Victim 18 post 14

They drive over to the police headquarters. Once inside Wren asks for help from a young officer at the desk. She is led into the back and Norman is left in the waiting room.

“Good morning Miss. Robbins I’m detective Brown. How can I help you?”

“So you know who I am?”

“Yes I was told about you by the clerk you spoke to on your way in and I pulled up the information we have about you. It is amazing you are here at all but anyway what brings you here?”

“I know the connection of how I was picked and who did it.”

He reaches for a pad of paper and a pen.

“That’s interesting, what is the connection then?”

“Who would be more appropriate; Rachel Winslow.”

“Why her?”

Wren explains the evening of the rape and how the voice kept seeming so familiar to her and how hearing it this morning made it all fit. Detective Brown leans back in his chair and chuckles to himself but Wren’s keen eye of observance catches it.

“Miss Robins with all due respect I can’t go arresting someone merely because you think a voice fits. After all, you had it out with your boss this morning and your mind is just jumping to an answer. Why don’t you go home, take a nice bath, relax, get your mind off things and leave the detective work to us. O.K.?”

“I understand, sorry to have bothered you.”

“It’s really no bother and it is quite the honor to meet you. Now if you will excuse me I unfortunately have a briefing to attend and I’d warrant you will be part of the discussion.”

Wren meets back up with Norman in the waiting room feeling like a child who had just been scolded for asking some ridiculous question.

“Well, how did it go?”

“Let’s just go Norman.”

Norman does not say anything else until they are back at his truck.

“They didn’t believe you did they”

“No. To be exact I was told to leave the detective work to them. I was told to relax get my mind off things. I bring them a credible connection and they dismiss it and me like I’m a small child with nothing to add to the conversation but innate babble.”

“I wish I knew what to say. I think they are passing up if nothing else a decent possible lead in this case and maybe the only one they’ve been given. Maybe you should listen to them Wren and put some distance between you and them. Stay low and figure out how to avoid this gang.”

“You may be right on staying low and keeping some distance. Do you have a spare computer at your office?”

“Yea, why?”

“I think I’m going to work up my resume, it’s a little out of date. Is it connected to the internet?”

“Yes, you plan on posting online?”

“No, I want to check for any job opportunities posted on the college site. I was thinking about looking into some archeological field work. That would put some distance between me and them.”

They go to Norman's office where with some trepidation he sets her up with the spare computer. Wren starts by working up a resume and then starts her search through the web. She writes cover letters and reworks the resume several times to fit with the different qualifications of the various positions she has found. It’s well past noon when Norman comes in to check on her.

“How’s it going?”

“Not bad really. I’ve found five I feel pretty confident about getting and three that might be long shots but they're worth shooting for.”

“Eight, and that’s pretty good?”

“I’m an archeologist with a minor in accounting. What do you think field work is just falling from the trees? It takes years to plan a dig, the site has to be researched, the proper government papers must be acquired, financing has to be established. There is a good reason I felt a minor in accounting was worth it.”

“Okay, I just didn’t realize how few jobs there were, that’s all. Besides, I was really coming in to see if you wanted lunch.”

“What have you got in mind?”

“I was thinking of grabbing something on the way to the court house. I have a case to bring before the judge at two-thirty.”

“St. Louis County court then?”

“Yea, just a speeding ticket appeal is all we should be out of there in an hour or so after our docket number is called. So with any luck we should be out by four.”

They stop at Kilkenny’s pub for lunch and then off to the court house. Wren sits off to herself in the hallway while Norman and his client talk. She is thumbing through a magazine that she picked up from Norman’s office when a young man walks by very close to her. He drops some papers he is carrying and stops to pick them up. He stares at her as he picks them up and she instantly recognizes him. She has no idea who he is but she recognizes him and he speaks to her quietly and very softly.

“Hello Wren I almost didn’t recognize you sitting there.”

“Because I have clothes on? Or is it that I’m not tied down for your personal pleasure?”

“Now this is no place to start a scene. I’m just here to pay a parking ticket.”

“I’m surprised you find it necessary.”

“I’ve got to go, I really hope you're okay though.”

“Go to Hell!”

Norman walks up to her as the man walks off.

“Who was that?”

“One of the gang members.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Say what? Yell out this guy with a bunch of his buddies raped me two days ago. What are the chances that I would run into him in a court house or anywhere else for that matter. Can I sit in the courtroom during this or is it not allowed?”

“Yes you can sit in there. Come on I’m up next.”

About an hour later a very sullen and downcast Wren and Norman are heading back out to his truck. The weather outside is now mirroring Wren’s mood with a lightning infested downpour. They stand looking out the courthouse door for a few moments before either of them say anything.

“Doesn’t look like it's going to let up anytime soon Wren, so I guess there’s nothing to do but to make a run for it.”

“Yea, I guess you're right.”

They get to the truck both wetter than they want to be and Norman starts back toward his office.

“I thought we would be going home after the court appearance.”

“I’m sorry Wren I got a call from my secretary while I was waiting and I need to go back to the office. I am sorry I didn’t think to tell you earlier and unfortunately it is rather important that I get back where I can use a landline.”

“That bad huh?”

“Yes, very bad.”

“Do you know what it is yet?”

“No, but if Sheila wont tell me over the phone it must be pretty confidential.”

They make it back to Norman’s office and Wren goes back to the empty office to play around online while Norman talks to the gentleman now waiting for him. She checks out the latest in motorcycle racing news then on to look at the latest fashion news. After the better part of two hours Norman comes back in with her.

“Wren we’ve got a problem, I have to go to Chicago and it may take a few days before I get everything straightened out to come back.”

“So we stop off at your place, pick up your stuff and you drop me off on your way. No big deal, right?”

“I knew this would be a problem. You don’t want to come along do you?”

“You're going to be tied up most of the time with police and court stuff aren’t you.”

“Most likely.”

“Then why would I want to go all the way to Chicago to be bored when I can sit around my house and do that? And as for your next argument you have been out of town many times without me and I have lived on my own for some time without any problems. I will be fine without you around the house to protect me. Trust me at home I’m on my own turf and perfectly safe. Just give me a call when you get home and I’ll call you a few times just to let you know I’m fine. Besides, I need some alone time right now.”

“All right but I still don’t like the idea.”

“I know but you have to trust me sometimes, I’m a big girl and I feel much more on my guard than I used to be.”

They leave soon after and in no time at all they are at Norman’s apartment. After a brief stop to grab his things they’re back on their way again. They pull up to Wren’s house a half hour later.

“Wren, are you sure you don’t want to come along?”

“Norman I’ll be fine it’s no big deal, really. I’ll see you when you get back.”

Wren gets out and starts to shut the truck’s door.

“Wren!, I uh…”

“Yea Norman.”

“Wren I…well what I mean to say is… I love you.”

Wren stands there looking at Norman totally taken aback.

“I love you too.”

“I’m sorry I’ve never told you before. I should have told you many years ago but, I really do love you. I guess I always have.”

“Norman, my love for you is exactly why I don’t want to go to Chicago with you. I’m afraid of how fast we could be going where we don’t need to be at this time. I mean until all the tests on me come back going too fast could be bad for both of us and I really do need some time to think about us and everything else that has happened lately.”

“All right, one thing I’ve learned over the years I’ve known you is when to stop arguing. But, I plan to call you several times a day while I’m gone.”

“That’s fine but don’t get worried if I don’t answer immediately. I’ll be fine here and if I do go out it’ll be when and where I feel safe.”

“Okay, I’ll see you when I get back then?”

“Yes, but only if you get going otherwise you’ll never have gone to come back.”

Wren closes the truck’s door and turns toward the front door of her house. She unlocks the door and steps inside before Norman starts backing out to turn around. She locks the door and watches Norman as he heads down the driveway until he is out of sight. Then she walks back to her room, hangs up her purse and falls over her bed in a fit of tears that only stops once she is fast asleep.

Wren is awakened six hours later by her cell phone ringing. She stumbles around in the dark trying to get to her purse so she can retrieve the phone.

“Hello.”

“Hi Wren, how are you doing?”

“Norman? Why are you calling so late? Wait a minute, what time is it anyway?”

“Why, is to let you know where I’m staying, and as for the time it is just after midnight. You got a pencil and paper handy?”

“Just a minute it’s kind of dark on this end.”

“Dark?”

“Yea it tends to be that way when people are asleep.”

She turns on the light blinking in the sudden brightness and finds a pen and paper.

“Okay shoot where are you?”

“I’ll be at the presidential villas 200 N. Dearborn Chicago (555) 555-0466 room 210.”

“All right, anything else?”

“No, just hearing your voice takes care of the rest. I’ll let you get back to sleep and I’ll call you tomorrow to let you know how long I’ll be up here. Good- night Wren, I love you.”

“Good night Norman and I love you too.”