Page 17 of Haven Bound
“Looks like he left Haven Beach about twelve years ago as you said, then settled in Sutton Ridge for a bit where he was involved in several relationships, if you wanna call them that. A handful of reports were filed with the Sutton Ridge Police Department, but they were never verified by the victims. Seems like the reports were always filed by friends or acquaintances.”
He’s got numerous pictures of filed reports pulled up on his computer screen. While the reports all detail verbal, physical, and some sexual abuse, none of them were verified and they were ultimately deemed false. Thankfully, the police department is still required to keep the reports on file. “Is he still in Sutton Ridge?”
The idea of Daniel Witters being anywhere near Chelsea ever again has my blood pulsing in my ears. If this man is in Sutton Ridge, just outside of Haven Beach, I’m not sure I will be able to stop myself from taking him out tonight.
“Looks like he’s been in Rivercrest for the past few years,” Zack says, pulling up Dan’s last known address for me to see. I quickly snap a picture of the listed address with my phone. “Got it. Any information on where he works?” I need as much intel as I can get on this guy. He doesn’t get to continue living his life in peace while Chelsea carries around the trauma he’s caused.
Just thinking of her has my heart beating faster and sweat coating my palms. I have no idea how I’m going to face her and pretend that nothing has changed. As if I haven’t suddenly been made aware of the horrific things she went through as a child. Thinking of her traumatic childhood also has me thinking of my sister, and I find myself wondering if Hailey knew about any of this.
The idea that my sister has been keeping all of this to herself when she knows that we could’ve handled the situation years ago has rage simmering beneath the surface of my skin once again. As eager as I am to have this assignment taken care of, I think I need to visit my sister first. I need to find out what she knows. The last thing I want to do is make any decisions that could potentially cause Chelsea more harm. And after everything she’s been through, she deserves to feel nothing but love and happiness for the rest of her life.
I want to be the one to make her happy.
I want to be the one to make her feel loved.
“Nothing yet,” Zack’s voice pulls my focus back to his computer screen as his fingers fly across the keyboard, desperately trying to find as much information on Dan Witters as possible. “Keep looking. Text me when you’ve got something,” I say, heading for the door of his office.
“Ace.” His voice and the use of my Phoenix name have me turning back to face him with one hand on the door and the target file in the other hand. His attention is still locked on his computer screen as he says, “Don’t wait too long to handle this. People like him have a habit of escaping conviction, no matter the charges.” His voice is strained, and I’m sure that memories of his police force days are likely invading his mind. Like so many other members of the organization, Zack has witnessed the failures of the judicial system one too many times.
He knows firsthand what it’s like to arrest somebody for their crimes, only to later see them get off without any charges. To be honest, given his background, he’s the kind of man we could use on the ground. But he has demons of his own that he would need to face before he wouldfeel comfortable enough to step away from the safety of being behind a computer.
I nod silently despite knowing he can’t see the motion and close the office door behind me. Before I can do anything else and before I can head to Rivercrest, I need to see Hailey and find out how much she knows.
14
Chelsea
Everything hits me atonce.
I barely make it through our front door before I slam it closed and sink to the floor. My head falls into my hands, sobs tearing through my chest.
The interaction with Jason at the club followed by him sending the bouquet of roses, and the threatening card to remind me that he’s watching. Then he showed up at Buttersweet just to demonstrate the hold he still maintains over me.
It’s too much.
Everything feels so out of control. Like my body and mind no longer belong to me. I don’t know why I ever thought I could escape him unscathed. There were so many signs I shouldn’t have ignored, but after Austin left, I felt so alone and unseen. All I had wanted was for someone to notice me, to care enough to stay.
And for a while, Jason had been that person.
Back then I thought that I loved him and that he loved me, too. So much so that I gave him a piece of myself that I can never get back. A piece that I had wanted to give to Austin.
A piece thatshouldhave been Austin’s.
I’m not sure how long I remain sitting on the floor with my knees to my chest and my head in my hands. Hailey’s gentle touch against my arm has me lifting my head to meet her gaze. “Chelsea, what happened?” she asks, her concerned gaze running over my body as if searching for an injury that she can address.
Her words threaten to bring the tears back to the surface and I find myself shaking my head as if to tell her that I can’t talk about it yet. “Why don’t you go take a hot shower and tell me about it after,” she suggests as she takes my hand and pulls me up to stand with her. “Whatever it is, Chels, we’ll face it together.”
Forever by my side without question. I’m not sure what I’ve done to have someone as kind as her in my life.
Taking a hot shower does soothe my soul, if only a little. By the time I’m sitting on the sectional couch in comfortable pajamas, wrapped up in a with a mug of hot chocolate in my hand, I feel ready to tell Hailey about everything that’s happened lately.
Growing up, anytime one of us had something that we needed to get off our chest, we always did so over mugs of steaming hot chocolate. As children, it always felt like such a simple luxury. Now, it’s become a comfort staple. I’m sitting with my legs crossed underneath me with the hot drink in my hand as I gather my thoughts and prepare to spill everything.
I fill Hailey in about seeing Jason at the club, which sent me into a panic, and how her brother was there for me. I tell her about the threatening notes from Jason, the card that was tucked in among the roses today, and the fact that this isn’t the first time he’s done something like this. I tell her about Jason showing up at the bakery at closing timeand the way he stared at me before he completely invaded my space. I haven’t felt that scared in a long time. I forgot about the way that kind of fear lingers throughout my body long after the immediate threat is removed.
“I didn’t realize things had gotten so bad,” she says, her own eyes brimming with unshed tears from listening to everything I’ve been dealing with lately. “You should’ve told me, Chels. You know that I would do anything within my power to help you.”
I reach down and set the now empty mug on the floor before once again meeting her gaze. “I know, Hails. But what could you possibly do that would help?” Her lips press tightly together. Just as she goes to speak, there’s a knock at the door that pulls our attention.
