Shelter From the Storm?

Lynette just looked at her father as he walked into the living room.

"What's this about Daddy," she said, "Why do they want to talk to Royal?"

She'd just gotten the news that the sheriff had called her dad up to inform him that they were interested in talking to Royal.

Her dad sat down on the sofa and picked up a magazine.

"Just routine darling," he said, "It sounds like they're interviewing everyone in town."

"About the attack on Elena," she said, "Really I'm sure the guy who did it is long gone."

Wyatt flipped open the magazine.

"I'm sure they just want to cover all their bases."

She sat down on a nearby chair.

"But why daddy," she said, "They didn't seem that interested in talking to anyone again and Royal…what could he tell them?"

Wyatt just looked at his daughter.

"I don't know. It's routine, nothing for him to worry about. They'll ask him a bunch of generic questions and move on to the next guy on the list."

"But how can they think it's local? It was a drifter wasn't it," she said, "Maybe someone just out of jail passing through."

"I'm not so sure about that. That never sounded likely to me."

Lynette looked at her father in surprise. She never knew he'd paid much attention to what had happened that night to Elena.

"So they'll interview everyone?"

He didn't look up this time.

"If that's what it takes," he said, "Lynette it's for your own good and that of any other girl in town. Whoever did this…they're sick and they need to be removed from the population."

"But no one in town would do something like that," she said, "Besides, it's not like Elena remembers what happened."

"No…not right now," Wyatt said, "Doctors say they're not sure if her memory of that night will come back but that doesn't mean the sheriff won't be looking."

Lynette sniffed.

"She shouldn't have been out on the golf course by herself at night," she said, "She should know that's dangerous."

Wyatt sighed.

"Maybe she wasn't alone," he said, "It doesn't seem like her to do that. She's always been a responsible young woman…except for that latest thing."

Lynette harrumphed.

"Oh yeah…when she smashed the windshield of one of her mother's boyfriends," she said, "Maybe it's just an example of like mother like daughter."

Wyatt's face tightened, looking irritated.

"Lynette don't speak about them that way," he said, "Her mother was one of my best employees when she worked here."

"All right Daddy don't get upset," she said, "I'm sorry…but the girl has a past."

Wyatt put the magazine aside.

"She's a hard worker. Royal said she's done a great job on the center since she started. Of course when her sentence is done, we'll lose her."

"Sentence…see what I mean Daddy," Lynette said, "She's a felon."

He shook his head.

"No…she committed a misdemeanor and she's working it off," he said, "Whoever hurt her committed multiple felonies and the sheriff's going to track him down."

"You seem so sure about that."

Wyatt sighed.

"I told him he'd better step it up," he said, "He wasn't even going to look into it…said it was some random attack but I told him I'd make sure he wouldn't get reelected if he didn't take it seriously."

That shocked Lynette.

"Daddy…why did you do that? I mean it's just Elena…even if her mother used to work for you."

"I meant it," Wyatt said, "If the sheriff doesn't find the man responsible and bring him in, he will be a short timer."

Lynette knew her father never made idle threats…or promises. She knew he had the power to call the shots politically because of his immense wealth and the influence it enabled him to weld over the town. But why did he give a damn about some common slut like Elena who was no better than her mother?

"In fact, I'll be down there later today to get a progress report," Wyatt said, "and there'd better be progress reported."

He got up and walked out leaving Lynette in a state of shock.

Nadia rubbed herself against Royal as they stood inside the cramped bathroom stall at the diner. Thank god, Melissa had left work earlier, the place had emptied out and sweet little Nadia had been waiting tables. He talked her into joining her in the stall and when he slid her uniform up her thighs, he found out she wasn't so sweet after all. The saucy little bitch had been wearing a lacy little black thong and he made short work of sliding it down over her ass down her thighs before he lowered his own pants. He picked her up, shoved her against the stall wall. She wrapped her legs around him but damn it was cramped.

"You safe…," he asked.

She sighed against him, pinned to the wall.

"Hell yeah…I've been on the pill since I was 13."

He knew that she'd been getting it since she was that age. Nadia used her body to get nice things from guys and she must have picked that habit up somewhere. He also knew like his other girls, she wouldn't kiss and tell. He thrust his cock inside her wetness and she moaned against him.

"Shhh…can't be too loud…."

She just looked at him.

"Always dead here this time of day," she said, "Now just do me…like you do the others."

He chuckled and obliged by pressing her harder against the wall which somehow didn't bend. But the noise of him slamming her against it as he filled her again and again with his cock resonated around them.

"Hope the walls are soundproof."

"Oh no one gives a damn," she said, "The cook's got his iPad on anyway…now shut up and show me what you got."

"I'm going to fuck you so hard Nadia…you won't know what hit you."

"As long as you make me come," she said, "Hit me how hard you want sugar."

Elena leaned against Lucky as they sat in his truck. They'd been setting out to hit the diner but she just felt so tired all of a sudden.

"You okay?"

Just two simple words from the man next to her but it had melted her. She felt the tears drip down her face before she knew to stop them. Being emotional, it wasn't something that had ever boded well for her in life. Lulu told her over and over that tears made a women weak but if she had to shed them, use them to get something or somewhere.

Elena tried to bite hers back but that made them fall harder. He caressed them off her face with his fingers looking at her.

"What's going on Elena?"

She wiped them herself though she enjoyed his touch much more but she didn't want to be weak.

"Nothing…"

"Bull shit Elena…"

She felt the softness in his tone when he said those words and she bit her own lip.

"I have these dreams and they're so awful," she said, "I can't see his face…just his shape coming out of the darkness at me."

Lucky brushed her hair off of her face and she let him, closing her own eyes.

"You are remembering anything?"

She frowned not knowing how to answer that question.

"I…I don't know," she said, "I god…I remember being at the club with someone else…and all I can think is that it must have been him."

Meaning Royal.

"You mean you were there with Royal…I mean you were sleeping with him."

She searched for a judgmental tone in his voice but she didn't hear it. Just matter of fact….so she tried harder to remember something…to pull anything out of the fog which surrounded her most of the time.

"Yes…I don't know…but I was with him at the time," she said, "but…I don't know…I was getting so I didn't know if I wanted to anymore."

Lucky seemed to digest that.

"You mean you wanted to break it off?"

She struggled even further, why was it so hard to remember her own life? Why had it been closed off from her?

"He's getting serious with Lynette and I…I think I wanted something else besides being an easy lay."

"Nothing wrong with that Elena," he said, "Absolutely nothing…"

But she felt so tangled up, not sure what was dream and what was memory right now.

"If I were with Royal," she said, "Maybe he left me alone there."

Lucky paused.

"Maybe…"

She caught that tone in his voice which more than hinted at doubt.

"What do you mean," she said, "Surely you don't think…"

No, she couldn't even imagine that it could have been Royal who had hurt her like that. Anyone else…even a stranger but not him.

"Elena, you don't remember much…so how would you know?"

She fidgeted in the truck.

"I …I just do," she said, "He never showed any hint of hurting me."

Except…she bit her lip again…remembering that one time when…she had to explain that.

"I know that one time…but it was only that time."

He sighed.

"There shouldn't have been any time…not even once and it could have been him and you just don't remember. Maybe you don't want to remember."

That angered her to the quick but she tried to remember his concern about her.

"No…no how can you say that," she said, "Of course I want to remember…why wouldn't I?"

He sighed.

"I know you do…but maybe a part of you just can't believe that someone you cared about would do that to you."

She licked her lips.

"No…Lucky it has to be someone else it couldn't possibly be him. He'd been sorry what he did that one time."

Lucky didn't say anything else but Elena knew his mind was working and she knew how. But he had to see that who attacked her had to be some random stranger and not the man who had wanted her so much.

"Okay Elena…but you got to keep your mind open to any possibilities."

She bristled a bit.

"I know Lucky…and I know you're just saying all this because you care but really…it's not Royal."

But as they sat there, she felt some doubt in her own words. Lucky was right she didn't remember hardly anything. But if Royal had been responsible what had she done to make him angry enough to hurt her?

Because it had to be something…but no it wasn't him so there wasn't anything to think about was there?