Chapter 50 - She's A Mystery

Mara was quiet on the way home, "what's wrong"

"Everything, we are the innocent parties in all this ...... Shite, but no matter how hard I try I just cannot get my head around what that cop has just said. Like, why are we questioned?, why was Dorothea left sitting pretty?, Jon I want to move this higher and get some answers, something is not right here,"

"But I did grab her, and I did threaten her..." 

"Yeah only when provoked, c'mon babe she is running rings round everyone, and she knows too much about the fine lines of the law...." 

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's convenient she can push buttons, get a reaction and we are the ones dragged across the stones and beaten up, someone is helping her,"

" you mean, a cop?"

"I mean one desk sergeant"

"Babe, there's no proof...."

" not yet, but I smell a rat and I will find out the truth one way or another" 

I continued driving, thinking about what Mara had said, and as mad as it sounded there was some credibility and likely hood she could be right. If that was the case, not only was Dot our fight but the whole police force, what chance did we have if it all turned out to be true.

Arriving home, as we walked through the front door the home phone was ringing.... I hurried across the lobby and picked up the receiver, "Hello"
"Mr Bongiovi sergeant Miller here,"
After the grilling I had I really was not in the mood for more questions..." What is it now sergeant, I honestly don't think I can take much more bullshit for one day.."
"Mr Bongiovi, I am calling to advise that your ex wife has admitted she lied about you raping her and has admitted she did man rape you, with this new confession Miss Hurley has been charged with the offenses and the allegations against you have been dropped. thank you for listening, Have a good evening sir."
the line went dead before I could reply, I just stood shocked at what I had been told and at the abrupt end to the call, but then I made it clear I was not going to have a happy chatty conversation, none the less I just stood with the receiver in my hand.
"Jon, what's wrong?" Mara's voice brought me back to reality snapping me out of the daydream I was in, "Its Dot,"
"What now?"
"She has confessed, she has retracted her accusation about me raping her, and admitted she raped me, that was the sergeant ringing to confirm."
"Well that's good news isn't it?"
"Yeah I guess,"
"Why am I sensing a but coming?"
"I don't know babe,  ive been thinking on what you were talking about on the way home and it, sounds crazy, but something just don't feel right.... I can't put my finger on it,"

" That's what I feel too, and I don't know why too, maybe we are both over reacting given all the crap we have been though with her so far, but maybe we are wrong and this is the end to it all." 

I listened to Mara taking in what she said, " I know we should be celebrating but I aint gonna crack open the champagne just yet" still holding the receiver I finally laid it back on the cradle. Mara walked over to where I stood and slipping her arms around me she slid them under my shirt, and caressed my back. I looked down at her and knew I really was a lucky man, even with all the drama we had been through we had stuck by each other, our love had been tested for sure.
I bent my head down to kiss her, when the phone rang again. "hello" silence greeted me on the other end, "hello" still no one answered. I hung up. Mara's eye's searched mine, "What was that about?"
I have no idea babe, there was someone on the line, but they never spoke."
"that's weird babe, are  you thinking what im thinking?" I was lost in thought, "Mmmm maybe"
"Maybe?, Jon if we are now receiving strange calls, and we have only just received a call saying Dot has admitted her allegations were lies, who else would want to continue with the relentless torment?" 
"ok, I hear what your saying, but I gotta feeling that was the cops," " why? So you do think what I was saying earlier could be true?"
"More than possible, knowing Dot as well as I do, she has a controlling personality, and could easily win over a vulnerable young inexperienced cop"
"But who?, 
"I think it was the young cop that stood outside at the door,"
"The blonde haired kid?"
"Yeah, listen, when we were being interviewed, he was stood in front of me behind the sergeant's chair, the whole time he had a sneer on his face, now correct me if I'm wrong but, aint officers attending an official interview just there to listen to what was being said by both parties, wasn't he the one that called the sergeant out of the room as Dot was saying she wanted to retract her statement?"
"Yeah, but.... he could lose his job?"
"Maybe that don't bother him, when he's been given favour's by a more mature lady, a damn good looking one at that...and Dot has plenty of money, she saw to that when we divorced"
"It sounds very exaggerated though?" "no more so than you thinking the sergeant is involved"
"mmm and I still do? I'm stuck babe, what do we do?"
neither Mara and I had moved away from the phone desk, the phone rang again, Mara answered it this time, "Hello"
silence, again she spoke "hello"
more silence, then someone spoke "Drop the charges or you will be sorry." then the line went dead"
Mara's face was pale and she was visibly shaken, "What is it?" "Like your call there was silence then a threat, "
"A threat, what kind a threat, who was it?"
"A man I think, the voice was disguised, they said "Drop the charges, or you will be sorry, and then hung up"
"Jon  I'm scared, this is freaky and dangerous, we need to do something, can we go away for a vacation or something?, move leave the county and do as we have been asked?, I'm sick and tired of it all, I just want to be with you and the kids and get on with our lives... forget everything, I want to go now..." I held Mara tight, and calmed her, "Ssshhh, it's ok, we will do whatever you want, ok."
she nodded her head and sobbed gently into my chest. I was scared I don't mind admitting it, but I never run, I am a fighter, and Mara was too, when she had calmed down we would plan the next course of action together and yeah we would fight, no threat was gonna stop me. This time whatever game Dot was playing would be her last. 

We moved into the den, Mara with her arms wrapped around me, and my arm wrapped around her, we sat on the sofa together and she snuggled into my neck. " Jon, I'm serious about what I said, I want to move, .... Far away from here, I don't care about Dorothea being punished, I want you and me and the kids to be safe,  can we contact the reality agent tomorrow, get this house on the market, and look for somewhere else? " 

" yeah, you know we can, where do you wanna go?" 

" I don.t know, Michigan, Seattle?" 

" Seattle? You wanna look for a home in Seattle?" 

" No, not just Seattle, anywhere that's away from here and away from the danger,, somewhere the cops are not constantly calling or visiting us, somewhere where we can start our lives together a new, somewhere the kids can settle and get into a routine and not have to be placed with Richie or your family because of the shite we have had to deal with, just anywhere?" 

Mara was set and serious, the fight had left her, me, well I won't run, somehow I had to talk her round, talk her into seeing this through, we could go to another department and talk about our suspicions, tonight though it was about reassuring Mara, and if that meant holding her all night long, then that,s what I would do. Stroking her face gently, I looked down to see she had closed her eyes and was sleeping and softly snoring, gently moving her I got up and turned on the tv, my mind replaying everything of the day, and now the phone calls this evening, the tv was on low and was just background noise. Then there was a bang, it came from outside and sounded like a gunshot, Mara woke with a start, my heart was thudding loudly in my chest as I got up and looked out of the window, total darkness although the moonlight lit up on the lake, shimmering across the water, even still nothing could be seen, then bang, another shot, this time I left the den and went to check on the security of the house, Mara followed behind. Back in the lobby the front door was secure, we moved around the house and everything was locked. Moving back though the house I picked up the receiver and dialled 911. Just as the line connected, "911' what's your emergency?" The line went dead and the power went out in the house, Mara moved closer and held me tight, we both waited, listening and straining in the dark, " we'll,well well, looky what we has hear? the bitch and her lover' miss me?" My blood ran cold, as I took in the voice in the darkness.