CHAPTER 113
The next morning brought light, dispelling the darkness that had hung over Hope Valle the night before. Jack opened the door to get the milk that was always there, as the kind milkman knew that his wife loved fresh milk. However, something unexpected awaited him. Frankison, tired and with deep circles under his eyes, was sitting on the porch, dozing off.
Awakened by the creak of the door, Frankison entered Jack's house, worry on his face. Jack, sensing the young man's distress, included the details of the nightmares that had haunted Elizabeth during the night. It was as if the young woman's torments had been engraved into the very essence of the house, when the screams of dread broke through the early morning silence.
Jack told Frankison about Elizabeth's dreams as a child, in which he always played the role of savior or companion. The days locked in her room were more bearable when he was present in her dreams. Jack, with wisdom and compassion, suggested that Frankison could be the key to helping heal his twin sister's emotional wounds.
Frankison, now aware of the need to support Beth in a profound way, thanked Jack for the information. When he entered the room, he saw Beth still pale, her face marked by that man's fingers, signs of recent events. Jack warned Frankison about the bruises, asking him not to show surprise at seeing them, to avoid embarrassment.
As he approached the bed, Frankison followed Jack's advice. He pretended to ignore the visible marks, concentrating only on the love he felt for his little sister. In a tender gesture, he took Beth in his arms and hugged her, conveying comfort and support without the need for words. And so she fell asleep, a mixture of relief and exhaustion.
Jack came to the door and brought Frankison a cup of coffee, as he sat beside the bed, holding his sister's hand. Jack was more than grateful to him for helping to look after his wife. According to Frankison, if she fell asleep with him there, she should wake up with him in the same place, it would be a way of showing that she hadn't abandoned him.
The morning light seeped into the room, revealing the shadows that danced on the walls and illuminating Beth's haggard face. Frankison remained by her side, gently holding her hand, as if each touch were a balm for the invisible wounds that afflicted her.
Beth awoke, her eyes meeting Frankison's. There was a deep sadness in her gaze, a pain that transcended the physical and reached the depths of her soul. Tears streamed down her face, not just as an expression of pain, but as the beginning of an emotional cleansing.
Frankison, attentive to his sister's silence, did not hesitate to dry her tears with affection. Each gesture was a step on the healing journey that began in that room. Elizabeth's tears were like raindrops, washing away the invisible scars and preparing the ground for emotional rebirth.
In an instant, Elizabeth collapsed in solutions. The tears that fell were a mixture of pain and relief, a release of emotions trapped for too long. Frankison, sensing the intensity of the moment, wrapped Elizabeth in a warm embrace, as if he could absorb all the pain that afflicted her.
The silence in the room was interrupted only by her soft solutions and Frankison's compassionate heart. The gentle touch, the warm embrace and the glances they exchanged revealed a profound communication, a language that only twin brothers could understand. It was healing taking place in every gesture of love shared.
As the tears dried, the morning light gained intensity, symbolizing the hope that was beginning to blossom in that room. The healing journey was just beginning, but at that moment, the strength of the fraternal love showed itself as a transforming power, capable of overcoming the darkness and lighting the way to complete healing.
Morning was breaking in Hope Valle, bringing with it the weight of the truth and the need for justice. Jack and Bill, deciding to take responsibility, headed to the police station to deal with the paperwork surrounding William Thatcher's arrest. However, what they found there was much more than a simple formality.
When he entered the police station, chaos had already ensued. William Thatcher, now in custody, was unwilling to accept his situation. He was shouting with fervor, accusing Elizabeth of an attempt on his life and demanding his immediate arrest. Jack, perplexed by the turn of events, approached the melee, watching the scene with incredulity.
"He had to stop himself from killing the man who tried to rape his wife..." thought Jack.
The thug, looking furious and defiant, pointed at Jack with trembling fingers.
- She shot me! She needs to be arrested! I want my lawyer! He shouted, as if hoping that his voice could reverse the events that had led to his arrest.
Jack, remaining calm in the face of the confusion, approached the situation with the seriousness it deserved. Elizabeth, at home, was visibly shaken, but firm in her resolve, because it was all in self-defense...
Jack requested the presence of a lawyer for William Thatcher, after all he needed to comply with the law, while at the same time trying to understand the unfounded accusations he was leveling against Elizabeth, he needed to talk to her and Wynn, to understand everything and only then would he and Bill be able to fill out the paperwork, unfortunately a bureaucracy. Jack still couldn't understand how that shot had been fired, after all, his wife had never wanted to learn to shoot.
Bill asked him to pick up Elizabeth and Frankison from Jack's house and they talked together in the infirmary. Wynn and Frankison were on the verge of exploding, knowing about Willian Thatcher's allegations and the charges against their daughter. Bill, observing the scene, took it upon himself to calm everyone down.
Everyone was enveloped in a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of Elizabeth's trembling voice. Jack, with a serious expression, conducted the interrogation, while the attentive eyes of her father, brother, Carson and Judge Bill remained fixed on her, absorbing every word.
Elizabeth, with courage and determination, described the terrifying moments she had experienced at the hands of her attacker. Tears streamed down her face, but her voice did not waver. She detailed the attack, the fear that consumed her when her clothes were torn, and the agony of being at the mercy of violence.
-There's something I need you to know, nothing happened because my father arrived in time, but unfortunately he touched me in a way that only you should have... I'm very same that I allowed him to... she began, her trembling voice carrying the weight of what she was about to reveal. With watery eyes, Elizabeth described the nightmare she had experienced in the bowels of the school.
She described the first slap, the repulsive sensation of William's lips close to her ear, leaving a trail of disgust that she had never been able to erase. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she recalled the moment when her blouse was ripped open, button by button, exposing her vulnerability to the monster who stared at her with fury in his eyes.
Elizabeth went on to describe the stabbing pain in her head as she struck him with desperation, the blood gushing over her like a puddle of her own resistance. She struggled to express the terror in her eyes when, even though wounded, William became more violent, tearing at her skirt and parts of her corset.
-He was so pleased to see me in that state. His hands all over my body, I struggled, but his strength was overwhelming. I felt every touch like a burn on my skin, a perpetual reminder of my helplessness, she whispered, her voice barely making it past the lump in her throat.
Elizabeth's tears reflected the intensity of the pain she carried with her. Jack, listening to every word, felt a tightness in his chest as he witnessed the unspeakable suffering she had faced at the hands of a monster. The room was immersed in a heavy silence, broken only by the painful echo of Elizabeth's narrative, revealing the invisible scars that the experience had left on her soul.
Jack, the best husband in the world, with his watery eyes, held her hands tightly, offering the silent support she needed, and close to her ear he told her that she shouldn't be ashamed of an act done by a monster, that she was the best person in the world and that his love for her was eternal... Judge Bill Avery, despite his impartiality in court, couldn't hide the compassion and indignation he felt at Elizabeth's account, not least because he, as well as being a judge, was her adoptive father, and his heart was breaking.
The angry looks on the faces of his loved ones mirrored the deep suffering they felt when they heard the story of that traumatic morning. His father, his fists clenched, couldn't contain the rage that was building up inside him. Her brother, by her side, stood firm, fervently wishing he could go back in time to prevent the horror she had experienced.
When Jack approached the crucial moment when she fired the shot to protect herself, Elizabeth clearly explained that it was a matter of life and death. Her gaze met the gaze of every person in the room, seeking understanding and acceptance.
Elizabeth revealed the crucial moment that led her to fire the gun. Her eyes, now dry of tears, fixed on Jack, whose expression of surprise was mixed with a gradual understanding of the events.
- He stabbed my father, Elizabeth began, her voice steady despite the emotion that still haunted her.
- I saw death in the eyes of the man who threatened everything I loved. There was no other choice. She was still...
Jack, stunned, stared at his wife as she recounted the agonizing moments that preceded the shooting. The image of his own wounded father-in-law and the imminence of his own death unfolded before him, like scenes from a real nightmare.
- But how did you know how to shoot? Jack asked, with a mixture of curiosity and incredulity.
Elizabeth, with quiet determination, replied:
- The gun was your father Thomas's. Tom taught me to shoot when I found out about the terrible story of the girl Charles raped. He gave me the gun after I asked him to give me lessons, and we had a weekend of lessons before he went on business trips. I never wanted to believe that something like this could happen to us, I just wanted to be safe, but that knowledge saved our lives.
The room was filled with tension and complex emotions. Elizabeth's family, still recovering from the initial shock, were processing the revelation that she possessed the ability to use a gun. Wynn had a father's pride on his face at the knowledge that his life had been saved by his daughter. Frankison looked at his sister, as if only now realizing that she was no longer a child, and Jack had the look of a lost puppy, lost in love with Elizabeth. As for Bill, he watched carefully, assessing the seriousness of the situation, he knew that William was going to be a lot of trouble, but he wouldn't accept anyone messing with Elizabeth, besides there was a different emotion in his heart knowing that his daughter had finally learned to defend herself, he had no place for more pride.
The truth, as hard as it was to accept, was in front of everyone. Elizabeth had not only faced the horror of violence, but had also found the strength to defend herself and protect those she loved, no judge in their right mind could say otherwise.
Bill and Jack went to the police station to collect their papers and then went to the judge's office, as they didn't want to be near that disgusting thug.
While the papers were being filled out and the situation investigated, news of William's arrest and the charges against Elizabeth spread through the small town. The community, which had witnessed the dramatic events, was now caught up in a whirlwind of emotions and speculation.
In the midst of this chaos, Jack, determined to protect the truth and ensure justice, faced the challenge of dealing with a criminal who, in desperation, sought any means to reverse his fate. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, despite the unjust accusations, remained strong, confident that the truth would prevail in the end, that man had tried to rape her body, kill her father and, on top of that, had lied completely about that shot, trying to incriminate her.
Night fell over Hope Valle, casting a sinister shadow over the police station. Jack, aware of the need to protect Elizabeth and expose the truth, assembled an unlikely team to set a trap for William Thatcher. Hickman, the trusted friend, was willing to play a crucial role in the plot.
While Hickman remained in the police station, acting as if he were unattended, Jack, Edward and Bill hid in the shadows, ready to witness events unfold. The atmosphere in the police station was charged with tension, a stage set for the imminent confrontation.
Hickman, playing his part masterfully, began to weave a fictional story about Elizabeth. He spoke to Willian Thatcher, whispering in his cell, as if he were sharing a dirty secret. The cunning words were carefully chosen to provoke the criminal's anger.
- You don't understand, Willian, said Hickman, with a serious expression.
- This woman, Elizabeth, she's nothing but trouble. I hear she has a dark past, involved in things that the law won't forgive. And you know, I was thinking... maybe I could have a deal with her. After all, there aren't many suitors around here and even though she's married, she can make my bed happy, in exchange for keeping the secrets of her past.
"Jack clenched his fist, listening behind the wall, even though it was only a plan he couldn't bear to hear another man talking about his wife, especially like that, but he had to control himself, and that's how he took three deep breaths until he got himself back under control, but looking at Bill and Frankison he had to laugh, because they were both having the same problem as him. "
Hickman's words were like seeds planted in the fertile soil of William Thatcher's mind. He reacted with uncontrollable fury, muttering threats and hurling insults. The scene was unfolding as planned, the bait was set, and William was fully involved in the plot hatched by Jack.
- You'll never get Elizabeth, Hickman! She will be mine. I won't let any other man get near her, Willian screamed, falling into the trap like a prey caught in a web.
The tension in the police station reached its peak when Hickman, maintaining his façade, provoked the criminal even more.
- She'll be mine, you old man. A young woman like her won't have much choice, and I'm a perfect man as well as being young and good-looking. Besides, that husband of hers will soon be out of town on another post. And I'll have her all to myself.
- I raised that girl, only I have the right to her. Willian shouted.
- If she's going to be yours, you have to do something. Otherwise, she'll end up in prison for a long time. Maybe for a few years, after all, I played my cards right by accusing her of trying to kill me. No one will believe that I tried to rape her or that I was going to blow her father's head off with that huge vase of flowers, if it wasn't for her shooting me, I'd be happy with her in my bed right now. Willian's response was an explosion of anger, his words made up of threats and promises. Hickman, with a look of triumph, continued the manipulation, while Jack and the others watched intently and with that mountie machine they recorded everything.
The day closed with the trap set, the players in place and the certainty that the truth would begin to emerge. In the heart of the police station, secrets and lies had intertwined, creating a web of intrigue that would unravel as Jack's meticulously devised plan reached its climax.