After All

Chapter 14: Aftermath

We opted for a security meeting Monday morning to wrap up the loose ends and bring everyone up to speed. It would be hard to hear, again, but the rest of the team needed to know the details. I am markedly calmer than I was the day after, so is Dakota. When she woke the day after, she seemed surprised to be wrapped in my arms as she pulled back, and I grinned as she looked under her blanket to make sure she had clothes on. She looked at me with limpet blue eyes, "Thank you. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry for breaking a bit. I think I was in shock. What's happening?" And just like that, it's like she didn't ask me to double dog swear to come to her. Ted updated me, Dakota, Della over breakfast – with Foley, Dad, Chad, and Scott on speaker phone.

But here we are again. Once everyone is assembled, I wave around to the coffee, the food, the fruit, etc. We (read Chad) put out quite a spread. "Please indulge and enjoy. You earned it, people. We all thank you very much for your efforts. You were stellar. I could not have asked for more." There is some milling as everyone gets a plate and returns to their seats. Dakota is sitting quietly, sandwiched between Scott and Della. She hasn't met my eyes, but she seems okay. I clear my throat as the room settles. I turn to Ted, who is sitting on my right, "Ted will give you a briefing. I don't need to remind you that this is confidential."

Ted nodded and looked around the table, "I would like to add my thanks. You have all been wonderful partners to work with, and that is not always the case in this line of business...as we all know." He nods across the table at Dakota and looks around again, "Our girl is safe because of what you did, and I humbly thank you. I couldn't have done this on my own."

Dakota claps and smiles, spawning applause around the room, but she doesn't speak. Ted clears his throat again and opens his phone, "I think it's best to go through the debrief and save the questions for the end if you all agree?" He looks and gets nods around the table from all of the uber serious security people. "Very well, the 'watcher', as we dubbed him, was of no harm. A film student simply observing location filming. You'll be meeting him later today, one Nigel Franklin. Again, he is of no threat and is to be treated with the utmost respect." Several made notes, obviously noting Nigel's name. "The 'red shirt' perpetrator is one Calvin Michaels. He is a registered sexual offender." Gasps around the table. "Given he had not been present before, nor offered any threat previously, police were not willing to arrest him." Mumbles around the table, most disparaging the police. "Thanks to the Dornans, we were able to secure a search warrant for his home." He takes a deep breath and I know it is hard for this him to report and even harder for Dakota to hear.

I look to her. "Do you want to step out?" She shakes her head and still won't meet my eyes.

Ted takes a deep breath, "Inside the perpetrators home was a room that is referred to as a shrine. There were hundreds of photos of Dakota, indicating she was a target. There were also numerous pictures of Mila Kunis and Zooey Deschanel. He likes brunettes. We've notified both of their camps so they can proactively file restraining orders."

The security chief pipes up in outrage, "Tell me this sick bastard is not back out there."

Ted continues, "Not by a long shot. Mr. Dornan has rallied everyone possible to press charges and file suit to keep this shit locked away and for a long, long time. Jamie filed on behalf of the production company. He got the studio to file a separate suit. Dakota has pressed charges and got a restraining order." He looks around the room with a grin, "And her Dad is looking for yet more opportunities to nail this guy."

One of the security guys chuckles, "You know, sex offenders are the least popular people in prison. How do we make sure it's known? Survival of the fittest might be our best friend."

I like this guy, and I grin as I tip my coffee to him, "Already handled. He's not gonna have an easy time. And if they kill him?" I shrug, "Well, that's not our problem."