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The dogs announced the arrival of Katy and Jesse when they drove up into the yard of the Sullivan farm.
“Hi,” Ted called out, hearing the screen door open. Jesse took Katy’s hand. There was a moment of hesitation, a moment to prepare for the conversation that was bound to follow. Jesse squeezed Katy's hand and they proceeded into the kitchen.
“Did you have a good...” Ted stopped in his tracks when he saw them. "Oh, my god! What the hell happened?” Ted didn't wait for an answer. He called up the stairs. "Doris, wake the Haileys, they need to come downstairs."
He pulled out a chair and gestured for Katy to sit. He reached up to touch her bruised and swollen cheek, but didn't. "My dear child. Your folks went to bed a while ago. Doris will bring them down. Can I get you anything?”
"I... I'm fine, now." She squeezed Jesse's hand to bolster her courage. She was on the verge of tears, but didn't want to cry. That would just make things worse.
Doris reached the bottom of the stairs with Jim and Malinda right behind her. The three rushed to the kitchen.
“What is the urgency?" Doris asked, then she saw them. "My God!"
All three stopped abruptly in the doorway when they saw the kids, who only hours ago had been clear-eyed and happy. Now they were bruised and bleeding and their clothes were torn and disheveled.
Doris was the first to speak, but all that came out was... "What...?"
Jim went to his daughter. "Did you have an accident? Are you all right? What happened?" The last words broke up and his voice cracked.
"Thank God, you're all righ..." Malinda began but broke down before she could finish.
Jesse spoke softly. "Maybe you should all sit down."
The families sat around the kitchen table and Jesse and Katy told them all that had transpired. Their account took the listeners from the thrill of the event, the beauty of the room, how they danced and won the Prom King crown, and then the storm clouds rolled in when Katy disappeared, the search for her, breaking into the locked room, and the fight that ensued, the police, the Brice screaming, hitting the officer and finally being hauled off in handcuffs to jail.
The room was dead silent for a very long moment as each tried to grasp the full significance of what had happened.
Malinda, who sat next to Katy took her hand, but she was too disquieted to speak.
Jim felt no such calm. He burst out of his chair and went to his daughter. He brought her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. "I could kill that son of a bitch, I could kill him!" He held her, tears spilled down his cheeks. The words hitched in his throat as he rocked her gently. "I could just kill him."
Malinda went to them and put her arms around both of them. "No, killing would be too good for him. We will see him in jail and away from descent people."
In the meantime, Tom sat with his hand over his eyes trying to deal with all he had heard, or maybe he didn't want them to see his eyes.
Doris went to Jesse. "How are you?" she asked, gently touching his eye checking the damage.
He smiled, but his eyes were more truthful. "Better, now that we're home. The bruises and cuts will heal, but the memory of seeing him on her when we broke in; I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that."
She hugged him and kissed his cheek. "I'm very proud of you."
Tom now stood at his side, his own face wet with tears and his eyes red. "We are both proud. No matter what happens now we will be beside you - both of you - all the way."
“Brice is the one in for a bad time. We will talk to the police tomorrow and file formal charges. Sheriff Haywood felt we should come home tonight and speak to him in the morning.
"He's a good man. He understands that you'd want your parents with you when you talk to him."
"Janice, Cora, Hank and Richard gave statements, each telling what they saw," Katy said.
Jim kissed Katy on the forehead. “How are you feeling?” He looked her over inspecting her cheek and bruises. "Doris, why don't we put a little honey on their cuts? It will help them heal."
She nodded and went to the cupboard. Inside she brought out a lidded jar. As the family talked she smeared each of their wounds with a dab of the golden fluid.
Jim rose to his feet. "It's getting late and tomorrow will be another stressful day. I suggest we all get some rest."
The others agreed.
"First I am going to take a hot bath. My skin crawls at the thought of that lunatic touching me."
"I'm going with Katy when she presses charges," Jesse said.
"We all will," Malinda said and squeezed his hand. "Then we shall say good night, too." She kissed Katy on the cheek, turned and took Jim's hand. The two of them headed for the stairs.
Jim turned again. "You're sure you're all right, Katy girl?"
“Dad, in spite of all that's happened,” Katy said, taking Jesse’s hand and looking him in the eye, “The good part was the best night of my life.”
Jim smiled, “I guess that's what I needed to know.”
“It’s been a long night,” Doris said, “We all need to rest and we'll tackle whatever comes in the morning.
––––––––
Jesse, Katy and both sets of parents went into the police station on Main Street. The clock on the wall read 9:40 when they were shown into a room to wait for the Sheriff.
Malinda took Katy's hand. "Are you nervous, dear?"
"Not about pressing charges. He needs to be stopped, but I just hope I don't have to see him or talk to him."
"If that should happen, we're here for you. He will never get the chance to hurt you again," Jim said.
Katy could see the pulse in her father's cheek; he was gritting his teeth, a familiar sign that he was holding his temper.
The door opened and Haywood walked in with a woman.
"Katy, this is Mrs. Jackson. She will take your statement. Do you want to speak to her privately?"
"No, sir. My family is with me and I'd like them to stay."
"Very good. I'll leave you then. But in the meantime I want to talk to Jesse. He turned to Jesse. "Come with me please. You may bring your parents if you like."
He held the door as the three walked out into the hall.
"Let's go in here where we can talk. Haywood opened the door to a similar room; they entered and took seats around a table. Haywood sat across from Jesse.
"I want you to tell me everything that happened last night from the time Katy left the group and be specific."
For the next hour and a half they repeated in detail the incident as they remembered it. The emotion in the rooms oscillated around anger and tears to strength and determination. At the end, papers were signed and Jesse and Katy, quite exhausted, were allowed to leave.
"What will happen to Brice now?" Katy asked.
"We will hold him over the weekend. The arraignment will take place on Monday, at which time bail will be set. That will determine if he is released or held."
"I hope he never gets out. He scares me!" Katy took Malinda and Jim's hands. She needed their strength. She wished she were 5-years old again, a time of innocence and before any kind of fear crept into her life.
The Haileys met the Sullivans in the hall. Jesse went to Katy. He put his arms around her and held her for a long moment. The worst was over, for now. At first a single tear trickled down her cheek, but she could be brave no longer; she burst into tears and the sobs that followed jarred the others as well.
It was a long heartfelt moment before anyone spoke.
"Why don't we take the children to the cafe down the street? They've been through a lot and need a change of atmosphere... and something to eat," Doris took Tom's hand, but spoke to Jim and Malinda. With Jesse's arm around Katy, they all left the station and walked out into the bright Florida sunshine.
––––––––
The weekend passed with only a few moments of anxiety and a couple of bad dreams. Sheriff Haywood said he'd call the families with news of the arraignment as soon as he knew anything.
The phone in the Hailey's house rang just after 3pm. Jim answered it.
"It didn't take long and Brice has been formally charged. The judge set the bail at $25,000. That's quite high, but Mr. Bachlund was able to come up with the money. Brice has been released into his father's care."
"No! How could he do that?"
"The judge told Mr. Bachlund to keep his kid at home. Any further incidents and the bail will be revoked and forfeited."
"I don't know..." Jim said. "I'm going to keep my gun handy. If that kid comes after my daughter again, I can't be held responsible for what happens."
"Go easy, Jim. You will be held responsible if anything happens. I know the kid's trouble and I intend to keep a close eye on him too. Maybe you could stay with friends for a while. Most likely he will be homebound, but if you're concerned you might leave for a while."
Twenty minutes later the phone rang again and Jim answered it.
"We just got a call from Haywood. He said he talked to you."
"Katy is beside herself with fear, Tom. Malinda and I are worried too. I don't know how they could free him; they know he's dangerous!"
"I know. We feel the same. Doris and I think you should all come over here and stay with us for a while."
"I don't see how that can help. I should be here, just in case."
"We'd really like to have you. I think we'd all feel safer. You know safety in numbers and all that."
"I'll think about it." Jim hung up. He heard Katy and Malinda talking in the kitchen. He could tell from their tone how afraid they both were. "What am I going to do?" he asked himself. He took a deep breath and headed for the kitchen.
