It wasn't often that I slept late, but by the time I awoke and got my

bearings, I realized that Angie, who had slept with me, was no longer in

the bed. As I descended from the top suite towards my 'official' bedroom

on the second floor, I could hear the murmur of conversation emanating

from the kitchen. I slipped on a pair of swim trunks, planning to take a

few laps in the pool, and then joined the people in the kitchen.

"Well, 'Señor Lazy-Bones'!" said Lolita, "It's about time you joined the

world of the living."

I made no comment, but instead retrieved a coffee mug and poured myself

some hot black brew from the half-full pot. As I spooned some sugar into

my cup, I saw that Lolita and Beth were sitting at the table, while

Angie was busy over the stove.

"I'm doing some omelets." said Angie, "How would you like yours?"

"Ah...None for me." I replied, "I think I'll just do coffee." I sat

opposite Lolita. Then I looked at Beth. She wore a pair of jeans and one

of Lolita's flower print blouses. Her long hair was pulled back into a

single braid. She wore oversized sunglasses, which reminded me of the

injuries she had recently sustained. My heart went out to her, and I

reached for her hand.

"And how are you feeling..."

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she cried, panic in her voice.

Startled, I got up and backed away. "I'm sorry." I said.

I went out the back door into the yard, and dove into the pool. I swam

furiously, back and forth and lost count of the number of laps I had

taken, but as I was starting to tire, I saw Lolita standing at the edge

of the shallow end, waiting for me. I stopped swimming and waded to her.

"Nick, you need to forgive Beth. She's still traumatized over what

Joshua did to her." She added, "Right now, her instincts, wrong as they

are, tell her that all men are violent beasts."

"I can understand that." I said. "So, what can I do about it?"

"For now, just be patient." She continued: "Don't approach her, but be

yourself."

"You think she'll change her mind?" I asked.

"She will, once she realizes that Joshua is the exception and not the

rule."

Just then, Angie came running out. She carried the cordless phone.

"It's my tenant." she said, with a worried look. "Joshua is over there

demanding to know where Beth is. What should I tell them?"

I thought for a moment. "OK...tell your tenant to give him the address,

but also to give him some wrong directions on how to get here. Then you

call the cop who brought her here. While Joshua is running around trying

to find the place, the cop will have a chance to get here first."

Angie did as I suggested. As it was, it only took the officer a few

minutes to arrive. I suggested that he park his cruiser around the

corner and come in the house. Lolita and Angie stayed in the parlor with

Beth, who was crying, fearful of her husband's wrath.

Angie did what she could to allay her fears.

"It's gonna be okay, Sissie." Angie said softly, as she held Beth by the

shoulders. "The policeman is here, and so is Nick. They...We're going to

make sure nothing happens to you."

About forty-five minutes after the phone call, I heard a car door slam.

I looked out to see an older model pickup truck parked out front. A man,

about my height and build, wearing overalls and a tank top, came up the

porch steps. He knocked.

I opened the door.

"Where is she?" were the first words from his mouth.

"Where is who?" I replied.

"I'm here to bring Elizabeth back home."

Angie came forward. "Joshua, she's not going back."

"You whore! You stole her from me." He exclaimed. Then he shouted:

"Elizabeth! C'mon, now, it's time to go home."

Beth shouted back. "Go away, and leave me alone! I'm never going back

there!"

Hearing Beth's voice, Joshua walked past me and into the parlor. It was

then that he saw the policeman standing by the door, alert and ready.

"Ma'am, is this the man who assaulted you?"

Beth pulled her sunglasses off. She nodded slowly.

"Ma'am, do you wish to press charges against him?"

"No..." said Beth, "I just want him to leave me alone."

"You BITCH!" Joshua moved toward Beth.

The officer moved between them, and I reached out and yanked Joshua

toward me. Before he knew it, I had him against the wall, one hand on

his throat. I back-handed him on the face.

"You sonofabitch!" I said through gritted teeth, "You get your jollies

slapping women around?" I back-handed him again. The policeman merely

stood there and watched.

"Now get out of here!" I said, releasing him. "Be thankful she's not

pressing charges."

"Officer!" said Joshua "Do something! This man hit me!"

The cop approached Joshua. "I'll tell you what I'm going to do." His

six-foot-six frame towered over Joshua. "I'm going to let you go. But

before that, I'm going to warn you that if I ever hear of you bothering

any of these people, I'll make it my personal purpose in life to make

you miserable for it." He added: "You understand me?"

Joshua hesitated.

"DO YOU???" said the officer.

Joshua nodded weakly, then turned and left. I closed the front door

behind him.

The cop, whose name was James Duncan, approached Beth, who sat on the

antique divan, face in her hands. He crouched down, so that they were at

the same eye level.

"Ma'am, I don't think he'll be back, but it would be a good idea to

swear out a peace bond against him."

"Peace bond?" asked Beth.

"It's a court order prohibiting him from coming anywhere near you."

explained Officer Duncan.

"I'll get my attorney on it right away." I said, still shaking from the

little altercation.

"As for you, Mr. Anders:" said the cop, "If you had hit him again, I was

ready to jump on you."

"Come to think of it, I'm surprised you didn't."

"I've learned that acting on instinct is sometimes better than going by

the letter of the law."

"I appreciate...WE appreciate what you've done here today." I said,

genuinely thankful.

"My pleasure."

"Didn't you want to do a report, or something? I asked.

"If the lady isn't pressing charges, there's no need for a report."

"Well," I said, "as I said before, I'll contact my lawyer today and have

him do the peace bond."

"Good idea." Duncan replied.

He reached in his pocket and pulled another of his business cards. He

wrote a number on it.

"That's my cell phone number. If this guy gives you any problems, call

me. Any time."

Officer Duncan and I stepped out to the front veranda.

"Officer Duncan..." I started

"Jim... Call me Jim."

"Jim, I may be wrong, but this doesn't seem like standard police

procedure."

"It isn't." replied Jim. "My father used to beat my mother. When I was

six, my mom and I ran away, and she married my step-dad, who raised me.

He's a good man. I just hate it when I see women being mistreated like

that. It brings back bad memories." He added: "I can see that you are a

good man, and that all you were trying to do was to protect that lady in

there. I admire that."

"Jim, you're a good man too." I said, offering my hand. "Sometime, when

you're off duty, I'd like to get to know you better."

"I'd like that." he replied, as we shook hands.

Our new-found policeman-friend got into his patrol car and went about

his business.

As I walked across the foyer towards the stairs, Beth stood and came out

from the parlor.

"Nick..." she said, nervously.

I stopped and looked at her. She reached out and touched my hand.

"Thanks."

I gave her a mild smile, and then nodded. I chose to make no comment to

the fact that this was the first civil word I had received from her

since we had met, the night before. Instead, I turned and continued on

my way to my basement office.