Bloody Mary

Chapter Three

"You alright there, lass?" 

Lydia doesn't answer. She stays sitting in front of the burning building. The screams have long since stopped as the victims inside succumb to their injuries.

She senses the man get out of his car and walk up to her. He wisely keeps his distance and approaches her from the side, staying within her peripheral vision. He rounds around her and comes to a stop in front of her.

She's covered, head-to-toe, in blood and dirt. Her hair and mangle, multiple strands lay in her face. Her eyes stare through the man and into the distance. 

The man looks from the girl and turns to the burning building. He recognizing the crumbling pile of lumber and knew nothing good had happened to the girl.

"Why don't we get out of here, yeah?" The man says gently. He kneels in front of her trying to get her to focus on him. He tells her his name. "But everyone calls me Coach" He adds.

"Coach" She whispers snapping out of her daze. He nods glad he's getting somewhere with her. "I knew a coach once" She mutters thinking back to her days in America and her old friend, Vincent.

"What's your name?" He asks her.

"Lydia" She tells him. "Lydia Smith" Her voice strengthens as she says her name. 

It's obvious this 'Coach' knows exactly who the woman is. While Lydia herself had her own reputation, she also had a father who had a reputation just as powerful. It isn't a family Coach wanted to get involved with but he couldn't just leave the girl on her own in the condition she's in.

"No offense, love, but what are you doing around a place like this?" He asks her curiously.

"The men that took me..." She whispers her eyes going distant again. "Obviously didn't know who they were taking" Her voice darkens and her eyes harden. Her body tenses and Coach knew he needed to keep her calm in fear that if she got worked up he'd be her next victim.

"Why don't let me take you home, Mrs. Smith?" Coach suggests. Lydia slowly nods and pushes herself to a stand. Coach reaches out to help her but quickly retreats as she lashes out. 

"Don't!" She snapped not wanting any physical contact.

"I'm sorry" Coach says holding his hands up quickly. He takes a few steps away from her. She relaxes with the new distance. Slowly, he motions to the car behind her. She turns and makes her way towards it. She climbs into the passenger seat while Coach drives her back to her home.

"Thank you for the ride, Coach" She says calmer than she was when he found her. "I'm in your debt"

"No offense, lass, but I'd rather not cross paths with you or your family" Coach says bluntly. She gives him a small smile and nods.

"I understand" She says quietly. "I won't forget this, Coach" She tells him before climbing out of the car.

⚜

"Ten bodies were found in that fire, all burned to a crisp. I can only assume their faces and eyes were missing beforehand" Fletcher shrugs.

The pictures were in clear detail. It showed Lydia leaving the building covered in blood. It showed her watching the fire burn the building to the ground. It also showed her leaving with a man.

Fletcher then holds up a flash drive.

"Video surveillance from inside the now burned down building." Fletcher explains. "It shows Lydia pouring a flammable substance all over the place including the the ten men they found in the building. Evidence. And not my only copy" He adds quickly.