Gone Forever (Adam Gontier #2)

Chapter 9

TRIGGER WARNING: REASONABLY MILD PHYSICAL ASSAULT. IF THIS MAY TRIGGER YOU, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER. IF YOU READ AND ARE TRIGGERED, PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME HATE MESSAGES. HOWEVER, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INBOX ME IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF SOMEONE TO TALK TO. I WILL BE PERFECTLY HAPPY TO HELP ANYONE IN NEED OF HELP. MANY APOLOGIES

Adam's POV

Sat in the waiting room of the hospital with Rhia sprawled across my lap and asleep, I try to hold my eyes open at the boredom of sitting there with nothing to do but talk to Jason and his stupid questions. I roll my eyes as they continue, ignoring him.

"What if she doesn't survive, though?"

"Fucking hell, Jason," I finally snap. "She's 26. She can survive a fucking rape test and a few stitches. Grow the fuck up."

"But what if--"

"Go. The fuck. To sleep," I snarl, and he glares at me, turning over and finally shutting up. I sigh in relief, not caring about how harsh I'd been. I knew I'd feel like a dickhead in the morning, but right now I'm too tired to care about his childish insecure questions.

Rhia wakes up suddenly, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Rhia," I say immediately. "It's okay, Daddy's here. What's wrong?"

She looks at me in fear and starts muttering inaudibly. I hold her close and try to hear her words, but I only capture a few words; 'dead' 'Mommy' 'Austin' 'gone forever'.

"Daddy, it was Austin!" she whispers into my ear, and I frown, looking her in the eye.

"Who's Austin?"

"The naughty man that tried to take me away but Mommy didn't know. I didn't scare her. I seed him walking out when he found Mommy," she answers, pointing at a sleeping Barry across the room. I blink - she knew the fucker that potentially raped Lara? He tried to fucking kidnap her?

"Rhia, tell me what this man looks like. What's his name?"

"Austin. He's really, really tall like a giant and he's got really big arms and dark hair and scary eyes. I seed him walking out Mommy's room at the bar before he got there." She points at Barry again, and looks up at me. "I know he hurt Mommy, Daddy, and I know what he looks like. Let me talk to the special people that help."

I blink again. Holy fuck, from what I've been told, that's the guy that beat the shit out of LC. I'll fucking kill him when I see him.

Pulling out my phone, I dial the private number the cop had given me for in case I have any further information. He picks up after a few rings and I sigh. "This is Adam Gontier? You gave me this number a few hours ago when my girlfriend was taken into hospital over a potential rape?"

"Oh, yes, Mr Gontier. Thank you for calling. Have you got any more information that could help the case?"

"Yeah, her daughter says she knows the guy that did it."

"What did she say?" he asks, his voice becoming more alert.

"One moment," I say, holding the phone away and looking at Rhia. "Rhi, you need to tell the cop exactly what you just told me, okay? About Austin?" She nods and I pass her the phone, smiling as she presses it awkwardly to the side of her face.

"Hello, Mommy got hurt pretty bad." After a short pause, she blinks and looks at me. "Yeah. He's Austin and he tried to take me away before but Mommy doesn't know cuz she gets scared if I'm hurt. Okay. Daddy."

I take the phone back from her and press it to my ear. "Sir, that child just gave us not only the best lead we've got on him, but also gave us another crime to charge him on. Attempted child abduction is a crime in this state and can be punished with up to five years behind bars. On top of the rape, if proven, that could be a long sentence. We've narrowed down potential males in the right age group of a similar appearance in the area, and now we have a name we can get the right man. Many thanks."