No One Believes Me

Untitled Part 8

A few weeks go by and life is getting back to normal. Dany's physical scars are healing, and her mental ones are getting there. She has nightmares about trying to escape but they are getting less frightening and less frequent. Dany goes to therapy once a week to deal with the trauma and she really loves her therapist. Things are beginning to almost feel normal.

Dany grabs the mail on her way in from school. Marjorie is moving about the kitchen, cleaning up dishes, getting dinner started and tidying up. Dany sees a large envelope from the prosecutor's office. "Mom," Dany says, "The paperwork from the prosecutor is here."

"Just set it on the table sweetie, I'll look at it after dinner."

Dany sets it on the table and they go about their chores. It isn't until after the dishes are washed that Dany asks, "Can we look at the papers now?"

"Yes, honey, we can look at them now." Marjorie responds exhausted by the thought of reading a bunch of legal jargon and not much being surprising. Marjorie opens the envelope and begins scanning all the sheets of paper. She pauses on a name, Adam Dunn, and thinks to herself Dunn, why does that sound familiar? Then the color drains from her face. Dunn is familiar but long forgotten, until now. Marjorie is flustered and says to Dany, "Honey, this paperwork is just telling when court is and what the charges are. There's nothing new or interesting in here."

"Can I see them?" Dany asks holding out her hand.

"Sure," Marjorie responds handing them over.

"Huh, Mug's name is Adam. I feel bad for him. He didn't know what was happening, I know he didn't. It's so sad that his uncle would get him involved in this and for what, a little extra money, it just doesn't make sense."

"None of it makes sense honey. Now go get ready for bed. I'll be up shortly."

"Ok, good night mom." Dany says laying the papers on the counter and kissing her mom's cheek before disappearing up the stairs.

Marjorie is shaken. It couldn't be? Could it? But why? Dany is right, this doesn't make sense. I need to call Detective Hammond in the morning and tell him. Marjorie lays in bed all night but doesn't sleep a wink.

In the morning, Marjorie goes downstairs, and Dany asks, "Are you ok mom?"

"Yes," she lies, "why sweetie?"

"You don't look so good. It looks like you didn't sleep."

"I had a little trouble falling asleep, but I'll be fine. I just need some coffee."

"Like a whole pot." Dany jokes.

"Thanks!" Marjorie says smiling at her daughter but anxious to talk to the detective. "Let's get going, I'll drop you off at school." And they head out the door.

Immediately after dropping Dany off, Marjorie heads to the police station. She doesn't want to do this over the phone, she wants to make sure Detective Hammond has all the information correct. This is not going to be an easy conversation. She parks in front of the police station and runs into Detective Hammond in the parking lot. "Mrs. Haines, what are you doing here?"

"I was looking at the paperwork we got in the mail yesterday from the prosecutor's office, and I noticed something you should be aware of."

"Ok, what is it?"

"Can we go to your office?"

"Of course." And they both walk into his office.

As soon as they sit down, Marjorie asks, "Have you ever found a motive for the kidnapping?"

"Well, other than money, no."

"I think I might have a motive. This is going to be hard for me." Marjorie says nervously fumbling with her purse in her lap. "Adam's mom, is her name Nicole?"

"Um, yes I think it is. Why do you ask?"

"Years ago, before I got pregnant with Dany, my husband had an affair."

"I'm sorry to hear that Mrs. Haines."

"Thank you, but I think that person was Nicole Dunn, Adam's mom."

"No, that couldn't be. We talked to Mrs. Dunn. She was very cooperative, she was clearly upset that her son got himself into trouble, but she helped us to put all the pieces together. She doesn't even know Dany. Her brother was behind on some bills and he convinced Adam that it was a game. She was very helpful. I think that if she is the same woman your husband had an affair with, it must be a coincidence."

"Well, I don't know about all that, it seems a little too coincidental that my husband's mistress happens to be the mother and sister of the men who kidnapped my daughter. There has to be a connection."

"I don't know Mrs. Haines, she seemed pretty credible."

"Well, credible people don't have affairs with married men. She knew my husband was married and didn't care." Marjorie says getting angry.

"Mrs. Haines, is it possible you are still angry about the affair and that's why you're here?"

"Really? You think that after sixteen years I'm still holding a grudge? Be serious. I'm simply trying to make sense of something that happened to my daughter. Do your job. Follow this lead and see where it takes you. And if you don't follow it, I will make sure someone else does." And Marjorie gets up and storms out of the office.