Swell (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Six (Part Two)

"As the walls crashed down I felt it slip away,
Cause I went to hell and back just to be where I am today."

....

Rain poured down outside and Adora nursed the cup of tea in both hands as she sat opposite her mum by the window in the kitchen.
She stared absently at the water gushing from the gutter beyond the sheltered alfresco and sipped her tea slowly.
Cameras were surrounding the Escape's main house, there were cameras in every room downstairs, except the toilet and there was a camera on the stairs.
Even though Adora knew it was for her protection, and there was a small feeling of relief that they were there; their presence still made her feel like a prisoner somehow.
That's basically what she was, wasn't it?
A prisoner of fear; of some stalker who could also be a murderer, some violent attacker.
Gus?
Would he really have gone as far as to nearly kill his cousin for her?She told her mother about the texts. Dodge was upstairs, surrounded in paperwork for school, but him staying made her feel safer than the cameras."Adora, I want you to tell the police about the text messages." Anne broke into her zone and moved to force Adora to look at her face.
She blinked herself back to the current moment and gave her mum a small smile. "Yea, I will. I'll speak to Brett too, see if Gus actually went home like he asked."
Anne put a hand on Adora's cheek, it was warm from her own cup of tea and Adora closed her eyes and leaned into the warm affection.
The heat was almost like love radiating from skin to skin and warming her insides.
"Good, we also need to figure out what to do about the Taylors."
Adora's eyes flicked open and she pulled her face away from her mother's hand. "What do you mean?"
"They're the only connection to the girl that was killed. They're as much suspects as Gus, aren't they?" Anne's eyes were wide with expectation, expecting Adora to concede to something she didn't want to admit.
Adora looked outside to the rain again. "Mum, I don't think it's any of them. I mean I was at the funeral... And the doll might just have been to detract suspicion from someone else."
Like Gus, an involuntary shudder coursed through her and she took a bigger mouthful of tea.
"I know you don't want it to be anybody we know, I don't either, but the timing and coincidences are just too... Close." Anne tilted her head. "If you won't admit they're suspects, then at least promise me you won't be alone with any of them; even Marti."
"What? Mum, I want to date Will. I can't do that if we can't have any time alone." Adora put her mug down and gaped at her mother.
"Adora... please..."
"No." Adora stood up from the booth and shook her head. "I got a dress for this stupid dance, I made the first moves for the first time in my life, I like him, and I need to feel the safety I feel when I'm with him."
"But Adora..." Anne's face became pained.
"It's not them, I saw their grief, Mum, I don't think you could fake that type of loss." Adora took her mug to the sink, emptied the remainder of the tea and left the cup on the side of the basin. "I'm going to do some homework with Dodge." She left her mum and stalked to the stairs. Her face never left the camera as she ascended to the living area and moved into the study.

"Hey you." Dodge looked up from the desk and smiled. The smile faded when he saw the forlorn expression on her face. "What's wrong?"
"Everything." Adora pulled the second computer chair over to her cousin and rested her head on his shoulder. He pulled her closer and wrapped an arm over her shoulders.
"Anything I can do to help?"
"Tell me who the crazy person is. Or isn't."
"Hmmm, that's a bit beyond my skillset, though I did try." Dodge muttered.
Adora pulled back and frowned. "Try? What do you mean?"
"I looked through the school records of the Taylors."
"And?" Adora's eyes grew wide.
Dodge shook his head. "Nothing we couldn't already tell; all smart kids, all well adjusted, no dramas until they moved here and met us."
Adora's shoulder's slumped and she cuddled into her cousin again. "Thanks." She mumbled.
"Sorry, I can't tell you who it is. I wish I could."
"I know."
Adora looked at the papers on the desk in front of them and frowned. "Is that the rec hall blueprint?"
"Yea, I'm looking it over for the dance. I'm contemplating hiring some security for the night."
"Why?"
Dodge looked at her with a frown. "Really?"
Because of her. "Oh, no. Not really." She bit her bottom lip and tried to imagine the annoyance other students would feel having security guard watching them at the dance.
"Do you still want to go with Will?"
"How did you..."
"Iain told me. He's worried." Dodge rested his head on hers and the weight gave her a comfort enough to allow her to close her eyes.
"Yes. I feel safest when I'm with him, it's a strange thing I can't help but notice. I mean I know I'm safe with you, and mostly safe with Iain, but Will's safety is just... instantly there." She felt Dodge heave a sigh. "It's comforting."
"I know your Mum didn't want you to be alone with them, I agree with her, but I also struggle to see them as dangerous. Even Tom, considering he didn't try and fight Iain back. I imagine Tom could pack quite a punch if he decided to."
"Yea, Tom is a pretty solid guy." Adora opened her eyes and looked at the plans before them. "If you must hire security, can you just ask locals to chaperone? I mean everyone will hate me if there are cops or guards watching over them the entire time. Could you imagine, Dodge?"
"Yea, I see your point." He scoffed and nodded on her head. "Alright, I'll talk to Dad and we'll form a plan. I want you to think of plans to worse case scenarios until this guy is caught; escapes if you feel followed, contact points and quick hiding places. Got it? I want you to be prepared."
"Yes, sir." Adora smirked, though her cousin had a good point and she knew she would start thinking of safe places and how she would defend herself if need be.
"Don't sass me. I'm scared for you, and for me." Dodge's tone was warm and loving, and soaked with concern.
The comfort was indescribable and she stayed close to him and closed her eyes, forgetting the thought of homework and just letting the protective arm keep her safe.

Will felt empty as they unpacked the Pajero back in Wheeler Falls.
They were missing a second day of school, he wasn't ready to go back, Marti had barely said a word once Adora and Debbie had gone home, Tom was happy to take advantage of the time off.
He was worried about his sister, but also grateful for the silence.
It was one thing to watch murder and read murder, but the experience it in real life, and to even be a suspect...
His face pinched and he took his backpack to his bedroom. It wasn't even five minutes later before he was pulling his protective riding pants on and looking for the key to his bike.
He had no idea where he was going to go, or how much fuel he had, but he needed space. Sharing the room with Marti, and grieving with her and the family, he felt overwhelmed, overcrowded.
He didn't say a word as he waved and walked out the front door ignoring the worried looks from his parents and Tom.
Will wanted to say he was OK, but he knew he wasn't.
He had been ready to try and move on with Adora, he still wanted to, but the thought of having a relationship now made him feel ill.
Liss had been his first love, his first serious relationship and she'd been murdered and they weren't even sure if she left willingly anymore.
There was no closure in his head as he drove down the Esplanade towards the Ocean Highway.
There were too many questions racing through his head for him to feel like that chapter was closed.
Aside from how she'd died they had no idea what had happened at the end of her short life.
It could have been the same for Brett. Despite his thick leathers Will felt a shiver run through his body as he curved around a bend in the road. He was out of Wheeler Falls now, beyond the cemetery where he had seen Adora and learned of the men in her family.
He felt the desire to push her away, far, far away, but he remembered what she had said about the safety she felt around him.
His heart jerked with guilt. He understood why it was so important that she felt safe, and he longed to be there for her, but if he got closer would she be safe?
Would anyone?