so drowsy. It's nothing to worry about."

Jennifer gave her a smile of gratitude as the paramedic checked him over once more.

~o~

Melany came in quietly as Jonathan was on the phone.

He quickly finished up his call and greeted her with a smile.

"If this is a bad time I could come back."

"If I smell hamburgers this is definitely a good time."

She giggled as she reached into the bag and took out a large burger and fries for him.

"Aw thanks Melany, I'm starving. The lunch room was full when I went down so I didn't bother. Here pull up a chair for yourself."

She sat down on the plush leather arm chair and took a big bite of her burger.

"Before you leave go see Stanley about getting money from petty cash. You're not paying for this."

"I wanna pay for it. It's the least I can do. Mom says thanks, you know for everything. She's really embarrassed. "

"She has nothing to thank me for. You were underpaid for months. I'm only giving back what I owe you. You were exploited under my roof. I'm never going to let that happen again."

"It wasn't you Mr. Hart, it was him…."

Her face began to darken as memories came flooding back.

Jonathan thought it best to change the subject.

"So how's school, have you settled in ok?"

She pulled a face.

"There's this new guy and he is just driving me crazy."

"How so?"

"He sits beside me in math class and he just knows everything. He's a real brain. And you know in gym he is such a show off. He can do triple somersaults and land on his feet. And he makes a point of running faster than everyone else when he's doing track. He thinks I'm impressed. As if…."

"You take a very keen interest in all this young man's comings and goings."

She flushed red from her neck upwards.

"No, it's not like that." She grinned.

Jonathan took another bite of his burger and continued .

"Are you quite sure?"

"Stop it…" she grinned "If he weren't such a jock maybe."

Melany frowned as Jonathan suddenly gathered up his food and put it under his desk.

She turned as Jennifer walked through the door and came up to join them.

"Oh what's that, have you got something nice?"

She came quickly around his desk.

"No," he told her pointedly.

"Oh French fries."

Melany laughed as Jennifer dug her hand in, took a load of French fries and put them in her mouth.

"Get off." Jonathan protested as she went for another load.

"You can have some of mine," Melany held out her bag.

Jennifer grappled with her husband as she spoke.

"No, that is kind of you Melany but Jonathan is my husband, he must learn to share."

"Ow!"

"Thank you." Jennifer grinned as she held up his burger and took a large bite.

The End