~ Escaping the Shadows ~
by Peewee
Disclaimer/Content Warning: See Part 1
Any comments or criticism can be mailed to me at trr_lgn@yahoo.ca
4
Frankie freshened up in the bathroom after she opened a window, then headed downstairs. She was going to make a pot of coffee Frankie was sitting on the couch playing a video game. Sun beat in through the windows of the tiny basement apartment. It was the middle of the worst heat wave she had ever seen in her twenty years. Sweat was rolling down her cheeks and the condensation from her beer had ruined the magazine it was sitting on. The fan next to the couch was turned on high but it wasn't helping. It was just too hot. She wished she had gone home to visit her parents that week. At least they had a pool. Connie had wanted her to stay in town so they could spend some time together. Of course Connie had finished her shift at four and now at seven in the evening she still wasn't home. Not that Frankie had minded. She had been contemplating their relationship a lot lately and was beginning to think it might be wise to leave. At first Connie had just been controlling, then she started making cruel statements designed to hurt Frankie. Then things started to get a little rougher. At first it was a bit of a turn on, now it just hurt. She hoped that if Connie did come home she would come home very late and very drunk. That way she would pass out and leave Frankie alone. Otherwise she would just be a little bit tipsy, demanding and aroused.
The key in the door dashed Frankie's hope of a night alone. Connie's deep voice was engaged in conversation, so Frankie realized her girlfriend wasn't alone. She paused the game and waited for them to enter. Two towering figures entered the apartment. Frankie smiled nervously at her lover. Connie was tall with spiked blond hair and deep-set dark eyes. She was strong and broad shouldered from years of physical labour. The woman with her was tall and bulkier than Connie with curly black hair and dazed hazel eyes. She looked at Frankie, then back at Connie and smiled. Connie looked at her new friend and started to chuckle. Connie looked over at her girlfriend and gave her a rakish grin.
"Hey shrimp, what have you been doing all day?" Connie asked kicking off her shoes and motioning for their guest to do the same.
"Cleaned up, did the dishes, some laundry and then I started playing some games." Frankie said happy that Connie seemed to be in a good mood.
"Sounds like a pretty busy day babe." Connie smiled. "This is Amy, Amy my girlfriend Frankie."
"Nice to meet you Frankie." Amy said smiling.
"You too. Would you guys like a beer?" Frankie asked getting up and turning her game off.
"If you don't mind?" Amy nodded.
"You didn't have to stop playing." Connie said. "I could have gotten us a drink."
"I don't mind. You worked all day." Frankie said heading to the kitchen.
Connie led her new friend to the couch as Frankie walked away.
"You said she was cute, you didn't mention that she was hot, or jailbait." Amy said playfully punched Connie on the arm.
"She's legal. And if you think she's hot in cut offs and a tee, wait till later." Connie chuckled.
"You sure she'll be up for this?"
"She'll do anything I tell her to."
"C'mon this is a little extreme." Amy noted. "You sure she won't object."
"Not if she knows what's good for her." Connie said coldly.
In the kitchen Frankie listened to their conversation and started to shake. Amy may not realize that everything you say in the living room could be heard everywhere in the small apartment but Connie was aware. Frankie took a deep breath and walked out into the living room with beers for everyone. She gave Connie a cold look. Connie curled her lip in contempt and glared at her daring her to say something. Frankie handed out the beers then stood at the coffee table looking at both women.
"C'mon babe, sit down." Connie said patting the space on the couch between them.
A shudder ran through Frankie, and then she took a sip of her beer to fortify herself and took her seat.
Frankie sat bolt upright in bed. Her heart beating erratically she struggled to catch her breath. She had sweat pouring down her face and her bedclothes were soaked. She looked around the room to get her bearings. Max looked at her and cocked his head. She started to relax. Kylie moaned and moved closer to her.
"You okay?" She mumbled.
"Bad dream. Sorry." Frankie said still trying to catch her breath.
"C'mere." Kylie said snuggling closer to her partner. "I'll protect you."
Frankie took a deep shuddering breath as tears started to form in her eyes. She curled up in her lover's arms and closed her eyes.
"I know you will." She said as she started to drift off.
The teacher's lounge was bustling. The noon hour recess was in full swing and the only staff members not in the lounge were on yard duty. Kylie was sitting on one of the threadbare couches eating a salad and talking with the French teacher Mr. Lalonde about one of her more difficult students. She looked up as Siobhan entered and nodded at her. Siobhan had wanted to talk to Kylie about her sister and they agreed to do it over the break. They decided to take a walk after they ate so they could talk without everyone knowing their business. Kylie tried to wrap up her conversation with Mr. Lalonde while Siobhan microwaved a pizza pocket.
"If she acts up in your class again send her back to my room. I usually just go over my lesson plan during the spare, I'm sure I can find a way to make her stay miserable." Kylie said to him standing up.
"Ready?" Siobhan asked as she walked up to Kylie.
Kylie nodded and both bid the mild mannered French teacher good-bye. They headed outside to wander the schoolyard.
"Man I would not do his job." Siobhan said talking about Mr. Lalonde.
Kylie just laughed and raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah I know my kids are tough, but at least they have a reason and for the most part they really want to learn once you get through to them. But you can take an A student and put them in French class and they turn into little bastards." Siobhan noted. "I know I was."
Kylie smiled. "I can't imagine that."
"Bullshit." Siobhan smirked.
They walked a little further without saying anything.
"So how's she doing?" Siobhan asked.
Kylie shrugged. "Not to good. She's been having nightmares again and she's been drinking a lot."
"Sure signs that something is going on in that messed up head of hers." Siobhan sighed.
"I really wish she would go talk to someone about it." Kylie stated looking at the grey September sky.
"And admit that she has issues." Siobhan laughed. "Are you new?"
"I know that I just wish she could admit what happened. I mean what really happened and not all that crap she say's like it was her own fault" Kylie said sadly.
"She still can't seem to let go of the guilt of it. She used to be worse though at least she's talked to you about it."
"Yeah. When we first got together she kept waking up from the nightmares. She wouldn't tell me what was going on. So one night after she had one I got up with her, got her drunk and she told me." Kylie chuckled.
"That's pretty much how I found out too. We got loaded in Mom and Dad's basement and started playing truth or I never or something. She finally spilled the beans." Siobhan said shaking her head. "Got to love those Irish genes."
"Yeah it's really fantastic." Kylie said rolling her eyes. "So what do we do now?"
"I don't know. Telling Morgan just seemed to bring all of the ghosts back. Hopefully it won't last to long." Siobhan shrugged. "Otherwise how are things?"
"Are you asking me about my sex life with your sister?" Kylie looked at Siobhan who was wiggling her eyebrows.
"C'mon you can tell me."
"I don't think so. If you're that curious call Frankie and ask." Kylie said shaking her head.
"I would but she might tell me and I know you never would. Some things should remain private." Siobhan laughed.
She enjoyed embarrassing her sister-in-law. They were very close and it made her happy to see Frankie so well looked after. Kylie was strong and smart and knew how to put up with her sister's moods. Kylie had been an officer in the military and had a full life of her own before she met Frankie. She had a pretty good sense of self and that came in handy when dealing with the Finnian family. Their Mother adored Kylie as soon as she met her, their Father had been a little cooler, but it was really just the memory of Frankie's last girlfriend that kept him at bay. Once he realized that Kylie was nothing like Connie he was very happy with his eldest child's choice in a mate. Toby had liked Kylie right off the bat. She was quiet and sarcastic and an easygoing soul, much like he was. They were very similar people, so similar that Sean really only responded to Kylie or Toby's discipline. Sean loved his fun and goofy Aunt Frankie, she was like a playmate for him, but he respected and looked up to his Aunt Kylie.
"So what's going on this weekend?" Siobhan asked.
"Frankie's on nights this weekend." Kylie frowned. "So I guess we won't be doing too much. Maybe a little yard work but that's about it."
"What days does she have off then?"
"I think she's off Monday and Tuesday?" Kylie said looking at Siobhan. "Why?"
"I was thinking we should go see a show next Thursday."
"A movie?"
"No the comedian's at Yuk Yuk's." Siobhan shrugged. "Dinner and a show. I can get Mom to look after Sean and we can get out for a bit. I know we need it and I would guess that you two do as well."
"I'll ask her if she's free. I think she only works a short shift that day, but I'll check." Kylie said as they turned to head back up to the school.
Frankie looked at the people sitting at the bar. A middle-aged couple not really drinking anymore just talking and having what looked like a very good date; a businessman who appeared to be just trying to have a nightcap before he went across the street to the hotel; a young man who had been drinking rather heavily while waiting for his friend to get done work in the kitchen. She had gone around to each of them only moments ago to let them know it was last call. She had unfortunately been correct in her assumptions that the owners of the bar would want her to cut the number of staff she had on during the slow nights rather than close early. So here she was closing down the bar on Sunday night. She had sent Andrea home at midnight after she got most of the paperwork done that she needed to do. This was the first Sunday that she would be working the bar as well as closing the restaurant. She was going through all the work she had to do before she could go home. She had a full three hours work before she was done and it was already nearly three am. At this rate if nothing went wrong she would be getting home when Kylie got up to go to work. The patrons of the bar slowly started to leave, first the couple then the businessman. Her cook came out front to talk to his friend. He told him to wait outside that he would only be a few more minutes. Frankie watched the exchange and both men seemed to realize she was watching them. She was going to have to talk to James about having his friends wait for him.
He was a relatively new employee and she wanted to nip any bad habits in the bud. Lots of bars let friends wait around for employees but hers was not one of those places. It seemed to cause more trouble then good in her opinion. Most of the places that let that occur also had a reputation of widespread drug use amongst their employees and management. True or not those bars got a bad name and she didn't want her little bistro to go down that path. She watched James' friend leave the bar and him head back towards the kitchen. She left the bar and went to lock the two entrances to the bistro. There was the main double door that opened onto the street and the side entrance from the office building it was housed in. She walked back around to the bar and started to take inventory of the liquor. She glanced at the alarm panel and saw the back loading dock entrance was open. That wasn't unusual since James would have to put all the garbage outside in the dumpster. She went back to weighing the bottles. It was tedious work but it was needed to make sure staff wasn't giving too much extra away to customers or wasting too much in spillage. She had a good staff, she wasn't too worried about theft but you never could tell. She looked at the alarm panel again and noticed that the door was still open. James must have put something in front of the door to prop it open while he was taking out the garbage. That was something that was never supposed to be done especially at three am. She set down her clipboard to go talk to him about it. If he didn't know it was against the rules he would shortly.
She walked through the darkened restaurant into the kitchen. Most of the lights were out in the kitchen as well so she quickly made her way through to the back area that housed the stairs to the downstairs change rooms as well as the door to the loading dock. As she suspected the door was propped open. She took a step out onto the loading dock to yell at James for leaving it open. There she saw several cases of unopened beer sitting stacked neatly in the back of a pick-up. She turned to go back inside and walked into James who held a case of beer in his hands. He sneered at her. The initial fear she felt was turned to anger when she saw him trying to steal right under her nose.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" She yelled at him.
"Getting a little bit of payback you fucking dyke bitch." He hissed.
"What are you…?" Frankie never got the words out because James' friend came up behind her and covered her mouth.
Then she started to panic. She started to struggle and kick at the man holding her. He wasn't that much bigger but he was surprisingly strong. He held her as James went and loaded the case into the truck. James then walked up to them and motioned for his friend to take her inside. His friend kept a tight hold on Frankie as James walked up to her. James stopped and smiled cruelly at her. She saw the punch coming but couldn't stop it. It knocked the breath out of her. James' friend uncovered her mouth to get a better grip on her arms. James swung at her head. She groaned as she felt her lip split upon impact. It seemed to her like James was just getting started. She closed her eyes as she saw him cock his fist again. The second blow to the head left her dizzy and her knees started to buckle.
"Let her fall man." James told his friend.
She hit the floor with a thud. All she could think of was how cold the tiles on the floor felt. Then she felt the most amazing pain in her side as James started to kick her. The kicks kept coming each harder and more vicious then the last. She realized that James was crazy and that she could very well end up dead. She thought of Kylie and how bad she wanted to see her one more time. She didn't want her love to have to go through this. She was thinking of Kylie when a kick to her head sent her into darkness.
Tom wandered through the office building checking on the locked doors of each floor. It was really the night watchman's job but he got bored sitting at his desk at this time of the night, so he liked to do the rounds with the older man. At first Colin was upset thinking that Tom didn't trust him to do his job but after a couple of days he realized that Tom was just not equipped to sit a desk for very long. Tom had worked two weeks on every shift getting to know the watchmen and their habits. Most had good habits like Colin but a couple of the day shift guys got a little lax in their duties. He was working on a way to put a stop to that without stepping on many toes. They were all pretty good at their jobs and they didn't want some college boy coming around telling them what to do. It didn't matter that he was thirty-two years old he was still college boy to the old timers.
Tom walked over to the window and looked down onto the courtyard. From the eighteenth century well into the early twentieth century the building had been a hotel. It was gothic limestone affair with a courtyard in the centre and an arched stable entrance that was now the loading dock of the bistro where Frankie worked. There were apparently old tunnels that stretched out over six city blocks that had been used to smuggle booze and people across the boarders. Ships would dock in the harbour then take their cargo into the hotel located right in front of the slips then they would sneak their way through the tunnels and end up at this hotel several blocks north without anyone being the wiser. The man he had taken over for Warren Gentry told him some of the history of the area. The rest he had learned from Morgan and Frankie.
He was quite pleased with his blossoming relationship with Frankie. Mike and Morgan had him over quite a bit and Frankie and her partner were often in attendance as well. He liked Kylie she was smart and rather straightforward which was as nice as it was unusual. Frankie wasn't as skittish as she had first been with him. She was still a bit shy but it was an intriguing quality in her. She was an enigma to him. One he was going to figure out, he was sure of it. He kept walking around the office building until he got to the window that overlooked the loading dock. He looked down mildly hopeful to see Frankie. He knew that it was a silly thought she wouldn't be standing out there at almost four in the morning. He looked down anyway and noticed a pick-up truck sitting right in front of the loading dock.
"Colin, there's a truck down by the Bistro's back entrance." He shouted to his watchman. "You have any idea why?"
"Nothing scheduled. Frankie always tells me when they get a late delivery." Colin said walking over to the window.
Both men were quiet for a moment.
"I don't like the look of this, boss." Colin said grabbing the ring of keys he kept attached to his belt.
All the watchmen had the keys and alarm codes to every business in the building. Colin located the key and started towards the stairs at a brisk clip. Tom followed him and before they reached the stairwell both men were running. They flew down the stairs taking two at a time until the reached the main floor. Although both men were in good shape they had to slow down and catch their breath as they reached the inside door to the bistro. Colin took a deep breath and looked at Tom. Tom nodded and Colin unlocked the door. The alarm didn't trip as Colin looked at the panel next to the door. He motioned for Tom to follow him and stay behind him. Both men headed towards the kitchen. Colin had been inside the restaurant many times going over security matters with Frankie or Andy so he knew where he was going. Tom had only come in that first day he talked to Frankie. He hadn't wanted her to get suspicious of him hanging around, so he left her alone. Now he wished he hadn't been so cautious of her feelings. As they entered the kitchen they could hear voices.
"Fucking bitch."
Thud.
"…Fucking, kill you…"
Thud
"Damn man c'mon. Let's just go already."
Thud.
"No this bitch is gonna pay."
Thud.
"Fuck that man. I'm outta here."
Tom and Colin had made it over to the back area of the kitchen so they could see what was going on. One man was walking out the back door while the other kept kicking a form lying on the floor. Colin reached for his gun and unclipped it from its holster. He motioned for Tom to stay behind him as he rose.
"Freeze." He bellowed.
The man going out the door bolted. The other man stopped kicking and raced after the first. Colin chased them both as Tom followed. Tom reached the body lying on the floor and stopped. He knelt down and pulled some blood soaked hair out of Frankie's face. They had beaten her quite badly but only a few marks were on her face. She had a black eye, a split lip and the one side of her face was starting to bruise. He could tell by her breathing that she was in trouble. He grabbed the cell he kept in his pocket and dialled 911.
"Hang on Frankie." He implored her as he waited to talk to the dispatcher.
Colin came back into the kitchen. "I got the licence plate."
"Good." Tom nodded at him. "Yes an ambulance and the police at the Bistro. 486 Bagot St. the back entrance. Yes it's a restaurant and it has a back loading dock entrance. Yes that entrance is on Queen St. it's a limestone archway. Yes it's a robbery and assault. Please hurry she's having trouble breathing. I don't want to move her she's been beaten pretty badly."
"Ah Jesus. It's Frankie." Colin said finally looking at who it was that lay before them.
"Colin can you stay on the line with them. I've got to call Frankie's partner." Tom said holding out his cell to Colin.
Colin nodded and put the phone to his ear.
Tom wandered out to the front of the restaurant to find a phone. He knew there was one under the bar somewhere.
Kylie woke from a nightmare and looked at the neon numbers of her alarm clock.
3:45 am.
She wondered why she had woken up. Suddenly she felt nauseous so she raced into the bathroom and lost the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She took a moment to gather herself up then stood on shaky legs and walked over to the sink. She splashed cold water on her face then picked up her toothbrush and began to brush her teeth. She wondered what had brought that on. She tried to think of anything she may have eaten that would bother her like that. She couldn't think of anything. She looked at her face in the mirror. She needed more sleep the circles under her eyes were beginning to look like Frankie's. At the thought of Frankie's name her stomach lurched again. She looked in the mirror and saw the fear register on her face. She walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. She looked at the clock on the microwave. 3:52 am. She shook her head. Frankie wasn't due home until almost six. She had warned her that this was going to be a very long night. She sighed, you had a nightmare and now you want Frankie here so you're projecting. Her stomach lurched again. No matter what she told herself she knew she wasn't getting any more sleep until Frankie got home. She walked back to the bedroom and grabbed her robe. She would lie down on the sofa and read until Frankie got home. Maybe if she was lucky she would fall asleep again. She grabbed a book and the phone and walked into the living room. She set the phone down on the coffee table and laid out on the couch. She attempted to read the book but found herself staring at the phone. She tried to push away the aching feeling she had in her chest but it wouldn't let up. She turned on the television and flipped to CNN. She put it on Frankie's favourite station and stared at the time. 4:11 am.
The phone rang.
She jumped. She looked at the phone, scared that it actually had rung and partially scared that it hadn't and she was losing her mind. It rang again. She picked it up and hit the talk button.
"Ah…hello." She said her voice sounding hollow.
"Kylie?" The man's voice on the other end asked.
"Yes. Who's this?" Still her voice sounded strange.
"It's Tom. Kylie, Frankie… Frankie's been hurt. She's being taken to KGH. I had to call Mike and Morgan to get your phone number, so they will be there any second to pick you up and bring you to the hospital." Tom paused. "Kylie are you still there?"
"Ah…" Kylie cleared her throat not even noticing that she was crying. "Yes I'm still here."
"Good. Mike and Morgan will be there any minute. Make sure you let them in. I've got to let you go. I'm going to ride in the ambulance with her so she knows someone is with her. Okay Kylie."
"Yes." She paused. "Tell her I…"
"I will Kylie. She knows, but I'll tell her you love her." Tom said kindly.
There was a knock on the door.
"Kylie open the damn door or I'll have Michael break it down." Morgan screeched.
"Morgan's here." Kylie said barely aware of her surroundings.
"Good. Let them in we'll see you in a few minutes." Tom said hanging up.
"Tom." Kylie said into the dead air. "Thank you."
"Open the door Kylie." Mike's deep voice beckoned her.
She slowly walked over to the door and opened it. Max who had been sitting at her feet since she had gotten up to be sick followed her. She looked at both men as they pushed their way into the house. Max growled at them when he saw how distressed his human was.
"Down boy." Kylie said looking at the two men.
Both were wearing jeans and sweatshirts and looked like hell. She wondered what she looked like at the moment. Then she wondered why she was wondering about such mundane details like why she was worried about what she looked like.
"C'mon honey." Morgan said gently taking her by the arm. "Let's get you dressed."
Morgan led her into her bedroom and got her into a sweater and a pair of jeans. He grabbed a light coat for her and wrapped it over her shoulders.
"I'm not cold." She said to him blankly.
"I know, but they always keep hospitals so chilly you may need it." He said taking the coat back but bringing it with them.
"Did he tell you guys what happened?" she asked as they reached the front door.
"Not really. Just that Frankie had been attacked by two men."
Frankie, attacked by two men, the words slammed through her mind.
"Sweet Jesus." She cried.
To Be Continued...