Christian's POV – Friday 25th June
"STOP, Stop Christian, Stop! Someone's filming us"
And it's like I've been shot, my brain takes over because my body is protesting. I quickly throw a blanket over Ana, I don't care who sees me but no-one looks at Ana's beautiful body but me.
I follow the line of her trembling hand and then I see it, the tell-tale reflection of a lens and despite the recording light being hidden, a faint red glow.
"Taylor," I scream and within seconds he is through the door, I don't care that he sees me naked, he's seen worse, even so, my erection that was threatening to hit the roof a minute ago has now disappeared with disappointment at the interruption.
"Someone's installed cameras in here and they are recording." I say through gritted teeth shaking with anger as I bundle Ana up in the blanket and carry her out. The look of shock on Taylor's normally impassive face is enough to tell me that we have a problem, a really big problem on our hands.
"Sir, you need to leave." Taylor says, echoing my thoughts, grabbing a suitcase and packing things for both of us and I nod, nowhere is safe in my own home if someone has managed to place cameras in my bedroom. I hold the blanket around Ana in the corridor handing her underwear and a dress so that we are able to leave, the tears are streaming down her cheeks and her trembling is worsening. I need to move fast before we have a further situation, I can't drive and deal with her passing out on me.
Taylor follows us outside and whispers so that no recording device can pick it up that I should make for the Little Nell hotel, I nod and head off. Little Nell will accept me whatever the time of the night, I know the manager and owners well and they are also the souls of discretion so that no-one will know that we are there, not only that I have an account with them, so no credit cards are necessary.
Thankfully it doesn't take long and we are ensconced in the Paepcke Suite at Little Nell, 2,500-square-feet of sumptuously decorated protection, rich maple-paneled walls, hardwood floors and its expansive balcony which in the morning I know will reveal panoramic vistas of Aspen Mountain, all magnificent but I couldn't care less. All I care about is the fact that Ana is still silently crying and that she can barely stand due to her shivering so I sit her on the bed, trying to convey to her that she is safe.
The only way I can think to relax her quickly is to dash through to the bathroom, quickly turning on the master bath, pouring in the provided oils and wishing that I was doing this under different circumstances. I hurry back into the suite to see Ana hunching into herself as she sits on the edge of the huge bed, she hasn't spoken since she screamed out those words seared into my brain and the tears are still coursing down her cheeks.
My heart breaks, once again I haven't protected her, I kneel in front of her, rubbing my hands up and down her arms trying to warm her though I know the coldness is from within, saying "It's ok baby, we're safe here, I've run the bath so you can relax a little," before standing and pulling her up, I gently lift her dress off of her before undoing the tiny scraps of material protecting her and letting them all fall on the floor, folding her into my arms.
She is standing here in my embrace, completely naked but all I want to do is calm her down, my own rage at the invasion of privacy at the most inopportune time is being tempered by my fear for her, making love will have to wait for another day, it had been so perfect and I shake my head in annoyance before concentrating back on Ana. "Baby, it'll be fine, let's just have a bath and then Taylor will have a report for us, ok?" I wonder whether she has even heard me but then feel a tiny almost imperceptible nod against my chest and I pick her up and gently deposit her in the bath, the Jacuzzi would be good but that will have to wait.
"Who Christian? Who is it? It has to be something to do with that person at the gala." She finally speaks and articulates exactly what was running around my own brain, we have been sitting in the bath, Ana on my lap as I gently rub her down, trying to massage out the tension in her shoulders and back but she keeps tightening up as the thoughts run around her head.
"It could be anyone baby, I have a lot of enemies." I say trying to imply it might be business related but she snorts at me.
"Sure and they would know my mother's name and use that at the gala, uh huh, I'm not stupid Christian," and while I'm surprised at the vehemence and I don't like her tone, stiffening as I look at her sharply, I realise anew that hiding things from Ana isn't going to work.
When she continues unaware of my reaction, thinking out loud, her eyes focussing on a spot that doesn't exist, I realise that discussing problems with Ana might actually be beneficial as her brain is working at a rate similar to my own, "Who knows about me and has something against you? The only person I know is Jack although there are possibly others. Where was he last weekend? Did he come here? How did he get in? What about the Bentley's are they to be trusted? Why did my mother know about the gala? Who is that person who told her? Why did they tell her about the gala? Has anyone spoken to my mother lately? Surely she should be easy to crack, promise her some money, she'll talk."
When she pauses for a second for a breath, I butt in, "I have been asking myself these questions, I would trust the Bentley's with my life and Taylor's team have been working on it constantly since the gala.."
"Well, they're not doing a good enough job." I hear her grumble. If I didn't both agree with her and feel annoyed that she is questioning them and the situation wasn't so dire, I'd probably laugh at the annoyed pout on her face but I can't let her disparage Taylor.
"Ana…."I warn, "Taylor cares for you above my safety at this point, so you are being rude," and I watch as her cheeks redden and she turns away from me. When I try to pull her towards me, she shrugs me off and moves to another part of the bath without looking at me, leaving me somewhat gobsmacked and starting to anger.
Worse, Ana then stands and practically leaps, as much as her leg will allow her to leap, out of the bath and grabbing a towel, she hobbles out of the bathroom dripping water as she goes, "I need to pee," is all she says and I sit back down to allow her the privacy and then realise it's an excuse, the only toilet is in this room.
"Ana wait!" I say as I follow her out, almost slipping in my haste to catch up with her but she has moved into the lounge room and shut the door on me. I stand there staring at the door for a second, trying to work out what just happened then open it to see Ana curled up on the soft tapestry rug on the floor in front of the grand fireplace. Although it is warm enough during the day, the fire is lit to warm the rooms at night and her hair shines in the firelight beautifully but that beauty is marred by the angry look on her face.
I'm angry now too, there is no need for Ana to be acting like this, yes it's been a long day with an awful surprise but all the anger is knocked out of my body at her next words, crushed by the sheer enormity of their implication.
"I don't know who to trust anymore, I was just starting to trust and every time I do, something bad happens. I can't do this, I just can't." The angry look disappears to be replaced by pure unadulterated despair.
No, this can't be happening, she can't lose faith in me, not now. "Baby, I'm so sorry." I sink to my knees in front of her, she won't look at me and I gently take her hands and put them on my chest, trying to lift her face to look at me.
"Baby, I'm so sorry, this situation is out of hand at the moment but I need you to not pull away from me now, look how far we've both come. You complete me and I trust you, look where your hands are, no-one has been able to touch me but you, please don't lose faith in me, we will figure this out and we are getting closer to working it out. Welch and Taylor would protect you over me if they had to make a choice, they know my life isn't worth living without you in it. Please believe me, Welch has been working around the clock to find the link between everyone, he is convinced that Elena is behind it all so he and Barney have been analysing every communication in and out of where she is being held. They are cross correlating it with every known communication with your mother. I don't believe that they had found any link to here and that is a concern," I am about to continue when Ana interrupts me wearily.
"We have been in that room all week, someone has been watching us the whole time, do you know how creeped out I am? What else have they been watching? My skin is crawling, it feels like Stephen Morton all over again, it's like he is looking at me from the grave. I am never going to be free of these evil people and neither will you by the looks of things."
I don't blame her at all, all her life someone who was supposed to protect her has let her down, promised the world and then snatched it out from under her and I realise with horror that is how she feels now.
"Baby, we will be free of them and soon, they will trip up, you caught it today and I know I keep asking for your faith in me but please, please don't give up on me now. I'm trying my best, I can't guarantee you anything but my love, will you accept that and give me a little more time? Please?"
I gently turn her face towards me, I need to see her eyes, the clouded blues flick away and then as I move to stay in her line of vision, the pools begin and she simply shrugs and attempts to stop the trembling of her lip. Trying to be brave but it's no use, she can't do it anymore. Pulling her into my arms, I try and absorb her pain as she again shakes with silent sobs into my shoulder, her hands moving from my chest down and gradually around to my back as she allows me to crush her against me. Cooing in her ear, she finally relaxes a little, sniffles and pulls back and turning away from me to loosen and then rub the tightly wrapped towel against her face and finally I see it, a sad resignation on her face, I want to see some hope in those eyes but at the moment, I have to be satisfied with the fact that she hasn't completely run on me.
"Baby, you need to eat, I am sure we'll hear from Taylor soon," and as I say that, she shakes her head but her stomach grumbles and her shoulders drop in defeat.
"Fine" she mumbles and if the situation wasn't so dire, I would smile.
My phone vibrates in my pocket but I ignore it long enough to stand, lifting her with me and order up dinner, her choices wordlessly chosen by pointing at the menu as she huddles against me, obviously not really caring and doing it to satisfy me and her wayward body.
Her selection of black truffle+short rib terrine to start followed by a wild mushroom tortellini with arugula and avalanche goat cheddar and finished off with a caramélia milk chocolate tart with caramelized hazelnut+banana ice cream have me salivating and I choose the same for expediency and then having helped her dress in night clothes and carried her to a comfortable chair, I excuse myself to check my phone and make up drinks at the wet bar to keep my hands occupied.
I curse as I listen and watch Ana's head snap up, if she is going to trust me I realise now she needs to know exactly what I know and given her sharp brain, I might as well take advantage of it, she can see another angle, if we are dealing with a woman and someone involved with her mother, she might be particularly useful, maybe I can rebuild her trust slowly by involving her. I almost hit myself in the head for not thinking of that earlier.
I bring the drinks over to the chair and sit down pulling her onto my lap, she's still as stiff as a board with tension, "Baby, Taylor says that they have found the control box and have found all the cameras."
At the words "all the cameras", a look of fear passes across her face and she whispers, "How many and where were they?"
I really don't want to tell her but with my newly decided intention to disclose everything, I do, "It appears there was one in the library, one in the kitchen, two in the sitting room and four in the bedroom," my voice drops to almost a whisper as I think about how many there were.
"They had us covered didn't they?" Ana says looking at me, absolute terror in her eyes and then they open wider, "Were there any in the bathrooms?"
And I am so happy to be able to give her one bit of good news, "No baby, none in the bathrooms. How did you even see the one you saw? They were all extremely well hidden."
"I have spent a couple of years in front of Jose's camera and it was the glint of the candlelight, that's why I saw it, the light flickered on the lens, lenses look different to normal glass and it wasn't lit up by the lights in previous days and the angle was different." And her cheeks colour as she remembers and my anger returns, what should have been the best night for her was ruined by someone, someone who I am sure is out to destroy me but is destroying Ana. They will not win.
"So you spent time in front of Jose's camera? What sort of photos?"
"Christian, all fully clothed," Ana snips at me and I am made acutely aware how I am coming across, right when that should be the last thing I should be doing.
"Kangaroo, Ana, I'm sorry, Kangaroo," I safeword and Ana's head snaps up.
With a trembling lip she whispers, "Echidna, I should have said Echidna too but this time because you are being a prick," and I don't blame her.
"I'll take that, honey I am so sorry." As I am about to comfort her the room service arrives and we can eat. I can tell she is forcing it down until we reach the dessert when I reach across and take them just as she reaches for hers and smirking at her, I say "Wait here," and I see it, the ghost of a smile as she picks up a cushion and pretends to throw it at me. Somehow those early days just a month or so ago, seem so much easier.
I saunter off towards the bedromm and as I reach it, I stand just inside the threshold of the beautiful bedroom, it isn't my bedroom, it isn't full of her favourite flowers, it isn't full of scented candles but I want to finish off the evening pleasantly even though we are both on edge, both came so close and were both so violated, my teeth clench every time I think about some pervert who has been watching Ana undress every night and worse, saw her in the throes of passion. My blood boils at the violation, she who has always been so private, barely trusting me to look at her naked body and touching her body such a privilege given her fears after Morton's attacks and now to think that someone was watching her, seeing her as only I should see her, they have taken something from her and from me, something I never want to share. Ana is mine!
"Um Christian," I hear tentatively from the other room and I place the plates on the bedside table, I hadn't realised I was standing there, simply standing there, as I was thinking, and make my way back to the living room to a decidedly uncomfortable looking Ana, "I, ah, I didn't want to move because I didn't know what you were doing but I do really need to pee now," and this makes me laugh out loud.
"I'll help you to the door shall I? So you won't run away on me again." I say smiling at her as I hook my arm under her and lift her into my favourite position, tight in my arms.
"Perhaps don't squeeze so much," she says and I'm glad she's starting to relax, maybe I can salvage something of tonight.
.
Taylor's POV – Friday 25th June
"Fuck Welch, really? Fuck!... Fuck! ….Fuck! This shit just gets worse and fucking worse! …. Yeah, I know… Fucking incompetent…. They had one job to do, tell us if someone came in asking to come to Aspen and they forgot….. they forgot? How did they fucking forget?... So you pulled the video? What?... A woman with dark long hair? Shit well at least that's something, it was a woman with dark long hair that came here and spoke to Mrs Bentley, apparently she came with a male, both had their hair tied back under sports caps because they were in a convertible but she could see that he had longish hair because of the knob at the back…Fucking knob all right."
I am so angry as I explain what I know so far, "They showed the letter that they had access, asked her to leave as they wanted some privacy, she screwed up her nose when she told me that as though they'd made it highly obvious what they were going to do so she actually left quicker than she normally would have. She said they seemed so eager to jump into the sack that she didn't want to overhear anything and she and her husband took off and didn't come back until the Monday and the two "guests" had left."
I shake my head as I speak as if that will clear it, "Now we know that they didn't spend that time jumping each other's bones, they spent that time rigging everything up but they were smart about it. None of the outside security cameras capture anything other than two people in a convertible, talking to Mrs Bentley, then she allowed them into the garage and that's the end of the surveillance, they spent the rest of the time in the house, not emerging until Sunday night when they left, the girl was driving, the male walks outside and takes a piss against the wall! Fucking pig, he looks as drunk as a skunk."
I address Welch directly, "We've got to be able to pull the airport records surely, the rental car records, we have to find out who these bastards are, fuck you should have seen Ana, she was shattered, absolutely totally and utterly shattered, the fuckers whoever they are, have been watching them for the last five days, watching her most particularly wherever she was. The Boss says she's mad with all of us, that all her fucking trust has gone again, we've got to fix it, fuck, we have to fix it. I want to screw the bastard's neck."
"What? You think it was Hyde? Fuck really? OOOooh…. Her fucking mother said the volunteer was Jackie…. Pet name for Jack? How did we fucking miss that? What? Everyone has just been looking for a female volunteer? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! It was a man at the ball, shit, about Hyde's height and build, this fucker was as drunk as a skunk and Hyde was still drunk on Monday when he attacked her. When he said he only employed her so that he could get close…. He was drunk on the Friday night when he said the Boss had to watch himself with his toys. Fuck I wonder if he's booby trapped something at the house other than just rigging these cameras. Fuck, the cars could have tracking devices on them, so the Boss is not even safe here. Fuck!"
My head is pounding, Jack Hyde is the obvious culprit but what is his link? We are still missing something and something big but I'm glad I am at the hotel instead of at the house discussing this because I think the whole house is compromised now, if it is Hyde, he has already made a terroristic threat re "the planes and toys" and who knows what he classifies as toys, the house and everything in it, the boat, the bikes, motorcycles, the gliders and everything elsewhere, everything needs to be checked and we've found all the cameras but have we found listening devices? There are too many questions.
I didn't hear him coming in but the Boss's explosive "Fuck, it's Hyde? You think it's Hyde?" nearly makes me draw.
I nod looking at the fury in his eyes, thankful we are in Aspen so that I am not having to keep him away from the police. I ask because I need to understand, "What the fuck is his issue with you? Have you ever come across him before?"
"No, not that I know of, I'd have remembered him, he struck me straight away as suspicious, the very first time I saw him with Ana, there was something off with him. Fuck, if he was taping here, I wonder what he was taping at SIP and whether he managed to get something onto Ana when she was there." And he wrests the phone from me to speak to Welch.
"Go back, go fucking back to his birth certificate, who his fucking mother slept with, which way she slept in her bed, I don't fucking care, we need every single fucking thing on the vermin and this black haired woman….. yes, I know…. yes, I will…. Fuck it Welch, you've fucked up… now I need Ana feeling safe again, we were almost there and now she's back to reliving the nightmare of Morton. Fuck, check the link there. There has to be something with Carla and Elena, it's all too convenient. Come on, don't waste any more fucking time… No, we won't go back to the house. Fuck I'm tempted to take Ana to Australia and get her out of this fucking country altogether."