Chapter 33 #2
After losing her first husband suddenly years earlier, she’d told him she never expected to get married again until they found each other.
So much had happened since Quinn had accepted Jared and Lizzie’s offer to be the medical director for their senior care facility.
He’d come close to saying no, fearing the confines of island life, not to mention living close to family members for the first time since he joined the army after medical school.
He liked doing his own thing and valued his privacy, but living near Jared and Lizzie had been fun.
They left him alone. He left them alone.
And when they were together, it was always a good time.
He’d found a friend in his younger brother and a delightful extra sister in Lizzie.
And then he’d found Mallory, and his entire life changed.
“You’re quiet,” Mallory said to him between conversations with family and friends.
“Just thinking about everything that’s happened since I came out here to work with Jared and Lizzie and how I almost said no to their offer.”
“That would’ve been tragic.”
He kissed her temple. “Indeed.” Looking down at her, he said, “This time tomorrow…”
“I can’t wait.”
“Me either.”
Laura Lawry was working the front desk at the Sand & Surf Hotel when one of her guests, Piper Bennett, returned from an outing in town. Laura did a double take when she realized Piper’s face was bruised and her lip was bleeding,
Laura rushed around the registration counter to provide assistance. “Oh my God! What happened?”
“I… A guy… He…”
“Shhh, okay. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
With the poor woman trembling violently, Laura helped her into the sitting room off the lobby.
“We need to call the police, Piper.”
“No,” she said, blinking back tears. “I can’t.”
“The chief of police is my close friend. He’ll know what to do. Please let me call him. Whoever did this to you shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.”
Piper folded shaking hands in her lap.
Laura forced herself to stay quiet, to give the other woman a chance to wrap her mind around the fact that she was a victim of a crime.
She would’ve rendered first aid, but after having been through this before with Owen’s mom the night she arrived on the island, Laura knew it was important to let the police see the woman’s injuries.
“If you’re sure that’s what I should do…”
When she’d checked in the day before, Piper had struck Laura as a sharp, intelligent woman. She suspected shock was dulling her senses at the moment, making her uncertain.
“It’s the right thing.”
Piper nodded and tightened her folded hands.
“I’ll be right back.”
Laura went to her office off the lobby and put through the call to Blaine’s cell phone.
“Hey, Laura. What’s up?”
“I have a guest staying at the Surf who’s been attacked. I’m not sure what happened, but she’s bruised, her lip is bleeding and she’s obviously in shock.”
“I’m on my way.”
“She’s hesitant about police involvement.”
“I understand. We’ll take good care of her. Be there in a few.”
“Thanks, Blaine.”
As Laura stepped out of her office, her husband, Owen, came down the stairs with their three children in his arms. How he managed to carry them all was a constant source of amazement to her.
“Ready to go to the party?” he asked.
“I don’t think I can go.”
“What’s up?”
Laura quickly filled Owen in on what’d happened. “She told me yesterday she was in need of a getaway after her fiancé canceled their wedding and dumped her. And now this… Blaine is on his way.”
“That’s awful.”
“I need to stay with her.”
“Of course. I’ll take these guys over to Evan’s for a little bit. They can blow off some steam with their cousins.”
“I’ll meet you there if I can.”
He kissed her. “Keep me posted.”
“I will.” After kissing him and her kids and seeing them off, she rejoined Piper in the sitting room. “Can I get you a drink of water or anything?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you.”
Laura sat with her while they waited for Blaine. Fortunately, he didn’t make them wait long. When she heard voices in the lobby, Laura went to greet him and Jack Downing from the state police.
“We were together,” Blaine said.
“I don’t want to overwhelm her. She’s pretty shook up.”
“I’ll wait out here,” Jack said.
Laura gestured for Blaine to follow her into the sitting room. “Piper, this is Blaine Taylor, chief of the Gansett Island Police Department. Blaine, this is Piper Bennett, a guest here.”
“Hi, Piper,” Blaine said, taking a seat across from her.
“Th-thank you for coming.”
“Of course. Can you tell me what happened?”
Piper glanced at Laura.
“I can leave you two to talk.”
“No! Please don’t go.”
Laura sat next to Piper. “I’m right here, and I’ll be right here for as long as you need me.”
Piper broke down into gulping sobs.
They waited until she’d collected herself by taking a series of deep breaths. “Just when you think things can’t get any worse.”
“I’m so sorry this happened on our island,” Blaine said.
“It was my fault. I was acting out by partying with strangers. I went to his room, knowing I shouldn’t be doing that, and when he attacked me…”
“This was not your fault, Piper,” Blaine said. “Going to a man’s room isn’t an invitation to be attacked, but I do have some good news for you.”
“What’s that?”
“If you can tell me where you were when this happened and what room it was, we’ll be able to find him and arrest him for assaulting you.”
“It… It was the Harborside. Room thirty-two.”
“And his name?”
“Chris.”
“Hang on for one second.” Blaine got up and left the room, returning a minute later. “The state police will pick him up.”
Piper dropped her head into her hands, her shoulders shaking with sobs. “I never should’ve gone with him, but he seemed so nice and sweet. I just needed to feel better.”
“Did he rape you, Piper?” Blaine asked gently.
She shook her head. “I managed to fight him off and get out of there before he could.”
“Do you require medical attention?”
“I… I don’t think so.”
“I’d like to take some photos of your injuries for the record,” Blaine said. “It will help us to make a case against him.”
“Okay,” Piper said hesitantly. She grimaced as Blaine took several photos.
“I’ll get our first aid kit.” Laura retrieved the kit from her office and brought it to the sitting room.
She gently tended to Piper’s cut lip and applied ointment.
She offered an ice pack for the bruise blooming on Piper’s face.
The incident brought back memories of the night Sarah had arrived in even worse condition after being beaten by her now ex-husband.
“Thank you,” Piper said, pressing the ice pack to the bruise.
“I’m going to need you to take me through it, from the minute you met him until you escaped his room,” Blaine said, pulling a notebook and pen from his pocket.
Laura sat with Piper while she told the story of what’d happened.
Blaine asked a lot of questions, and Piper answered every one of them, her resolve seeming to strengthen with every passing minute.
By the time they emerged from the sitting room an hour later, Jack had returned.
“He’s on ice at the station,” Jack said. “Asking for a lawyer.”
Piper wrapped her arms around herself. “What will happen now?”
“We’ll charge him with assault and attempted sexual assault,” Blaine said. “At some point, if it goes to trial, we’ll need you to testify. But that won’t be for a while.”
“Thank you for coming and for acting so quickly,” she said, her gaze shifting to take in Jack, too.
“I’ll be in touch,” Blaine said.
“If there’s anything we can do,” Jack said, handing Piper his card, “please feel free to call.”
“Thank you both.”
“Yes, thank you.” After Laura saw them out, she turned to Piper. “Come upstairs to my place. I’ll make us some tea.”
“I don't want to put you out any more than I already have.”
“You’re not.” Laura put her arm around the other woman, feeling as if they were friends after the last couple of hours. “I want to help if I can.”
“You’ve been so kind. I really appreciate it.”
“I’m so sorry this happened,” Laura said as they walked up the stairs to her apartment on the third floor.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Before we go inside, I need to tell you… I have three kids. I have no idea what our place looks like.”
“Please, don’t worry about it. I have nieces and nephews. I know what it’s like with little ones.”
“Here goes nothing.” Laura used her key in the door and stepped into an immaculate space. “And once again my husband proves why he’s the best.” Not only had Owen changed all three kids and gotten them ready to go out, but he’d cleaned the apartment, too. It even smelled fresh and lemony.
“I’m impressed,” Piper said.
“Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable. And I don’t even have to warn you to watch out for hidden peanut butter sandwiches.”
Piper smiled as she sat on the sofa.
Laura made tea for both of them, giving thanks once again for the gas stove that had served them well during the power outage, and carried the mugs to sit with the other woman.
“Thank you.” Piper took a tentative sip, wincing when her sore lip connected with the edge of the mug. “You’ve gone above and beyond.”
“It’s no problem at all. We’re always on duty and happy to do whatever we can for our guests.”
“My grandparents used to stay here. There was a couple named Adele and Russ who they were friendly with. Do you know them?”
“They’re my husband’s grandparents. They live here on the island.”
“It’s wonderful that they’ve kept the business in the family.”
“The hotel was their wedding gift to us.”
“Wow.”
“Anyway, enough about me. What can I do for you? Is there someone I can call?”
“No, I don’t want to call anyone. They’re already worried enough about me.”
“I was thinking about you after you checked in yesterday. I was once exactly where you are… Only I was actually married when I found out my new husband was still hooking up with women on a dating app.”
Piper’s eyes widened with shock. “How did you find out?”