Chapter 5:
For the first time in ages, Lisette wasn't sure what she ought to do.
Most of Monday had passed away and Lisette didn't want to remain wandering aimlessly at the Miller's house.
She also didn't want to wander the city and deal with potential conflicts.
But she could visit her brother. She would feel better if she could move in with him sooner – he was at least related to her, and she could get to know him better. She hated the thought of being a burden to Ellie and Joe.
When she arrived at the church, Paul was in his office, watching a clip of himself on his computer. He turned it off quickly.
"Lisette! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I wanted to come see you. And see if you needed any help with the room at your house you wanted me to stay in," Lisette said, her voice quiet.
"Sure! Let me lock up real quick," Paul said. It took him a few minutes but then they were heading towards the door.
They'd only just made it to the door when a man appeared, an angry look on his face. He completely ignored Lisette, punching Paul before holding him against the wall.
Lisette's eyes went wide in horror at the motions. Because she'd seen that sort of thing happen before. Numerous times.
Her eyes remained wide even after the man walked away.
"Lisette?" Paul asked when he spotted her. Lisette didn't move. Paul hurried to her side, gently shaking her shoulder. She startled violently at the action, thrashing out at him.
It took her a few moments to calm down.
"Why don't you go get some fresh air?" Paul recommended.
"I…I might do that," she said.
"You can leave the children with me," Paul suggested, but Lisette shook her head.
"I'll meet you at your house?" she offered. Paul gave her a weak smile.
"Sure. Here," he said, scribbling down both his address and phone number. Lisette gave him a small smile.
"I don't have a mobile," she said.
"Here. Take mine. I have a home line," he said.
"I can't do that," Lisette protested, but Paul shook his head.
"You can and you will. The room's almost done. You can sleep there tonight. I'll let the Millers know," Paul said.
"Are you sure?" Lisette asked anxiously.
"I'm sure. You're family," he said. Lisette cracked a small smile and, with the children tucked on her hips, wandered down the path towards town. She began strolling across the grassy field, trying to forget the images of Paul being held up against the wall.
She couldn't.
His face would morph in her mind, morph to Gray's, morph to her husband Blake's face, to Kelly's face. All of them. The beating they'd receive.
Before the drowning.
Lisette's musings were distracted when her feet tripped her up, the ground disappearing slightly beneath her. Her arms tightened around the children, pulling them closer to her as she was flung forward into a slightly steep ditch.
She rolled slightly before her head hit a rock at the bottom. Her vision blurred temporarily as she struggled to gather her bearings. There were tall plants surrounding them, nearly obscuring sight of the sky above them.
Both children were crying, she realized as her hearing came back to her. She moved her arms carefully and, when they could move, she pulled the children closer to her, shushing them lightly. She tried to sit up but with the children in her arms, she couldn't manage it.
That and the world was still spinning.
"Lisette!" a voice shouted out.
Familiar. Feminine. Beth? Beth. What was Beth doing there?
A minute or so later, Beth appeared next to Lisette, eyes wide.
"Are you alright?" Beth asked between pants.
"I…I don't know. I can't get myself up. Not…not with the children," Lisette admitted sheepishly.
"Beth!" a male voice shouted.
"Down here, Mark!" Beth shouted back before reaching down and lifting Emmaline from Lisette's arms.
"Should we call an ambulance?" a girl's voice asked.
"No. Don't," DI Hardy's voice responded. Beth pulled Jasper from Lisette as well before disappearing. Lisette reached out instinctively, nearly panicking as the children disappeared from her sight. She managed to push herself into an upright position but the world was spinning around her.
Beth appeared back at her side, no children. DI Hardy was there as well.
And the man who attacked Paul.
"Are you hurt?" Beth was asking her, but Lisette couldn't answer.
"You hurt Paul," she finally managed to get out.
"Lisette, we need to make sure you're okay," DI Hardy said sternly, which caused Lisette's head to jerk up, staring wide-eyed at him.
"I think she's going into shock," DI Hardy said.
"I'm fine," Lisette said quickly. She bent one of her legs and with her hands and the one leg, managed to rise
Only to pitch forward when she tried putting pressure on her other foot.
The man who attacked Paul caught her, hauling her back to her unsteady standing position.
"What were you thinking, walking into the ditch?" DI Hardy asked.
"I was distracted," Lisette admitted, her voice small.
"It's a good thing I was looking out the window. What's wrong? What hurts?" Beth asked anxiously.
"Everything's spinning," Lisette admitted, closing her eyes.
"Christ. Let's get her out of here, and then we'll make sure she's okay," DI Hardy ordered. She was jostled upwards and then the next thing she realized, she could see the sky again.
The girl she'd run into on Friday was standing there, holding Jasper and Emmaline.
"We need to phone an ambulance," Beth said quickly.
"No! No….no ambulance," Lisette protested weakly.
"I have to agree. We need…to keep her off of any records," DI Hardy said.
"Why?" Mark demanded.
"Because she's only just escaped the man who kidnapped her, and he's very influential," DI Hardy said.
"Call Joe. He was a paramedic," Beth ordered. Mark stepped back.
"I'll be fine," Lisette protested, pushing herself up once more. Her shoulder gave out slightly, nearly knocking her back to the ground.
Beth steadied her.
"Is your arm okay?" the girl asked.
"Her arm should be fine," DI Hardy said.
"I ran into her a few days ago and knocked her down. Her arm may be hurt again," the girl said.
"What hurts? Can you tell us so we can try and figure out what's wrong?" Beth asked.
"My head. And my ankle," Lisette said with a wince as she tried to move her left foot.
"Joe's on his way. He won't be long," Mark said.
"Why did you attack Paul?" Lisette asked, staring directly at Mark.
"You attacked Paul?" Beth asked, spinning on him.
"Enough. Not right now. We need to get you patched up because I need to talk to you," DI Hardy said.
"Not again," Lisette protested, shaking her head furiously.
"Yes, again. Because I know who kidnapped you, and I need all the information I can get on him," DI Hardy said. The air left Lisette's lungs in a sudden whoosh.
"I can't tell you anything," Lisette protested, shaking her head. The action left her even more dizzy and she hunched forward.
"Help her to her side. She's going to throw up," Beth said and the men helped her as she started heaving.
"What's going on?" another voice asked.
"She fell into the ditch. Can't bring her to a hospital though. It looks like she hit her head and ankle on the way down," Mark explained. When Lisette stopped heaving, she was propped back up.
"Joe?" Lisette asked, staring curiously at him.
"Nausea as well?" Joe asked, staring at her.
"No. Dizzy," Lisette protested.
"Nausea is a side effect of her current condition," Beth added.
"Anything else I should know about?" Joe asked as he moved behind Lisette to examine her head.
"I would hold off on pain meds also," Beth added.
"It would help with her head," Joe pointed out.
"It would…interfere…with her other condition," Beth said.
"What condition are you talking about?" DI Hardy asked.
"Sorry," Beth said to Lisette before looking up, "She's pregnant. About two months on."
"Do you feel any discomfort? Any cramps?" Joe asked instantly.
"No. I'm…I'm not miscarrying. I know what that feels like," Lisette said, the words leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Right. You'll need stitches here. If someone can help hold her hair, we won't need to cut it off. It's at the base here. Mark, you can start wrapping her ankle up. It looks sprained rather than broken, given by how she's moving it slightly," Joe explained. He tossed Mark some gauze and Mark moved to her feet, removing the one shoe.
Lisette winced when the first stitch went in, but bit her lip and endured it.
"I'm sorry. I don't carry medicine safe for pregnancies in my first aide kit," Joe apologized.
"It's okay. I'm fine with pain," Lisette admitted with another wince.
"Make sure to check her shoulder too," the girl said.
"Chloe, it's fine," Beth dismissed.
"No. You should check. To make sure she didn't pull it out of place," DI Hardy suggested.
When Joe had finished the stitches, he prodded at her shoulder, noting her wince and sighed.
"I think you did manage to pull it out of place. I'll pop it back in for you. You'll want to take off the shirt though," Joe recommended.
"Paul can do it for me," Lisette said, feeling small.
"Mr. Miller was a paramedic. He's seen plenty of scars," DI Hardy said, giving her a stare.
"I can't undo the buttons," Lisette admitted, feeling even more weak as she did. Beth unbuttoned the shirt for her and pulled it off her one arm.
The silence from the group made Lisette want to lurch to her feet and run.
And then two hands were on her shoulder and before she could open her eyes, her shoulder was back in place.
"Did Paul have to do this for you earlier?" Joe asked.
"A few days ago," Lisette admitted.
"You don't need to be carrying anything heavy then. You'll weaken the joint if it's continuously pulled out of socket," Joe warned her. Lisette nodded, biting her lip.
"Someone can help you carry your children," DI Hardy informed her gruffly. Lisette opened her mouth, then promptly closed it.
And burst into tears.
She wasn't sure how long she cried. She cried until she ran out of tears. It was only then that she uncurled herself from the ball she'd formed.
Only Beth and DI Hardy remained at her side, Chloe sitting a ways away with the children. Mark and Joe, she noted, were a ways away talking.
"Are you ready to go?" DI Hardy asked her when he noticed her no longer curled up.
"I think so. I'm not in trouble, am I?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"You're in no trouble. I ran a test on the blood in your wedding rings," DI Hardy told her.
"I cleaned them," she protested, but DI Hardy shook his head.
"Not very well, you didn't. That's how we found out you are Paul Coates' sister. It's also how we found out the identity of the man who kidnapped you," DI Hardy said.
Lisette's throat felt like it was closing up.
"We understand the need for secrecy. However, we need to discuss everything you know. The man you thought was your father – he was a serial killer," DI Hardy told her.
Beth's head jerked up.
"Do you think he had something to do with Danny?" she asked.
"No," DI Hardy said automatically, immediately, "He had a distinctive way of killing people. He has no idea where Lisette is, which is something we plan on preserving. If anyone comes here asking about her, please, don't tell anyone," DI Hardy instructed.
"We won't," Beth said.
"I can go with you. I need to go, though. Paul is expecting me at home," Lisette said, the words tasting odd on her lips.
"Paul? Joe told us you were staying with him and Ellie," Beth said.
"I was. But Paul wants me and the children with him," Lisette said.
"Sorry about telling them. About the pregnancy. I just…I know you can't take the same medicines," Beth said.
"It's okay. I'll show soon. I doubt I'm having only one," Lisette said, her hands spreading across her stomach.
"Twins run in the family?" DI Hardy questioned.
"Er…no. But I was artificially inseminated. They usually put three or four in at a time. I didn't go back, so there's no way they could have eliminated two of them or so like they did the last two times," Lisette explained.
"Four?" Beth asked incredulously.
"I doubt all four will survive," Lisette dismissed.
"Here. Let's get you on your feet," DI Hardy said, helping her up. She stumbled forward slightly, and DI Hardy wrapped one of her arms around his neck before roping his own arm around her waist.
"Now, I'll bring you with me back to the station to get as much information as I can about your kidnapper. Can the children walk?" DI Hardy asked her.
"They can. They just need to hold a hand," Lisette said.
"Right. Bring the children here. We can take it from here," DI Hardy said.
"Are you sure? I can watch them for you, if you want?" Joe offered.
"It's okay. I appreciate it though," Lisette said with a warm smile.
"They'll be fine," DI Hardy said gruffly. Chloe brought the children over and Jasper slid his hand into DI Hardy's free hand while Emmaline slid hers into Lisette's. Beth and Chloe said goodbye before walking back to the house.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mark," DI Hardy said. Mark nodded shortly and took off after his wife and daughter.
"If you feel any pain, let me know. I can try to find some pregnancy-safe medicine if you're still hurting by tomorrow," Joe promised her.
"I have a pretty high tolerance to pain. But thank you," Lisette told him with a small smile.
And Joe took off as well.
"Right. Let's get back to the street. Hold on. I'll call a cab," he said. He dialed and spoke quickly before shoving the phone back in his pocket and taking Jasper's hand once more. The four of them made it to the street and into the cab in silence.
They didn't really speak to one another until they got into the police station. DI Hardy led them into an office and sat them on the couch.
"I'll be right back. I need to talk to my boss. I'll close the door," he told her before taking off. Lisette nodded even though he'd already left. She glanced out the glass wall at the police officers that were all staring at her. When they saw her looking back at them, they hurriedly got busy.
Until Ellie Miller spotted her.
Ellie opened the door to DI Hardy's office and hurried in.
"Are you okay? What are you doing here?" Ellie asked her.
"I'm fine. DI Hardy wanted to ask me some questions about the man who kidnapped me," Lisette said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Where is he now?" she demanded.
"Right here," DI Hardy's voice came from behind her.
"I would appreciate it if you would not barge into my office, DS Miller," DI Hardy said formally.
"I wanted to make sure Lisette was okay," Ellie shot back at him.
"As you can see, she is just fine. Now hurry along. This has nothing to do with Danny Latimer," DI Hardy said. Ellie huffed but left the room. DI Hardy got to work setting up a video camera while Lisette observed the office. Her eyes rested on his nameplate.
"Alec Hardy?" Lisette asked.
"Yeah?" he responded, not looking up from the video camera.
"I like it. It's a pretty name," Lisette said.
"I hate Alec," DI Hardy said.
"It's easier to say than DI Hardy," Lisette admitted.
DI Hardy finished setting up the tripod for the camera and clicked it on before sitting in a chair next to it.
"Right, so the only people who will have access to this is my boss and myself at the moment. So don't worry about secrecy," DI Hardy told her.
"State your name and age for the camera," DI Hardy told her.
"Lisette Coates, 20," Lisette said.
"What name did you go by when you were younger?" DI Hardy asked her.
"Grey Holmes. That was what Daddy told me my name was," Lisette said, fingering the edges of the couch.
"And what was your father's name?" he asked.
"Fred Holmes," she said.
"Do you know of any of his aliases?" DI Hardy demanded.
"Yeah. My brother, Gray, found some of them. He said he was Dan Teds, at one point. A serial killer. He had other names, but they didn't have any history to them," Lisette explained.
"What was your husband's name?" DI Hardy asked,
"Blake. Blake Lanes," Lisette said.
"You told me he was dead. Is that true?" DI Hardy asked.
"Yes. Daddy killed him," Lisette said, her tone matter of fact.
"Why did your father kill him?" DI Hardy wanted to know.
"We were defying him. We'd gotten a divorce without him knowing it, and he was sleeping with the nanny. I was happy for them. Daddy was not. Daddy drowned them both in the well nearby," Lisette said.
"What town were you from?" DI Hardy asked.
Here, Lisette hesitated.
"You won't go there, will you? He owns the entire town," Lisette begged.
"Someone will go there, to find the bodies and arrest him," DI Hardy said. Again, Lisette hesitated.
"It's called Goresville. It's at the northern tip of Scotland," she finally admitted.
"You don't sound like you're from Scotland," DI Hardy said.
"No. Daddy didn't either. He taught us to speak differently from everyone else there," Lisette explained.
"Why?"
"So we were different. I don't know exactly. Daddy owns the town though. Everyone does what he says or they die. No one can leave, and no one can enter the town. It's not even really on maps anymore," Lisette admitted.
"Why not?"
"Daddy had it removed from maps to keep people from finding it," Lisette explained.
"Lisette, how did you get away?" DI Hardy asked.
Lisette closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath.
"I was pregnant, a year or so ago. I was going to have another baby. I lost it. So there was a long gap between children. Daddy got suspicious. Then someone saw Blake and Kelly one night. They told him," Lisette said.
"Who's Kelly?" DI Hardy asked.
"She was the nanny. Blake and I got divorced secretly so him and Kelly could be together. I had to live there though. That's why we used artificial insemination. So Daddy wouldn't suspect it. But…he did. So he came one night," Lisette said.
She lowered her head into her hands, shaking her head.
"I was home with the children when he showed up. Kelly and Blake were out. He…he threw me around a bit. He used to do it, when I was younger. That's where my scars came from," Lisette explained.
"Roll up your sleeves," DI Hardy instructed. Lisette tentatively did as he said, revealing the horrid scars that covered her arms.
"So he tossed you around?" DI Hardy asked.
"He threw things too. He was angry. But not at me. He didn't think I knew about it," Lisette said, rolling her sleeves down.
"So he thought the husband was cheating on you," DI Hardy said.
"I was knocked unconscious. He beat me pretty bad. They weren't there for him to take his anger out on. When I woke up, I was by the well," Lisette said, feeling horrified just recounting it.
"The well?" DI Hardy asked.
"There was a well at the edge of town. It's where he drowned people. When I woke up, I saw them. He had both Kelly and Blake, tied up with the rock-filled backpacks on them. In the time it took me to sit up, he's shoved Kelly in," Lisette said.
"And then what?" DI Hardy asked her. His voice was softer. That could have had something to do with the tears that were partially obscuring her eyesight now.
"I stumbled to my feet. Daddy caught me and held me in place with one hand. He pulled me right next to the edge, right next to Blake. He asked Blake what they were doing. Who had helped them," Lisette said.
"Helped them with what?" DI Hardy asked.
"He'd found the marriage certificate. Someone had to be blamed. My brother, Gray, he was instantly blamed. His name was on the license. Blake told him that I didn't know about it. That he'd stolen my signature. Blake tried to save me," Lisette said.
"And what happened to Blake?" DI Hardy asked.
"My father shoved him in. Then he pulled me to the edge. To watch Blake drown. Only I didn't just see Blake drown. Because Blake wasn't the only one in the well," Lisette said.
"Who else was in the well?" DI Hardy asked when Lisette didn't continue.
"My brother. Gray. He wasn't weighted down, but he was tied up. But when Blake went down, it pulled Gray down as well. Daddy held me by the edge until the water settled," Lisette said.
"Then what happened?" DI Hardy wanted to know.
"I woke up in a hospital. Daddy had beaten me a bit too hard and had to take me to the neighboring town. He had a doctor there he knew, one that was threatened by him. The doctor took care of me and kept people from asking questions. He told Daddy I would have to stay in intensive care for a week before anyone could see me, outside of the children. He said the children would help me heal," Lisette said.
"He lied," DI Hardy guessed.
"He lied. As soon as the children were there, he bundled me up and gave me as much money as he could. He told me to run and run as far away as I could. I didn't stop running for a month or more before I ended up here," Lisette explained.
"What happened to the man who helped you?" DI Hardy wanted to know.
"Daddy probably killed him, if he couldn't make something up. He may've told Daddy I escaped and ran away. It depends on how good he was at lying and how angry Daddy was," Lisette admitted.
"So he could still be alive?" DI Hardy asked.
"He could. But Daddy doesn't leave loose ends. If he thinks someone's after him, he'll kill everyone. He…he did that once. When I was little. Gray told me about it," Lisette said.
"Told you about what?" DI Hardy asked.
"There was a small town, off the coast of Ireland I think. That's where we lived, before. I was little. Daddy said I was born there. Gray said that that was where Daddy came home with me from. One day a reporter came to town. Did a bit of snooping. Nearly exposed Daddy. Gray told me that Daddy blew up the town. Killed everyone who knew he existed, except us. Made it look like an accident, a tragedy, but an accident nonetheless. If…If Daddy suspects someone is onto him, he'll kill the entire town. And the doctor. And come for me," Lisette said.
"So he won't come for you before that?" DI Hardy asks.
"No. He'll destroy evidence and then find me," Lisette guessed.
"Are you certain?" DI Hardy asked.
"Not certain enough to risk my children's lives," Lisette admitted, finally pulling her head from her hands.
DI Hardy was staring at her.
"Thank you for talking to me. Is there any signs we should be on the lookout for?" DI Hardy asked her.
"If an area of Scotland blows up, he's coming. If a stranger comes to town asking about me, he's coming," Lisette said. DI Hardy nodded. He turned off the video camera and put it away.
"Would you like me to walk you home?" he asked her. Lisette swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. Lying next to her on the couch, both children were sacked out.
"Can I call you Alec?" Lisette blurted out, staring at him.
He stared right back at her, taking in her tear-streaked cheeks, the stray twig that hadn't been pulled from her hair, the worn clothes and the overall air of desperation and loneliness to her.
"Yeah," he heard himself say, against his better judgement, "You can call me Alec."
Ellie was waiting anxiously outside, but Alec waved her off, Emmaline asleep in his arms. Lisette was able to carry Jasper but not both of them, not after her arm was reinjured. Everyone still in the station stared at him as he carried her child out of the place. As if they couldn't imagine him doing anything kind for anyone.
He let them think that.
The two of them walked out of the police station in silence, Lisette limping slightly the whole way.
"Why are you so kind to me?" Lisette asked him as soon as they were out of sight of the police station.
"Pardon?"
"You're so kind to me. Even when I was scared of you," Lisette commented.
"You were obviously abused. It doesn't do well to scare off a girl whose been abused. And then I saw the children. I have a daughter," Alec said.
"How old is she?" Lisette wanted to know.
"Fifteen. I had her when I was young," Alec said. Lisette stared down at her children fondly.
"I can't imagine these two at fifteen. When they're fifteen, the ones I'm pregnant with will be twelve. I'll have two fifteen year olds and two or so twelve year olds," Lisette said absently.
"You'll have your hands full," Alec said.
"Do you? With your daughter?" she wanted to know.
"I don't ever see my daughter. She lives with her Mum, couple hours away," Alec said.
"I'm sorry," Lisette said, her voice sincere. Alec nodded to her words.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" Alec asked her.
"I work for Jack Marshall on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays," Lisette said.
"What do you do the other days?" Alec wanted to know.
"I work overnight at the Laundromat on Friday night and Sunday night. And on Wednesdays, I work at the library. For cash. Since I can't have my name out there," Lisette explained. Alec nodded.
"That's probably the safest option for you. If you need someone to walk you to and from places, let me know. If I can't, I'll find someone who can, okay?" Alec asked her. Lisette nodded.
"I'll let you know," she said quietly. They continued to walk in a comfortable silence for a while. When they were within sight of Paul's house, Alec stopped her.
"Don't go anywhere alone," Alec warned her.
"I'll try not to," Lisette told him. Alec gripped her upper arm.
"No. Don't try not to. Don't go anywhere alone. Call me, if you need to. If you go missing, what will happen to your children?" Alec asked her. Lisette stumbled slightly into him at his words. Alec steadied her with his other hand, holding her firmly in place.
"If for any reason, you need someone to walk you somewhere, call me. Okay?" Alec asked her. Lisette nodded just as the door opened. Paul came storming out, glaring intently at Alec.
"What are you doing to my sister?" he asked angrily.
"I was making sure she made it back here okay," Alec said, releasing her.
"Thank you," Lisette said, her voice shaking slightly. Alec handed Emmaline to Paul, who was standing right there. He then pulled a card from his pocket, and a pen. He scribbled a number on it and tucked it into her pocket.
"That's my mobile number. Please. If you need someone to walk you somewhere, call me," Alec told her. Lisette nodded.
Alec gave her one more searching look before releasing her and taking off.
"What was that?" Paul asked her.
"I was…I fell," Lisette said.
"Are you hurt?" Paul asked, moving closer.
"Joe patched me up. Said I couldn't carry both Jasper and Emmaline anymore," Lisette said sadly.
"And DI Hardy was there?"
"The Latimers saw me fall and helped me. Alec had learned about…the situation before, and wanted to talk to me," Lisette said.
"Alec?" Paul asked, staring at her. He shook his head.
"Are you still safe?" Paul asked her, taking her previous words and understanding them.
"I…Yes. I think so," Lisette said., staring after Alec.
Sorry for the long update. I'm finally working on this again, so hopefully I'll be updating more. I really enjoy writing this story, so I will be trying to keep it updated. It will go through the second season as well - I'm not sure about the third season at this point, but anything is possible.
Thanks for staying with me!
Andi