C H A P T E R ( 2 4 )
'We reported him that evening to the school principal, Mum actually called her at home she was so angry with him.' Charlotte explained as they sped toward her house in Eli's car. 'He was suspended that night pending official investigation but it was an unusual situation because he didn't technically do anything to us. The school board demanded he have a psych evaluation after I told them in detail some of the things he said to me. I thought it was a good idea, because he wasn't the teacher I knew at all. It was like a switch flicked on while he was speaking to me, and his deluded vision of us kind of took over his whole mind.'
Eli let out a low growl, 'Delusional or not, what he did to you girls was ridiculous.' He paused and glanced at her from the corner of his eye, 'Was that all? You mentioned it got worse...'
Charlotte sighed, the next part of the story was what nightmares were made of. Well her nightmares at least. She had this one regularly.
'He was suspended from school and Stace and I tried to get on with our normal lives. He approached us once in a shopping mall but thankfully Stacy's Mum was there and we didn't have to talk to him. But that pissed him off even more.' She fiddled with the glove compartment for something to do with her hands, 'then one afternoon he showed up at school. I was with Stacy, I'll never forget the day because the weather was so dark, and he stood there in a huge dark coat and black beanie, which just wasn't like him. He normally wore bright colours, smiled and laughed through the day. When he started walking towards me I just took off in the other direction. I didn't say anything to Stacy because I didn't want her being dragged into it again. Stupidly I took the short cut home through the woods...'
She trailed off when Eli gave her a huge eye roll.
'You're kidding me right?' He groaned. 'A man you're terrified of shows up at your school and instead of heading back inside to the teachers you take off through the woods?'
Charlotte glared at him, 'I wasn't thinking straight. I wanted to get home the fastest way possible.'
'You're right, I'm sorry,' he reached out and squeezed her hand reassuringly. He didn't let go for the rest of the drive.
'To cut a long story short, he caught up with me in the woods. He professed his love for me, I realized then in his head he had built up our entire relationship into something amazing and...' She searched for the right word, 'He genuinely thought I felt the same way as him Eli, and he was so confused about why I wasn't happy to see him. His confusion probably scared me the most...'
'Well shit,' Eli briefly let go of her hand to change gear as he pulled up into her driveway.
Chuck met them at the car, his back was rigid, his eyes darting side to side as he shielded Charlotte from the street. His hand was on the small of her back pushing her toward the front door. Once they were all inside he locked the door behind them.
'I'm assuming he knows everything?' Chuck jerked his head toward Eli who looked a little uncomfortable now Charlotte was back with her family and in the arms of her mother.
'Yes he does, it was too hard to keep the secret when Gold showed up in town,' Charlotte was almost daring Chuck to say anything about it. He seriously did not want to mess with her after today.
Chuck nodded his head already speaking into his phone, 'It's code black.' He paused, 'Her boyfriend knows as well, I know that's not ideal!' Another pause while Charlotte awkwardly avoided Eli's gaze. 'Gold's seen him with her, he could be having a manic episode.'
When Chuck hung up the phone he looked out the window again waiting for the police to arrive.
'So we are assuming he has seen you with Eli and is probably livid,' Chuck explained to the group sitting before him. 'You know he suffers from psychotic episodes,' Chuck turned to Eli to explain. 'Basically Gold believes in his mind his feelings are reciprocated. In his mind Charlotte is playing a game with him, and that she loves him back and wants to be with him. The reason we haven't caught him yet is he's a smart man and knows exactly how to disappear. So our next move is to wait for back up and search this town. Road blocks have been established so no one is getting in or out of Winchester without being searched.'
Charlotte nodded and slumped into her chair, 'This is just crazy, how did he find me?'
Chuck shrugged and paced the living room, 'I don't have a clue but I'd love to find out.'
He was in full cop mode now, the old Chuck who barely glanced their way was back as his mind ticked over with possible scenarios. They had him where they wanted him, in a small town where the entries and exits could be blocked off. He was almost glad Gold had found them, maybe finally they could put this to bed and he, Grace and Charlotte could live a normal life together.
When the police arrived Charlotte gave her account of the events to them again, as Chuck took detailed notes. Then it was Eli's turn, but he didn't have much to add at all.
An hour later Eli closed Charlotte's bedroom door firmly leaning against it with a sigh.
'Shit that was intense.'
'I'm sorry,' she offered. 'If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be in this mess.'
He let out a wry grin, 'Well I'm not going to argue with that.'
Charlotte's face fell and she turned to walk over to her bed when she felt Eli grab her arm firmly pulling her back so she was standing in front of him. He reached down tilting her chin and she found herself staring into his eyes, surprised to see a softness in them. Eli typically hid his emotions, and if he hadn't kissed her before she wouldn't have had an inkling he even liked her.
'I'm glad I'm here with you. It sucks you've had to go through this alone,' his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her against him tightly. 'I think you're really strong Char.'
She melted just a little, 'Thanks.'
'You're amazing,' he murmured into her hair.
'You didn't always think I was amazing,' she teased, pulling back from his chest to smile at him. 'In fact you hated me when we first met.'
'You judged me first,' he protested. 'You made your mind up about me when I first walked through the door.'
'Black hoody, a big scowl on your face,' she laughed and felt his fingers tighten around her waist. 'What was I supposed to think?'
'You thought I was poor, and I lived in a shed.'
Charlotte burst out laughing, 'and you will never let me forget it.'
'Nope,' he ducked his head down to slowly kiss her forehead. Then her nose, then her lips, lingering on them before pulling away. 'As much as I want to do that all night with you,' his eyes bore meaningfully into hers. 'Max has been texting and calling me for the last two hours. He's seen my car outside and wants to know what we're doing and why he can't come over. Especially now the police are sitting outside.'
Charlotte groaned, 'Ugh, of course he is.'
She pulled away from his arms and walked to her window, 'I bet he's...' She trailed off letting out a short laugh. 'Watching us from his window. Wave to Max Eli.'
Eli joined her at the window grinning as Max waved back wildly, motioning and asking them if he should come over. Charlotte shook her head and turned to Eli, 'You should go over and hang with him for a bit. So he doesn't get suspicious, tell him we were robbed or something that's why the police are here. There's no reason to worry him.'
Eli nodded and leant down to kiss her again, with Max still watching them from his window. She blushed.
'I'll be back later and stay with you tonight, ok?'
Charlotte nodded slumping onto her bed after he'd left, finally feeling the gravity of the situation. Gold was here in Winchester. He'd seen her, he'd been under her window last night. She shivered at the thought, rummaging around for some clean clothes and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. With Chuck downstairs looking after her mother, and the heavy police presence outside she didn't feel as threatened knowing he was out there. Even having Eli around was calming, he definitely had that effect on her.
Charlotte changed into some sweats and an old shirt before hesitating at her full length mirror as she brushed her hair. She picked up some shorts and a singlet, blushing slightly as she changed. If Eli was going to stay over she may as well look nice for him, she reasoned as she climbed into bed.
She wasn't lying in bed for ten minutes before she heard loud music and laughter coming from Max's house. Smiling into the darkness she lay still and listened, that was definitely Max belting out some tunes. There were a couple of loud crashes and more laughter before she threw the bed covers aside and bounded over to the window to see what was happening. Max's bedroom window curtains were pulled aside, with his bedroom lights on she could see clearly into his room. Eli was perched on his desk strumming a guitar, cracking up at Max's awkward dancing.
Charlotte perched herself on the windowsill watching them silently. She could see the enjoyment in Eli's face as he played. The only genuine happiness she'd ever seen on Eli was when he was with Max. She loved how Max could easily calm him, make him laugh and set him off too. Around the others Eli put up his angry teen angst mask, but she was starting to see the softer side of him and she definitely liked it.
Suddenly Eli looked up from his guitar and caught her staring at them, his lips slowly turning up in a sly smile. He gave her a little wink and Charlotte beamed back not caring she was caught. Suddenly Eli frowned, tilting his head to the side in confusion. What was he staring at?
Charlotte jumped when she heard a noise behind her, jerking her head to peer into her bedroom from the window she strained her eyes in the darkness.
'Chuck?'
She whispered his name, feeling the familiar cold feeling of fear spreading through her body. There was a dark mass standing a few meters in front of her, a tall dark shape she couldn't make out.
'Guess again.'
His voice was slick and deep and sent chills down her spine.
He was here.
How did he get inside?
Charlotte turned back to the window, swinging her legs over the edge as she heard him rush toward her. What was she going to do? Jump off the ledge?
He reached her in no time at all, gripping her waist roughly he pulled her off the window. The last thing Charlotte remembered was seeing Eli's horrified face hanging out of Max's window, vaguely hearing her name being yelled out and carried away with the wind.
He'd hit her over the head with a small object and Charlotte felt so dizzy as she collapsed into him barely able to open her eyes. Gold picked her up over his shoulder and moved quickly through the bedroom door.
'Finally we can be together.'
Charlotte nearly vomited when she heard his sick words, straining to open her eyes and see where he was taking her. They moved down the stairs quickly and she opened her mouth to yell out but his hands were covering her lips. He opened the back sliding door taking her through the garden to their back fence where a large hole was cut out. Pushing her through first he followed, picking her up again there was a car parked out on the next street.
'How did you get inside?' She managed to whisper when he removed his hand. There were police everywhere.
Roy Gold smiled down at her, 'Silly girl I've been waiting in your closet for the last four hours.'
Then Charlotte really did throw up.
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