~John~

John did not know what to say. He felt like he had been blind side by a Mac truck. They had raped her and he didn't know. How couldn't he have known? Any decent person could tell something was wrong. She canceled plans with friends. She moved across town into a fortress without telling anyone, she wasn't returning calls, handling her clients….John ran down the list of signs he had missed in his head. How had he failed her so completely?

"John, for God's sake stop feeling sorry for yourself and focus. How are we going to help Evangeline?" Nora slapped her hand on his desk.

"Excuse me?" They turned and looked at the officer who stood just outside of the door twisting his hat in his hands. "My wife works for the complex Mrs. Williamson lives in. I think she could get someone in to see her."

"Riley, that would be great thanks." Bo patted him on the back.

"She introduced me to my wife when she first came into town. We are going to have a baby too; a little girl. We were thinking of naming her Eva. Do you think she'll like that?" He gripped his hat tightly, looking up at them like a child waiting for its' parents approval.

Nora walked over to Riley and hugged him.

"I think she'll love it." She whispered to him. "Can you tell your wife we'll all be coming?" Riley nodded then pulled out his cell phone.

"Do we call Layla?" Bo asked looking at Nora.

"I don't think so, at least not yet. Layla will call Lisa and I don't think Evangeline can handle her right now." She looked out at the station. "We won't be able to keep this quiet."

Riley walked back into the room catching the end of the conversation.

"I don't think that is going to be a problem. There is sort of a consensus amongst the officers. What happened here today won't leak out until it has to. The guard at the gate is expecting on you. My wife will meet you there and let you in the apartment. She listed it as a safety check." Riley left as quietly as he came.

Nora was humbled by the support Evangeline was being given. If she knew how she had effected the people around her would she have kept this secret?

"Let's go. She's been alone enough." John grabbed his jacket and raced for his car. Nora and Bo ran to keep up with him.

~ Evangeline ~

They waited outside the gate for several minutes before a very pregnant woman struggled to get out of a golf cart marked security. She carried a large bouquet of flowers and had a huge smile on her face. She reached out and shook Nora's hand.

"I'm Sarah Riley. I knocked on Evangeline's door but there was no answer. I'm not surprised with everything that has happened. You can follow me in one car the other one needs to be left outside the gate." Sarah waited as they parked Bo's car and piled into John's.

They followed Sarah and one of the security guards to the middle of the complex. The units held six spacious condos three stories high. The complex sat on a hill and had an unobstructed view of the waterfront and city gardens.

"If you don't mind we'll take the elevator." Sarah rubbed her belly. "Will you give these to her? I know she loves fresh flowers. The pink carnation's mean "I'll never forget you". The red signifies admiration and the white chrysanthemum are for truth."

"Thank you she'll love them." Nora took the flowers.

"No she won't. She won't even know that they are there, but when she helped me she said, "Flowers heal your soul, whether you want them to or not." Here we are." She led the trio down a long hall to a cherry wood door and knocked. "Evangeline? Sweetheart we need to do a safety check. Can you open the door?" There was silence. Sarah handed the key to Bo with instructions to drop it with the front gate when they left. She silently walked back to the elevator.

Bo tested the door before slipping the key into the lock. The apartment was silent except for the sound of running water. Slowly they began walking through the apartment looking for her checking behind the furniture and boxes that had yet to be unpacked. There were four doors at the far end of the condo. Two led to bedrooms, the other led to a hall bath. The last one had to be her room. Bo stopped John as he reached for the door knob.

"Let Nora do this." He stepped back and accepted the flowers she handed him.

"Evangeline?" Nora pushed the door open. It was dark with no furniture except a mattress on the floor. She walked to the second door in the room. Steam poured from under it. Nora carefully opened the door instantly choking on the mist as it hit her in the face. She waited for it to dissipate. Then she saw her friend curled up in a tight ball at the base of the tub. "Evangeline?"

Nora knelt down and reached for her. Evangeline screamed and struck out at the other woman. The unkempt nails scratched Nora’s face. Eva pushed her against the wall. She put her hands over her ears and rocked herself back and forth.

"Get out, get out, get out…" She chanted repeatedly. John ran forward as Bo knelt next to Nora.

"Evangeline?" He whispered to her. "We just want to help you."

"Get out, get out, get out…" Her chant became more desperate and louder. John reached for her. "Nooooooo!" She screamed and lunged for him.

He caught her hands just before they attacked his face. She twisted and tried to kick him but he was able to wrap his legs around hers. He pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around hers trapping them between their bodies. Evangeline screamed and howled trying to slam her head against his but John refused to let go.

They struggled for what seemed like hours. Nora sat off to John's side weeping for her friend. Bo kept his arms wrapped around her comforting his ex-wife as best he could. As suddenly, as she began screaming Evangeline stopped moving. John loosened his grip but still held her tightly against him.

"Please go away." She whispered against his chest.

"No baby. I've done too much of that."

"I'm o.k. I'm just tried John. I just tired. I'll be better if I sleep." Her voice was so small John began to cry. Silent tears flowed from his face into her hair.

"No baby." He rocked her and whispered to her for a while. Finally, she began to move away from him. John let her stand but took her hand afraid she would try to run away. Evangeline walked into the kitchen and began to remove food from the refrigerator.

"Evangeline?" Nora stood in the door way with Bo. "Let me do that. You need to change your clothes. You're all wet."

She looked down at herself and shook her head. With a sigh, she dropped the bread she had been holding and left the kitchen with John behind her.

"Nora?" She whispered. "Can you use the spicy mustard? I like that. I need to find my vitamins. I can't remember where I put them."

"We'll find them sweetheart." She touched Evangeline's damp hair as she passed by.

"Nora?" She paused at the bedroom door. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

John followed her into the bedroom and closed the door. Nora collapsed into Bo's arms sobbing uncontrollably.

~John~

John walked to the door on the far wall of the room. It was a large closet. He turned on the light and was surprised to see her clothes neatly hung. Her shoes were in order by heel height, like she liked them. He opened the top drawer where he knew she would keep her night clothes. He was surprised to see she kept his LPD t-shirt. Under it he found the loose cotton shorts he had gotten for her. John smiled at how out of place they looked amongst the silk, lace and satin.

Evangeline

He pulled a pair of lace panties out of the bottom drawer and took the clothes to her.

She stood looking at a picture in a frame. As John got closer he could see it was the picture from Nora's wedding. Evangeline smiled up at him.

"This was the most perfect night."

"Really? Including my spilling champagne on your dress?" He brushed her hair out of her face.

"You got to take it off didn't you." She giggled a little.

"Let's get you out of those wet clothes." Evangeline turned her back to him and pulled her shirt over her head.

"O.K., give me the shirt, John." She reached around and saw the horror etched on his face. She grabbed the shirt and ran into the bathroom embarrassed.

John leaned against the wall and closed his eyes but the image had burned into his mind.

What did they do to her?

John walked out of the room closing the door softly. He sat at the kitchen table with Bo and Nora.

"How is she?" Bo asked. John wiped his hand over his face.

"You need to talk to Natalie." He let out a ragged breath. "They carved "She's mine" on her back."