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Rooster, obviously used to this, nodded and headed out.
“How’s Lola?” I asked as I followed Mattie through the reception area and the security doors.
“Terrified. We’ve put a team on her apartment’s door, which has gone a long way to alleviating her fear. But she’s petrified that Clive will get to her somehow.”
“Okay, we need to call the police, and everyone involved needs to give a statement. Do we still have the female cop liaisons for the shelter?” I asked.
“Yes, and due to protocol, we’ve called them and made a complaint. They’ll be out within the next hour and a half. They have a two-hour response time, which is what the station agreed with Phoe,” Mattie replied.
I nodded my head.
“I’ve texted Emily to get her onto Placements first thing in the morning. Lola will not settle until we’ve got her out of state,” I said.
“It’s a shame she has to leave. Lola fits in well and has been gaining confidence. But now she knows Clive has discovered her, she won’t relax, and I can’t blame the child,” Mattie replied sadly.
“No, but one day, she’ll kick asses and take names, Mattie. You remember that. All our victims do eventually. Male or female.”
“Damn right, Kendara. And I’ll be as proud of my tiny role in helping her get there,” Mattie responded.
I smiled and nodded. What Mattie felt, we all did in one shape of form. Every time a client stood ontheir own feet and retook their independence back was a fucking fulfilling moment for all of us.
We stopped outside of Lola’s door, and I heard quiet sobbing from behind it. Two female security guards stood on it and nodded at me as I approached.
“Kendara, she’s working herself up,” Louise said.
“I’ll handle her. This is all still raw for Lola. And Clive is now looking at several charges, which a judge won’t take kindly to. Especially breaking bail conditions,” I murmured and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Lola called out, her voice trembling and tearful.
“It’s me… Kenny,” I replied.
The door flew open, and Lola barrelled into my arms. I backed her into the room as I rubbed her back and calmed her down. She pushed her mane of hair out of her face, and I nearly winced at her red, sore eyes.
“Take a few breaths,” I suggested.
“We’ve got to go. He’s found me and the kids,” Lola gasped as she wrung her hands together.
“No. If you leave the safety of the Rebirth Trust, then you’ll be unprotected, and so will the children. So what if he discovered you, Lola? Do you understand what this means? A judge ordered him not to contact you or attempt to. The judge made the restraining orders very clear and the terms of his bail. The fact he’s broken them with no hesitation means he’ll be behind bars. I’m aware you’re scared, but this might be the best thing that’s happened.”
“How?” Lola asked, wrenching from my arms andpacing back and forth.
“Because he has shown no respect for the law or any regard for the court orders. This shows a court that he won’t abide by anything a judge puts in place. Which means there may be only one way to deal with him. Prison time. I can’t promise that, but nine out of ten times, they end up behind bars. Clive is looking at a heavy penalty. And, of course, he can deny it all he wants, but the shelter’s cameras will have recorded him. Clive has literally blown it,” I said and watched as Lola visibly began to calm.
“Do you think so?” Lola asked.
“No, I know so! This is not a game, despite how he treats it. Judges take violations of bail terms and restraining orders seriously, especially with the charges Clive is facing. No, he’d end up behind bars until his court date, which means you have time to decide where you want to go. Staying in South Dakota isn’t a great idea, as I told you before,” I replied.
“You always make sense,” Lola murmured. She’d calmed down a lot while we’d been talking. “Until they catch him, though, he’s going to keep coming.”
“And? Without identification and buzzing in, he can’t enter the gates. Every vehicle entering is checked for extra passengers. Nobody can enter the building without passing through two entrances. Kitchen and household supplies come in through a different entrance and are only allowed into the storage rooms. And security also man that entrance.
“There are motion cameras all over the shelter,honey. Tell me how Clive will reach you. Because even the lift is key carded, surveillance won’t allow it to move until they ID who is inside. Same as the stairwell doors. All doors auto lock and need a card with a security finger on the buzzer to open them. Clive can’t get you. Security here is shit hot, and he is not spiderman,” I said with a giggle.
Lola offered one in return. It was weak, but I’d take it.
“There’s a reason protection is so high. It’s for every client’s protection, and so you guys know you are safe even if your idiot exes sit outside all day in a car. And you’re more restrained than me. I’d have gone out on the balcony in a bikini to push his buttons and force him to make a mistake. Plus, I would let him see what he was missing out on!”
“Kenny, you’re insane,” Lola said, finally relaxing fully and laughing.
