Chapter 12: Buy and sell.
When we arrived at Tom's apartment the whole place was surrounded by press and new's van's. The limo pulled up outside and four security men stood and opened the door, as soon as they did the press were shouting out my name asking for my reaction to Phillip Rogers having escaped police custody, we were bundled through the press and up into the apartment, i felt my heart sinking as i dropped onto the sofa, Tom, Luke, Ken and the other's were all making calls, Ayshea and Charlotte came and sat with me, i was trembling trying to figure all this out.
"I just don't understand what's going on Char? what does this all mean?". i said looking up at her with tears pouring down my face.
She pulled me into a hug and Ayshea held my hand "Hey Karen, don't worry everyone is here and this will all get sorted, we won't leave you".
"Thanks guy's but i just need a moment" i got up and walked upstairs to the bathroom, i shut the door behind me and slid down it to the floor, i could hear muffled voices downstairs and felt like curling up into a ball and wishing it all away, i don't know how long i had been there when i heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" i said lifting my head off of my knee's.
"Karen, love it's me, open the door please".
Tom sounded unlike himself and when i opened the door i could tell he had been crying, had i done this to him had i brought this crap into his life, he entered the bathroom and sat down beside me pulling me against him, i felt safe in his embrace and just started crying again.
"For a night that started out so wonderful, this has turned out to be really shitty typical for my birthday". i said as i sat back up and looked at Tom.
"Hey, it will be OK, you'll be OK" he said holding my face and wiping away my tears.
"I'm so sorry to bring this into your life, it's not fair on you, i....".
"No don't talk like that, this is not your fault, i'm here and i will be for the long haul, trust me i love you" he said as he knelt in front of me "We need to go back downstairs, the police are here and they want to talk to you, don't shake your head, i will be right with you as will everyone else down there, come on".
Tom pulled me up and we started to walk down stairs, that's when i spotted Detective Taylor.
"Detective, why are you here?" i said, even though in my head i just went "Duh, he's the lead officer on this case, that's why he is here".
"Miss Frost, i need you to sit down please, this is going to be hard to say".
I could tell from his face that this was bad news, i sat on the sofa with Tom one side and his mum the other, everyone else was either sat or stood around.
"Whilst interviewing Mr Rogers and his brother we have discovered that he has been obsessed with you for over a year now, what i'm going to tell you next is not pleasant, if you want we can talk in pri".
"No, please just say whatever it is".
"We learned from David Rogers that Phillip had been upset about you going back into hospital and drank allot because of it, the morning that your family were coming to visit you, he drove to watch your family leave the house then followed, he, um... drove with the intention to kill them, he saw them as an obstacle between you and so drove them to crash on purpose, i'm sorry but he killed them on purpose".
I sat frozen to the spot, tears were steaming down my face and my heart felt broken, Tom held me close and his mum rubbed my back to comfort me, i suddenly felt sick, standing quickly i almost collapsed, Tom caught me and held me in his arms, i could hear everyone saying my name but everything was fuzzy i felt like the world had just dropped out of me but i placed my arms around Tom's neck and he carried me up stairs followed by his mum, Charlotte and Ayshea, Tom placed me on the bed and kissed my cheek, turning to his mum he said.
"Watch her please, i'm gonna get this sorted and get us all more protection" he gave his mum a hug and i swear i heard him cry.
"Of course we will, you take care as well please" she said giving him another hug.
I cried on the bed for what felt like forever before crying myself to sleep, when i woke, i was in Tom's arm's, he looked peaceful but tired i moved slowly out of his hold and went to get a drink and some headache tablets, when i started down the stairs i saw Chris and Ben sat in the kitchen area quietly talking, they looked up to see me coming down.
"Tea?" Ben said lifting the pot in my direction.
"Please, thank you". i said as i sat down opposite them "Where is everyone?".
"In bed or gone home, Ken took your friends back to their hotel, are you alright?" Chris said with a weak smile and reaching across to hold my hand.
"No i, um don't know how to explain how i feel right now, i suppose i just don't understand how i could have a stalker then to learn that the same stalker killed my family on purpose to try and be with me" i could feel the tears stinging my eyes again but blinked and wiped them away "I just don't understand why someone would stalk me?".
Ben and Chris glanced at each other then Ben came round and sat by me.
"Apparently Rogers took a shine to you when you helped him with some clothes shopping?".
"Clothes shopping? wait you mean when i used to work in Peacocks clothing?".
"Yeah , you helped him every time he came in and got to learn when you would be in, you never recognized him?". Chris said rising from his seat and placing his cup in the dishwasher.
"No, but then i served so many people and lots more since being in... does that mean he used to come into Iceland as well?
"Shane and some of the staff recognized him" Tom said surprising us, he walked over and sat down next to me placing his left hand on my cheek and his other pulling me towards him, Chris and Ben both passed us and made the sign to him that they were going up to their room's as Tom wanted as much protection here for me and i think for them as well.
Tom turned me to face him and i instantly started to cry, he wiped my tears and held me close doing all he could to make me feel safe, i still had my headache and so pulled out of Tom's arms, standing i got a glass of water and when i turned around Tom was stood with two pain killers in his hand.
"I knew that's what you got up for, we need to talk but in the morning OK?".
"OK" i said as i took the tablets from him and swallowed them, then followed him up stairs.
I couldn't tell if i was awake or not everything was fuzzy but then something caught my eye as i moved towards the apartment stairs, a shadow moved across the landing in the darkness as i backed away from the stairs i felt a cold wind blow behind me the balcony doors were open, how did that happen? Tom had locked them before he left, i crossed to the doors and pulled them shut suddenly looking up seeing a black shape figure reflected in the glass behind me as i turned around it ran at me engulfing me in blackness i was screaming and screaming.
"Karen, Karen, it's OK! it's OK" Tom said holding me and waking me from the nightmare, at that point Chris, Ben and Emma all came running in, Tom was holding me close and rocking me back and forward whilst smoothing my hair "shh it's OK, i'm here, shh".
"What the hell happened?" Chris said holding a baseball bat.
Emma sat on the bed trying to catch her breath "Is everything OK? you scared us all half to death!".
"It was just another nightmare, Karen's been having them for a while now, she's OK, i should have warned you all, sorry".
Chris and Ben looked at us then said together "No problem".
Emma leaned over and placed a hand on my shoulder "Hey Kaz, we're all here for you".
"Thank you" i said still shaking "I'm sorry i woke you all up".
"No need to apologize" Ben said as they all left the room.
Tom held me close as i was still shaking, i looked up into his deep blue eyes and went to say something but Tom just placed his lips to mine and we kissed with a passion that hadn't been there before as we parted slowly for breath Tom smiled then said.
"I still have your present, i never got a chance to give it to you at the party".
He got up off of the bed and went over to his suit jacket, he took out a silver wrapped present and brought it back and placed it in my shaking hands, smiling at me, his eyes suddenly blazing with excitement. As i unwrapped it i found inside a copy of Pride and Prejudice, i gave Tom a puzzled look.
"I know this is your favourite story, well this is an original copy and it even has an original signature by Jane Austin inside the cover, do you like it?".
"Oh my god, Tom i love it, i love it thank you". i said wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him.
It was around 8 when i finally emerged from the bedroom, everyone was sat down stairs apart from Tom i couldn't see him, then i felt a hand snake around my waist and pull me into the bathroom, i giggled as i turned to see Tom just wearing a towel and he was soaking wet, he held me against the door and i relaxed into his kiss we ended up making love in the shower, we emerged about an hour or so later all dressed and went down to join the others. Ayshea and Charlotte were here and both looked tired i motioned for them both to come with me and Tom said we could use his office with the private balcony if we wanted to smoke.
We walked out and sat on the balcony "I'm really sorry to make you both worry and get caught up in all this" i started, but they both gave me a strong smile and Ayshea said.
"Don't worry about us sweet, we just want you to be safe and with this lot around you couldn't have better protection".
Charlotte and i looked at each other then to Ayshea.
Her smile widened then she winked at Charlotte "With Thor, Loki and Sherlock Holmes in the same apartment there's definitely no safer place to be".
We all started laughing and i enjoyed being able to relax with them. I noticed Tom's mum stood in the doorway of the office so went in to see her.
"Diana, are you alright?" i asked her as i approached.
"Of course Karen, i'm just glad to see you relaxing with your friends" she took my hands and i could sense something was worrying her.
"Diana, something is troubling you, tell me".
"I'm just worried for you dear and for Tom, he puts on this show of a altogether tough guy but i know my son and i know it would tear him to bits if anything happened to you, so before he asks i'm going to ask you to stay with me while Tom is away filming".
"Thank you, but my cousin is coming to stay with me, i phoned him earlier when Tom suggested it, now i feel bad".
"Oh no Karen don't feel bad i'm happy to know you won't be on your own but promise to visit me while Tom's away". She said giving me a tight squeeze then sending me back outside.
"Thanks mum" Tom said giving his mum a huge hug.
"I'm beginning to understand why you love her Tom, she has a hidden strength like you and like you she forget's about her own problems to care for others". she said walking back to the living area with Tom.