The Cop And The Girl From The Coffee Shop by Terry Towers
Pulling out, he got up, quickly tossed the condom into the wastebasket and then rejoined her on the bed. He pulled her tightly to him, kissing her temple and tucking her head under his chin, while running his fingertips along her soft curves.
*****
No matter how good Jade felt at that moment cuddled next to Alex, she still couldn't push out the guilt that nagged at her. She'd lied to him at the movie theatre. She knew the man much better than she wished she did.
Nick Robichaud was the man's name - there was no doubt in her mind about it now. He was the reason why she hadn't had a real date until her prom. She had met him when while visiting relatives in California during summer vacation. She'd been fifteen at the time, he'd been nineteen. He'd been living next door and she'd fallen head over heels in lust with him. Most of the girls had a thing for him. He was the typical tall, dark and handsome guy girls went for. Charisma oozed from him and he was the dangerous boy, girls' mothers warn them about, which only made him more appealing.
They'd started spending time together, despite her being forbidden to see him. He lavished attention on her and she became the envy of the girls in the neighbourhood. Things seemed to be going okay, until they attended a house party.
Jade knew if she went home intoxicated she'd be sent back home to Portland and the fun filled summer would be over so she refrained from drinking, while most of the teenagers at the party indulged themselves.
Nick was being extra affectionate with her that night and while his advances were making her slightly uncomfortable, she was relishing the looks of envy from the other girls. When he'd asked her to go upstairs to one of the bedrooms, she'd hesitated, but ultimately agreed.
At first he'd been sweet and respectful, but things had quickly accelerated to the point where she was no longer comfortable. She'd asked him to stop. She explained that she was still a virgin and she planned to keep it that way, at least for a while longer yet. But, he wasn't interested in hearing no, in fact, the idea that she was still a virgin seemed to make him more insistent on having her.
What had started out as sweet caresses, turned violent. Her moans of pleasure became screams of terror, drowned out by the loud thumping of music playing throughout the house, as she clawed to escape. He took what he wanted and left her bruised and crying, lying in a mixture of her blood and his semen.
Life became a blur for a long time after that incident. Nick was arrested, charged and convicted of raping a minor and given ten years in prison. It took years of therapy for Jade to move past the rape and begin trusting men again. Luckily, over the past few years she'd been able to lock the incident in the back of her mind and move on with her life.
Until now...
****
Jade threw a few aspirin into her mouth and took a swig of coffee. She was grateful it was an extremely slow night; she doubted she could handle many customers tonight. She certainly couldn't put on the charm to get them the tips tonight. She was stressed and exhausted and simply didn't have it in her.
"Are they still coming in as frequently?"
Jade nodded. "Yep. Every day. Same stuff. He calls from a blocked number calling me a bitch, whore, I guess whatever comes to mind at the time and then hangs up on me."
"Hasn't it been a month now?" Jenny frowned and shook her head. "What is Alex saying about all this?"
Jade grimaced. "I still haven't told him."
Jenny gave her a stern motherly frown. "You need to tell him Jade. That man could be very dangerous. God knows what he intends to do to you. This is only the beginning. He won't stop until he's forced to. And if you don't tell Alex, I will." The look in Jenny's eyes told Jade that Jenny meant every word.
Aside from her family and therapist, no one knew what happened to Jade in California. Jade had kept it closely guarded secret. But, Jenny has seen a difference in her over the past month and Jade had been forced to confess what was upsetting her.
Part of her was embarrassed for being foolish enough to have put herself in a situation to have it happen to her. Deep down she knew she was a victim, but the sense of shame and embarrassment over what had happened was still there. Another part of her wanted it to be in the past, bringing it up and talking about it, kept it in the present.
The day after seeing Nick at the theatre Jade had done some research and discovered Nick and been release on parole on good behaviour. Days after being released he disappeared and there was currently a warrant out for his arrest. She had been assured by the authorities that it was only a matter of time before he was caught and sent back to prison, but it had been a month and she was still waiting. She'd been instructed to keep the authorities posted on every call or contact Nick made with her, until they apprehended him.
Ding.
"Want me to get that?" Jenny asked dropping the dishrag into the soapy dish water.
"Nah, I can handle it." Walking towards the drive-thru window Jade spewed off her greeting and took the order from an oddly familiar male voice for a single large coffee. A shiver ran down her spine and Jade knew.
With hesitation and with a trembling hand, Jade raised the window. I'm a grown woman. I can handle this. I can't let him see he's getting to me.
Sure enough, as the small beat-up green car rolled up to the drive-thru window, it was Nick who was behind the steering wheel, the woman from the theatre in the seat beside him.
Jade wondered if the woman sitting beside him knew who he was, who she was, and the nature of their relationship. She suspected she didn't.
"Well Jade, long time no see." Nick flashed a wide smile, as he passed her a bill to pay for the coffee. Nick had bulked up since they were young. Even in the dimly lit car she could see the muscles bulging against the cotton t-shirt covering them. His face had matured, and if anything he'd become even more handsome.
"Nick. How are you?" She took the money and proceeded with the transaction, attempting to keep calm when every nerve in her body wanted to run away and hide.
"Oh, much better now. Last few years have been rough, but things are beginning to look up."
Taking a deep breath in, and slowly releasing it, Jade forced her hand to remain steady as she passed him his coffee and change. Once she passed him the change, instead of leaving, he remained at the window, eyeing Jade.
"Is there a problem I can help you with, Sir?" Jenny's voice came from behind Jade, her tone was abrupt and no nonsense.
Nick looked from Jenny to Jade then back again. "Nah. I think we're through. For now." Without another word he sped out of the drive-thru and disappeared into traffic.
"Was that him? Are you alright?"
The shocked look still plastered on her face, Jade shrugged. "Yes. I just... I need to..." She let out a ragged breath, her body trembling.
Crossing her arms over her ample chest, Jenny looked down at Jade sympathetically, "Maybe you need to have a little chat with your man, Jade. He's showing up at your work. Showing up at your apartment will be next."
Jade nodded. "Yeah." Turning to the polished chrome milk machine she examined her distorted image in the surface. Looking at her image she noticed she'd lost a number of pounds over the past few weeks. Her cheeks which had always been full were now thin, sickly even.
"Alex will take care of you, if you let him Jade. This isn't something you should be ashamed about. He needs to know."
"I know."
"Looks like you might be able to get your chance in less than two minutes." Jenny nodded to the patrol car which was turning into the drive-thru.
****
"Damn, what an exhausting night. I swear every crazy in Portland is out tonight," Alex groaned pulling up to the drive-thru speaker.
"Must be the full moon," his partner joked.
"It's us honey, can we come up?"
"Yeah."
Alex frowned, something in her tone wasn't right.
"What's the problem?" Constable Torrance asked upon seeing Alex's expression.
"I don't know." He was getti
When they arrived at the window, Jade had their order ready as usual, but the sweet smile and cute flirting he was normally greeted with was missing, replaced by a blank expression.
Taking the coffee and food from her, he frowned. "What's wrong, sweetie? Bad customer?"
Jade shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "You could say that."
Putting the car into park and shutting it off Alex leaned through the window and took her hand. "What's going on?"
Finally she met his eyes and the pained expression tore at his heart. "I know who that person was at the movie theatre."
Alex hesitated, searching his brain trying to figure out what she was talking about. "I need more information honey. What are you talking about?"
"The guy from the movie theatre. I know him. He's been calling me and he was just here a minute ago."
Alex's confused expression intensified. "You friend from high school?" He still had no fucking clue what she was talking about, or why some guy from high school going through her drive thru would be so upsetting.
"I haven't been completely honest with you about something."
Alex's eyes narrowed. "Why? What's going on Jade?" It was like pulling teeth to get whatever it was on her mind out of her.
She opened her mouth to speak and snapped it shut, her eyes beginning to tear up.
"Look. Open up, I want to come in and see you." Leaving the patrol car situated in the drive-thru, he hopped out and walked over to the side door and waited for her to let him in.
Standing on the other side of the glass, Jade hesitated as though she was considering whether she should go through with telling him what was on her mind.
"Please Jade," he could hear the desperation in his own voice and evidently so could she because she unlocked the door and allowed him in.
He immediately pulled her into his arms, and she fell into his embrace, burying her face against his neck and sobbing freely. She began talking, quickly, her words muffled by his neck and her sobs.
Alex held her tight and kissed the top of her head. "Explain it to me. Slow down and explain it to me. I can't help unless you tell me what's the matter."
Her shoulders trembled and she took a couple deep breaths in and released them as she pulled back from him. "His name is Nick Robichaud. He was released from prison recently on parole and came here. There's a warrant for his arrest."
Alex pulled a napkin from a dispenser on the counter and wiped the streaks of black mascara from her eyes. "What does that have to do with you honey."
"He went to jail because of me."
Alex's jaw clenched. The idea that anyone would lay a hand on her was unthinkable to him. He took a deep breath in and put his emotions in check. "I don't understand. What did he do to you?"
"I was dating him when I was fifteen and when I said no, he beat and raped me. He got ten years and I..."
Rage filled Alex at the thought of someone daring lay a hand on her. "Why didn't you tell me this before Jade? Has this been going on since the night at the movies?"
She cringed at his tone and his demeanour immediately softened. "I'm sorry honey, I'm not mad at you. I just... It wasn't smart not telling me."
"I'm sorry," she murmured, avoiding his eyes.
Cupping her chin in his hand, he forced her eyes to meet his. "He was just here?"
Jade nodded.
Alex motion through the window for Constable Torrance to join him in the restaurant mouthing: get your ass in here. If they hurried the guy may not have gotten too far away. They may have a chance of getting him before the night was over.
He pulled her back into his arms. "I swear, I'll take care of this for you," he whispered into her hair. "Start from the beginning, I need you to tell me everything."
Chapter 5
Jade paced her apartment waiting for 7pm to arrive, which was when Alex was due to be off work and meet her. He was pulling a double shift, trying to track down Nick. She missed Alex already and knew she wouldn't feel safe until he was home. As soon as she told him everything he'd put the precinct on alert and she was sure he had every car available out looking for Nick.
Alex also had a car sitting outside of her building in the off chance Nick decided to show up. His side of the bed had felt so vacant and she hadn't been able to get a stitch of sleep without him there. She needed him, more than she'd ever had.
At five minutes to seven the buzzer sounded from downstairs. Alex had his own key to the door and to her apartment, but she supposed he was so exhausted it slipped his mind.
"Come on up," she said, depressing the talk button and unlocking the main door for him to enter.
"Okay."
A knock sounded at her door a few minutes later and she rushed to answer it. Pulling it open she gasped. She attempted to close the door, but her shock slowed her down. In an instant, Nick was inside, closing the door behind him and locking it.
"Nick..." Jade took a couple steps backwards, towards the kitchen. Nick was standing in front of her and her only way of escape.
"Hey Jade. Told ya, I'd be seeing you soon." He took a couple steps towards her. "Gotta say, you made it rather difficult to come see you. That cop you've been fucking is always around."
"And he's going to be here any minute so you'd better...'
"Nah, they found the car I was driving with a little present in the passengers' seat. Nothing like a little homicide to keep the cops busy."
Jade's eyes widened as she gasped. Oh-my-god! The blonde in the car. "You killed her?"
Nick smiled and took a couple more steps towards her and she matched his steps moving backwards. "Yeah. She was a bitch. I was done with her. Which brings me to you." He wagged his finger at her as if he was scowling a bad puppy. "You've been a naughty girl. I went to prison for fucking you, but that fucking pig fucks you every single day. Doesn't seem fair to me."
Jade could see the insanity in his eyes. Whatever ounce of humanity that may have been in him years ago was long gone. If she didn't get away he was going to kill her. Rape her and kill her, there was no doubt in her mind.
"But you're out now. And, we can start over."
He clucked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth and shook his head. "Nope. Not how I'm thinking this is going to go down."
His eyes roamed her body, from head to toe and the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach intensified. Please Alex, get here soon, she silently begged him. Hey only way to get out of this was to make a run for it, his massive size, would easily overpower her. She had no doubt on that.
She noticed the bedroom entrance out of the corner of her eye. The fire escape was just outside the bedroom window. Had she left the window open? She didn't know. But if she could close and lock her bedroom door before he got to her, she'd have just enough time to make it.
It was her only choice.
Turning, she sprinted for the bedroom.
"We're going to play this the hard way I see," Nick called after her.
She didn't dare look back, but knew he was just seconds behind her. He was faster than she'd anticipated. Grabbing the door, she slammed it shut, but before she had a chance to lock it, he burst through. She screamed and ran for the window.
She'd only made it a couple of feet when she felt his arm snaking it's way around her waist, and lifting her up and tossing her to the bed. She scrambled to her knees, but he was on her before she even had a chance to move.
She groaned as he leapt onto her, his full two hundred and twenty pounds forcing her flat face first against the mattress and knocking the wind from her. "Let me go," she screamed as she gasped for breath. She screamed again, more on instinct than actually believing her pleas would be adhered to.
Nick lowered his lips to her neck and bit, applying enough pressure to hurt and make her cry out,
Jade attempted to squirm her way out from under him, but she was easily overpowered. Tears of fear and frustration sprung to her eyes. Images of the night at the house party began to rush through her mind. The past was reliving itself in her minds eye.
"Alex!" she whimpered going limp under Nick. He was going to take her, and she knew all she could do was endure and wait for an opportunity to escape to show itself.
*****
"Has there been any sight of him?" Alex asked the officer assigned outside of Jade's building.
"Nope. It's been quiet."
"Damn," Alex raked a hand through his hair in frustration. They'd spent all night and day scouring the city for Nick. When they'd discovered the car Jade had described they'd lost the one lead they had. No surprise the car had been stolen and they were in the process of following up on the identity of the woman they'd found inside. All he could do for now was go home to Jade and keep her safe until the got more information.
Alex patted the roof of the patrol car as he straightened up. "Well, alright. You might as well take off. I'm here for the night."
"Sure, sure."
Alex turned from the squad car and jogged across the street and entered the building. He hated that he'd left Jade alone all day. He wanted to be there for her, but at the same time he wanted that man back behind bars where he belonged even more. Once Nick Robichaud was back behind bars Jade would finally be safe.
Getting on the elevator, he selected the correct floor and as the elevator made it ascent an uneasy feeling came over him. The elevator seemed to be moving at an ungodly slow speed. Once the doors slid open he rushed from the elevator and down the hallway, drawing his gun as he ran.
As he approached the door to Jade's apartment, he heard her scream. The scream echoed through his head and with lightening speed he rushed into the unlocked apartment.
The bedroom.
Running into the bedroom, he froze. Jade was laying flat on the bed, attempting to get away, as Nick tugged down her jeans. He levelled his gun to the center of the man's back.