Take a Breath (Take 1) (16 page)

 
 “I’m sorry I made you bring up old memories Ana, but you can
understand this is an avenue we are going to need to
explore?”  

 
  I nod my head and realise things are never going to be the same
now.  Everyone will know my horrible past.  It’s nobody’s
business but mine and mine alone, damn that asshole for always being
inside my head, even now, ten years on.  

   “Ana, can you remember Alan’s full name?”  

 
  I nod, “It was Alan Martin, he was born in Pennsylvania I
believe and at the time he was 34 years old.  We were living in
New Jersey at the time.”  He is pencilling all this information
when he smiles and tells me he has enough to go on.  He gets up
and with that, I quickly grab his arm.  He swings round to look at
me and I have tears in my eyes, “Please don’t tell them what I told
you, I have to work with them and I don’t think I can look them in the
eye everyday if they knew. The last thing I want is their pity,
please.”  He stands staring for a brief moment and then softens
his features.  He places a hand on my shoulder.

 
 “This is not something we would normally hide but it’s not like
we haven’t withheld information before.  I will try my best to
keep this secret for you Ana, but you have to understand that there may
be a time when it becomes a necessity for them to know.  Can you
understand that?”  

 
  I nodded knowing full well that if Alan was doing all this, then
my past will soon be brought to the forefront. 

Just
then I notice a presence in the room and there stands Jake.  He
looks at me and then at Agent Marcos.  He notices his hand on my
shoulder and I see his fists clenching.  My caveman has not
disappeared on me yet.  Under his glare, Agent Marcos releases his
hand and turns to face him.  

   “Is everything ok here?” 

    Marcos nods, “I think I got what I need, thanks Mr Bennett.  Are Forensics on their way?”  

   “I got off the phone with them around five minutes ago.  They should be here any minute.”  

    Michael and Tom soon follow Jake out and they plant themselves on the sofa staring at me.  

   “Right, well I’m going to wait outside for them if I may and get them up to speed.”  

 
  He walks out of the room and Jake comes over and sits next to
me.  He puts his arms around me, which Michael and Tom notice, but
they wisely keep their mouths tightly closed.  

   “So, what did old ball grabber want?”  

    I look to Tom smiling at me.  “Ball grabber?”  

    Tom laughs, “He likes to grab balls, the guys an asshole.”  

 
  I grin at him, “This has nothing to do with the fact he’s an FBI
Agent is it Tom?  I thought he was nice.”  I feel Jake
stiffen his arms.  Is he jealous?  

   “Can you let me know what he asked?”  

 
  I look up at Jake, “He just wanted to know the same things you
asked before he came, if I could think of anyone it could be, if there
has been anyone acting suspiciously around me, etcetera etcetera. 
I told him no and he just wanted to know my involvement in the case if
any.”  I hated the fact I had lied to them, but I don’t want to be
pitied and it’s none of anyone’s business.  I don’t want Jake to
feel any different towards me for it.  He already thinks I’m a
magnet for trouble.  This will just send him over the edge and he
may think I’m more trouble than I’m worth.

The
door swings open ending our dreamlike states and in walks
Forensics.  They head straight for the note where they’re all
discussing something in the kitchen.  After a while Agent Marcos
comes out.  

 
 “We will need to take prints from all the doors and obviously
take this note back to be examined.  Ana, we will have to go into
your room if that’s ok, we will need to take prints in there as he may
have left more clues for us?  One important thing I need to
ask.  You found this note just before you rang yes?”  I
nodded.  “So I’m assuming whoever did this must have gotten in
whilst you had been out with Mr Bennett.”  

 
  I immediately stiffened in Jake’s arms and he sensed what I was
feeling.  I haven’t been in my room properly since Friday
afternoon before the barbeque.  “I think this note could have been
there anytime from yesterday afternoon.”  Agent Marcos looked at
me expectantly. “I wasn’t in my bed last night,” I blasted out. 
Both Michael and Tom straightened their posture suddenly, nearing the
edge of their seats, eager to hear the rest.  Tom looked like he
was about to burst if he didn’t get the gossip soon.  

   “So were you staying round someone else’s house, a friend perhaps?  We will need their name.”  

    I’m unsure of what to say but then Jake beats me to it.  

   “Jake Bennett, that’s whose bed she was in ok?”  

 
  Marcos blushed and Michael and Tom nearly fall off the seat at
Jake’s surprise statement.  If we were worried about the gossip
going round, our fears would certainly be realised now.  Michael
and Tom will be itching to go back later and tell everyone about what
happened last night in the Bennett household.  Wide grins spread
across their faces.  “Are we ok Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee?” I
said with mock expression.  They both looked at me and Michael was
about to say something when Marcos beat him to it.  

   “Mr Bennett, you told me you had a party last night at your house.”  

    He nods, “That’s right, yes.”  

 
 “So if Ana was last in her room before the party and just
discovered the note now, then it is safe to say that someone could have
left this note last night whilst your guests were here?  Someone
who was at the party themselves, or managed to gain entry to the house
at some point whilst the party was going on?”  

 
  All smiles were gone and I thought hard about what Marcos said,
“I did go into my room briefly this morning to get my phone.” 
Marcos quickly got his notebook out and started scribbling again.

   “And I take it the note wasn’t there then?”  

 
  I was racking my brains trying to figure out whether it was
there or not.  This information is vital, as it determines whether
the person got in during the barbeque, or whilst Jake and I were out
today.  If it was while Jake and I were out, then it would be
someone who knows the alarm code, as there has been no sign of forced
entry.  My head hurts like hell all of a sudden and the nausea is
coming back.  I can’t think straight.  “To be honest with
you, I cannot say for certain.  My phone was on my dresser,
opposite the bed.  I never looked.  I was literally in my
room seconds before I came out.  I had three text messages, so I
was caught up in reading those. I’m really sorry.  I know how
important this is but I don’t recall seeing anything as I wasn’t paying
attention.”  

 
  Marcos jotted all this down and turned his attention back to me,
“It’s ok, don’t worry.  It is important, but you were never to
know how much so until now.  Can you let me know who the messages
were from?”  

 
  Shit, I didn’t want to answer this.  One was from Tony and
I didn’t want to anger Jake and embarrass Tony with everyone knowing
the gory details.  “They were from my friend Jessie.  She was
at a wedding last night and wanted to know how the party
went.”  

   “Ok, this is Jessie?”  

   “Lindsay,” both Michael and Tom said in unison.  

   “So Jessie Lindsay sent you three messages to ask how a party went?”  

 
  I blushed, “Yes, well, when I didn’t answer her straight away
last night, she became impatient wanting to know why I wasn’t getting
back to her.”  Tom laughed and quickly stopped to compose
himself.  I looked up at Jake and he was glaring at
him.  

 
  Marcos finished off writing and looked at Jake, “Can you please
run a list of the names of all the people who were at the party last
night?”  

    Jake sighed, “Yes sure I will get it to you ASAP.”  

 
  Marcos nodded and excused himself again to see what was
happening upstairs.  Jake sat himself up and released his grip
from me.  

 
 “Now I’m going to say this once to the two of you and I don’t
want to ever have to repeat this, or I will have your badges.  You
are not to breathe a word of this to anyone whilst this investigation
is ongoing.  Some sick fuck seems to have more than a little crush
here on Ana and I don’t want anyone, and I mean anyone to know about
us, as it may piss whoever’s doing this off.  Do I make myself
clear?”  

 
  They both nod their heads like they’ve been told off by the
headmaster.  “If I even hear a whiff of gossip going around the
station, then I won’t be responsible for my actions.  This has to
stay quiet, for Ana’s sake.”  

    Jake grips my hand, looks round to me and smiles, “Are you ok Ana?”  

 
  I return the smile, “I’m fine thank you.  It is a shock,
and still is, but I have you guys to take care of me so I’m
fine.”  Jake squeezes my hand and gets up.      
   “I’m going to speak with Marcos about getting someone to
watch over the house at night, from now on.  I also need to get
that list going for him.  Will you be ok for a minute?”  

    I nod and he leaves. 

I
can see that both Michael and Tom are itching for information, but I
can tell they are afraid to ask.  “Well, go on then.  I know
you’re just dying to ask me.”  Tom positions himself at the end of
the sofa, looking like the cat that got the cream.  

   “How long Ana?  You weren’t doing it with your mom in the house were you?”  

 
  My face scowls, “Eww, that’s gross Tom, shut up.  It only
really happened last night.”  I knew at some point it was going to
turn sick but I didn’t think he would just put it out there like
that.  This is exactly what I didn’t want, people judging
us.  Jake is a lot more to me than just a crush or passing
whim.  He is my life.  

   “You and the boss ha?  I was starting to think you may have been gay Ana.”  

 
  Complete shock overtook me, is that what everyone thinks of me
just because I never gave anyone there the time of day?  Michael
nudged at Tom and then looked sheepishly towards me.  

 
 “Sorry Ana, I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just you’re a very
popular girl and certainly had a choice of a few people but you never
seemed to be interested.”  

 
  I glare at Tom, “So because I never looked in their direction,
people naturally assumed I was gay?  Typical male, chauvinistic
prick thinking.”  

    Michael coward, “Tom, you shouldn’t have gone there buddy.”  

 
  I was fuming inside.  I thought keeping my head down and
getting on with things curtailed any gossip going around.  It
would seem that me being the ‘fridge,’ Tom was making me out to be was
what spurred the gossip about me in the first place.  I can’t win,
if I were shagging everyone in the station, I would be earning the
reputation of a slut, but because I wasn’t sleeping around, I must now
be gay.  “So does everyone think I’m gay now just because I
wouldn’t sleep with a few people?”  Tom winces; I think he is
beginning to really regret what he said now.  

 
 “No, of course not, I just thought that maybe, look just forget
what I said, I’m sorry Ana.  Please don’t be upset with
me.”  

 
  I take a deep breath and try and calm down a bit.  “Okay
Tom whatever, I think I have more important things to be worrying about
at the moment anyway, and just so you know I’m not gay and this thing
with Jake and I is in its infancy at the moment.  All you need to
know is that it’s happened and I’m happy and once this jerk is caught,
then everyone can get on with their lives and I won’t have to
constantly look over my shoulder.”  They both slouch further into
the sofa as the tension eases a bit.  

   “I must say you do look radiant.  I’m happy for you both.”  

 
  I smile at them, “Nicely saved there Tom.  Still doesn’t
mean you’re not a prick.”  They both start laughing as Jake enters
the room again.  He has a very serious expression on his face and
I can see he is gauging my reaction, as I am smiling up at him. 
He must be wondering why I’m suddenly so composed.  I really don’t
want this asshole to get to me.  I’m tired of being the victim and
I don’t want to be any part of this sick fuck’s game anymore. 

Jake
sits beside me and holds my hand.  I can see Michael and Tom
watching our every move.  I bet they’re loving this.  

 
 “I have managed to sort out some protection for the evening, so
the house is watched.  I doubt very much he will do anything if
their presence is known.”  

 
  I look longingly into Jake’s eyes.  I know he will protect
me and keep me safe.  Just being next to him makes me feel as if
I’m wrapped up in the finest, softest cotton wool known to
man.  

   “I’m not letting you out of my sight from now on.”  

 
  His piercing green eyed gaze is back on me and I suddenly
realise how embarrassing this little encounter must be for Michael and
Tom.  I grab Jake’s hand, “Listen, I know I now seem to be the
pawn in this little game the sadistic prick wants to play and I realise
I have to watch my back everywhere I go, but I can’t be watched 24/7
Jake and I can’t ask that of you.  You have a job and everyday
life events to take care of.  You can’t be with me every minute of
every day.”      Jake huffed, “You just watch me. 
I’m not given that sick fucker the time of day.  He’s made it
personal now and I refuse to give him the satisfaction of thinking he
can just take what he likes, whenever he likes.  He will have to
get past me first.”