Chapter 11. Vixen or victim
Sarah opened her eyes to the sounds of a heavy hand pounding on her door. "Just a minute." She moaned as she pulled on a robe. She leaned her head on the door. "Who's there?"
"Sarah Anne, you open this door this instant." A voice growled.
"Daddy." She whispered as she undid the locks. Opening the door she pulled her hair back from her face. "What time is it?"
"Time to pack you up and bring you home," Her father moved into the room past her quickly. "Get packed."
"Good morning to you too," Sarah closed the door.
Robert shot a look that would chill the worst criminal, "Did you hear me?"
Sarah walked past him and sat down. "I'm not going anywhere." She looked at him and motioned him to be seated as well. "Did you leave Karen and Toby at home?"
"Yes." He said calmly.
"Good, then we can clear this up between just us." She leaned on her knees. "Daddy, I'm not running away this time."
"This time?" He looked at her with narrowing eyes.
"Yes, this time." She sighed. "I have a habit of running when things get tough… Like when you married Karen and had Toby." She looked into her father's eyes. "I can't keep doing that, it's not healthy." Squaring her shoulders she added. "I'm a Williams, and we don't run from trouble, we face it head on." Having made the statement she seemed pleased. "Would you like a cup of tea?"
Robert leaned back in the chair he'd seated himself in. "Yes…and I want you to tell me what happened."
"I'd be happy to, because I think I'm going to need a good lawyer….know of any?" She teased heading for the sink and the tea kettle.
Robert snickered, "One or two."
Sarah pulled tea bags out of the canister she kept them in. "Riha I were having a grand time yesterday. We went to the carnival and then were ending the evening at a coffee house in town. It's a wonderful place, lots of ambiance. You know the kind of place. Serves coffee and munchies…is a haven for poets and artsy types." She began to tell her side of the story. "We go there often enough to be known by the owner, Tommy Miller. He throws a really fun party for Halloween."
"Go on." Her father urged.
"We have curfews here on the school grounds." She reminded her father gently. "Riha and I noticed we were cutting it close, and left the party. We chose to go through the park as it's the shortest distance to the school gate. Half way though the park, we were attacked by the local thug bully and his two stupid companions. One of whom is wearing a nice new scar complements of mom's cat claws."
A faint smile came to Robert's lips. "You clawed one?"
"Yep." She nodded. "I took a bite of his hand too."
"Sarah…"
"Daddy they were hurting Riha, all I could think of was getting free and protecting her." Sarah said slowly. "But the thug threw her down hard, and … I heard her ankle snap. She passed out…."
"And the cops showed up?" Her father asked.
"No, just the cavalry; on motorcycles," Sarah handed her father his tea. "You ever hear of King Industries?" her father nodded. "Ok, I've sort of made the acquaintance of Jareth King. He and some of his friends frequent the coffee house…we were sitting with them and our friend Conner before we tried to beat curfew. He got worried when he found we'd left with out an escort and came looking for us. He called for the ambulance and stayed with me until Riha was settled."
"I see." Her father sipped the tea. "Did you report the attack?"
"Yes," she sighed. "That's when I found out the local thug is the son of the local police chief." She looked at her father. "I over heard the cop telling Jareth King this information."
Robert gave thoughtful reflection to the tale told him. "There were a great many details left out by Mr. Gregory when he called us. I wonder if he didn't want me to rush up here and take you two girls away from here."
"Daddy, we can't run." Sarah stated firmly. "Both Riha and I love our classes. We are doing really well… and it's not right."
"I agree." Robert said at long last. "I'll pay a visit to the court house, after you and I pick up Riha."
Sarah crossed the room to hug her father. "You're the best."
"No, Sarah if I were the best…" He paused. "You're here because I was too stubborn to see that you needed to know what was going on… I never told you about Karen. Hell, I don't think I ever told you what was going on when your mother left." He placed his hand oh his daughter's face. "Ok, Sarah, we fight… united."
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Jareth was in one of the company cars; he dialed the school and asked what was the direct line number to the Bell Hall Studio. He then dialed and waited, when there was no answer he dialed the hospital and was informed that Riha was being processed. He dialed another number and Hog answered. "Hog, did you tell the crew I want them at Bell Hall?" He listened and smiled. "Good, I'm on my way. I want to see if we can get that old freight elevator working before Miss McMannon arrives." He hung up the car phone and headed toward the school.
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Sarah had chosen clothes she knew would be easy for Riha to handle with her leg in a cast. She helped her cousin dress after the nurse was dismissed from the room. She had brought with her Riha's brush and some hair pins so the girl could make herself presentable.
"So Conner Channing just sat there with you the whole time?" Riha asked in awe.
"Yep, would not leave until he was sure you were alright." Sarah said watching her cousin pining up her hair. "He's very nice, don't you think?"
"Stop fishin' Sarah!" Riha ordered. "If ye want to know my feelings just ask."
Sarah snorted. "Fine, what do you think of him?"
"I think he's the kind o man a woman can love her entire life though." There was sadness in Riha's voice.
"That's not exactly the tone I was expecting." Sarah moved closer. "Are you not telling me something?"
The Irish girl looked down, placing her hands in her lap. "Sarah, darlin' there are things I canna discuss…not even with ye." Sniffing the girl looked up at the ceiling. "Is Uncle Robert talking to the Doctor?"
Sarah nodded. "Yes."
Riha frowned. "How am I gonna get up to our room?"
"Don't worry, we'll find a way, even if I have to hog tie you to my back and haul you up."
Riha giggled at the thought.
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As Robert pulled into the drive of the school he noticed the activity near Bell Hall. "What in the world is going on?" He mused.
Sarah looked out the window. "I don't know."
Pulling into the lot along side the building Robert was greeted by Conner Channing who was rushing over to the car. "Mr. Williams? I'm Conner Channing a friend of your daughters' and Miss McMannon."
Riha looked at the workmen and then at Conner, "What's going on?"
"Jareth," Conner pointed to the man ordering other's about. "He called in a crew of friends to get the freight elevator working for you. And he found out there was this lift stored in the basement, and he and the boys set it up."
Jareth looked over waved, turned to give another set of orders. After making sure things were up to his standard, he headed toward the car and the group of people standing there. He smiled at Sarah before looking at her father and extending his hand. "Jareth King, you must be Sarah's father."
Robert looked at the man in casual attire, and then at Sarah. "Yes, I'm Robert Williams." His look told Sarah he was not happy with the situation. "How old are you?" he asked the man directly.
Jareth smiled, "I never tell my age on a first date." His accent deepened.
Robert assessed the man and again tried the direct approach. "You know Sarah's only seventeen?"
The blond with mismatched eyes shrugged. "Age is a rather subjective state of mind, I find."
Robert snorted, "Don't give me that 60's crap! I used that same line…." He heard Sarah gasp and he sent her a scolding glance.
Jareth was amused by this but offered an olive branch. "Mr. Williams, let me assure you for now Sarah is only a friend. I won't speculate where our relationship is headed." He looked past the fuming man toward the young woman.
Sarah thought changing the subject was a better way to handle it. "What's going on here?"
"When I did the original inspection of the building I noticed the freight elevator." Jareth stated. "It was in sad condition, but not hopeless. It was on the list of things to be renovated, so we did it first so your cousin has easy access to the studio. "He pointed to the lift at the end of the ramp. "That was supposed to be installed years ago, but when the building turned offices and storage, it was dumped in the basement. Hog's going to test it now," waving toward the man he watched and got the okay signal back. "You're all set, Miss McMannon."
"Thank you, Mr. King." Riha said lightly.
Headmaster Gregory had been inspecting the lift and came toward them. "Mr. Williams, good to see you… I wish the circumstances were better."
Robert nodded, but suggested they had enough talk. He wanted to get Riha settled up in her rooms. Jareth excused himself saying he really had to oversee his crew. Sarah watched him go with a lack of enthusiasm. She followed her father and cousin up.
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Sarah warmed some soup and asked her father if there was anything else she could get for him. He told her he was going to call Karen and then go to the police station. Before lunch was cleared from the table there was a knock on the door. Sarah worried it was Jareth, but opening the door revealed the officer from the night before and the Headmaster.
"We've arrested Tony Davis, you and your cousin have to come to the station to make formal complaint and identify Davis and his companions. I warn you," The officer said quietly. "The Chief is really pissed."
Sarah looked at Riha. "She's just gotten home…she needs to rest."
Robert cleared his throat and Sarah went silent. "Sarah, get Riha's jacket, and let's go." His voice had taken on his court room calm, something every lawyer who'd come up against him feared. Even the officer standing there recognized the sound of authority, and he offered them a ride. Robert declined saying his car was better for Riha's condition.
Less than half an hour later they were ushered into a room, not the usual kind to identify a witness, and Robert smelled a rat. Chief Davis came in and frowned at the girls in what he hoped would amount to an intimidation that didn't need to be voiced. He had not counted on Mr. Williams being present. He looked at the girls again and asked in a dark tone. "Do you young women think this is a joke, bringing someone up on charges?"
Sarah felt the anger in the pit of her stomach, but her father's jaw clench told her to keep still.
The Chief glared at Sarah then at began to turn his attention on the girl with crutches. "I suppose you intend to say my son did this."
"You know he did."Sarah whispered, "I wish you'd face the truth." She grumbled.
The man looked as if he'd been hit by a thunderbolt. "How bad is it?" His voice now showed human concern.
Riha had heard the wish, and then witnessed the change in the Police Chief. She swallowed hard and looked at the man. "Bad enough."
The officer asked them to be seated at the table. "My son says that you were enticing him." He addressed the girl with the crutch. "He says you had been flirting and then it got out of hand…"
"I never saw your son that day until he accosted us in the park." Riha said flatly.
The Chief pushed his hat back. "I was afraid of this…do you have witnesses to where you were?"
"We do." Sarah assured him.
Before the Chief could say anything else the door opened up loudly, Tony Davis strutted in as if he owned the world. He sneered at the girls, not seeing his father's face. "Let's get this over with." He sat down, glancing at Riha's foot in a cast. "Nice touch, but it won't do you any good…" Chief Davis wordlessly slid an envelope over to Tony, he opened it and looked at the doctors' report that the officer had brought down with him. The young man's face lost some of its bravado. Tony looked over at the girls, "Is this on the level?" He then took notice of the man sitting with them. "Is it?" he asked.
Robert extended his hand and took the report, read it over, and returned it to the young man. "It's accurate." His voice was cold and steel edged.
Tony ran a hand though his raggedly cut hair. "Damn it, it was supposed to be just a joke… a prank…." He looked at Riha. "You spit on me…" he accused.
"You were digging your hands into my arms, what did you expect me to do?" Riha's voice sounded like a gun going off.
Chief Davis muttered in a voice he didn't use often. "I've warned you about your temper."
"I know." The young man exclaimed then looked at the girls. He looked down at Riha's leg in the cast. "I never meant to hurt you, just scare you." He sat back looking totally disgusted. "It was just supposed to scare you." He looked over at Sarah. "Megan said if you were going to dress and act like a vixen you should be treated as one."
"Megan?" Sarah's nails dug into the table. "You and your friends attacked us because of Megan?"
"We didn't attack you…" Tony quibbled.
"Yes you did, you stalked us down a street and though the park." Sarah snapped, not fearing the bully.
He glared at her. "You have to admit, you were dressed provocatively." His lip curled as he spoke and his yellow teeth showed. "That cat suit left nothing to the imagination."
Chief Davis looked at Sarah, "Cat costume?"
Tony's lids hooded his eyes, "It was a come on, and you had to know it."
"It was not an open invitation to be attacked," Sarah's jaw was firmly set. "I didn't invite your attention, and you know it. You and your friends attacked us, and one of your friends is wearing a new scar from my claws."
Chief Davis wrote something on a note pad. He slid it over to Robert; it said 'Aggravated battery'. Robert nodded. The Chief looked at his son, "I'd prefer if this didn't come to trial… we can have an adjudicator if you like."
Robert looked at the young man who was not repentant but knew he was caught. "I think we can come to terms." He looked at the young man. "If we take this to trial, your father becomes a laughing stock and you go to prison for up to three years."
Tony's smirk disappeared. "What? What do you mean go to prison?"
Robert knew he had the young man's full attention now. "The charge would be aggravated battery, as one of the young ladies was injured. In this state that carries a sentence of no less than one year and up to three years in the state prison. It also carries a fine, which is mostly left up to the judge."
Tony looked from Robert to his father. "Is that true?" seeing the expression his father wore the young man shook his head. "I can't go to prison! I can't… not for some dumb joke." He looked at Robert, "I can't."
Robert's face remained calm. "If you agree to my terms there'll be no prison. If not…"
The young man licked dry lips. "What terms?"
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Sarah was glad when her father finally stopped hovering and went home. She helped Riha get settled and then settled herself. She understood why her father had taken the actions he had. Officers of the court and Law Enforcement had to work hand in hand, it didn't mean she had to like the settlement. Still she was sure it was just.
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Megan left the school grounds as night fell; her wanderings took her to the old grove of trees where she often met Tony. He was seated on a tree stump, looking reflective. Hearing her footfalls, he looked up and glared at her.
Megan looked at him with an expression of questioning. "Why didn't you come to see me this afternoon….I thought we were going to the second day of festival."
"As of today," he said tossing his cigarette away. "You and I are finished. You're poison, baby, and I'm not having any. You and your stupid ideas." He said snarling.
"What happened?" She asked pretending she cared.
"Hasn't the whole school been buzzing? Your little prank backfired on us, Meg…The Irish girl got hurt."
"Oh so what, one stupid little foreigner getting hurt and you want to break off our relationship?" Megan scoffed. She moved closer.
Tony backed away from her as if she were fire. "Your one little foreigner has an uncle who's a big time lawyer!"
"Surely your father could get around that." She snipped.
"No, Meg…not with that Irish girl's broken ankle he couldn't…. If it came to trail, I'd be going to prison… just because you don't like those two." He shook his head. "It was all fun and games when it was messing with words and playing intimation games. But prison…I'm out."
Megan grabbed his arm and glared at him like a wild woman. "You're not out until I say you are." She growled.
"Get a new boy to do your dirty work, Meg…" he pulled free of her grasp. "I won't be around to do it for you."
"What are you talking about?"
Tony shoved hands deep into his pants pockets. "I'm being sent away… it's part of the terms I agreed to so I don't have to go to prison, Meg."
"Sent away where?" She looked worried.
"I'm not at liberty to say." He looked away from her. "And even if I was, I don't think I would." He began to walk toward the street. "See I've been sitting here and thinking Meg. You've used me… oh I let you, and it was fun… but you used me. This time it went too far…but it could have been worse. If those bikers hadn't shown up, I hate to think what me and the boys would have done to that Irish girl…" He turned to look at the teenager one more time. "Do your own dirty work, Meg. Stop finding stooges like me… or that Ellen… Have a nice life babe." He turned back to the road and walked away.
"Loser." Megan muttered to herself. "I'm better off without you." She shrugged off his words of warning, and returned to school.