It's Not What It Looks Like (Recently Completed)

Chapter - 8

Zach

There is more. I swallow the uneasiness that's rising in the pit of the stomach and listen to Mr Callahan.

"Colette life after she was adopted is a mystery. A few months later, she is suddenly diagnosed with autism and then she is homeschooled. The doctor who gave her the report is Mr Kinley. He was arrested a few years ago for medical malpractice. He was ready to accept a plea bargain in exchange for information regarding people who used him to forge medical report. But, at the last moment, he didn't take the plea bargain and pleaded not guilty. He was later sentenced to life in prison. It's rumoured that Mr West got to him.

I tried to contact the teachers who had homeschooled Colette but most of them were not forthcoming. However, few of the home tutors said there were no signs of autism and she was a brilliant student. Mr West was paying them four times the standard amount so they kept their mouth shut. One teacher said there was a bodyguard present with them at all times and they had to sign an NDA before starting.

I spoke to some old employees who worked as maids and security guards. They all confirm what your guy Jareth said. She is always in her room. Also, Mr West dictates her entire life. When she has to get up, what she has to eat, what she wears things like that. They also said there are times when she gets sick and some of them have seen bruises."

At the mention of bruises, a sudden chill takes over my body. I was hoping the investigation didn't take this direction. I take my time to process all the new information but Ryan is quick to come to terms with it.

"You mean she is being abused?", he asks Mr Callahan.

" From my experience, when someone is going to such great length to hide things then there is something going on. I am positive that inside the walls of the West mansion, Colette is being abused. Whether it is physical or sexual is yet to be determined?", he says and my mind freezes as soon as I hear the word 'sexual'. For the past few weeks, since we started the investigation, I have tried to come up what the investigation could unearth. But not once did I think sexual abuse was involved.

I recollect our times together and try to figure out if there were any signs of abuse. After I learned that Col was manipulating me, I was not that keen on taking her to bed but as we started spending more time together, she did give me epic boners with her beautiful smile and gorgeous body. I also sensed that Col was not that into sex so I didn't push her. Months after we got together, when she was finally ready, I felt she enjoyed it as much I did. I don't remember seeing any fear or uneasiness. Also, I remember there was a couple of times she got sick during which we didn't see each other for few days and then when we met, she didn't let me touch her because she thought I might catch it from her. Was she abuses those times when she told she was sick? Is that why she didn't let me touch her and stayed away? The very thought that her bastard of the father could be abusing her right now makes me sicker.

I jump out of couch where I have been sitting and grab my cars keeps. I am for going to get her away from that monster. I won't let her stay in that house for one more second. As I approach the door, Ryan blocks my exit.

"Zach, stop. I know what you are planning on doing but you can't. You can't just storm into her house. For what Mr Callahan says West Mansion is literally a fortress. We can't get past the army of security Mr West has stationed in the house. Even if you get past the security, what if Col won't come with you."

"Like hell, she won't. She came for help. I am helping her", I scream.

"Will you calm down and think for a second? All those months she was with you, we returned back to the mansion on her own free will. If she is going to back to that place, it means Mr West has some leverage over her. He is using that to keep her in line. We need to find what he is having to control her. Unless we get to that, we can't help Col", Mr Callahan says calmly.