Intimate Stranger (Editing)

Chapter 36: June 29, 2010

(Edit: sept 2, 2012 -- I've added to the end of this chapter with part of the original epilogue, but changed partly).

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This is the last chapter. After this there will be a short epilogue.  Thank you everyone for reading and sticking by me.

Chapter Thirty-Six

June 29, 2010

Katie's eyes welled up with tears as she finished telling Dr. Pierce her burdensome story, once again feeling the emotions she experienced when it was all over all those months ago.

"Are you alright, Katelyn?" Dr. Pierce questioned, looking at her attentively.

Katie snatched a tissue and wiped her eyes, nodding her head. She took a deep breath, calming herself. Dr. Pierce gave her a few moments of silence to think. After finishing her retelling only half an hour into the session, Katie and Dr. Pierce still had 30 minutes to talk.

"So, that's it?" The therapist questioned, "Is there anything else you'd like to share? What happened to Daniel?"

"He was sent to prison," Katie answered, "The trial was hard. I was afraid he would get off Scot-free. But I know that's silly. He got 40 to life, with psychological treatment and possible parole," she explained. She proceeded to discuss everything she had found out from the police about Daniel Kennedy. Including that Daniel had been stalking Katie for several weeks and had photos of her on his home computer. He got a job using his "Steve" alias, working as a security guard at Katie's high school doing security checks at the door and that was how he had seen her for the first time. He had worn a disguise and that was why Katie hadn't recognized him.

From talking with Daniel, the psychologist on the case had discovered that the large X that Daniel had carved into Katie's abdomen represented Katheryn Belmont's abortion. In Katheryn's apartment they had found the same kind of perfume that Daniel had sprayed on Katelyn's body.

The money represented the cash Katheryn had apparently stolen from Daniel to run away with, which he assumed she used for the abortion; Five thousand dollars, which Daniel had been planning on asking for from each of the hostages' families, until the Police caught his accomplice (who also went to Prison. He only received 10 years). Daniel is so greedy. Katie thought as she relayed all this information to Dr. Pierce. Subconsciously Daniel had masked the ransom and revenge as his motive when really it was a cover-up for his guilt.

The police found Daniel's finger prints outside Katelyn's room on the balcony, and Daniel admitted they were probably from when he sneaked into her bedroom to take photos of her in the shower. Katie shuddered at the memory.

After explaining those details, Dr. Pierce asked Katie, "Do you feel that talking about it has helped you open up to your family and friends?"

Katie pondered this for a moment and answered, "I guess talking to you made me realize that I could get through opening up to the people I care about as well." After everything, Katie felt that she didn't have to go through this alone. She wasn't the only one suffering and she knew that her family and friends would be there for her and vice-versa. Though it might take some time to get through to Julia, but she would try. And what would she do about Trace?