Frankie's Story Ch. 08

Her own agitation grew and there was nothing either Frankie or Anthony could do. She called me, but Reds anger was slowly getting out of control. Red was lashing out at anything, causing both Frankie and Reds assistant to hold her down and hope she calmed down. Frankie once again burst into tears as she came to the end of that evening's tragic story.

"Frankie, Frankie listen to me. Think long and hard, who was the woman that Red screamed at?"

It took all of her own will power to stop her body from shaking with fear. Her mind reached back amongst those memories.

"She called her Karen, the last name sounded like Winston but she was already screaming and swearing at the woman by then, so I may be wrong.

Doc Kellerman held onto Frankie's hand. She instantly pulled it away. Her eyes bored deep into him. "I belong to one man. You are my doctor, I understand that, but my master owns me not you."

The doc and I looked at each other, although he was a little confused by her sudden change, I knew that the memories of Charles Winston and the seminar in Atlanta were still around to haunt her. This time we tried something different. It was clear he had a reason for touching Frankie. I held one hand and the doctor then held her other hand. Frankie instantly relaxed.

"Francine please think hard, was it Winston or Wilson?"

This time Frankie looked at me for direction, I held her hand tighter and nodded my head. Frankie closed her eyes and by her eye movement I could tell she was re-enacting the whole evening. Suddenly her eyes opened and she once again looked towards the doctor.

"Wilson. It was definitely Wilson."

Doctor Kellerman thanked her and let go of her hand, tilting his head towards the door as he got up. I made Frankie more comfortable on the couch in his office and went to find him. Joseph Kellerman was standing by the coffee machine. He handed me mine and sat across from me when the machine gave his out.

"I hope this is nothing more than a blip in her recovery Jack. I understand you need to do something, so I will help you there without breaking any confidentiality. For weeks now, the clinic has been screening all of Reds calls at her request. She gave us two names that were never to be given access to her, one was Caroline Atkins, the other was Karen Wilson. Caroline and Karen are, one and the same person."

The urge to kill doesn't come often to me. Right at this moment I would have easily placed my hands around that woman's throat and squeezed. People like Mathew Bowden aren't very emotional; it was partly why I was happy to have him on my side. When I told him what had happened and asked if Caroline was still contracted to the studio, I actually heard him swear. He then told me he would be on the next available flight.

At ten the next morning, Mathew and two of his assistants came into Joseph Kellerman's office. He took statements from Frankie, Anthony and the other fitness instructor that helped hold Red down. They found three other women from that class willing to testify over what had happened and who the woman in the front row was. Joseph had to refuse Mathew access to Red as she was still heavily sedated.

"That event was last night. The sedation should have worn off by now. Why is Ms. O'Connell still being sedated?"

Joseph felt his abilities as Reds doctor were being questioned. He stood to face Mathew, it was then I interceded.

"Mathew, we tried to bring her out of it earlier. No sooner had she woke, than she screamed in pain. She was so strong and so driven she broke one of the restraints holding her to the bed. Joseph had no choice but to sedate her again."

For such a proud and broad man he seemed to deflate to the point he had to sit down, shaking his head as he did so. It seems Mathew was human after all.

"My God, what have these people done to this woman?"

"It's why she left Hollywood so quickly and why she heaped everything onto you. She trusted you to keep them at bay Mathew, the more times she spoke to you she believed in her mind that her past would finally remain just that. I'm sure that Caroline Atkins had no intention of turning Red into a basket case last night. But as the book says 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions'."

Mathew's mind seemed to be elsewhere and I paused. It took him a moment before he once again looked at me.

"When Red comes out of this I'll call you and get you or one of your assistants back here, but to be honest Mathew, none of us know when that's going to be."

Once he had composed himself, he stood and held out his hand towards Joseph Kellerman. They shook and he thanked him for his assistance and apologized for any distress he felt he had caused him.

An hour later Frankie returned to Doctor Kellerman's office, placing the leather collar into my hands. Joseph went white and then shook his head.

"That's not going to work Jack."

I smiled before replying. "Red is drifting Joseph and I'm not about to let her continue to do so. Find us a room where she can't hurt herself and lock us both in there."

"And if she beats you to a bloody pulp?"

"Then with my last 'gasp' effort, I'll write 'ooops' with my last drops of blood."

Joseph Kellerman laughed, his laughter stopped when Samantha was shown into his office by Frankie, who ignored the look I gave both of them.

"Please tell me you're here to talk some sense into him."

"Doc I think you and I have been out maneuvered by these two."

I don't often get to see Joseph at a loss for words, when it dawned on him what I had just said. The silence was very quickly replaced, by him telling the girls it would be a cold day in hell, that what they wanted was what they were getting.

Frankie said nothing, just smiled and took a pace back toward the door, and opened it. Mathew Bowden stepped back into the office. I figured now was about the time I had best defuse the situation.

"Doc, I've been around sub-missives since I was eighteen and if there is one logic that defies everything, even the laws of physics, is that when they talked about an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object they clearly never considered a slave on a mission. Samantha, recite your vow that you gave to your sisters."

Samantha paused for a moment as her mind went back to the many conversations they all had together, smiled and then said, "This is my gift to all of you. Should any of you ring me I will answer, regardless of what I'm doing, should you need me I will be but a plane ride away."

"What did Frankie say when she phoned you?"

"That my sister is in trouble and that it will take us all to help her. She also said that one of us could get hurt in doing so."

"Yet you still came to help your sister, knowing one of us will be hurt. Even if it's you she hurts."

This time Samantha shrugged her shoulders.

"Should my sister harm me then you will be there to protect me, I will not see that hurt since it's not my sister harming me but the demons inside her head. Please Master, my sister is in pain. It is up to us, to stand with her and for her to know she is not alone in her fight."

Joseph continued to shake his head as he listened to what was being said. Mathew again sat down, only this time he sat and watched.

Once again Doctor Kellerman thought about what had been said before he shook his head in the negative.

"I can't allow this Jack. You know Reds history, we both know she's stronger than she looks and the self defense classes she took, hell she even became an instructor in those same courses eventually. That woman could take each of you apart before I could get the door unlocked."

Everyone was silent, deep in his or her own thoughts. Joseph Kellerman had a patient and a career to look after. I had three girls that placed in my hands, their own welfare. I was wondering if we now had our own unstoppable force, verses immovable object moment, but of course, there was Frankie.

"Mr. Bowden. You sit and say nothing. It's now you have to say what is clearly on your mind."

Mathew Bowden looked at Frankie, we all looked at Mathew. After a pause, he then looked towards Joseph and as he spoke, we all realized that once again he was human after all.

"I've read every witness statement of what happened that night and going on what the good Doctor has told me, what I understand he isn't willing to tell me, Ms O'Connell is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder."

For a few moments Mathew said nothing, we watched him fidget in his chair making himself more comfortable. For a moment I expected him to reel off statistics, instead he clasped his hands together and spoke very eloquently about how to this day many people believe that stress disorder would only afflict combat troops.

Over the last few months, he had gotten to know Red through their conversations on the phone. She told him of her growing dislike of Hollywood and the decision they had made that she would sell the business as well as her apartment and move back home. How this film was to be the final farewell and close that chapter in her life. Yet the accident at the studio was now an anchor, holding her to a place she no longer wanted anything to do with.

To Red, it seemed that every time she tried to move on, something pulled her back. To hold her in a place she no longer wished to be. The invitation to the premiere was one such reminder, just as she knows deep down in her soul; the film was going to be a huge success. Partly because it really was a good film, but also because it's the film where 'that woman' saved Caroline Atkins life, that the severing of her past was becoming more difficult at every turn.

At the moment Red carried the pain and constant reminders of that past on her back while Quantum Studio's did nothing more than reap the profits. Last night was a classic example. She now has her own business. The gym is growing in membership by the day and the list of names down for fitness classes far exceeded those of the projected forecasts. She knew some came to stare, but those would soon leave and the hard core of people who wanted to be there would make the place a success.

The first day she was there, in her capacity of fitness instructor, and guess, who stood center stage? Caroline Atkins aka Karen Wilson. The evening that was to be Reds start to a new life and there was her past, standing slap-bang in the middle of the front row.

Mathew looked up from his hands and saw us all transfixed at his words.

"That anchor holding her to a place she now loathes with a vengeance and the woman she believes betrayed her trust and friendship while she was still in the hospital was standing there. Her mind had nowhere to go; the fitness room was her place, her comfort blanket if you wish and her past stood in the middle of the front row, poisoning her own space for her."

For such an agonizingly long time, no one said a word. It was clear Mathew spoke the truth, as he knew it. After all, Red did speak to him almost daily. However, Joseph held the final decision here and going by the look of great sadness that he tried and failed to hide, we knew he would do as we asked.

It still took us two hours to find what we needed. Mathew wanted to go get it, I thought it best to send Frankie and even that, took another two hours. Joseph needed to keep Red sedated and knew that if we didn't act quickly, then he would have to keep her sedated for longer. We were all reluctant to allow that. That poor girl had enough drugs washing around in her body; she did not need anymore if we could avoid it.

*******

I had to warn both girls that Joseph needed to turn the cameras on. My main concern was Samantha and my promise to her, she didn't even flinch. Mathew carried Red into the room and left. Joseph waited until we undressed and took all of our clothes away. The sound as I placed the leather collar around Reds neck and clicked it shut had a certain finality about it.

Frankie knelt by her head, we all knew that her gift was needed now more than ever and I gave her permission to use it. Samantha knelt at her feet, Red would no doubt see her first, I simply sat on my ass and wished for a time machine that would take me to a time where I could refuse Red permission to do that last film. We just sat and watched this woman who was clearly fighting her own battles in her head. If nothing else, each and every one of us both in here and outside watching the screens wasn't going to give Red up without a full on fight.

She gave a slow moan and slowly turned onto her side, and then with speed that I had seen only rarely from her, she was on her feet and pulling at the door. None of us moved. Red stopped pulling at the door and started to pace either side of the door. She slowly increased the length of her pacing until she paced from corner to corner. The girls just sat and watched the space that Red had just vacated, I watched Red. She paused in her pacing and pulled at her collar, she even turned it around and tried the catch only to find a small padlock preventing her from opening it.

"Get this fucking thing off me. I'm not one of your sheep, anymore."

"Die first."

I noticed the look of shock from both the girls in my peripheral vision.

"What?"

"I said you have to die first and then I will take it off. Or, are your promises worth nothing? You promised that you were mine until you die, so die first and fulfill your promise."

"Promises are worthless words that people use, to get what they want. I got what I wanted from a pencil dick like you and now, I'm moving on. TAKE THIS FUCKING THING OFF ME."

It was time to change positions, so I stood and sat the other side of the room passing Red as I did. She watched me, even took a pace to the side so I didn't come close to her.

"Tell me something, once I take that off of you, who owns you?"

"No one. I will finally be free. Do you know what that word means, pencil dick? Let me help you, free to do what I want, when I want. To be beholden to no one and have a voice."

"But you have a voice; you have always had a voice."

The color around Reds neck started to change, her hands grasped and then released.

"You gave me nothing. Every time I came to you and asked for my freedom, you heaped more pressure on me to stay. Well, you have two new bitches so you no longer need me. Let me go."

"Yes, I see your point. Tell me something. That thing you want me to remove from around your neck, what is it?"

For the first time Red looked confused, as if I had just asked the most stupid of all questions. Her eyes narrowed slightly looking for a trap.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was that hard of a question."

This time I pointed to Samantha and urged her to stand. Her actions were slow and calculated, not to spook Red in any way.

"Let's try an even easier question for you. Who is that person standing there, name her for me, and I will remove the thing around your neck."

Again Red looked confused. She looked at Samantha really closely and after a moment took another step back, keeping Samantha and I in her field of vision. It was also time to move again, so I stood and moved to another part of the room and sat back down.

"I'm sorry I got bored of waiting for an answer to my question. Which reminds me,"

This time I gestured to Frankie to stand, she followed Samantha's example and stood slowly, with Red watching her every movement.

"Shall we try for three out of three? Name the person who just stood up."

She seemed to look longer at Samantha, her eyes narrowed slightly as though something about her sister struck a cord deep in the recesses of her mind. Soon she shook her head as though frustrated that some answer to a question would not yield itself to her. Her anger once again took control.

"This is sick, you're all sick. JUST TAKE THIS FUCKING CHAIN OFF MY NECK."

Frankie's face remained a mask. Samantha looked at Red and smiled. I was just grateful she didn't notice. I stood again and Red looked directly at me. Frankie took the opportunity to quickly shake her head at Samantha. I was just relieved that she understood and her face quickly became a mask, as I passed in front of her heading for another part of the room.

"Tell me something, is your word any good. I mean, if you lost a bet would you hold up your end of the bet even if you lost?"

Anger flashed across her face and her hands once again clenched and un-clenched.

"My word's worth a lot more than yours is any day pencil dick."

"I'm pleased to hear it. So, do you want to accept a bet? It's not difficult. All you have to do is stand against that wall and do nothing. Accept that bet and I will take that thing off of you. BUT, if you lose, I get to ask you one question and you answer it honestly."

Her eyes zeroed in on me for a moment, trying to figure out my angle. After a while, she slowly paced backwards until her back was against the wall. I turned and walked between both girls and in a whisper said one word as I passed between them and took up my position against the far wall, folding my arms as I rested against it.

Frankie walked towards Samantha and she in turn met her half way. There embrace was as gentle and as loving as I have always seen between them. Frankie raised her head, Samantha lowered hers and they kissed. Gently at first, a moan emanated from somewhere deep inside Frankie which only seemed to spur Samantha onwards. Red was transfixed. Her mouth was open as she stared at both girls, in the middle of the room clearly enjoying a kiss.

Although she noticed me walk towards her, her attention was still on both girls in the middle of the room. Even when I stood directly in front of her to remove the collar she moved slightly so she could still see what the girl were doing. I'm almost sure she didn't hear the click of the now released padlock on the collar, but the girls did and instantly stopped and took a step apart as I walked between them once again and thanked them.

"See you won your bet and got your wish."

Red seemed not to hear me, her hand came away from her side and she took a half step towards the girls before she stopped and lowered her hand once again. I moved to another wall. Frankie gave me a quick nod of the head as I did, we all saw Red in there, she was just below the surface.

"Figured it out yet?"

It took a moment for Red to take her eyes off the girls and look towards me. Both the girls could see just as I could, we all knew Reds body just as she knew ours, we could tell that she was getting aroused. Her mind may be trapped but her body gave her away.

"That your two bitches have the 'hots' for each other you mean? Isn't that expected with a pencil dick like you around?"

Samantha's face was a give away and Frankie moved across her to give her a moment to calm and mask her emotions once again. I moved from the wall to once again keep Red looking at me and not let her get under Samantha's skin. Red watched until I sat with my back against the door, Samantha mouthed the words 'sorry' and her mask came back to her.

"Are you going to open the door now? I won my bet."

"The winning of your bet, is by your feet. You stood against the wall and I undid the thing you can't seem to remember the name of."

It was only when she looked down and saw the collar by her feet that her hand came up and checked her neck. She frowned and she fought so hard to remember me taking it off of her.

"But... I mean how... What the fuck are you doing to me pencil dick? You're creeping me out."

Although the anger in her eyes was clear to see from all three of us, her state of arousal was still clear to see by everyone, but her.

"Ok, answer me this without wrapping everything in riddles like you've been doing. What's it going to take to get that door open and me out of this shit hole?"