“Don’t worry D, she’s probably fine,” Brian said, walking to the kitchen.
...
At the cemetery, Mary cried out all of her problems, all of her fears, to the cold headstone of her brother. “We... we used to be so close, Chas... I’m so sorry for what I said... I just need you here...” It started sprinkling, but Mary didn’t notice. The rain
mingled with her tears, salt dripping to her lips. “I love you so much, Chas... I miss you so, so much...”
...
Howie sat in the living room, staring out the window. He bounced his knee, nervous about Mary. “I know she’s ok, but I’m just to worried... after last night...” he thought. The rain that was falling became pounding, lightning streaking across the sky. He shook his head and stood. “Guys, I’m going to see where Mary is, I’ll be back in a bit.” He walked out the door.
In his car, all of the conversations he had with Mary played through his head. “What could it all mean though? Thom will find her? She said something about Chas protecting her...” He passed her apartment and headed towards the hospital, searching the parking lots for her car. “Chas...” With that, he pulled his car onto the road and headed
to the cemetery.
...
“I’m just so scared, Chas... Thom said he’d get me back... I don’t want to be hurt anymore... I know he can get me... You know how he is... I’m so scared of him... I don’t want to be hurt... Chas, what about Howard? What if Thom comes back? What will Howard think? He told me he still loved me... But so did Howard, Chas, Howard told me he loved me... I don’t want to lose him... I love him too... But I don’t want him to get hurt because of Thom... I know Thom will do something to him if he finds me...”
...
Howie turned on his right blinker and entered the cemetery, the rain pouring, making it hard to see. He noticed a car down a side lane and pulled up behind it. “Mary?” he called, getting out of the car, recognizing it at hers. “Mary!” he called again, but she was no where in sight. He ran back to his car and brought out an umbrella and began walking towards the cemetery. “I know it’s around here somewhere,” he mumbled, reading the headstones and passing them by.
...
“Chas I’m just so afraid...”
...
Howie heard someone talking and looked around frantically. “Mary? Mary where are you?” he called again. No answer. He kept walking towards the origin of the voice. A girl was curled up in front of a headstone, crying. “It’s none of my business,” he thought, shaking his head. He glanced at the stone. “Charles Goode” “Mary!”
Mary looked up, tears blurring her eyes. “Chas? Is that you, Chas?”
“Mary, it’s me, it’s Howard...” he put his hand on her shoulder.
“Howard? Oh, Howard!” she jumped and threw her arms around him, desperately looking for something, someone to hold on to.
“Mary, darling... It’s ok, I’m here.”
“I’m so afraid, Howard...”
“But of what? Oh, nevermind,” he said, pulling her to her feet. “You can tell me when we get home. Let’s get you out of the rain before you get sick.” He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “Don’t think about it, darling, let’s go home.”
...
Howie pushed the door of the house open, escorting Mary in. Her eyes had lost some of their puffiness, all of their sparkle, but she still looked upset. AJ was the first to greet them. “Hey guys! Mary? What happened to you? You look like a little drowned rat,” he laughed. Howie shook his head. AJ patted her shoulder and walked off.
“Let’s get you into some warm clothes.” Howie escorted Mary upstairs and helped her change into a warm pair of sweats. He left the room, calling downstairs. “Hey, Brain? Could you make some soup for Mary? And some hot tea, too.”
“All right, I’ll let ya know when it’s done.”
“Thank Bri,” he called and went back into his room. “Come on you,” he said, picking up a towel. He carefully dried her face and her hair. He pulled some covers around her as she slid back on the bed. “Wanna tell me what’s wrong?” he asked forcefully but lovingly.
“I’m just so afraid Howard...”
“But of what?”
“Thom called again...”
...
There was a yell from Kevin downstairs. “Mary! Some guy left a message on our machine, some Thom... You know who he is?”
Howie walked out of the room and downstairs. He pushed the erase button on the answering machine. “If he calls back, Mary’s not here. And if he does, I want to see about having our number changed,” Howie barked and stalked back upstairs and into his room.
“He said he’s get me back, Howard...” Mary whispered, curling into a ball beneath the covers. “He called my cell and that number... I had to get out of here... I didn’t know where to go...”
“So you want to talk to Chas?” Mary nodded. “That last message was from about two hours ago, Mary, how long were you out there?” Mary sniffled and wiped her nose, coughing. “Long enough...” he thought. Howie climbed onto the bed and curled up beside Mary, holding her close. “You know I’d never let anybody hurt you Mary, and neither would the guys. I love you Mary, you know that,” he whispered.
“I’m just so afraid...”
“I know, Mary... But you know we’ll protect you... But I think I should tell the guys about it, so we can all help you.”
...
A half an hour later, Mary ate her soup in silence at the kitchen table. Howie spoke to the other guys in the living room, out of Mary’s hearing. “He’s hurt her before, guys,” he looked into the kitchen at Mary. “Hurt her bad...”
“But how?” AJ asked.
“I don’t know, she wouldn’t tell me. But if whatever it was is so bad that she ran out after his call... I don’t even want to think about it, I’ll wring his neck...”
“No you won’t, Howie,” Kevin said, moving from his place by the window. “If he hurt her that bad, I’m going to rip his toenails out one by one...”
“And I’ll get the fingernails...” Nick said, thinking.
“I call that bastard’s nosehairs!” AJ claimed.
“And I’ll break his kneecaps, he’d be defenseless!” Brian cried, almost happily.
“And then I’ll wring his neck... But how could anyone hurt her? She’s so beautiful... so sweet... so...” Howie sighed, “so innocent...”
“We know you love her, Howie, we all can see it,” AJ said again.
“By how you look at her, how she looks at you,” Nick added.
“I do... I love her so much... I don’t want her to get hurt...”
“We won’t let that happen, D,” Kevin said, placing a hand on Howie’s shoulder. “We love her too, we’ll do anything to keep that guy away from her. She’ll always have us around her.”
...
The Boys made a pact that night, not a very good one, but they hoped it would keep Mary safe. After Mary had went to bed, each of the guys took a few hours to stand watch for anything, the phone ringing, something strange outside, anything. It was 3 AM when Kevin came to wake Howie.
Howie padded downstairs and made a cup of tea. He sat in the living room and turned the TV on softly. There was a noise outside, but he paid no attention to it. Then another. “All right, what’s up...” he mumbled, making his way to the front door. He looked out. Nothing.
A half an hour later, there was yet another noise outside. “All right, that’s it...” Howie went to the closet and silently searched inside. “A ha! I knew this would come in handy...” He pulled out a steel hockey stick and tiptoed to the front door. He looked out,
preparing himself. Again, nothing. “I need more sleep...” He began walking back into the living room where he heard another noise, louder, and more definite than before. He peered out again, noticing a figure standing in the front yard. “Oh shit...”
Howie ran to Kevin’s room, figuring that since Kevin was the tallest, he posed the most threat. “Yo, Kev, wake up man,” he said, shaking his shoulder.
"What?” Kevin mumbled.
“Kev, there’s someone outside.”
“D, let someone else take watch, you need more sleep.”
“Kev, I’m not dreaming this up, there’s really someone out in the front yard.”
“Fine, fine, I’m up...”
Kevin pushed past Howie. “Yeah, I see him. Did you call the cops yet?”
“And tell them what? I’m afraid for my girlfriend’s life so my friends and I are on guard, and I saw someone outside the house?”
“All right... We’ll wait until he does anything.”
...
Upstairs, Mary woke with a start, feeling there was something wrong. Howie wasn’t in bed with her, so she got up, opened the door, and noticed a light on downstairs. “Howard?” She softly stepped downstairs. “Howard?”
“I’m here Mary. What’s wrong?” he asked, approaching her. Kevin never left the front door.
“I just got this feeling... and you weren’t in bed...”
“I’m all right, we’re just watching.”
“For what?”
“We want to keep you safe tonight. We’re leaving in the morning and I want you on that bus with us.”
...
After an hour, the person was still outside. Mary was curled up asleep on the couch while Howie and Kevin continued to watch. “All right, I’m getting nervous now...” Kevin whispered.
“Should we call the cops?”
“Yeah, there has to be something they can do, trespassing or something...”
...
By the time the cops showed up, the person had ran off. Howie opened the door. “I’m sorry y’all had to come out here, we were just getting really nervous.”
“Whoever it was, they ran off about five minutes ago,” Kevin added.
“All right, but could we come in and have a word with you?”
“Sure, come on in,” Howie said, turning back into the house. He stopped. “Kev... how long has our door been like this?” The door had scratches running the length of it, like someone took a knife and dragged down it. A note was tacked to the center of the door with a knife, but neither dared touch it.
“Here, let me take that, son,” the older of the two officers said. He put on a pair of gloves while the other officer took out two plastic bags. When that was taken care of, the four went back into the house.
“Howard... what’s going on?” Mary asked, sitting up.
“We called the cops, we were getting nervous.”
The officers came into the living room and approached Mary. “Are you Mary?” the older asked.
“Yes, sir, I am... did I do something?”
“No no, dear... but this was addressed to you,” he said, handing Mary the plastic bag with the note.
She read it over and almost began to cry. “Howard, he knows where I am...” Howie took the note. “Mary, I found you and you will be mine again, one way or another.”
“Wait, who knows where you are?” the younger officer asked.
“My ex-boyfriend... he’s trying to get me.. I know he is...”
“Would we have any kind of record on him, Miss?”
“Probably... his name is Thomas Jackson.”
The younger officer stepped away for a moment, occasionally nodding as he heard something over this CB radio. He came back to Mary. “Mr. Thomas Jackson, 31, of Sadona Park Drive? Put in jail in 1992 for attempted rape for three months, and in 1993 for attempted murder for six months?” Mary nodded. The younger officer kneeled in
front of Mary. “Did he do those things to you, Miss?” She nodded again. “And do you have any proof that this letter came from him?”
Mary nodded and excused herself to Howie’s room. She knew he packed a
notebook of hers which had old notes from Thom. She took the notebook with her downstairs. “These were from 1992,” she explained, “before he tried anything.”
“And the knife, Miss?” the older officer asked.
“That’s his, too... He collects them, I gave him that one for his birthday in 92.”
The younger officer called back to the station on the CB. “All right, we have a positive identification on the knife and a comparison for the handwriting for a Mr. Thomas Jackson, 31, 5’7”, 175 pounds, light brown hair, blue eyes, ruddish complexion... All
right, I’ll get back to you. Miss, did this Thomas have any other girlfriends he used to treat this way?”
“I think so... uhm... Victoria, in 1991... he used to beat her up all the time, then he moved onto me.”
“She just called into the station reporting a man of the same description trespassing on her property.” He talked back into the CB, “all right, let’s try to find this guy.” He nodded to his partner. “Thank you for your time,” he said. “Is there a number we may reach you at in case we find him?”
“Yeah, take my cell phone number, we’re leaving in a few hours.” Howie wrote the number and his name down and handed it to the officer.
“Leaving? Where to?”
“We’re going on a trip across the country, we won’t be back for a few months.”
“All right, we’ll be in touch if anything arises. Thank you, and have a good night,” he said, tipping his hat and walking for the door.
When both men had gone, Brian, AJ, and Nick came downstairs. “Was it him?” Brian asked.
“It was him...” Mary whispered, clutching Howie to herself.
...
Everyone fell back to sleep in the living room. An hour later, 6 AM, Kevin woke. “Hey guys,” he called, trying to wake them up. A few moans were heard from around the room. “Guys, we gotta get going.”
Within an hour, everyone was downstairs, showered, dressed, packed, and ready to go. “Great, the limo will be here soon. Everyone have everything?” A few nods. “Good... Hey, I called the police station this morning, they didn’t find the guy, but there will be someone here watching the house the entire time we’re gone. Mary, you all right with that?”
Mary leaned in closer to Howie, holding him tight. “Yeah, he just scares me. I’m all right, really,” she faked a smile.
“He won’t hurt you ever again, darling,” Howie said, kissing the top of her head.
“Limo’s here!” Nick called running from the kitchen. Everyone grabbed their bags and headed outside.
...
Everyone was settled in on the bus an hour later when they left the Orlando city limits. Mary breathed a sigh of relief, laid down on the couch, and fell fast asleep. Howie covered her with a blanket and joined the rest of the guys at the back of the bus. He sighed and sat down. “How are we going to watch over her when we’re on stage?”
“Don’t worry, D, someone will always be with here, I can get my mom to do it,” AJ assured.
“Yeah, I guess... I’m just really worried, ya know?”
“Ok sweetie... hey, where’s your acoustic?”
“Uhm... I think I put it in the closet, I didn’t want to leave it on the bus. I’ll be back,” Howie said, going through the door joining theirs and AJ’s. A little while later, they heard the guitar stumming, soft singing.
...
“It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday,
The regular crowd shuffles in,
There’s an old man sittin next to me,
Making love to his tonic and gin...
“He says, ‘Son, can you play me a memory
I’m not really sure how it goes
But it’s sad and it’s sweet
And I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man’s clothes...’
“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you got us feelin all right...”
...
Both Howie and AJ stood in the doorway, watching Mary in amazement.
“Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he’s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there’s some place that he’d rather be...
“He said, ‘Bill I believe this is killin me,’
As a smile ran away from his face
‘Well I’m sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place...’
“Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he’s talkin with Davy who’s still in the Navy
And probably will be for life
“And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes they’re sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it’s better than drinkin alone...
“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you got us feelin all right...
“It’s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
‘Cause he knows that it’s me they’ve been coming to see
To forget about life for a while
“And the piano sounds like a carnival
and the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
and say, ‘Man, what are you doing here?’
“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you got us feelin all right...”
...
Mary stopped strumming the guitar and wiped her forehead. Someone was
clapping behind her, for her. She turned around to see Howie and AJ, looking very amazed, but very pleased. “Great job, Mary!” AJ whistled.
“Nah, it’s just a hobby... and it sounds better with a piano.”
“No, AJ’s right, you did great,” Howie kissed her cheek and sat beside her.
“Wait, wait, what was that? AJ was right? I could never get sick of hearing that!” AJ laughed.
“We were going to go down for a swim, darlin, in the indoor pool, AJ rented it for an hour, all of the guys are going down. Want to come?”
“Sure, but I don’t think you packed my suit...”
“Oh damnit... I thought I forgot something... But your underwear and dry over night, and don’t you dare say no...”
“Yeah, Mary, come on, please?” AJ whined, crawling to Mary on his knees.
“All right all right, I’ll come.”
...
In the pool, the Boys goofed around, showing off. Mary stayed to herself, happy just relaxing in the warm water, sitting on the pool steps. “You all right, darlin?” Kevin asked, paddling over.
“Yeah, just relaxing. The water’s wonderful,” she said absentmindedly as she watched Howie.
“It sure is,” he sighed, sitting next to her. “You really love him, don’t you?”
“What?” she shook her head, waking from her daze.
“Howie, you really love him, I can tell, how you two look at each other. That, and he wouldn’t stop talking about you on the bus, when you were asleep. ‘Mary this,’ and ‘Mary that.’ No offense, darlin, but I was gettin sick of ya, and you were asleep!”
“None taken. He really talks about me that much?”
“He won’t shut up! I’m surprised he’s not over here now, that’s he’s over goofing off.”
“Well, you know boys, they’re difficult to understand.”
“Yeah, last I remember, I still am one,” he said laughing.
“I think that left ya about twenty years ago, big guy,” Mary laughed.
Howie swam over. “What’s so funny over here?”
“Nothin, just talkin,” Kevin said.
“Oh, all right. Hey, Mary, come on down by us, probably more fun than just sittin here...”
“I’m fine here, but thanks, Howard. I’m just relaxing some.”
“All right. Coming Kev?” They both swam away, lapping the waves up higher on Mary’s chest.
“That and I’m just in my bra, underpants, a thin shirt, and Howie’s boxers...” she thought. After a while, Mary got out to get a drink. She was making her way over to her towel when Brian jumped out of the pool and stood in front of her.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
“To my towel... I was getting sleepy...” she said innocently.
“But come on, the fun’s only beginning,” Nick said, jumping out of the pool and standing behind her.
“Oh no...” she mumbled and tried to dart between them, but it didn’t work too well. Nick caught her arms and Brian her ankles. They swung her back, forth, back, forth, and tossed her into the pool. She came up, coughing and spitting out water. She jumped out of the pool and chased after Brian and Nick until AJ jumped out of the pool,
stopping her.
“There’s the drowned rat I know and love,” he said.
“Get movin, bud,” she snickered, pushing him into the pool, resuming the chase. Finally, Brian and Nick gave up.
“You win! You win!” Nick yelled.
“I give up, you’re quick!” Brian cried.
“That just shows ya, never throw me into the pool.” She turned and looked at AJ. “Right, Bone?”
“What I do?”
“Hey guys, where’d Howard and Kevin go?” Mary asked when she noticed the guys were gone.
“Maybe back to the room, they both looked ragged,” Brian answered, taking a sip of water.
“All right, night boys,” Mary called, wrapping her towel around herself and heading upstairs.
AJ looked at Brian and Nick. “Think that gave them enough time to set up?”
“Do I look all right?”
“You look fine, get back over there.”
“You sure she’ll like it?”
“I’m sure, now get going...”
Kevin answered the door, ruffling his hair to make it look like he was in bed. “Hey Mary, what’s up?”
“Hey Kev, where’s Howard? He wasn’t at our room, the door’s locked.”
“Oh, he had to run downstairs for something I think. He should be back soon. Want to come in?”
“Sure,” she stepped in the room and shivered. “Got the AC on high enough...”
“Oh... well... uhm... oh yeah, Howie dropped off a change of clothes for you, in case you came back, ya know.”
“All right Kev, whatever,” she said, taking the clothes and headed for the bathroom. “The dress from our first date... he is too sweet...” she thought, unfolding the garments. “And he even remembered a dry bra and underpants for me...” She finally stepped out of the bathroom, clutching the wet clothes. Kevin whistled. “Thanks Kev... now where is Howard? I’m hungry and sleepy...”
“He said he’d knoc...” there was a knock at the door joining the two rooms. “That must be him,” he said, smiling.
“Really, Kev? I thought it was ghosts...” She put her hand to the knob but the door wouldn’t budge. “Howard?” she called through.
“Maybe he wants you to come to the main door?”
“All right Kev, I know you’re leading me on, but I don’t want to know why...” She turned and left the room. The door to their room was now unlocked and left slightly ajar. Mary peered in. “Howard?”
“Please come in, my dear.”
Mary shrugged and walked in. Candles were burning all around, rose petals were placed on the bed. She looked around for Howie. She finally spotted him, leaning against the door for the balcony of the room. He was dressed in a nice suit, his hair loosely pulled
back. “Howard, you look so handsome,” she whispered, approaching him.
He nodded gratefully. “A beautiful rose for my beauty,” he whispered into her ear, kissing her cheek. He softly handed her the rose. “But nothing is as beautiful as you, my darling.”
“Oh Howard...” she barely breathed. “But why all this?”
“You don’t remember what today is, my dear?” he asked, pulling her close.
“I’ve had a bad couple of days...”
“A month ago tonight was our first dinner together.”
“You are so sweet...” she whispered, holding him tight.
“Come, my dear,” he pulled from her embrace and took her hand, “a special evening awaits you.” He led her to a table on the balcony and pulled out her chair. He poured a glass of wine for her, and one for himself. He removed a silver cover from her place setting and one from his.
“Spagetti and meatballs,” she smiled.
“And side salad,” he remarked, gesturing towards the center of the table.
“Silly me, I forgot.”
...
After dinner, Howie escorted Mary back inside. He pushed “PLAY” on a small radio and a tape whirred to life. “Oh my love, my darling, I hunger for you touch, alone, lonely times... And time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much, are you still mine... I need your love, I need your love, God speed your love to me... Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea, to the open arms of the sea... lonely rivers sigh, wait for me, wait for me, I’ll be coming home, wait for me... Oh my love, my darling I’ve hunger for your touch, alone, lonely times... and time goes by, so slowly, and time can do so much, are you still mine... I need your love, I need your love, God speed your love to me...” he sang softly to her, holding her close, swaying to the music. Her head was on his shoulder, her hand in
his on his heart.
“Unchained Melody... My favorite...” she whispered, wiping a tear from her eye. “That was so beautiful...”
“I had a feeling you liked it... I haven’t sang that in ages, Kevin convinced me to...”
“Thank you, Howard,” she whispered, looking into his eyes. An eternity of seconds later, his soft, full lips touched hers. He held her close, his hand cupping her jawline. Slowly, to not seem too fast, his tongue carefully passed her lips, searching for hers. Mary pulled him closer, kissing him harder, with more passion. Her hands locked behind his neck, her fingers lost in his soft curls. She slowly pulled him back to the bed where she sat, continuously kissing him. His lips slowly made their way across her cheek, stopping at her ear, nibbling lightly. “Howard...” she barely whispered.
He pulled back some. “Yes darling?”
“We should stop here...” she suggested.
“All right, you have to let me know how far, I promise, I’ll stop where ever that is.”
“I just don’t know what got into me,” she sighed, putting her hand to her flushed cheek.
“It’s all right, darling, you know what you want to do, I don’t want to hurt you. You had the will for us to stop, I respect that.”
Mary looked down at her hands in her lap. “I guess I just resorted back to how I used to be... with Thom...”
“What do you mean?”
“I always had to repay him for his kindness... or else...”
“Or else what, Mary?”
“He’d hurt me... bad... beat me up, take what he wanted anyways, if I wanted him to or not...”
“He used to rape you?” Mary stared at her hands and nodded. “And you stayed with him? But why?”
“I was afraid to... I thought he’d hurt me more...”
Howie moved closer to Mary, putting his hands on her shoulders. He kneeled in front of her to look into her face. “Mary, promise me, if I ever, ever remind you of him in any way, please tell me so I stop?”
“I will, Howard...”
“I want to see you in the audience tonight, Mary, so you can get the full effect of what we do.”
...
Beats blared over the speakers and AJ’s yell echoed through the crowd. “And that makes you larger than life...”
“He’s so adorable,” Mary though as she smiled up at Howie on stage. The Boys did a few of their usual numbers when Howie came back onto the stage alone.
“For this next song, I want someone that’s very special to me to join me on stage.” He walked to the section where Mary was and stood above her. “Mary?” he asked, reaching for her hand.
“Howard, what on earth are you doing?” she whispered.
“Giving you the full experience,” he whispered. The music started. He held her hand and started, “You know, sometimes being on the road is rough, especially the loneliness. Girl I miss you, and it’s been one day, since I’ve been away, and already I say I long to kiss you,” he pulled her into his arms and held her close, never stopping his
singing, “and hold you in my arms, the nights are much too long when you’re gone, baby that’s why where ever I go, girl my heart stays with you, after every show I wanna rush over to you, my heart stays with you, trust me when we are apart, I won’t break your heart, where ever you are, I know you feel me, Mary, because I can feel you too, no
matter what you do, I think of you... where ever I go, Mary my heart stays with you, after every show I wanna rush over to you, baby yeah...” He held her hand while he was singing and she just looked at him in amazement.
After his song, she whispered in his ear, “I don’t know if I should be mad at you for doing this, or to love you more for it.”
“I choose the second,” he whispered as she was taken offstage.
...
Mary waited for Howie in his dressing room after the show ended. There was a knock at the door. “Howard, it’s your door, you don’t have to knock to come in,” she giggled, walking to the door, opening it. Her smile faded. “Thom...”
...
Howie managed to get free of the crowd of people to head to his dressing room. The door was closed and locked. He pressed his ear to the door to hear Mary whimpering inside, “Please don’t hurt me...”
He yelled for security. “She’s locked in there! Someone’s in there with her, he’s hurting her, please help her...” Security busted down the door and ran inside. Mary was curled into a ball in the corner, crying, bruised, and beaten. “Mary?” he whispered. She
shook her head no, to stay away.
“And you must be the famous boyfriend, I had a feeling you’d be showing up,” Thom said, coming out from behind the door. “So nice to finally meet you.” He went to punch Howie in the stomach but the bodyguard jumped in the way to take the blow. Howie ran to Mary to protect her. The bodyguard and Thom struggled against one another, Thom clenching his teeth so his yell wouldn’t be too loud. “Stay away from that slut, she’s no use to you.” Mary cried harder and Howie just held her tighter. More security arrived and finally got a hold of Thom. The police were called and they hauled Thom off. Howie explained to them what had happened during the previous nights and went to sit in the hall while Mary explained what had happened that night.
“He won’t hurt her any longer, Mr. Dorough, I’ll see to that personally,” an officer said, patting his shoulder, sitting next to him.
“That’s what the last cops said...” he mumbled and sipped his coffee.
“She’s got physical evidence now, he beat her up. Even if they can’t get him for that, they can get him because he’s in violation of his restraining order.”
“Mary had a restraining order on him?” he asked, looking up at the officer, disbelief in his eyes.
“That’s what she told us, and the Orlando police agreed. He’s not supposed to be within 500 yards of her.”
“But what if that’s not good enough... you can’t get him for beating her up?”
“It’s her word against his, Sir.”
“But why would she just beat herself up? And Thom, just show up out of no where?”
“I’ve seen it before, Sir.”
...
“I went back to Howard’s dressing room after their last concert, just like I promised him I would,” Mary said, holding a napkin to her bleeding lip. “There was a knock at the door, and I thought it was Howard... I opened the door and there he was.” She spit into the napkin to keep her lip wet and replaced it. “He pushed in the room
saying how he knew he’d find me there, how he’d followed us to Georgia... He smacked me across the face, he said I lied to him, that’s how my lip got cut... He said how he still loved me, how he missed me... He kept repeating that after he smacked me again. I was
on the floor crying by then and he only kept saying that... and kicking me... hard...” She paused and lifted up her shirt. “Oh this is bloody perfect...” she mumbled when she saw her badly bruised stomach.
“And then Mr. Dorough came in?”
“Yeah, Thom hid behind the door when he heard Howard outside. When he came in, Thom attacked him, tried to hit him but I think he missed, the bodyguard got the blunt of the blows.”
“All right, Miss Goode, I just need to get a few pictures of your bruises and get your statement signed and you’ll be free to go.” The female officer pulled a Polaroid camera from her desk drawer. She took pictures of Mary’s face, her bloody lip, her now blackened eye, her stomach, bruised from one side to another, the bottom of her rib cage to her navel. Mary signed the paper and left.
It was now 2 AM.
