Welcome to New Haven (107 page)

“Please leave him alone.” She cried. “Kill me instead.” Alex’s heart sank at her words.
 

“Holly. It’s me. You’re having a nightmare.”

Her eyes flew open, and she was breathing heavily.
 

“Alex!” She pulled him into herself. There was no way he was leaving her again. He lifted the cover and slid in next to her.
 

“I’m not going anywhere.” He said as Holly curled into him.
 

Alex woke sometime later, tangled in Holly’s arms and legs. Her face was buried in his bare chest. She brought her hands up his torso and gently stroked from his chest and down onto his abs, moaning in appreciation.
 

“Down girl.” He chuckled, and Holly gasped in surprise.
 

“That’s a great feeling to wake up to.” He said as he pulled her in tight and kissed the top of her head. “How are you feeling?”

After last night, he expected Holly to be withdrawn and quiet, but after waking up to her hands on his body…

”Actually I’m ok.” Holly replied whilst continuing to stroke his skin with her fingertips.

The sensations were doing crazy things to his insides. Just Holly’s touch had his body on fire but now was certainly
not
the time to react, even though other parts were already
wide
awake and ready for action.
 

”After you came back…the nightmare stopped. You being next to me made them go away.” She added as she hooked her leg over the top of his.
 

“If that’s what it takes for you to sleep, than that’s where I’ll be” He said, stroking up and down her back.

“Holly, Alex, are you coming down for breakfast?” Kim asked as she knocked on the door. Holly groaned. Her Mom obviously knew Alex would have stayed with her.
 

“In a minute” Holly called out.
 

“I suppose we should get up.” Alex had loved waking up next to Holly.
 

Her warm body entwined with his.

Feeling her heartbeat close to his own.

He wanted to stay there all day. Staying in bed together would be the perfect way to spend their time.

As Holly went into her bathroom, he quickly went to the other to try to hide his ‘excitement’.
 

They both exited the bedrooms at the same time and walked straight into each others’ arms. Alex pulled back to search her face, and he saw what he thought he’d seen as she walked towards him. She’d been crying.
 

“I’m ok, really.” She said as she read his expression. Alex understood completely. Nobody could be fine so soon after an ordeal that she’d just had. In fact, most people would probably have a breakdown.

Holly, his precious Holly, was so strong and brave. He gently pressed his lips to hers.

“You’re everything to me, Holly. Everything.” Holly gazed up into his eyes.
 

“You’re my all.” She said, her voice shaking.
 

Alex cupped her face and kissed her softly, his heart aching for her.
 

They walked, hand-in-hand, downstairs for breakfast.
 

As soon as they walked into the kitchen, Kim rushed towards Holly and crushed her into a bear hug.
 

“My baby, are you ok? How are you feeling? We were so worried!”
 

“I’m ok Mum. I’m fine” Holly managed to say as her Mum squeezed her tight. Oli came through and joined in with the hug, kissing her head. Even though Holly knew her Mum and Dad were worried about her, she just wanted to relax. She was Ok. She didn’t want to be fussed over.
 

“I’ve just got off the phone to officer Jones.” Oli told them. “They want to come over and talk to all of us this afternoon.”
 

“We need to go to Alex’s first.” Holly said, anxiously. “He needs to change and make sure Dev’s Ok. He needs to see his family. I need to go…” Holly felt her hands shaking ands her heart racing. “I don’t want to be alone. No, I can’t.”
 

As Holly began to hyperventilate, they could all see she wasn’t as fine as she had made out to be.

Alex looked into her eyes as he held her.

“Breathe, Holly. I’m not letting you out of my sight. Ok?” Alex took deep breaths for Holly to follow. “I’m not going anywhere without you” He whispered.

Holly swallowed as her breaths evened out, some tears escaping down her cheeks. Kim and Oli were watching as Alex calmed her again.
 

“He’s got the magic touch with her” Oli said to Kim as she curled into his arms.
 

“They’re obviously made for each other” Kim replied in wonderment.

Holly heard the exchange and smiled. Looking at Alex, she knew he’d heard them too. It felt good knowing her parents understood the connection between them and were supportive.
 

“Try to eat something, baby girl.” Said Kim. They sat at the table, and Holly ate a little but she wasn’t feeling particularly hungry.

They left the house to get in Rami’s car.
 
Holly checked the back of the car first, before getting in, and Alex held her door open for her.
 

“Baby,
nothing
is going to happen
ever
again, Ok? I meant it when I said I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Holly simply nodded, and Alex took her hand and kissed across her knuckles. The bruising peeking out next to the edge of the support bandage from when she’d been pummelling her fist into Stacey’s face.

They drove to Alex’s house and he parked in the garage.
 

“Holly, how are you honey?” Evie said as she greeted them, holding Holly’s face in her hands.
 

“I’m doing ok, thanks.” Holly said as she looked to Alex. Dev and Ben appeared, and they both walked quickly over for a group hug. Holly could tell that Evie and Rami were trying not to be obvious as they were checking them for signs of distress.

Holly could feel her legs shaking and tried her best to remain calm. The last thing she wanted was to be taken to hospital for shock. She wasn’t feeling that bad, just a little…nervous.
 

“Oh my God, Hol!” cried Dev. “I’m
so
glad you’re ok. When I thought…she had…” Dev shook her head and then squeezed Holly tight again.” I’m just glad you’re ok.”

Ben had bro-hugged Alex and then hugged Holly.
 

“Hey short stuff.” He said as he crushed her with his arms.
 

“Ben…need to breathe.” Holly squeaked.
 

“Oh, sorry.” He apologised as he released her, making everybody chuckle.
 

“It’s ok Ben, I’m fine”

“I need to get changed, and then we have to head back. The police are coming over to talk to us.“ Alex told them.

He took Holly upstairs, keeping her with him, as promised.

Rami had just gotten off the phone with Oli when they came back down. Dixon had called as they’d uncovered more information that they all needed to hear.

Once back at Holly’s the officers were just pulling up as they got out of their cars.

Kim wrapped Holly in a tight hug.

“My baby.” She breathed. Kim pulled back, still holding onto Holly and checking her over.
 
Satisfied that Holly wasn’t falling apart, she let go and motioned for everybody to go through to the living room.

They all sat down, Alex next to Holly on her other side, as the officers stood at the front of the room to address them with the information.

“Thanks for meeting us so soon” Dixon said. “I know this has been a very difficult time…”

“Difficult? Don’t you mean a fucking shit-storm of fuck ups?” spat Alex, angrily.
 

Evie place a hand on his shoulder.

“Please, Alex. Let him speak.” She said, calmly.
 

“I agree, there have been some grave mistakes made with the previous arrests of Miss. Scutter. I can assure you, she will not be released into society for a long, long time.” Dixon spoke to Holly. “Could we record the details of what happened after you left Mr. Valencia’s home last night? We could go to another room…”
 

“It’s ok. I don’t mind that everybody hears” Holly said. “I’m only going to go through it once again. I don’t want to talk about it anymore after that. Ok?” Alex squeezed her gently and kissed her temple. “Everyone can hear it from me and then that’s it.” She added.
 

“That’s fine, Miss.” Said Jones as he took a dictaphone from his pocket and set it to record. He stated the date, time, and Holly’s name.
 

“I said goodbye to Alex, walked down the path and got into the car. It didn’t even occur to me to lock the doors…” Holly continued recalling the horrifying details of her kidnapping at gunpoint. The room was eerily quiet as she spoke. Only Alex had heard the details in the early hours of the morning.
 

Kim was silently sobbing into Oli’s chest, for her daughter. What she’d been through at the hands of a crazed lunatic.

“Thank you.” Said Jones as he stopped recording.
 

“Three times that girl attacked them” Oli said angrily. “
None
of this should have happened. After the attack on Holly’s car, and her priors, that girl should’ve still been in custody!” He raised his voice. “After Saturday morning, your department should have been more vigilant that the same mistake would not have been made! Holly could’ve been
killed!”
Kim sobbed out loud as she held onto Holly and shook with grief over the possibility of what the outcome could have been.

Evie and Dev were also weeping. Holly had been through more than most people could cope with, and she was sitting there… brave and calm.

Evie moved to kneel in front of her and hugged her.
 

“Oh you sweet, brave girl. I am
so
sorry this happened to you…” She cupped Holly’s face as she looked into her eyes. “You will
never
go through that
ever
again.” Evie pulled her back in for a hug. When she let go, Dev tackled her.

“Honey…” She cried. “I’m so sorry.” She sniffled. “You must have been so scared! I’m glad you beat the
shit
out of her.” Dev finished with hatred in her voice.

The officers waited patiently whilst everybody took their turns hugging Holly.
 

Alex immediately reattached himself to her side, and she was more than willing to as she rested her head on his chest when his arms came around her, holding her hands. Holly held his left with her right. Looking at the rings they wore, and Alex lifted their hands to kiss them.

“We need to inform you of the incidents that took place leading up to,
and
the reason Miss. Scutter was released.” Jones said as Dixon stood next to him as he told them everything.

Stacey had been detained and been in a holding cell whilst a warrant was applied for, to search her house.

They found nothing.

During her previous arrest in San Francisco, the police had found the evidence of her stalking the victim. This time, they had nothing, and filed a report stating the fact. But, as she’d vandalized Holly’s car and broken into the Valencia house, she remained in custody pending a psych evaluation.

Without Dixon and Jones’ knowledge, a judge had ordered Stacey to be released under parental custody and house arrest. She was tagged and told not to leave. The officers confirmed what Stacey had told Holly about how she had orchestrated the plan to remove the tag and get to Alex’s house.

Stacey had driven across town, dumped her mother’s car, and took a cab to the Valencia house. When the officer showed up, they found her mother unconscious. Stacey had given her Rohypnol, commonly know as the ‘date rape’ drug. They’d radioed through and went searching for her. By the time the report came through, Stacey had already taken Holly.

When the officers pulled Holly off Stacey, at Piper’s Farm, they got a good look at the inside of the brick storage shed. The evidence was taken away and tagged.
 

They’d found three more vials of the drug, in liquid form, and the gun Stacey had pointed at Holly. It was registered to her mother. They’d found Jeans, a T-shirt, large sunglasses and a cap she’d used to disguise herself with when stalking in public.

Holly’s dream of Stacey, in disguise, was so vivid. She
had
seen her like that before. Outside her house, but she’d not paid much attention to her then as she didn’t know who she was.
 

They’d also found a diary with explicit details of what she’d done up to that point and that she’d planned to do the same to Alex. Also confirming a failed attempt at a party. The officers couldn’t give the names of the other victims, or what had taken place, but it involved parties and spiking drinks. Stacey had written that the others had turned her down too. When Stacey had failed to get Alex at the party, the previous year, she’d turned her attentions to somebody else… somebody older.

The officers told them that an officer was speaking to Jake about the real reason he’d had sex with Stacey.
 

She’d told Holly she’d used ‘chemical persuasion’ and just enough to keep his equipment working. The others knew this because of Holly’s statement. They knew about Steve the senior the previous year and knew it had happened to him too, and from what Jones had said, there were others.
 

“The evidence was presented to Miss. Scutter, and she admitted everything” added Dixon. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this Miss Edwards, Stacey targeted you, not solely because of your relationship with Mr. Valencia, but because she saw you as her competition for others. When you started school and she witnessed you receiving any male attention, she planned to ‘remove’ you from the equation. She also told us that she came to terminate Mr. Valencia, but chose you instead when she saw you, to eliminate her ‘rival’ and to teach Mr. Valencia a lesson.”
 

The gasps around the room were audible. Holly and Alex were frozen.

Alex could’ve been killed.