The Victory
by Elise
Chapter 4
She wasn’t alright, he saw that clearly. Especially when she practically jumped out of her skin as the uniforms drove up sirens blaring. Bud touched her face carefully where it was reddest. She flinched a little. The welt would leave her with a black eye for sure.
They heard the shouts of the scum being drug from the office to the marked car. Bud stood up and pulled the curtain closed. Then he pulled over a chair and sat directly in front of Ginny. He hoped Exley would do what he was itching to but didn’t want to leave Ginny to kick the shit out them for hurting her.
There was a loud bang. Bud recognized the sound, a human head as it hit the side panel of a car but Ginny didn’t need to know that. He looked at her softly. “Can you tell me what happened?”
She took a deep shuttering breath. “Um… I just finished the sink in the last room and heard the car. I saw them go in the office. I thought they were guests until I went in.”
She stopped to catch her breath and try to control the trembling that started again with a vengeance. Bud pushed a curl of hair behind her ear. “Do you know them?”
She shook her aching head. “No! No. I saw them at the hardware store when I picked up the parts for the sink. They kept staring at me but I thought it was because….well you know a girl in the boy’s room. I don’t know how they found me.”
As soon as she said it she did know. “Oh God they overheard our conversation. I was talking to Mr. Phillips he introduced me to someone and we were talking about the Victory!”
Exley knocked then opened the door. He walked over and knelt beside her. “Ginny, did they hurt you? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
She almost panicked. “No. No hospital!”
Bud put a large hand over hers and she calmed a bit. “It’s okay you don’t have to go if you don’t need to. Okay?”
She nodded slowly. It was obvious she was hurt but they couldn’t force her to get checked out. Ed put a hand on her shoulder and stood. When she looked up he saw the bruising. “Ginny, we’re going to have to take you to the station for a statement and to take pictures of your cloths and face. I promise you won’t see those men again.”
Go to the police station, take pictures… panic started to set in she couldn’t go down there. “I don’t think I can, there’s so much to do, we need to fix what they broke, I would need to lock all the rooms up first.”
Ed took her arm and walked out with her. “Don’t worry about locking up I’ll leave a uniform here. Let’s get this over with quickly and get you back home. Then Bud and I will help you do what ever you want done. Okay?”
Exley wasn’t really giving her a choice as he opened the car door for her. He drove them to the station Bud sitting in the back with Ginny. She wasn’t trembling instead was too calm just watching the city glide by out the window. The men exchanged a silent agreement of concern in the rearview mirror.
They waited for the uniforms to take the attackers in first. Her checked shirt spotted with paint was torn pretty badly. Bud took off his Jacket and covered her with it. She put her arms in the sleeves then pulled it closed in front. She was swallowed whole by the coat.
Bud put a protective arm around her as they walked through the station. Exley took stance on the other side. The damage to her face had begun to show. The skin was swelling and colored without treatment. Ed called for the photographer and took Ginny to his office.
She gave her statement, with hesitation posed for the photos. Ed always felt the victim photos were humiliating but Ginny bore it as she had everything since he’d known her. She was a strong woman but she seemed to be teetering on the edge of a cliff he didn’t understand.
Henry Keel ran over knocking on the office door. Exley called for him to enter. “Officer Keel, is there a problem?”
“Yes sir there is I need to apologize to, Miss Wilson.”
“Apologize Keel?”
The man looked sheepish and took the chair next to Ginny. “Miss Wilson, I’m so sorry. I saw those guys hanging around the store after you left. Jacob and I were talking and he mentioned that you were up there all alone. I feel like we gave them the idea.”
Ginny gave his hand a pat. “You didn’t do anything wrong and neither did Mr. Philips. I’m fine and they were caught so no harm done. Okay?”
When she smiled at him though weak it made the other man sigh with relief. “If you need anything you just call all the same. My wife and I can stay up at the hotel with you for a couple of days or you are welcome to stay with us.”
She started to shake her head then decided not to. The skin around her temple was tight and sensitive. “Very kind of you to offer but I’ll be alright. Thank you.”
As she spoke to Keel, White had returned from the holding cells downstairs. Ed pulled Bud to the side. “Take her home and take tomorrow off too. Stay with her White.”
Bud nodded. “I will.”
Taking her back to the hotel had been harder than finding her there on the floor. She stood frozen for a minute in the hotel office then picked up the tool box and set it back on the counter before going in her rooms. The sun had started to dip behind the hotel.
Bud watched as she walked through and turned on every lamp. Ginny went to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. Her hands were shaking and she couldn’t get the lid open. Bud took it from her gently. “I’ll get it for you.”
He sat her down placed two pills on the table and poured her tea with two spoons of sugar. She started to thank him but he shook his head. She grinned. “Don’t tell me this is part of your job. I know better.”
She took the pills and they just sat for a while. Finally she reached out and took his hand. “You don’t have to stay, I’m okay. I think I’ll take a bath and lay down.”
She walked him to the door Bud turned to say he’d sit out here. He didn’t have the chance to say anything. Ginny slid her small arms around him for a hug. “Thank you my White Knight.”
She was gone and the door closed before he could respond in anyway. He sat on the office step until he heard a door in her room open and shut saying she was out of the bath. He walked across the lot making like he was just out for a smoke.
Ginny didn’t really feel better after the bath. In truth she didn’t want to be alone but she didn’t want to burden White. Seeing him come in the door this afternoon was like the heavens parting. He was outside now standing guard.
She watched as he tried not to look at her windows. She had seen the fresh scrapes on his knuckles and the splotch or two of blood on his shirt and coat when he came back from the ‘booking room’ he called it.
Her White Knight had meted out a bit of justice for her. He caught her looking out the window and nodded. She smiled softly then went to her bedroom.
It had begun to rain, hard drenching rain. Bud thought about making her let him stay in the office but that would be taking as much power from her as the attacker. Every time he remembered her pinned on the floor by that thug his blood went to boil. It was everything he could do not to kill the asshole.
He watched the lights go out in her rooms and figured he should call it a night himself. Tomorrow he would help her finish up around the Victory. As he thought of ways to get her back on the ladder with him there was a knock on the door.
Thunder clapped as he opened it to a drenched and crying woman. She stood on the step as he body shook. “It’s not okay, I’m not okay, Bud. I’m not okay.”
He pulled her inside out of the down pour. “Shh it’s alright you’re safe here.”
Taking her to the bathroom he pulled towels from the shelf and began to pull the soaked robe from her shivering body. He didn’t think the shivers had anything to do with the cold.
Tossing the garment into the tub he looked back to see the cotton PJ’s clinging to her small form. Clearing his throat he turned away. “Let me get you some thing dry okay. Get those off.”
With a hasty exit Bud closed the door. He pulled a pair of drawstring pajama pants and a tee shirt from his drawer. Bud opened the door just enough to hand them in.
Ginny tried to pull off the wet articles but they were heavy and she shook so hard her hands wouldn’t grip. “Bud, I’m sorry I need help.”
Bud took a deep breath and put into his mind that he was a cop, she was a victim of a terrible crime he opened the door and went in. He carefully peeled away the wet fabric and helped her pull it over her head. He tried, he really did try, to look at her face her hair, anywhere above her neck.
He held up a towel as she removed the bottoms and tried to rub dry. He couldn’t help the glimpse of goose bump covered flesh when she flipped the towel. She managed the dry bottoms okay and pulled on the shirt. When she tugged the towel to get him to look back at her tear streaked face he wanted to beat those men all over again.
She was a tiny woman to begin with but she had a spark and strength. Right now she was small and fragile as if the wind would shatter her into a thousand pieces. Bud took the towel and gently rubbed her wet hair then gathered her up in his arms. She didn’t protest just melted into his chest.
He felt the hot tears through his shirt as he pulled back the coverlet. Bud laid her down then covered her up. He was going to pull a chair over. Instead Ginny moved over and pulled him down. He lay on top of the covers and was still dressed thank God. He wasn’t sure he had this much control but she needed him.
He spooned against her as she buried her face in his neck. “I’m sorry I’m bothering you like this.”
She still trembled as he wrapped his body around hers best he could. Her hair smelled like flowers and rain. “Don’t be sorry. You’re scared. It’s okay to be scared.”
“It isn’t about today. You were there, you saved me. You even gave me justice.” She pointed to a spot of blood he hadn’t seen on the shirt. He felt two inches high. Now she would see him as a thug.
Reluctantly he looked into her eyes. He could see that wasn’t true. She was grateful he had hurt them for her.
He wiped away the tears with his fingers. “What’s wrong Ginny? Tell me who hurt you?”
Taking a deep shuttering breath she tried to hold back the dam but there was too much turmoil and a pain.
He held her caressing, rocking the tears away. When she calmed enough to speak Ginny looked up into those eyes ashamed.
She couldn’t tell him what happened back east. Ginny swallows softly as the memories flooded though her mind. “I… I can’t… “A shuddering breath fell from her lips. “Too many nightmares.”
Bud hugged her closer. Someone hurt her, not just once. Those scars ran deep, he knew from his own experience. Memories of his own childhood left him staring at the ceiling some nights. “Is that why you were up the other night?”
“Yeah, nightmares. I haven’t slept more than a couple hours a night in years. I just couldn’t stand the thought of being alone with them tonight.”
Bud cradled the woman in his arms, stroked her damp hair. As he rested his cheek against the top of her head he sighed and hated himself. He was happy she was there with him. He was content for the first time in months. “You don’t have to be alone, Ginny. I’ll chase the nightmares away.”
He felt hot tears trickle down her face, onto his neck then she shifted into him and relaxed. Ginny trusted him to protect her even from her dreams. Soon he felt the last of the tension ease from her body.
Bud hoped she hadn’t realized how happy he was to have her in his bed. She felt so good in his arms her breath warm on his neck. Her flower and rain scented skin. His body responded whether he wanted it to or not.
On impulse he lightly kissed her forehead, her skin still chilled from the rain. Bud pulled the cover closer around her she nuzzled into his chest with a sigh. In her sleep she whispered. “My White Knight.”
He carefully adjusted his position and fell asleep feeling better than he had even before he left LA for Arizona.