Chapter 5 - Nightmares

Simon was just closing up the post office for a scheduled lunch break. Both he and Derek were going to head to Neville’s store for a spot of light lunch. However, when they both turned up, the store was locked, with a note on the outside. “Gone to Violet’s. Meet me there. Urgent. Neville.”
“That’s odd,” Simon said.
Derek nodded. “Most unlike Neville to be shut up at lunchtime. It’s his busiest time of the day usually.” “Something must be up. We need to get over there. When does Neville use the word Urgent?” Simon’s booming voice dropped into a worried tone.
“Only when there’s a village crisis,” Derek sighed. “Something’s got to have happened to one of the younger ones. It’s only happened once before when I’ve been living here. But that was the situation.”

Jackie woke up with a start. “Harry, leave me alone, no Harry, NO Harry,” she cried. Angela stopped the car. “Have a hug,” said Angela, opening her arms. Jackie didn’t know what else to do, so she burst into tears and leant across into Angela’s arms. “Only say, what you can. We’re almost back at mine.”
“Do you live alone?” Jackie asked, tensely.
“No, I live with my two daughters. Carrie and Emily. They are five and three and a bit of a handful if I must say so. I wouldn’t change them for the world though,” Angela was determined to help Jackie, even though there had been little communication where Jackie had dozed off.
“Ok. That’s fine. I can’t be around men,” Jackie was firm, especially emphasising the last part.
“I suspect something happened that was with a man then, that was barbaric and destructive, would I be right?” Angela gingerly enquired.
“How do I know you won’t tell anyone?” Jackie was sceptical. The kindness wasn’t something she remembered after the horrific events of the last two days.
Angela pulled out a tape-recorder. “Here, I’ll give you this,” she said, pressing record. “You can take my car, and you can take my girls. If I was to ever tell a soul anything of what you tell me. Angela.”
Jackie pressed stop and swiped the tape. “Ok, we have a deal, but only when I am up for it. I’m not sure why you want to help me. You may not have a clue what I have been through,” she was still quite tense.
“That’s fine. Depending on what’s happened, I may even know what you are on about,” Angela replied calmly. She had a soothing voice. Jackie, although her guard was up, was beginning to think, maybe she could trust Angela after all?

They had a name. Harry Davis. They had a number plate. H4RR* (but H4RRY would make most sense). They also knew he was a rule breaker, so he would more likely than not have been in trouble with the cops before. The question was, how would they know how to link him to any form of crime scene if they didn’t know where she was? Simon and Derek arrived and were ushered into the sitting room. Violet was curled up in the corner being looked after by Lauren. Jake was pacing with Drake, trying to keep him calm and focused on sticking together. Neville, Chris, and Andy were thinking about what would be the best option to pursue.
“What have we got going on here then?” Simon asked in a clear, strong voice.
Chris, being the wisest with words, hushed everyone for a moment.
“Well, from the information we have got, Jackie is missing. She wasn’t physically seen being bundled into a car, but Jake spotted a black car with the number plate H4 RR*. He couldn’t remember the last letter, but Jackie had been planning to meet someone called Harry. It’s the most obvious choice to fit the last letter as a Y on that. Violet came out with a couple of suggestions, before Andy realised the one Harry that it was most likely to be, was a Harry Davis. The only dilemma we have, is that Davis is a common surname, there could be a few thousand around. Would he necessarily have ownership rights of the car in question? Spray paint is easily obtainable, as are number plate changes. These are all meant to be noted in a car’s logbook though."
Simon thought for a moment. “There’s only one thing we can do. We have to report it to the nearest city police. We know what Jackie looks like, and we also know just what she was wearing on that morning, or do we?” He looked over at Violet and lowered his voice a little. “I know it’s a shock to us all, but if you can remember any detail about what Jackie was wearing the other day, it would help us all.”
Violet, shakily stood up. “I remember her being in her jogging suit and getting changed. I didn’t see her leave, but I remember her wearing an ankle-length dress on the return home of Chris, Andy and Jake. The only other dress she had, was a pink frock. I would put money on that being her outfit of choice to meet up with someone she hadn’t seen in a few years. She always liked to look her best.”v “Thank you Violet. That is very useful. And it would probably be better for us to tell this to the police in case you freeze under questioning,” Simon turned back to the guys. “Ok, we’ll get Neville’s Zafira. We can fit seven people inside, so we’ll leave Lauren and Violet. Drake and Jake.”
Drake spoke out. “She’s my partner. I want to help find her!”
Andy calmly said to his brother. “You are not in the right frame of mind bro. If you saw this Harry bloke, you’d do something that would end up with you doing time, and that’d be the last thing that Jackie, if she’s still alive, would want. I’m sorry, it’s for the best that you stay.”
Drake was insistent. “But-b-b-but…..”
“No buts Drake. Andy’s right,” Derek finally added. His voice of reason and fatherly tones kept the younger one’s in line when they were straying away.

Angela pulled onto her driveway. It was a little three-bedroomed house, not quite what Jackie was expecting for a single mum of two girls young enough to share a room to have. “The girls are staying with their grandmother this weekend,” explained Angela. “That’s why I was alone in the car and why they are not here.”
Jackie was a little disturbed by this. “I thought you said you lived with your two girls? Is this a trick? I want to leave!”
Angela had expected this question and was ready with an appropriate response. “My girls have never had a father figure in their life. He got me pregnant then left when he realised he wasn‘t going to get any sex. My dad walked out on me when I was thirteen, so I’ve only had my mum, and my girls.”
“Oh.” Jackie was surprised. “But your girls are aged five and three. What happened for the second girl?”
“A detail that is still sore with me today. It may be very similar to yours if all the signs that I have read are what I think they are.”
Jackie didn’t quite know what to make of this. Sunlight had begun to fade, and although she was physically worn out, she was dreading darkness. Angela showed her to the room that she was going to be sleeping in, at least for tonight, and said, “If you need to leave the light on to help in any way, then do so.”
It was almost like Angela knew what Jackie had been through without being told a thing. Had they been through a similar experience? Jackie was a bit scared to ask. But there may be no other option. Angela had been so kind, and considerate, Jackie was feeling guilty about not saying anything.

The five guys poured into the car. Derek sat up front with Neville, and Simon, Chris and Andy sat all in the middle row. The nearest city was twelve miles away, so it wouldn’t take long for them to get there. Who would do the talking? Probably Simon and Chris. Derek would chip in if necessary, Neville was driving. Andy, was moral support as it was taking its toll on his brother and sister.

Drake was worn out with pacing up and down. Jake suggested going to run a hot bath, to try and relax a little bit with, as the rest of the guys had gone, but Drake was having none of it. “I want my Jackie back!” he screamed, before breaking down into tears. Violet sat on the settee next to her brother, “Drake, we’re all as worried as you are. None of this is going to help us, we have to stick together as a family, as a community.”
Lauren wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself. “Jake darling, I’m going to go jump in the shower at least. I really don’t know quite what we would be expected to do other than be there for these two, but we need to keep ourselves looked after too.”

Jackie decided she was going to leave the light on. After all, it was darkness when she was violated, and she didn’t want to relive that. She couldn’t stop it playing over and over in her head. “Are you in your own mind. Do you consent to this. Take one more puff.” Every time she closed her eyes it was all she could see, but every time she opened them, she saw light, and could only picture the aches and the underwear round her ankles. She wasn’t going to get to sleep anytime soon. It would have to be physical exhaustion for that to work. But how long would she sleep for when that happened? By the time she was starting to feel too drained to stay awake, there was a hint of light outside the window. She began to curse her luck and was really not looking forward to what was likely to be happening. Angela was sound asleep in her bedroom. So what was Jackie going to do? Was she going to leave this kind hearted woman behind? Or was she going to stick it out and maybe open up to her?

It only took them fifteen minutes to get to the police station. Neville pulled up outside and let everyone else out. “I’ll just go find a place to park guys. I’ll be there in a moment,” he said, and off he drove. The other four, entered the police station looking rather serious. Simon was about to approach the officer behind the desk, when Andy pulled him back. “Just before you say anything, have a look at the name plaque. It says H. Davis. Could this be a coincidence, or could this be a corrupt policeman?”
They huddled together. “Do we ask for someone who isn’t a H. Davis?” asked Simon. “That would be the most sensible option given what we know,” answered Derek. “Good job you spotted that Andy,” whispered Chris. Andy then approached the desk himself.
“Good afternoon officer. I have a strange request, but there is a reasoning behind it. Could I speak to someone who isn’t a Mr H. Davis please?”
“And what can they do that I can’t?” replied the officer.
“Our particular situation is highly sensitive. We have the right to request this, it’s not written in the rule books that we have to stick with who is on the desk,” retorted Simon. “Your attitude needs checking.”
“What gives you the right to speak to someone other than me?” The officer was getting a little bit irritated.
Chris stepped forward. “It’s the simplest of requests. Why are you being so defensive and obnoxious about it?”
“Sarge!” barked the officer. “Can you come and speak with these people here, they seem to have an issue with the H. Davis name?”
The sergeant poked his head around the corner. “Well I’ll be blowed. It’s only Derek from the village down the road. He’s been their postman for years on end. And the last time he came to see us, we had a similar issue then didn’t we Derek?”
“Sergeant Manning! Why yes, yes we did,” Derek was surprised to see his old school buddy still patrolling the sergeant stripes.
“Ok Derek, would you and your friends like to follow me to the interview room please?” Sergeant Manning asked.
“What about Neville?” asked Chris. “Someone should wait here for him.”
“I will,” announced Simon. “I think you know enough Chris. And Derek will back you up if need be.”
“Right ok. See you in about twenty to thirty minutes then.”

It was light enough to hear the birds chirping in the trees around the house that they were in. Jackie felt half confined, but a fair bit more secure when she double checked that the doors had been locked, bolted and chained securely from the inside. Angela might be hiding something herself. She might also be a control freak. But Jackie was just beginning to drift off. She was physically drained to a point of barely existing. It had barely been half an hour, and she was awake again, screaming at the top of her voice. “No Harry. Stop! Please stop Harry! NO MORE! I’m not agreeing to this!”
Angela jumped out of her bed. She was feeling a little bit wary about what she’d let herself in for, but ran into Jackie’s room. “Who’s Harry?” she cried. Jackie woke up from her nightmare. “Harry? Harry who?”
“You were screaming Harry out.. Stop, Please Stop Harry,” explained Angela. Jackie crumbled. “Ok, I think I may have been raped by someone called Harry. Harry Davis. I knew him from fifteen years ago,” Jackie was distraught.
Angela gave her tissues. “I had a feeling that it was something like that,” she instinctively replied. “Harry Davis you say?”
Jackie nodded.
“Was he better known as.. Rebellious Harry?”
Again Jackie nodded. But this time asked a question with it. “You know… Rebellious Harry?”
It was Angela’s turn to nod in agreement. “Yes. I told you about my three year old girl being from a situation that was still with me to this day?”
Jackie responded, “Yeah, what’s that got to……. Oh.” The realisation had sunk in. She’d not been the only one sucked in.
“Emily is half his. I have to take certain medications to help me get to sleep and to help try and prevent me reliving my night of.. Rape.” The word stuck in Angela’s throat a little bit. “I see her, I see a beautiful girl. I realise she’s his, and I see a beautiful girl violated.”
Jackie reached out and hugged Angela.
“You knew. You understood because you’ve been there. And I was so sceptical about saying anything. I feel so sorry.” Jackie was in a mild state of shock.

Neville popped his head in the door. “Hey Simon, where are the others?”
“They’ve gone through to talk with someone Derek knew from the last time something from our village was this urgent,” Simon replied.
“Ah,” Neville understood. “Sergeant Manning still floating around up here I see. And also,” dropping his voice, “No case talk out here.”
Simon nodded. “Andy caught me before I spoke to him.”

“So Derek, What do we owe this meeting today?” Sergeant Manning ignited the conversation.
“Well, its like this Sergeant Manning,” began Derek, but then Chris interrupted.
“Sorry to intrude on your knowledge of each other. But the situation is, a girl has gone missing. A squeal was heard so followed up only to see a black Mercedes being driven away furiously with wheel-spin effect. Upon a little knowledge passed between our friends and family,” he said indicating Andy, “This one being the missing girls brother-in-law, we’ve established that there was a number plate of H4 RR *, but likely to be a Y on the end, as the name was Harry Davis.”
The sergeant took a few notes. “Any idea on what the girl may have been wearing?”
“Yes, a pink frock, thigh length. Although possibly not now if she’s been discovered and offered help,” added Derek.
“We shall get some investigations into this, and I shall have a word with the colleague on the front desk. Sounds like he was too eager, but possibly a little defensive,” said Sergeant Manning.
“Now what happens?” said Jackie. “Do we tell anyone to stop it happening to someone else?”
Angela replied. “There is only one person I will ever trust completely. They are in this room.”
“Not even your own mum?” quizzed Jackie.
“She didn’t believe me at the time. Said I was making it up. Then she saw Emily in the twelve-week scan,” Angela was a bit downcast now.
“How can we prevent it continuing to happen though? And how did you get on the meds to help?” Jackie was full of questions. Angela replied, “We will have to come up with a plan, and at least a doctor (female, preferably), to refer you to a female therapist.”
Jackie was intent on doing something. This man had not only ruined her, he’d ruined a brand new friend she’d made by virtue of exactly the same circumstances. “We need to get you to hospital to be checked over to make sure he didn’t plant a seed. If he did, we need to advocate an abortion so you don’t see the violated little child I do,” explained Angela.
“But what if I don’t want an abortion?” Jackie cried.
“You’ll end up in the same position I am, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Oh by the way, your dad’s a rapist. Wouldn’t go down too well I don’t think,” Angela sighed. It was time to try and kickstart her med to go back to sleep. Old memories had been disturbed again, and would it affect her?