She had composed herself and been to see her boss, telling him that she was pregnant and not feeling well and she needed to leave her shift. He had been a little taken aback by the pregnancy announcement but had told her to take as much time as she needed.
Sat in the kitchen waiting for Charles to come home she had checked her phone, the picture message from last night and the text message from today had come from two different numbers. She kept mulling over what he had said this morning when she had confronted him, becoming angrier at how calm and smug he was, why was he doing this? It didn't make any sense.
Dinner was in the oven, she had phoned her neighbour Sarah and asked if she could come round with her husband Tim at five and stay with the boys, as her and Charles needed to go somewhere urgently, Molly had mentioned that she thought they may have had someone hanging around outside the house last night so she didn't want to leave them on their own just to be on the safe side.
She had been sat in silence waiting, Charles and the boys came in just after four thirty, Charles walked through to the kitchen and she heard the boys run upstairs "hey...what you doing home early?" she moved toward the oven and got out the casserole "something happened at work today that I need to talk to you about, sit down Charles" he looked really concerned as he took a seat at the kitchen table "it's not the baby is it Molls...is everything ok with the baby...you are scaring me now...tell me?" She sat down opposite him "no the baby's fine as far as I know, it's got nothing to do with the baby" she took hold of his hand "I have been having trouble with someone at work...he's a nurse on the team" Charles looked pensive "what kind of trouble?" She thought carefully before she told him the next bit "well it's hard to explain...he has been getting too close to me in situations at work, I lost my phone and he found it and gave it back but since then I have been receiving anonymous text messages" she took a deep breath, Charles had gone pale and his forehead was creased "what do you mean too close...has he done anything...you know...inappropriate...what kind of text messages Molly?" tears started to form in her eyes "I think he was outside last night when the dogs were making a fuss...I received a photograph by text that had been taken of us making love downstairs last night, I received it after you had come back to bed and gone to sleep, it's him that sent it Charles I am sure of it" He looked so angry now "Molly why the hell didn't you tell me?" She was crying now "because I thought I could deal with it myself, I didn't want to worry you...I confronted him at work today but it all went wrong...he denied sending it...there is something about him Charles, something not right, he was cool as anything when I accused him, not even upset that I had done that, he makes my skin crawl when he looks at me...I am scared Charles" he came around the table and put his arms around her she was sobbing hard, this wasn't good for her or the baby. He passed her a couple of tissues from the box on the kitchen worktop, she dried her face and tried to compose herself, Sarah and Tim would be here soon. "Charles I want to go to the Police, I have asked Sarah and Tim to come and watch the boys, I don't want to leave them on their own"
As they left the house and got in the car Charles had started to insist they go to the hospital, he wanted to see this creep that was harassing his wife and beat the living daylights out of him. A few miles in Molly eventually convinced him that shift was over and he wouldn't be there anyway so they went to the main Police station in Preston.
A few hours later Molly had given a statement and they were on their way back, the Police had taken photographic evidence of the texts and agreed that they would interview Nurse Paul Jones despite a little reluctance on their part that there wasn't much to go on but Charles had been so insistent on Molly's behalf that they had eventually agreed to follow it up.
Molly stayed off work the following day, Charles had insisted on staying with her and had spoken to the Head to get cover for the day, needing to share that Molly was pregnant and not feeling very well at all in order not to provoke too many questions regarding his absence. The boys had taken a lift to school with Pippa and her dad and Charles had taken Molly's phone in case any more messages came, he insisted she put her feet up and get some rest whilst he waited on her hand and foot.
Mid afternoon there was a knock at the door, it was the Police Constable and his female colleague that Molly and Charles had spoken to yesterday "Mr James is Mrs James here sir...?" Charles nodded "Yes she is...please come in...through here" he took them through to the sitting room where Molly was "please take a seat" the officers smiled at them both and sat down. Charles stayed standing "Can I get you a cup of tea or coffee?" He offered "No thank you sir" both answering him virtually simultaneously. Molly sat up straight on the sofa "have you seen him then?"
The Constable answered "We have Mrs James...yes...it's a little bit delicate, it might be better if we spoke to you alone" Molly looked at Charles who was frowning at the officers "No it's fine for my husband to be here...why wouldn't it be?" The Constable raised his eyebrows "Ok Mrs James if you are sure" he paused and took a breath "well it seems that Mr Jones claims that you and he have been having a relationship Mrs James and that you gave him your mobile number"
Molly was reeling "That's rubbish...I never did that...he had my mobile...that's how he got the number...what about the picture and the message...I love my husband...I'm not having an affair...oh my god, I don't believe this he is harassing me ...you have to believe me...Charles...please" she was pleading with both the Police but also with Charles who was now ashen holding on to the back of one of the armchairs.
"Mrs James we checked the messages each one was from a different mobile number, the text message matches Mr Jones mobile number and he has been upfront that he sent this message after you..." He paused and looked at Charles "after you were together in the locker room this morning" Molly stood up "this is bullshit...he is playing you...this is crazy...please I am begging you...you have to believe me that this guy is dangerous"
The Officers got up from their seats "I am sorry Mrs James from all of the evidence presented and the enquiries that we have made we are content that this is a domestic matter" Charles saw them out when he came back to the sitting room Molly was sat forward with her head in her hands.
She looked up to meet his gaze "You do believe me don't you Charles?"