Chapter 2

The house was in darkness when Leah arrived home from the diner. As she fumbled for the light switch in the kitchen, her foot struck something soft. Flicking on the light, Leah screamed.

"Charlie! Oh my god! What happened?"

Charlie was slumped on the floor, her arms bruised, a trickle of blood running from the corner of her mouth. Her dress was ripped and her panties were indelicately wrapped around one ankle. Charlie's gaze was fixed in the middle distance. "I said no," she whispered.

"Thanks for coming over Rach, I didn't know who else to call." Leah ushered Rachel through to the kitchen, were Charlie was still slumped. "I think she's been…" Leah paused not wanting to say the word.

As Rachel entered and Leah entered the kitchen, there was no need for Leah to finish her sentence.

"Have you called the station to report this?" Leah shook her head. "No, I called you first. I think…" it was the police. She gulped, not wanting to contemplate who had actually done this.

Rachel knelt on the floor next to Charlie and took Charlie's hand. "Charlie, its Rachel. Can you tell me what happened?"

Her eyes still fixed on some unknown point Charlie whispered hoarsely "I said no."

Leah grabbed the house phone, and scrolled through looking for the number she wanted. It was near the end of the list. She hit dial and it started ringing.

"Constable Watson speaking." Watson's face became serious as Leah quickly explained. She nodded gravely several times. "I'm going to call Sergeant Rosetta, then I'm on my way. OK?"

"No!" Leah screeched down the phone, startling both Rachel and Watson. Charlie remained oblivious to those around her. "Not him," she said more quietly. "Please, any one but him."

Several hours later, Charlie was lying sedated in a hospital bed, having undergone an examination by Rachel. Charlie had remained unresponsive throughout; the only words she had so far spoken were "I said no." Curled up tightly in a ball in the middle of the bed, Rachel was struck by how much Charlie looked like a child. All that was missing was a teddy bear. "I'm just going to go and speak to Constable Watson. Will you be OK?"

Charlie didn't answer. Sighing heavily, Rachel left the room. Watson was waiting impatiently in the corridor. "Well?" Watson couldn't waste time on formalities. She needed to catch whoever had done this. She had nearly cried when she saw Charlie sitting on the kitchen floor earlier. Leah had indicated that Charlie had left the diner with Angelo in hot pursuit. As much as she disliked the guy, Watson really didn't want to think that he could have done this.

Closing her office door behind them, Rachel threw the file onto her desk in frustration. These cases were always difficult, but when it was someone you knew it was so much harder. She noticed Watson tapping her foot nervously, and realised that she must be feeling exactly the same.

"Charlie has lacerations and bruising to her back. She could have pushed up against a hard surface, maybe a wall. Her wrists are severely bruised with finger marks visible. She had bitten through her lip, possibly in an attempt to stop screaming. There were some skin and blood under the nails on her left hand. I've taken some samples for analysis. And she has, she has…" Rachel struggled to remain professional.

"There is sufficient evidence that she was raped."

Watson nodded and jotted down every word Rachel said. "When do you think I can talk to her?"

"Well she's been sedated so not until the morning. All she has said so far is 'I said no'." Rachel looked up at Watson. "You will catch him, won't you?"

Back at the station, Watson read through her notes and sighed heavily. Against her better judgment she hadn't called Angelo in to deal with this case. She knew he would ball her out for it in the morning, but she decided that if the pair of them were back together then Angelo really shouldn't be investigated this case. When she'd gone to collect a coffee from the diner before her shift started, Colleen had been bursting with the gossip that 'that lovely Sergeant Risotto was back together with Charlie, and he looked so happy'. Colleen had neglected to mention how happy Charlie was with this news.

Then there were the notes from her chat with Leah. Leah had seen Charlie having dinner with Angelo, and while Angelo was brimming with excitement and clearly thought they were back together, Leah said that the look Charlie had given her clearly said that they weren't. Charlie had left on her own and Angelo had chased after her.

She sighed knowing that until she could talk to Charlie, she couldn't make any assumptions. While nothing would give her greater pleasure than to wipe the smug look from Angelo's face, she really didn't want to believe that he could have done this. He loved her, didn't he?

Charlie lay very still. She didn't feel as though she belonged to her body, and right now she was glad. She felt numb. She felt ashamed. She wanted the pain to go away. How could this happen to me again? I said no! How could he do this? He says he loves me. How could he? Did I ask for this? Did I lead him on? Charlie couldn't help but listen to the nagging voice in the back of her head that said she must have asked for this in some way.

She began to cry.

The next morning, Angelo strutted into the diner for his morning coffee. He looked very pleased with himself. Leah was just leaving as he arrived, having explained to Irene, in confidence, why she wouldn't be working for a few days.

"Large coffee and bacon roll to go please Leah," he beamed at her.

"I'm not on shift, you'll have to wait for Irene or Colleen." She snapped.

"Gee lighten up Leah." Angelo smirked at her. "I'm not going to let anything ruin my mood today. Me and Charlie are back together and we had the most amazing night!"

He looked on in confusion as Leah pushed past and hurried out of the diner. Once outside, she emptied the contents of her stomach against the wall.

Angelo shrugged. "I guess some people don't like others to be happy."

Watson glared at Angelo from behind the front desk as he swaggered into the station. It didn't register with him that her shift should have finished hours ago.

"What happened to your face Sergeant?" She asked him curtly. He had three deep scratches down his right cheek.

Angelo smirked as he held his hand to his cheek. "Charlie and I are back together. This is just a little mark of how passionate she can get." He looked so pleased with himself Watson wanted to punch him. She tuned to Avery, who was standing beside her. "Can you take a statement from the sergeant please, as to his whereabouts last night. I need to get back to the hospital."

Angelo looked puzzled. "What's going on?"

Watson went straight to Rachel's office, praying that the doctor had stayed on at work. Rachel yawned and looked up as Watson entered. "Hey any news yet?" she asked of the policewoman.

Watson shook her head. Although she had a suspicion she really hoped she was wrong. "Not yet. You mentioned some samples from under Charlie's fingernails. Was that her left hand?"

Charlie was sitting up in bed when Watson knocked and entered. She looked so broken and fragile. Watson smiled at her, and perched on the edge of the bed.

"Hey Charlie, how are you feeling?"

Charlie shrugged then winced with pain.

"Can you tell me what happened Charlie?"

Charlie looked at Watson quickly, who was shocked by the emptiness in her eyes, then looked away and gazed out of the window. "I said no. I kept saying no." Charlie began to cry.

Watson took her hand, trying to offer some comfort. "Do you know who did this Charlie?"

Still gazing out of the window, and avoiding Watson's attempts at gaining eye contact, Charlie whispered "Angelo. It was Angelo."