“Can you tell us what happened yesterday?”Curtis asked.
“I went home from work a little early because I ...I didn’t feel well.”
Kaleb felt her tense and knew it had to do with their breakup and not being physically sick.
“There was a service truck in my parking spot, so I parked behind the one across the street.It was the only one I could find.I was walking up the driveway to the apartment building and was grabbed from behind...”
Kaleb rubbed his chin against the top of her head.“Take your time.”
She sucked in a breath and continued.“He had a hand over my mouth and one around my waist.He started pulling me in between two dumpsters.Every time I tried to fight, he hit me in the head.”
She looked up at Kaleb.“He blamed me for being in prison.He said he was going to do to me what was done to him there and then slit my throat.”
Kaleb closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her forehead.“He’s gone, Baby.”
She nodded and continued.“He flipped me around to face the wall and pressed me against the brick.That’s when I scraped my face.And then he started pulling down ...pulling...”
“You don’t have to say it, ma’am,” Curtis said and held up a hand.
She nodded, relieved.“It was when I was pushing back against him.I noticed the pepper spray in my hand.I lifted my hand to aim behind me and sprayed.It hit him dead on because he screamed and then released me.I sprayed him again to get past him, he tackled me, and I did it again, and he released me enough to run.All I remember after that was running into a man, a woman officer in the ambulance, and then Kaleb in front of me.”
“Did you always carry pepper spray with you?”Morton asked.
“Yes.It became a habit after the first time.”
“Smart thinking.”
Curtis cleared his throat.“Did you know right away it was the same man who attacked you before?”
“Yes.A person doesn’t forget something like that.”
“You can relax now.I’m betting he’s going away for a long time and definitely won’t get out on bond to wait for the trial, ma’am, so you don’t have to worry about him,” Morton said.
“If you have any questions about the man or what happened the first time, call Joel Howe,” Myla said.
“Yes, we have his information.”
“Any more coffee, guys?”Kaleb asked.
“No.If we think of any other questions, we’ll get in touch.”
Kaleb stood and sat her on the chair.“I’ll show you out.”
Morton turned to Kaleb at the door.“Thank you for letting us come this morning.I imagine it’s hard to see someone you love go through something like that?”
“I won’t ever forget it.”
“Have a good day,” the detectives said and walked off.
Kaleb returned to the kitchen and picked her up again.
“You know you don’t have to have me on your lap all the time?”
He hugged her closer to his chest.“I almost lost you because of that person and my own stupidity.It’s going to take me a while to come to grips with it.”
She cupped his cheek.“We all make mistakes.Can’t we move on from it?”
He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the palm.“I’ll try, Baby.”
