Page 84 of Beneath the Scars
“I’m sorry to ask, but were you sexually assaulted?”
“No. It didn’t get that far.”
I close my eyes, letting out a relieved breath.Thank god.
“I’m Rex, one of the club’s security guys.” The man with longer brown hair finally introduces himself. “We detained the guy we found her with, and he’s indicated he’s willing to cooperate. He’s verified this story to us as well. We also have security cameras outside the bathrooms, if you’d like to take a look at that footage.”
Officer Justice nods. “Please.”
Rex sits in one of the swivel chairs and starts clicking through the cameras. Addie and I both stand from the couch to get a better look.
My jaw drops as I watch Ronnie and her best friend, Samantha, carry a clearly knocked-out Addie out of the bathroom. They have Addie’s arms around their shoulders, and they’ve wrapped their free arms around Addie’s waist. To anyone glancing at them, they look like they’re cuddling a potential partner.
“That’s Ronnie’s best friend, Samantha,” I tell Officer Justice.
Rex pulls up a second camera that shows the two women carrying Addie down the hallway and into a room.
Samantha comes out a minute later, walking back to the lounge before she’s out of sight. Then Ronnie follows a bit later, a smug smirk on her face.
“I’ll need you to send that to me,” Officer Justice says, handing Rex a business card. He turns toward me and Addie with an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I need to go interview Veronica and thisother man. Do you have the information for the second woman?”
“Her name is Samantha Hoffer,” I respond. “I don’t have any other information for her, though.”
Rex jumps in. “I can look up her membership information and send it to you as well.”
Officer Justice nods before looking at Addie. “Is there anything else you want or need to add to your statement?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“Did you want to press charges against the man who assaulted you?”
“If you find out he knew exactly what was happening and who I was, then yes. If he was a victim of Ronnie’s schemes too, then no.”
“Then I just need a way to get in contact with you for any follow-up questions, and you’re free to go.”
Addie gives him her phone number, and I give him mine as well. Then Rex escorts us to the employee entrance so we don’t have to walk back through the club.
“I’m really sorry this happened to you, ma’am,” Rex says. “The club manager wanted us to tell you that they’ll be in contact in the next couple of days, and they wanted us to apologize on their behalf.”
Addie just nods. Her exhaustion is palpable now. I wrap her in my arms and escort her to my truck. With my hands on her hips, I lift her into the passenger seat before jogging around to get in on the driver’s side.
I slam the door closed, and silence descends.
My gaze is fixed on Addie. When her chin starts to tremble, I can’t hold back any longer. I scoop her into my arms and hold her against my chest. Her sobs echo through the cab, screaming of heartbreak and terror. Tears roll down my cheeks right along with hers, but I keep her face tucked into my neck.All the what-ifs are rolling through my head. I dismiss them as quickly as they come, knowing it won’t help to dwell on something that didn’t happen.
The love of my life is safe in my arms now. The worst didn’t happen like I’d feared, and all I want is to go home to rest.
It takes Addie half an hour before her sobs finally slow down enough to get them under control. Her breaths hiccup for a bit while she wipes her eyes and nose with the tissues I keep in my glove box.
“I was so scared,” Addie whispers. “But then I got angry. I knew what that bitch had done, and I was not about to let her get away with it. I knew you’d be looking for me, so I just kept telling myself, if I can get out of this, you’ll be there waiting for me.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t find you sooner. I was willing to squeeze the life out of Ronnie to get the answers I needed. She was too smug about you being gone. It didn’t make sense.”
“That’s why you were holding her by the throat,” Addie guesses.
“Yes. She’s lucky you walked in the room when you did. I might’ve gone to jail for assault myself.”
“Can she file charges too?”
