Back At Their Side (completed)

Part Sixteen - Damning Evidence

POV Tara
I spent most of the day curled up on the sofa reading from the kindle, relaxing and apart from seeing Philip at lunchtime it had been quiet, but I wasn't lonely, I knew they were close by and that gave me comfort.
I reflected on the last five years, I had been tense and felt hunted for a long time and now that burden had been lifted, it was theirs to handle for me now.
I knew many people would question my acceptance of their rights over me but I had grown in the time we had been apart and where five years ago I would have been embarrassed by the relationship, now I felt it was right for me, the only issue was Caroline and Brian, Philips brother and sister, his only family who hated me and I didn't know why.
I heard the key turn in the lock and looked towards the door to see both Matt and Philip enter pushing a waiters trolley.
"Good evening Tara" Matt said leaning down to kiss my cheek
"Hi" I smiled back at him and Philip "is it dinner already?"
"Yes, did you have a restful afternoon " Philip questioned offering his hand to help me up and over to the table where Matt was setting out the food.
"Yes, I read my book, how was your afternoon" I asked sitting down and letting Matt fill my plate
"Productive" he replied.
"Eat baby, you need to eat more" Matt prompts me.
We all tuck in and they ask me questions about my flying in France, I realise that I had not thought of my business or hone since I had been with them.  "What will happen with my business " I ask quietly "i have a couple of employees and customers, they may be worried" I tell them.
Matt smiles "Jacque and Tomas will be fine, they are looking after the business you had already booked and will wind it down for us,"
I look at Matt my mouth open in shock "how do you know their names?"
Matts eyes widen and he looks at Philip "they work for us Tara, always have, we put them in to watch over you, to keep you safe."
I push my plate away no longer hungry "you've been watching me" I whisper shakily.
"You are my wife Tara, I gave you space, not a divorce" Philip states firmly.
The rest of the meal finished in silence, I didn't eat any more and declined dessert. Matt and Philip exchanged glances but didn't comment until the last of our dishes had been loaded back onto the trolley and they were ready to leave the room.
"Is there anything you need?" Matt asked his hand cupping my cheek.
I shook my head, the words catching in my throat.
"Goodnight Tara, see you in the morning, unless you need us sooner then just shout and we will come" Philip said from the door.
I looked at them, still feeling hurt by what I had learned, I just stared at them.  I could see Philips temper flaring at my manners but it was Matt that spoke "this is your warning Tara, I know you are upset but behave like this again any you will be punished, do you understand me" he growled looking down at me
"Yes sir" I breathed.

POV Philip
I pushed the trolley out for Tim to collect later and shoved my hands deep in my pockets as Matt locks the door.  "Come on, Joe's almost here with stuff from Brian's apartment"
"Yes, okay, it's just, she's just.."
"I know but to be honest she took it better than I expected" he looked at me "we have just confirmed that we never really let her go and have always been watching, I am amazed it wasn't a trigger for her"
"You're right, I know but" I start but Matt's laugh stops me and I shake my head at him smiling, she could always get under my skin.

We hear Ian opening the front door and welcoming Joe and we head for the study meeting them at the bottom of the stairs, Tim goes off to get us refreshments and Joe follows us, a black duffle in his hand.
I wait till we are all sat down "did you get everything?"
"Yes sir but it might be best to wait till we are alone," Joe says.
we can hear Tim coming with a tray and wait for him to leave before shutting the study door behind him.
Joe lifts the bag up onto the desk and starts to remove what he brought
"This is the camera and memory stick found at the apartment and this drive is a copy of his computer hard drive" he reached back in "this is the contents of the safety deposit box, there were two tapes and two large envelopes and two large jewellery boxes, I took everything so that box is now empty, these are the papers and key relating to that box"
Joe sat back down and looked at us carefully "Sir, may I ask who she is to you"
Matt and I shared a look "why?"
"What I found was disturbing and if she is close to you, she needs to be protected" he replies carefully seeing the expression on our faces, "I only saw a little of what I collected, just to make sure it was Ms Beaumont but it's not good" he finished.
Matt picks up one of the envelopes and opens it, pouring the contents out on the desk, we look at each other in shock, Photos of Tara at different places, our home, college, with Matt and with me, a couple of us all together, taken at long range, some from the beginning of our relationship.
"He had been watching her for a while" Matt mumbles gathering them back up into a pile and reaching for the next envelope and more carefully this time removing the contents, again photos but these showed us the true nature of his assault on Tara, what he did to her, I could clearly see the terror in her eyes and turned away to pour us a stiff drink, thrusting a glass into Matts hand and removing the photo he was holding tightly. Feeling sick as I looked at it, I swept them all together and put them back in the envelope.
I waved at Joe to help himself to a drink and slumped down in my chair,
"The tapes, do you know what on them" I ask Joe
"One is a recording audio only and the other is video with no audio, the same attack as in the photos" he explained quietly.
"Fucking bastard, how dare he.." I raged as Matt sat quietly behind the desk.
Joe sat back down opposite me a drink in his hand, "The camera and memory stick contains the original recording, I am not sure why he had them split but I could guess to replace the original audio with one that cast a different light on the actions"
"I'll kill him" Matt growled.
"Slowly" I agree.
"Sir, is Ms Beaumont safe?"
I look at Joe "that's twice you've asked about her safety, what do we not know yet?"
"There is more information off his hard drive, reports and contact with a private investigator, he has been looking for her, I believe he has also been in contact with her step mother Janet Beaumont"
"Damn it" I look at Matt and he nods we can trust Joe and we could do with more security for Tara.
"Tara is here Joe, the attack in the camera happened five years ago, my brother carried out the attack helped by my sister Caroline, we only found out yesterday about it after Tara returned to us after five years away. She was then and is now my wife and Matts partner"
"Only a few people know where we are and less know Tara is here and we want to keep it that way, the attack has given Tara some issues that we are working through in private, but retrieving this will be another step in her recovery"
I look at the boxes remaining on the desk and reach forward to snap one open, then opening the other, the other look at what Ive revealed "he's a sadist" I say quietly disgusted at the jewellery in front of me, a pair of wrist cuffs with spikes both inside and out on the blood red leather and the matching collar and leash and a remote control.
"It's a shock collar" Matt growls "he planned to use this on Tara" I watched the expression chase across his face knowing the same could be seen on mine, he's dead.
Joe steps forward and closes the boxes, bringing our thoughts back to the room.
"What can I do next sir?" He asks
"Find Tim and get him to sort you out a room for tonight, unless you have to get back and we'll talk some more in the morning" I say dismissing him from the room.