Cloud of Light (Beatles Fanfiction)

Chapter 9

As soon as Audrey felt the hot water hit her body she let go.  She began crying and her body shook with every sob.  She looked around and found the bar of soap.  She began scrubbing her body forcefully before falling to her knees.  She felt defeated...lost.  In all her years working with Frank, she had never revealed the truth to anyone about what she did and here she had confessed everything to John...without really knowing him at all.  She hadn't really had a choice, however.  The minute John overheard her and Robert, her cover had been blown.  Perhaps she could have figured out a way to make up a story had Robert not compromised everything by doing what he had done to her.  The only way to keep John from confronting him was to tell him the truth- but now what was going to happen?  All she really cared about was Grace.  She couldn't let anything happen to her.  

Audrey didn't quite know how long she had been in the shower, but her fingers were beginning to wrinkle and the steam from the hot water was beginning to make her feel weak.  As she got out of the shower, she heard faint voices.  She pressed her ear against the door to see if she could hear who was in the room with John, but it was useless.  Instead, she quickly got dressed and walked out, expecting to see George and Pattie in the room, but instead, she was caught off guard when she saw Brian Epstein in her room.  

Both Brian and John looked at her when she came out.  Audrey stared at them, not saying a word, but knowing John had told Brian what he had just found out. She felt betrayed by John.  

"Audrey..." John started, but she didn't let him finish. 

"You promised!" she cried. 

"Audrey...I had to tell him.  He can help us.  Please come sit." 

"No!  You lied to me! You told me to trust you and you lied to me!" 

"Please, come sit down.  I promise we'll work this out." John urged.  

"No...I need to leave.  I need to get out of here!" Audrey said as she lunged towards the room door.  

"John, we can't let her leave." Brian spoke up.  

John immediately jumped and grabbed Audrey as she was opening the door.  

"Let go of me!  Let me go, John!" Audrey struggled as John pulled her away from the door and sat her on a chair.

Audrey stopped struggling.  She just didn't have the strength anymore. She took one look at John and tears fell down her cheek.  

"Hey..." John said softly as he knelt down and took both her hands. "Nothing is going to happen to you or your sister.  But you need to hear us out, ok?  We need to help each other out. My life is also on the line here, you know?  We can't do this on our own.  We need someone to help us.  Just listen to what Brian has to say.  He can help us." 

"John...I am so terrified right now.  You don't know what Frank is like. I've seen him do awful things to people." she cried. 

John looked at Brian.  

"Audrey..." Brian said as he pulled a chair and set it next to John.  "My name is Brian Epstein. I am the boys' manager.  John just finished telling me the situation we find ourselves in right now.  This is a very serious matter.  We're talking about someone threatening not only John's life, but also yours and your sister's life. Not to mention the possibility of John's family being at risk.  You understand why it is necessary that we inform the authorities about this?  This goes way beyond anything we can handle ourselves.  We'll be very discrete about it.  Nobody except the three of us who are in this room need to know what is really going on.  We'll talk to the authorities and explain the situation.  They are more apt to protect us and your sister than we could ever do on our own.  Do you believe that?"