The dangers of Smoking

Part II

The dangers of smoking are widely known, by smokers and non smokers alike. Detective Sergeant James Hathaway knows them, accepts them and lives with them. Except one. No one thought to warn about that one did they?

Chapter 56

Evie was confused, she turned over and could see James, he was asleep. But too far away...he wasn't next to her, and this wasn't her flat, or his, or the boat. She blinked and watched as he opened his eyes, ringed with dark smudges from lack of sleep, he looked like he hadn't shaved...his hair was a mess. Pushing himself again, she thought, wondering why the world was so fuzzy and odd.

"Evie" he whispered, he could see a certain clarity in her eyes that hadn't been there before when she'd woken, and he knew that she was properly awake now.

She smiled at him "What are you doing over there?" she asked.

"No room" he smiled back but she sensed something not right.

She looked about again, slightly panicked "What's happened...?"

"It's OK" he soothed, stroking her hair back "You're safe" Now he added silently, savagely, to himself.

"James...?" she looked at him, and part of him was so glad that she couldn't remember anything, though he knew someone would need to tell her, and he owed her that it should be him.

"What do you remember?" he asked gently.

"Just...you, you dropped me off somewhere...? Town?" she faltered "Yes, I went out...did I have an accident? What happened?"

"You were.." he stopped "You were given a date rape drug"

"Oh God" her face was terrified, confused "Where...where did you find me?"

She had no doubt that he had, that he'd torn Oxford apart when she'd gone missing. The world and the things James said were confusing and scaring her, she was awake and cognitive, but other than that everything blurred. He saw the trust in her eyes and he swallowed back guilt and emotion to tell her what she needed to know.

"At home" he said "We think that you were drugged just before you left the bar...and taken home. Then...then" he couldn't, but he knew he had to "Then I came back to your place and you were...in bed, with..Gordy"

"Oh my God" she gasped "You brought me here? Did you get him?"

"Evie..." he didn't try and check the tears this time as he admitted what he'd done "I left...I left you there...with him...I didn't realise until later what had happened... I just walked out"

The look on her face broke what was left of his heart "You left me?" she whispered "With Gordy?"

He nodded, he couldn't answer. He felt no right to explain.

"I wouldn't..." she struggled to sit up, fear making her stronger "You thought I'd do that?" she asked "With him? To you? You think I cheated on you?!"

"I'm so sorry, Evie...darling..." he stammered.

"You just left me there?" she stared at him.

He hung his head, how could he explain? Her words were so simple but so true.

He heard her start to cry, softly and reached out, trying to comfort her.

"No" she snatched her hand away, his usual beautiful, calm Evie was devastated, and it was his fault.

"Did he rape me?" she demanded, a bald and awful statement. James wished he could tell her what she needed to hear, but he couldn't. He didn't know.

"I don't know" he replied in a sad whisper "We're waiting for...tests"

"Leave me alone" she begged, still facing away from him, curled up in a protective ball on the bed.

He was unable to speak, guilt gagged him as effectively as any physical bind.

So he did what she asked, and he left.

…...

James Hathaway watched with no expression through the mirror. His superior officer, his boss, his friend, sat opposite a man that had threatened James' sanity and Evie's life. Though ultimately, James knew that he was the one responsible, that although he couldn't have stopped all of it, he should have taken better care of her, he should have realised. He should have never trusted the carefully scripted scene lay before him, he should have put Evie first.

It didn't occur to him that he was placing far to much pressure on himself, accusing himself of failing at impossible targets. Punishing himself for not being super human. All he could see was what this had done to Evie, how scared at hurt she was, and how he'd allowed that to happen. After promising that he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her, he'd walked out and left her to the mercy of a man hell bent of having what he wanted regardless.

He felt the letter in his inside pocket, in reality it weighed ounces, to him it weighed a ton. It contained his future, or lack of it. And would be dealt with when this interview was done. This was the one selfish act he allowed himself, as he thought of it, to hear the reasons why Gordon Prouse had done what he did. No matter how he hurt, no matter how he burned to explain to Evie, he wouldn't, because he had no right.

"So Gordon" Lewis opened.

"Gordy" the cherubic smile came back.

Lewis nodded, but didn't acknowledge the correction "Do you know why you're here?"

"I'm many things" Gordy drawled "But stupid is not one of them"

"So you understand that you have been arrested on a count of stalking and abduction?"

Gordy leaned forward with a nasty grin "You forgot murder of a homeless man. Thought that was quite good. The old guy was going to warn her that I followed her, and you lot assumed it was part of the case"

"I was coming to that" Lewis snapped.

"Of course" Gordy sat back and folded his arms.

"Not to mention sexual assault" Lewis added.

James winced at the words, the DNA results were still not back.

"What?" Gordy looked defensive, shocked almost "Who am I supposed to have assaulted?"

"Evie" Lewis replied "That's why you gave her a date rape drug isn't it? To take what you wanted when she wouldn't give it willingly?"

"No!" Gordy's voice was full of scorn and then he laughed "I didn't want her, I wanted her out of the way!"

"Why?" Lewis' perplexed frown matched James'.

"Because I want him" Gordy pointed to the mirror, and although James knew he couldn't be seen, he recoiled all the same "Oh they were so in love! Mooning at each other all the time, touching and whispering when they thought no one was looking!" his voice rose with rage "Years I've worked at the hospital on and off, years I've watched him, ever since school work experience, through college and placement. I know all about his little 'problems' and his 'relationships'. Your lot talk you know, and where gossip is concerned, they'll talk to anyone. And not even a second glance! Then she comes along and they just fall into each others arms!"

Lewis, in his own words, was gobsmacked. In the silence, Gordy continued.

"No way was that going to happen" Gordy said with malice "Not a chance"

"So you thought that by getting rid of her, you could have him?" Lewis managed.

"Like I said, I'm not stupid" Gordy looked uncomfortable "The rumours were just that, rumours"

"So what gave you the idea that if he thought Evie had cheated on him with you" Lewis replied "You'd be his shoulder to cry on?"

"As I keep saying" Gordy sounded bored "I'm not stupid. There may be rumours he's just waiting to fall out of the closet, but he's not. Takes one to know one, or not know one should I say"

Lewis looked at him, fighting the urge to look at the mirror. He knew he wouldn't see James, but he felt his presence.

"So... it was a case of if you can't have him. No one can?" Lewis was incredulous.

"Yes" Gordy replied "So you see, I didn't rape the silly little tart, because I couldn't have"

"You just wanted to cause as much pain and heart ache as you could?"

James heard the furious edge to Lewis' voice, and normally, this is where he'd step in, take the sting out. But not this time, in about 5 minutes none of this would be his problem, because he'd no longer be a police officer.

"Yes" James heard Gordy confirm as he left the room "Abso-bloody-lutely"