Unknown Desire

The Trail starts

It's been a long seven months,we have had no word from Leah. She is due in court to give evidence. But nobody knows if she will show. The last seven months have been hell on earth. I've buried my head in work,when I wasn't working I was searching for Leah. I stay downstairs in the bar refusing to enter the club upstairs. I just don't understand how she can dissappear it's fucking Ireland we live in a population of no more than 5million top to bottom. Her passport is still in her house. So she is here somewhere.
I'm desperate to find her. I know now pushing her away was the biggest mistake of my life. I'm a shell of the man I use to be without her.
Joe and Clare arrive ready to go to court. Its going to be a long week. Eric has tried to threaten,blackmail and intimidate alot of the witness. This man needs to go to prison and stay in prison for a long Time.
Chloe and Josh's parents will also be attending the trail. Along with some of Leah's ex friends. I just pray she shows up.
Joe tells me it's time to go. As I do I send a message to Leah. Please don't run from me. I'm sorry we need to talk. I've sent her a message everyday since she left but nothing not a word in response.
We head out of the bar and get in the car. Just as we are leaving Natasha and ivor arrive. I haven't seen much of them since Leah left. I haven't seen much of anyone. Ivor comes to the window we thought we would come for support. They are down as witnesses also but may not be called. We are just heading over I say, have you heard from her,Natasha asks? No nothing. OK we will meet you there, ivor says.
We drive on, I get nervous what if she is there. How do I deal with seeing her again. What if she has moved on. So many thoughts running through my mind constantly, keeping me awake. I barely eat or sleep these days.
We arrived and head in. We are asked to sit in a room. We can see what is happening in the trial from the TV on the wall. The judge has arrived also the jury. Now Eric comes in and sits like butter wouldn't melt. I can see Clare is upset by his presence. Joe reminds her she is doing the right thing. It's going to be a tough couple of days for her. But Joe will look after her. We sit and watch the case unfold. Again Eric pleads innocent to Everything. Hiring the best lawyers money can buy. He sits in the box with a smirk on his face. He believes he has won this and its all a farce. My blood boils and I find it hard to control my anger. Some of Leahs last words to me where Eric said he would ruin us from the inside out. And she was right I let Eric in my head and pushed Leah away to protect her. When in actually fact I was destroying us. I will never get over this and Eric will pay for it. Even if I end up in prison beside him. The first witness is called it's a girl called Mena. She used to be his sub. He destroyed her life, the poor girl tried to kill herself multiple times. He tortured her and left her feeling so worthless that she ended up in a metal hospital. She was nervous but answered what she could, Eric sat watching her intimidating her from the stand. The poor girl was all over the place by the time the defence was finished with her. She cried her eyes out and begged him to stop. But Eric had filled his lawyer in on every witness. All there insecurities all there triggers. Clare was up next, I could see Joe pacing worried for her. She told him she could do it and was determined to do it.
Eric's lawyer went in for the kill straight away. Telling her she had let Eric down as a submissive. By running off and breaking her contract. Joe was livid as Clare struggled under the questioning. He fired question after question at her. While Eric sat staring at her the whole time. Clare stated that Eric had made her sign a contract and changed the deal after she signed it. They asked where her proof was. She stuttered I don't have any. He never sent me a copy like he promised. Well if you have no proof how can we believe you. She stopped and looked at his lawyer and said because why would anyone allow a person to do this to them willingly, she pulled up her blouse and there was burn marks and scars from different instruments he had used on her body to torture her. Joe lost it and had to be held back from leaving the room. None of us knew this,Clare stayed covered up the whole time never wearing anything that would allow you see these marks.
The jury gasped at the sight of what he had done. He was clever not to mark her anywhere obvious.
Clare took a deep breath and look at Eric. That monster did this to me, Do you think I wanted to have permanent reminders of what did to me. She started to cry, I wanted to kill myself and considered it the day Leah found me in the toilet. If it wasn't for her I'd probably have done it. We all sit in silence not sure want to say or think. Eric's lawyer said why did you never try to leave. Because he told me if I did try to leave he would kill me and my family. He told me he would find my son and torture him. We all look at each other son. None of us knew she had a son. So if you where so scared he would kill your family why did you leave with Leah?
Because she took my mother's number and told me she would tell them to run. And help them as much as she could. We all sat there in complete shock. No one knew Leah had done any of this. She promised me no one would find them. I believed her and she kept her word at the cost of her own safety and relationship.
But no one has heard from her since she disappeared so who can back up your stories, no one he shout so how can we believe your lies.
Eric sat with an evil grin on his face, like the cat that got the cream.
She will show,I'm sure of it clare spits back. There is a look on Eric's face that has me worried. Did he take her. I'll fucking kill him. The day ends with Clare. We are all exhausted from the emotional roller coaster of truths we seen and heard today. Clare is upset at having to relive the torture Eric inflicted on her. We head back to Leahs house and order food. Everyone is lost in thought. Tom are you ok,Joe asks I look at him what if he got to her Joe and that's why she never came back. What do we do, we need to find her, I can't live without knowing Joe. The guilt is already killing me. We need to talk to Clare she knows more than we do. Clare comes down from her shower. OK guys I'm ready to talk. What's going on Clare?
The day Leah found me I was in the toilet crying. I had a knife I was going to kill myself. She stopped me,even when I threaten to kill her first. She told me you guys would help me. I told her the threats that Eric had made against my family. She told me she would help them. She took there numbers from my phone and headed out of the bathroom where I had dumped my phone. She dialled my mother and gave her an address and ask her to forward her bank details and she sent her some money. I don't know where she sent them. She said it was better if only she knew. That way if Eric got to me, I couldn't confess to were they where. We sat in stunned silence. Where did she get the money from I asked. Her savings from her parents and Joshs deaths. She told me her money was low when she was going to leave the job but wanted a month to find something as she was supporting you Clare. Now I know what she mean't. She had used her life savings to help your family. Clare started to cry and now we don't know if she is alive or dead. It's all my fault. I don't know where my family are, if she is dead I'll never find them. OK we need to search every part of this house for information. Tom we already did that and found nothing. Yes but that was when we were looking for Leah. Now we know more,look for any pictures with houses or paperwork referring to property with Leahs,Joshs or her parents names. We all take a room I feel a sliver of hope. I will find her and bring her back,even if it kills me.
We search and search we find an old address book from her parents and there is tones of addresses in it. There is one that stands out summer house wexford. How did we not find this. I ring My invesigator and give him the address he says he will head there first thing.
We all go to bed with a little bit of hope. I still don't sleep. I get up and head down stairs, I take my keys and am about to head out the door. when Joe appears,Tom don't do it. I freeze. I'm just going for a drive to clear my head I lie. Would it be to wexford he asks.
Joe I need to know she is OK. Tom you can't go if Eric has people watching us you will lead them straight to her or Clare's family. We can't risk it. Let your guy check it out first. She also might run if she spots you. I'm torn my instincts is to just turn up. But Joe has a point. Plus more than likely you will be called to the stand first tomorrow.
Your right,I just need to find her Joe.
I know Tom and we will, has clare said anymore about her son. Not a word, but I didn't push her. Its been alot today. You really like her don't you Joe. I do but she isn't ready for a relationship yet, I won't go there until I feel she is. Plus she may not like me in that way. Trust me Joe, like you could see it with me and Leah I can see it with you and Clare. I hope it works out just don't make the same mistakes I did.
Tom she will come back. She has her reasons for staying away but she loves you.
OK night I say and head back up to bed. I sleep in Leah's room I can still smell her. It gives me a sense of calming. I drift off with the hope we will find her tomorrow. Please god let us find her.