Chapter 49 - Anything you say

As the sergeant walked towards Dorothea, an officer called his attention. "Serg, there's something you need to see"

He excused himself and left with the officer. I sat down next to Mara, Dot sat opposite with her head hung down. 

"What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much eh? My only crime is that I love you? Why is that so hard to see?" 

" Dot, you don't love me, you want to own me and that's not the same. You want to hurt me and my fiancée because were together; you attempt to kill her and you stab me, does that sound like love to you? Cause it sure the fuck don't to me."

" but I was desperate, I love you Jon, please, come back to me? For the kids ?"

" are you insane?, Dot, this is gonna be hard on you but I don't love you, as for the kids they are happy with just me... And Mara, just do yourself a favor and let it go....." 

The door opened and the sergeant entered, we all looked at him as he walked towards the desk, "Mr Bongiovi can I have a word please, in my office, you too Miss Goodwood" 

"Sure, what's it about, " 

" this way please" 

We got up and followed the sergeant into his office, he moved round to his desk and sat, "please take a seat" 

We both sat, puzzled by what he could want. 

"Mr Bongiovi, Miss Goodwood, I can see your wondering what this is about so I will waste no time and get to the point, the officer called me from the room to show me a video" 

"A video? Of what sergeant?" 

" of you and your ex wife during this visit, there are things I've seen that have alarmed me Mr Bongiovi, can you explain the death threat to your ex wife?" Shit I totally forgot that the room had a camera, but I knew why I had reacted to Dot in the way I did, and now I was pissed it was my ass being questioned again, with sarcasm in my voice I answered the sergeants question. 
"Yes sergeant I can, that was directly after Dorothea threatened to kill my fiancée and admitted she would not fail a second time, you must of heard that too, right?"
"Mr Bongiovi, your actions are serious, no matter what Miss Hurley threatened, you cannot just turn vigilante and take things into your own hands."
I thought about what the sergeant was saying and knew what I had done was stupid, but I had good reason, I dropped the attitude but wanted answers too; " Sergeant, I know what you are saying is right, but that women just does not quit. I just wanted to frighten her, she has tried to ruin my life, her kids life and now my fiancée, when do we see justice? eh? don't you think we should be protected not my ex wife?, she has man raped me, tried to kill my finacee, stabbed me, even accused our son of lying, ... when does the truth get told and all this bullshit stop eh? when?"
"I totally understand your upset and your concerns, but you cannot go round making physical threats no matter what the other party has or has not done."
"So will Dorothea be questioned as to her threats against us, or is this just a one way street again?"
"Of course we will question Miss Hurley."
" all I want is to get on with my life, living with my kids and my fiancée in peace, no more hassle, threats violence having to look over my shoulder for what my ex will do next. Can you not find a way to end this nightmare, this is seriously affecting me and my family, including our wellbeing, my kids are wondering what they did to have a mother that can do what she has done to me, and them." 
"Mr Bongiovi, I do empathise with you and rest assured I will do all I can to put a stop to this, and to help me I need to ask you to do something too." 

"What"

 " I need you to keep away, no more 

visits, can you promise me that? when you visit and respond to her as you have, well, in her mind it's giving her false hope. "
"False hope in what way, I have told her over and over I will never get back with her."
"You bite when she attacks, to her that is a sign she has won and you want her. her mind is not thinking rationally,  Miss Hurley feels the victim, and no this is not my assumption, this is the professional opinion of the psychologist.
"Sure... but how are you going to stop her?"
"Leave that with me, that is a Police matter."
"What about her threats?"
" The threat Miss Hurley made to your fiancée is on tape and can be used in the trial and should go in your favour, unfortunately, with your outburst that will be shown too and it could go against you." 
I was so frustrated with the whole situation I snapped back at the Sergeant, tired of it all, I just wanted out of there,  
"Whatever, so she wins again,..... so are we free to go now?"
"Not quite I just need to ask Miss Goodwood a question."
Mara looked at the Sergeant, "Go ahead, I'm listening"
"Miss Goodwood, when you were in the interview room with Miss Hurley, did you at anytime prior to her threat feel uncomfortable or in fear in anyway?"
Mara thought hard before she replied. "I guess I did feel intimidated, and when she spat her venom at me, I cannot lie, I wanted to run, her face was evil and totally contorted. I did fear she was going to lunge forward and attack me, thank god she didn't. " 

" why did you not summon the officer on guard at the door?" 

"Because I wanted to be there for Jon,  we are in this together for each other. We are strong for one another, does that answer your question sergeant?"
"Maybe" 

"Maybe, what's that mean?, I have answered you truthfully." 

"You have, but if you felt that threatened regardless of supporting each other, you should have got the officer on the door, in that way the incident with Mr Bongiovi may not have happened." 

Mara replied sarcastically, "I am so sorry, I left my magic ball at home, sergeant if I had thought for one second Jon would have behaved like that I would have raised the alarm. But i didn't, this is bullshit, so if that is all we will take our leave?" Mara got up to go and so did I, as we reached the door there was another question. 

" Just one last thing, given you have again been threatened by Miss Hurley, Miss Goodwood, do you wish to press charges against her, on top of the attempted murder charge, currently awaiting trial?" 

"I can do that?"
"Yes, that is your legal right," 

" let me ask a question before I answer, if I press charges can Dorothea press charges against Jon? "
"Yes she could, that is her right it's the law"
"What will happen if she does..."
"We will have to visit Mr Bongiovi and go through the procedures"
"Meaning... you arrest him?"
"Yes madam"
"Un believable..."
"When does the law actually favour the victims eh? and I hate the term, but man this judital system sucks, totally sucks!"
 

Chapter 48 - Anytime At All.......

With both of us ready, we headed out and got into the car. Starting the engine I drove us the half hour journey to the jail house. Neither of us spoke on the way over , each of us playing over what we were going to say to Dorothea in our minds, it was only as I parked up we started talking. Mara spoke first;

"You good?"

I nodded and answered "yeah, you?" Mara nodded too " yeah , shall we go do this?" 

Again I nodded, getting out of the car we met at the back, with each of us holding each other's hand we walked to the jail entrance.
Inside we were met by the desk sergeant, "Good Morning Mr Bongiovi, I understand your here to see your wife?"
"Ex wife sergeant, and my fiancée also, I was told there would be an answer when I arrived."
"let me check for you..." the sergeant went out back to check, Mara looked at me totally puzzled, but she never asked why, I did not volunteer the information she was looking to me for either, we would know soon enough.
The sergeant returned, "Yes Mr Bongiovi, your ex wife has agreed that she will meet with your fiancée too. if you could just sign in here please..... and I will take you to a private room and have Miss Hurley escorted along to see you both."
We followed the Sergeant and walked into a dimly lit empty room for the exception of 4 chairs and a desk. the room felt cold inside, Mara shuddered so I put my arms around her shoulders to keep her warm. making our way to the chairs we both sat down.
Mara immediately turned to me and spoke the question she had been wanting to ask since we arrived...
"Dorothea was asked if she would see me?"
"Yeah, the detective said it was her decision, something to do with her human rights...... I wanted to kick off but decided against it. my reasoning was when we got here we could sort it then....I'm sorry  babe but it was out of my hands..."
"Yeah I know that, I'm not blaming you, but why didn't you tell me?"
"What was the point? there was nothing I could do until we arrived, what good would it have done if you knew?"
"none I guess.... but its crazy don't ya think? I mean she can do all this to try to harm both you and me and she has more rights than us....We have to ask; who are the victims for Christ sake..."
"yep, that's justice for ya... or lack of "
no sooner had I said the last sentence, the door opened and Dorothea was brought into the room. The officer shut the door and stood on the other side keeping guard. 
Dot casually walked over to me,
"Jon, thank you for coming... it's good to see you...are you going to get up then and give me a kiss... I am your wife after all...."
I got up to stand eye to eye with Dorothea and spoke...
" I am not here to see you socially Dorothea, I am here to make things crystal clear once and for all, to stop you playing your bullshit games, hurting me, and your kids, you do remember them right?  and Dot, I am not your husband anymore, we are divorced; now sit over there and stop with the crap I watched her as she moved to take a seat facing opposite us.... with a twisted snarl she spoke "oooh who's got out of the wrong side of the bed then?"
"Drop it dot, I am really not in the mood for your bullshit" She eye'd me over and dropped the sarcasm, but continued glaring at us both, first looking at me, then Mara, when she finally spoke again it was with venom in her voice
" So what do you want?"
I wasn't gonna sugar coat it so asked out right...
"Dot why are you lying and telling the cops I raped you, and why are you bringing our son into your lies, you know very well what Jesse saw; Do you hate me that much you want to see our kids without a dad too, bad enough your sitting in jail, you want the same for me?" the venom built inside her as she spat,
"You deserve everything that's been done to you sweetheart its called revenge...." with a twisted smirk on her face she continued, "as they say pay back is a bitch....then with a laugh she carried on; "then you go screw another one..." as she spat the last sentence she looked directly at Mara.
Mara sat quiet and had watched everything so far, to support me she had rested her hand on my knee.  Dot saw what she did but said nothing, her glare spoke volumes. 

Mara had now heard enough, taking a deep breath she cleared her throat and spoke.
"What gives you the right to destroy peoples lives Dorothea?, are you that twisted and sick you enjoy seeing others suffer.... suffer to the point of death?"
"No one died here sweetheart.."
"Oh but I nearly did Dorethea, your Mother burned my house to the ground, with me still in it, I spent months in hospital recovering from burns, and Why? what had I ever done to you?" 
"Pahh you exaggerate bitch..."
"Right lets get things straight shall we, first off my name is Mara, second, I am not a bitch and third, why do you think you are sitting in jail, to get a beauty treatment? you are in here together with your mother for attempted Murder.... wake up and smell the coffee....sweetheart"

Dorothea smiled, then leaning forward on the desk she spoke, 

" so you want to know what you have done to upset me, mmmmm let me think, rolling her eyes to the ceiling then back to looking at Mara she spoke, "we'll stealing my husband for a start, ..... Then my kids, all of our friends, oh it just never ends with you does it. Jon didn't need rescuing from you, that was my job, I was gonna get him well and get us back together as a family, and in my time. You should have just stuck to training him, he is mine and always will be, we have three children together. What can you give him? Nothing other than sex, and that is something he gets bored of, once your flavor has soured you will be history and he will come right back to me. You will see" 

"You tried to kill me because Jon and I are together? You are DIVORCED, Jon does not want you. The games you played destroyed him emotionally and physically. He wanted to die when I met him, what kind of women are you?"

"I'm your worse enemy and I'm the kind of women who wins, so a little advice, stay away from Jon and my kids or next time...... Well it won't be attempted murder, rest assured I won't fail twice"

I had sat listening to the conversation between Mara and Dorothea, anger rising I kept quiet until Dot threatened Mara, then I rose from my seat without holding back any longer my anger flowed , 

"Have you lost your ever friggin mind? What the fuck are you taking? Listen up Dot and listen good, I don't want you, I never will, we have great kids together and that is where it ends. Sitting here in your precence now you make me sick, you are a pyschotic murther fuckin bitch, how dare you threaten Mara,? Huh how dare you, I'm telling ya babe you better make the most of being in jail cos hear me and hear me good," my anger was beyond any reason as I grabbed Dorothea from her chair and pinned her by the throat to the wall;  " if you don't retract your lies and come anywhere near me Mara or the kids, I swear I will fucking kill you Dot," pushing hard on her throat I asked again " you got it ?" Her eyes were wide with fear, meekly she nodded, as my anger died a little and I released my grip on her throat she sunk down the wall and sat.  I too moved back to my side of the desk sat in my seat, my breathing heavy I asked, "so shall I get the sergeant and you can retract your statement?" Dot remained quiet and nodded. Mara got up and went to the door and spoke to the officer on guard, he radioed front desk for the sergeant. Mara returned and sat back down next to me. While we waited a tearful and woeful Dot apologised to me and Mara, we both looked at each other knowing it was anything but real. 

A knock on the door and the sergeant entered, " you asked for me?" "Yes sergeant Dorothea, Miss Hurley has something she wishes to say...... 
 

Chapter 48 - The Visit

I woke first, looking to my right Mara was still sleeping, I moved as gently as I could, edging slowly to the side of the bed and got up, walking quietly and slowly across our room, reaching the door i opened it and stepped out, pulling the door closed behind me I heard a gentle snore and knew she was still asleep.

walking down the stairs I headed to the breakfast nook in the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.
After the visit from the detective a lot of things had ran through my mind and if I am honest I did not sleep that great, I needed to go see Dorothea. Heating the coffee pot I started making plans in my mind for what I would say to my ex wife. I was sipping my second cup of coffee looking out of the window thinking on the visit when loving arms slipped round my waist, turning round Mara starred back at me, reaching up she kissed me,
"good Morning handsome, have you been up long?" 

" good morning , no not long, half hour maybe,....
"That looks good, anymore?"
"sure.."  

I poured Mara a cup of coffee and we both stood at the kitchen window looking out at the lake.
"So what's our plans today?"
I remained quiet for a few seconds before answering, I was not looking forward to how Mara would feel about me seeing my ex....

"now don't go nuts but.......I'm planning to go see Dorothea," Mara's response totally shook me....

"Good idea, I'll come with you"

"Babes this is my fight, I've gotta sort this out with her one to one"

"So you don't want me and think you can fight her alone right? she aint done nothing to me has she, I don't have a right to speak to her do I?"

there was a dangerous amount of sarcasm in her voice.....of course Mara had a right to see Dorothea, holy fuck she had near killed her....

"Baby I don't want to fight you...but I want no need to put a stop to this once and for all... and of course I want you, Jesus I love you, but I don't want you any more hurt than you are, dot is playing dirty and dangerous... she has already shown she really don't give a shite about you or me...I want this over with..."
I softened my voice,
"so we can plan our wedding and get on building our lives together, no longer having to look over our shoulders."
I reached out and pulled Mara into my arms, with her head buried in my chest I kissed the top of her head. she pulled back and looking up at me she spoke;

"Ok, I understand your thinking but hear me out ok?"

With our coffees we both moved to the stools and sat at the breakfast bar facing each other. 

"Let's get everything into perspective, for years your ex wife made your life hell and you were a recluse depressed over weight on self destruct mode, you get yourself focused after meeting me and start the long haul back to regaining your life. Your mother in law and your ex wife torch and burn my home to the ground for which I spend months in hospital, you get your kids back and Jesse bares witness to your ex wife raping you? oh, and don't forget she stabbed you trying to get to me to kill me, so I ask ya Jon, How the fuck can she hurt me more?"

I could not argue, Mara had a strong point, maybe her meeting with Dorothea would not be a bad idea after all...it could give us closure and help with Mara's healing. I admitted defeat.

"Ok, your right," I held my hands in the air...
" after what she has done, you have the right to see her too.... let me go ring the detective and get clearance."

I left the kitchen and headed to the den to make the call, with the way I was feeling and now Mara, it was going to be hard to hold everything together and not launch forward and immediately slap my ex wife... I had never been a violent man ever, but my blood was now beyond boiling point....thoughts were still running through my head as I spoke to the detective. He agreed I could see Dorothea, but he would have to ask Dorothea if she wanted to see Mara. I could not believe my ears..... I was about to launch into an argument but held back, as the Detective would have heard my anger and that would have stopped any visit. I had to wait , I was told There would be an answer when we reached the front desk check in at the jail.

Walking back into the kitchen, I decided to not mention to Mara about Dorothea being asked if she wanted to see Mara so stayed quiet.
"Well..."
"It's good."
Jumping off her stool she walked and stood next to me.
"Right let's go shower then shall we, let's not keep Miss Hurley waiting.... "