Page 89 of Tell Me Everything
***
As they drove to the police station, Alex couldn't help but wonder. He had to, because he couldn’t understand on his own.
“Why’d you follow him? You know he's dangerous.”
“I'm... I'm sorry.”
“Why did you do that?”
Elena rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“He said we'd talk about you. I needed to know.”
“Know what, damn it?” he exclaimed.
“I had to know why he hurt you.”
“Elena, he's a paedophile. He’s sick! No matter what he’d have told you, you could never understand him.”
She lowered her eyes. After what she'd just done for him, Alex tried to control his temper. He owed her.
“I know you meant well, but some things are better left unknown. Please don't ever do something like this again. I don't want you to go through what I went through.”
Alex could never forgive himself if anything happened to her. Elena had suffered enough. She didn't need any more trauma. Entering the police station, Alex motioned for her to take a seatas he made his way to the reception desk.
***
Elena
Alex followed one of the policemen into another room. I tried to stay calm, but my nerves were getting the better of me. The policewoman at reception smiled and offered me a coffee, which I accepted.
“Is that your boyfriend?”
Why did I still insist that Alex and I weren't together? After all we'd been through, we were more than friends. I had wanted to keep him out of my crazy life, and now I was involved in his. So what was the point in denying what had become inevitable?
“Kind of. Is he in trouble?”
“I don't think so. It all depends on the victim and whether he wants to press charges or not. The fact that he's come forward and that there's history will cushion the consequences.”
I wouldn't have used the word victim to describe Vincent, but I couldn't objectify in front of a representative of the law. Alex and I were in a delicate situation. It was best to keep a low profile.
“Do I also have to make a statement?”
“Do you want to?”
“If it helps Alex, sure.”
The look she gave me was kind.
“How did a young girl like you end up in a situation like this?”
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and decided to stay.”
Once we'd taken our statements, we left the police station. The dashboard indicated that it was past three in the morning.
“Can you drop me off at home, please?”
“It's late. Don't you want to stay at my place? I can drop you off in the morning.”
