This is the final part of a fiction serial. It is a longer episode, in 1915 words.

As Phil rushed around getting ready, Marjorie pretended to be fast asleep. She hadn’t slept a wink of course, and felt shattered. But that was all part of her plan. The sounds of the door closing and his van starting up spurred her into action. Standing up, she put on the red dress, tearing at the front until one breast was almost completely exposed. Then she reached down to the saggy fishnet stockings, and tore a hole in one, high on her left thigh. Retrieving the wrapped condom from her make up bag, and holding it by a tissue, she slipped it inside the front of the thong, then up inside her body. The feel of the cold liquid entering her made her shudder with revulsion, but she bit her lip and carried on. When she was sure it was empty, she flushed it down the toilet. Then she slipped on her clumpy school shoes, picked up the school bag, and headed for the door.

It was more than a mile to the main police station, and Marjorie was running. She didn’t need to run, but that puffed her out, made her eyes water, and her face and neck red. People looked at her as she ran past, her clothing in disarray, and a terrified look on her face. She saw them looking, but didn’t stop, or acknowledge them. The more witnesses, the better. And it would all be on CCTV too. By the time she crashed through the door into the main reception, she looked in a terrible state. The young policeman manning the desk was startled to see the girl trembling in front of him. She suddenly shouted, making him jump. “Can somebody help me please? My name is Marjorie Calder, and I have been kidnapped and raped!” With that, she collapsed onto her knees, sobbing loudly. The policeman rushed from the desk to help her, shouting behind him as he ran. “Get an ambulance, and get Inspector Collier down here. Now!”

Tina Collier ran downstairs without even bothering to put on her shoes. Standing next to the slumped girl, she shouted, “Cancel the ambulance. Get a car round to the front now, this girl will be taken to the rape suite”. Turning to the young policeman, she shook her head. “Let her go. Don’t touch her anywhere else, and go to the locker room. Bag your clothes, and get changed. We don’t need any contamination of evidence”. Looking back at Marjorie, she softened her tone. “Can you stand up honey? We need to get you to somewhere safe, and someone has to examine you. I promise it will be OK”. Marjorie nodded, and started to stand. As she did, she caught sight of Tina’s feet protruding from the bottoms of her trouser legs. It occurred to her that if her feet were that huge, she would never show them in public.

The examination was as she had expected, just like she had seen on films and television shows. They took lots of photos, carefully removed and bagged all of her clothes, then photographed her intimate areas, before taking swabs. She was given a grey jogging suit and some gym shoes to wear, after being allowed to shower once the tests were complete. A kind looking man brought her some weak tea, and a stale-tasting sandwich, then the woman with the big feet came in, thankfully now wearing some shoes. There was a younger woman with her, a concerned look stamped firmly on her face. Tina sat opposite the girl, perching on a small sofa. “Do you feel up to talking, Marjorie? Can you tell us where you have been, and what happened?” Marjorie reached inside the school bag that she had kept close, and removed the notebook. Handing it to the older woman, she tried to sound upset and afraid. “It’s all in here. I was tranquilised and kidnapped, then shut in a cage at the City Zoo. Then one of them took me to his flat, and another one came, and made me go with him. He was the one who raped me on my birthday. He said it was legal, because I was sixteen”.

Danielle made some notes as the girl talked, shaking her head sadly at the story. Marjorie gulped hard, and carried on, pretending it was difficult to talk. “They made me dress up in those tarty clothes, and wear lots of make up too. At the Zoo, I had to go to the toilet in a box, and one man watched as I did it. Then they made me transfer money from my Trust Fund into their accounts, and talked about having to kill me if they didn’t get any money. They must be stupid, as the Trust Fund will never let them take the money. I tried to cooperate. I acted like I was their friend, so they wouldn’t hurt me, but the blonde one raped me anyway. Their names are in there, and where they work and live”. Tina gave the notebook to Danielle. “Danni, get on the radio, and put out a broadcast. I want those two arrested, either at home, or where they work. Check their records too”. She turned back to the girl, and smiled. “Don’t worry Marjorie, as soon as those two are under lock and key, it will be safe to get you home to your father. He will be pleased to see you”.

The girl lowered her eyes. “Please, not back there. He touches me, comes to my room when he is back from business. He has done it since my Mum died, but I have been to afraid to tell anyone, as they would never believe me. I can’t go back there, please, not there”. Tina shook her head. “Don’t you worry darling. I will find you somewhere safe, and make sure Tom Calder never touches you again”. Marjorie managed a weak smile. “Thank you, Inspector. I’m so afraid. It has been a terrible time for me, and I really can’t face what my adoptive Dad might do, if he’s angry with me”. Tina leaned forward and clasped her hand. “Leave that bastard to me, Marjorie”.

They took Rodney at work, right in the middle of mucking out the Zebras. He saw the three people walking toward him, and his team leader next to them, pointing him out. There was no point running, so he just dropped the rake, and stood still. Phil was driving between jobs when the police car overtook him, then swerved across the front of his van, forcing him to brake violently. For just a moment, he wondered what was happening. Then he slumped in his seat as the two uniformed officers ran up to the van, shouting for him to keep still. At first, Tom Calder refused to go with the two detectives, and he was amazed when one of them suddenly grabbed him, and the other handcuffed him. As they hauled him in the direction of the front door, he screamed at Marta. “Get my lawyer on the phone. Tell him to come to the main police station. Now!”

The statements had taken a long time. Marjorie had put a hold on adding anything concerning her accusations about Tom Calder. She said she was tired and hungry, and wanted to eat something, then sleep. Tina Collier got her to sign the statements, telling her that they were the best and most thorough she had ever seen in all her years of police work. After taking a phone call, she smiled at the girl. “Marjorie, we have charged Tom Calder with child molestation, based on what you told us. He has been given bail with conditions, including not being allowed to return to the house, or to contact you. I understand he has checked into a hotel. Are you happy to go home now?” Marjorie nodded. Tina continued, as the girl gathered her things. “Rodney has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, endangering the life of a minor, and conspiracy to commit a kidnap. Phil the same, with the addition of rape. I reckon they will each get at least fifteen years for the kidnap, and Phil will get a minimum of seven more for the rape. Will you be up to testifying next month?” Marjorie didn’t smile. “Oh yes”.

Danielle took her back to the house. Marta was overjoyed to see her, apparently. She made her some food, and told her there would be fruit pie for after. Marjorie had just finished eating when there was a caller at the front door. Marta went to answer it, then came back into the dining room. “It’s Mr Goldman, the family lawyer. Do you want to see him?” Marjorie nodded. “Show him in, then leave us alone”. Ron Goldman didn’t even mention the kidnap, and came straight to the point. “Marjorie, this business with Tom. It won’t stick you know. He will get off”. Marjorie shrugged. “I know what will stick, Mr Goldman, mud. How are the company share prices tonight, I wonder?” The friendly old man saw her in a new light, and that sent a shiver up his spine. “You can have the Trust Fund money early, Marjorie. Tom won’t stand in your way. That’s five million, once the police investigation is over. Enough for a new life, a place of your own, and your education too”. He held out some papers.

Marjorie sneered at the papers. “You will need to re-write those. Tell Tom I will drop all charges for twenty-five million, paid next week. Oh, and I want this house too. He can afford to live anywhere, and my mother would have wanted me to stay here, where we were once happy. Tell him that, and get it down in writing, then I might conveniently forget him touching me. Maybe it was all a dream, made worse by the trauma of my kidnap. I can be very convincing, Mr Goldman. Either way”. Ron Goldman stood up, looking at the young girl with a new respect. “I have an idea that will be agreeable. I will be back with the papers tomorrow at nine, if that suits you?” She turned away from him, so he didn’t see her smiling. “Suits me fine”.

After showing him out, Marta came into the room. “Can I get you anything else, Marjorie?” The girl looked at her with a set expression. She shook her head, deep in thought. Could this woman have forgotten all the jibes about her weight? Telling her her clothes looked too tight, that being overweight would mean she would never have any friends, let alone a boyfriend. All the snide remarks every time she wanted a snack, or had an extra slice of cake. And walking around in Tom’s absence, acting like the lady of the house, telling Marjorie what to do. Could she really have forgotten that so soon?

As Marta’s face adopted a quizzical expression, the girl’s face turned to stone. “Anything else? Yes, you can do something else for me, Marta. You can pack your bags and be out of here by first light. You’re fired”. She walked past the stunned looking woman, and sauntered upstairs to her room. George’s wife would make an excellent housekeeper, and she was a good cook too. She would tell George the good news tomorrow, once Marta had gone.
There was nothing like your own bed. She flopped down heavily onto the familiar soft mattress, and allowed herself a quiet chuckle.

She was going to sleep well tonight.

The End.