Pas De ... Don't

9. Coda

     William wouldn't hear of her going to the Police Station or even to the local Inn, "You're staying where I know you will be safe," he insisted.

Kate didn't have the energy to argue but was grateful Bethany was at the manor to lend a hand. Commander stood guard by a recovering Chief.

"My poor brave boy," Kate cooed over the basket while Chief washed her hand. "I'm glad they could flush the nasties out of your system. You'll be on the mend in no time."

William had updated her on the way back. She was relieved Chief got treatment fast enough but it had been a near thing. It made her angry, angrier than having been abducted herself. She had already warned the police about the culprit's weapons and knew the Constable was waiting to interview her. Once she cleaned up, Kate took all the cloths she had been wearing and bundled them into the poncho-tarp. She put the garden shears on top of the pile and made her way to William's study.

She took a grateful sip of the warm tea before starting in on her statement. "I feel like such a dolt letting that guy get a drop on me. I might have tried some moves on him but it would have been pretty chancy with a gun pressed into me. Playing for time seemed like the right choice." She shrugged. The Constable had her back up and explain their plan, the confrontation between Daniel and Vince, and why she stayed on at the pub after they had left.

"It made it more like a normal evening. The regulars didn't seem to mind having me pull their pints for them. It freed up Meg to take care of some of the extra visitors. I don't know if it helped with the press but we didn't want it to look staged."

The Constable nodded and walked her through the rest of the events, complimenting her bravery but warning she had taken unnecessary risks by trying to escape.

"It didn't seem like he really wanted to hurt me," Kate said.

"There is no way of knowing what might have happened if things didn't go his way." William said from where he was standing behind her. He reached forward to put his hands on her shoulders. Kate leaned into this warm reassurance.

"So, is that it now? Will we be able to go back to the regular film schedule?" Kate asked.

"We have yet to confirm if your abductor was Miss Clayburn's stalker." The Constable admitted. "It seems likely, but there are still some loose threads. It will be interesting to see what our friends in the press make of all of this."

"Oh Lord. I better warn my mother otherwise she will hop on the next plane over." Kate said.

"If you get a chance, ask her about your great-grandmother." William suggested.

"Good plan. That ought to distract her. I wonder if there are some safe shots I can send as a heads-up."

"These don't look too bad," Bethany said pointing some of the coverage from the night before. She flipped the paper around to the shot of Kate standing between Daniel and Vince. "Only thing she might wonder how your arms got so ripped. I mean seriously girl." Her gaze went from the photo to her friend.

Kate blushed and studied the shot. Her face was in profile and she was barely recognizable without her trade-mark blonde streaks. Daniel's angry confusion, touched with resentment, were starkly contrasted with Vince's naked admiration.

"Oh dear," Kate took out her phone and snapped a picture of the coverage to send home. "Daniel really managed to play up the jealous reject."