Kat smiled and nodded. “Lovely to meet you all.”
Brent walked up behind them. “Happy birthday, Kat.”
“Thanks, Brent.” Kat beamed. “Everyone’s here. Come inside. Thanks so much for coming.”
“We wouldn’t miss your sixteenth for the world, Kat.” Damon hugged her and gave her a leather case and a folder. Neither of them were wrapped.
Laura shook her head. “I asked you if you needed wrapping paper.”
Damon shrugged. “I didn’t. Kat still needs to open them.”
Lucas chuckled. “He’s never been one for the wrapping.”
Damon nodded. “It’s what’s inside that counts.”
Kat opened the large leather case to reveal six rubber knives, starting with a knife the size of a switchblade up to a carving knife. Tears filled her eyes as she threw her arms around Damon, still holding the case in one hand. “Thank you!”
“Training you how to defend against them is part of your present. Open the folder.”
Kat read the vigorous training schedule. “Oh my God! Thank you!”
“A quarter to five isn’t too early? I’ll meet you here, and we’ll run for an hour. You’ll keep one of your new gis and a spare uniform at work. It’s fine if you go to aerobics all sweaty. Karate and most of it are fine too, but clean clothes and a shower if you get a break.” Damon smiled cheekily.
“I can do earlier! This is fantastic! Running, weights, karate, aerobics, gymnastics, weapon training. Wow!”
“A quarter to five is perfect. You still need to get some sleep. We’ll meet at six on Saturday mornings. Sunday is your day off, so you can enjoy Saturday nights with your friends and family. Now, Dad has something to give you.”
Lucas smiled, “I sure do.” He handed Kat a parcel wrapped in black paper with a gold ribbon, just right for Knightly Karate.
Kat carefully opened the parcel. This gi was different to the others. The badge was embroidered on by hand, not by machine. The stitching was impeccable. Kat’s jaw dropped.
“This gi is made by my niece Violet. She makes all our formal gis. This is for special ceremonies, gradings and tournaments.” Sensei Lucas handed Kat an envelope. “You will wear it to the grading assessment next month.” He turned to Chelsea and handed her an envelope. “You’ll be going together. I’m very proud of both of you. This is just an assessment with the grading four weeks later, but I’ve seen you both every Friday, and you will be sent for grading.” His eyes twinkled, “It doesn’t mean you can slack off at the assessment, though.
Kat was too thrilled to giggle at his joke. “Thank you, Sensei Lucas!” Kat hugged Lucas, then Chelsea. “We get to go together!”
Chelsea beamed. “I’ve been training hard. I think I’m ready. Thanks, Sensei Lucas.”
“My pleasure, Chelsea. You are ready.”
Damon looked at Brent. “Your turn. These are probably the most important presents of them all.”
Brent nodded and took out a jewellery box with a pair of stud earrings. He held one stud in his hand. “These earrings have a tracking device and emergency button. If you ever feel in danger from others or yourself, press the button, and an alarm will go off on most of our phones. We’ll be able to see your exact location from the tracking device. Both earrings are the same, so if you lose one, the other will work. These are yours, Chelsea. We all need to keep you safe.” Brent placed the earring back in the box and handed it to Chelsea.
“Thanks, but Kat will be in more danger.”
Brent nodded and took another box out of his pocket. “That’s true. That’s why Kat’s also contain a listening device.” He put his hands up slightly to indicate peace. “I know it’s a violation of privacy, but so many things could go wrong with Adam, and I know you’ll eventually want to be in more dangerous situations than that. If you need privacy, let me know and I can turn it off, but any time you’re working on a case, it needs to be on.”
Eric nodded. “We think it’s the best way to keep you safe at all times, Kat. It will all mostly go to a computer file. We’ll just listen to what we need to. If you and Chelsea are talking girl talk, we can turn it off.”
“Can you show me how to turn it off, please? I’ll leave it on most of the time.”
Brent looked at Eric.
“You’ll need to promise to leave it on around Adam or anyone else who could be dangerous.”
Kat nodded. “I promise. Thank you all for supporting me.”
Damon walked over and put his arm around Kat. “We’re all in this together. This is the team. This is our cause.”
Eric started clapping and everyone joined in.
Brent smiled cheekily. “As much as I love being the stereotypical computer nerd, if I’m one of this elite team, I’m probably going to have to get fit.”
Damon grinned and put his arm around Brent. “Say goodbye to your belly, buddy. You can’t say things like that around here without getting a training program.”
“And a whole heap of personal trainers,” Connor put in. “But that starts tomorrow. Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
12
Damon parked his black Ford Territory out the front of a large, older style home. He turned to Kat, “Are you ready?”
Kat smiled. “Absolutely. Let’s do this.”
“We can bend the truth with Stephanie a little. Amy’s married to a cop. I’m sure he’ll check everything we say after we leave.”
“We’ll tell them both the same story. We won’t lie. We’ll just leave Emily and our cause completely out of it. Okay?”
Damon smiled and nodded. “Okay.”
They walked up the path. Damon was about to ring the doorbell when a boy yelled, “Mum! There’s someone at the door.”
“I’m coming!” Stephanie opened the door. She had a baby strapped to her chest and looked confident, fit and happy; nothing like the photos they had seen of her before. She looked at their black uniforms with Knightly Karate Gym embroidered onto them in gold. “We’re a Tae Kwon Do family. I didn’t think Knightly Karate door knocked.”
Damon smiled. “We don’t. We’re here to find out information on Adam Swanson. He’s interested in Kat here. Could we please speak in private?”
“Of course. Cooper, can you please keep an eye on the others?”
“Yes, Mum.”
Stephanie stepped outside and shut the door behind her. “He must have changed. Kat isn’t his usual type. She appears too confident.” She turned to Kat. “Has he hit you during sparring?”
“No. He’s trying to help me. My confidence has grown a lot since I started working at Knightly Karate.”
“Unless he feels responsible for it, he won’t like that. He helped me gain confidence. When I stood up to him, he took it all away. Be careful of him. How old are you, Kat?”
“I just turned sixteen.”
“Just get away from him. He’s bad news. He will destroy you!” The baby started to cry as she felt her mother’s tension.
Kat shook her head. “He’ll go after someone else. I know he’s good at martial arts. I’ve seen photos of you and Amy, the girl after you. He also hit their daughter.”
Stephanie hugged her baby into her chest. “Oh, God, no!”
“They’re okay now. Amy left him for a police officer,” Damon smiled.
“Thank God. What exactly do you two want?”
“We want to stop him. He chose me. I aim to make him regret ever hitting any girl. I want to scare him into stopping,” Kat answered.
“But what if he hurts you? He’s a terrible person but a good fighter.”
Damon shook his head. “He won’t get more than a hit in. All our staff members know about it. My father is Lucas Knightly. Have you heard of him?”
Stephanie smiled. “That’s where I know your face from. Your hair is different. It suits you though.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve watched him online against his brother Jacob Knightly. They’re amazing. His brother looks much older than him though. He must
have been young when he had you. Will Sensei Lucas be watching them?”
“On Fridays when he comes to Lorikeet Meadows. I can handle myself. We also have a third and fourth dan working with us. Kat will be safe. We’re training her for this,” Damon answered.
Stephanie frowned. “I don’t like it. He’s clever. When did you get your black belt, Kat?”
Damon spoke for her. “A few months ago.”
Kat put her hand on Damon’s shoulder. “Sorry, Sensei Damon. I’ll be going for my black belt assessment this month. Sensei Damon’s been training me. He says I’m better than a black belt and will grade easily. Adam knows my kata is good, but I doubted myself in kumite. I was attacked on New Year’s Eve, the year before last. I don’t want anyone else to go through that. I know you don’t either. Fate put Adam in my path. It’s my job to deal with him. Please, help me. How can I make him attack me? I’d much rather do this on our terms, not his.”
Stephanie nodded. “I’m so sorry you were attacked. Adam wants to be the boss. He has ‘little man syndrome’ big time.” She looked at Sensei Damon. “You and your father are the most beautiful men I have ever seen in my life. Use that. Adam gets really jealous. He can’t think straight and will lose control of himself. Kat, have both Adam and Sensei Damon been training you?”
“Sensei Damon, Sensei Lucas, Sensei Connor and Sensei Dereck have been training me. Adam’s been teaching me hook kicks just so he can touch me. He’s been sparring with me and holding back. He’s trying to get close to me by pretending to help me. He’s taught me hook kicks and a little kumite, but nothing that could really work in self-defence.”
Stephanie’s eyes opened wide, and a broad smile came across her face. “You are a clever girl. Don’t let him know that. Give Sensei Damon a hug in front of him without making it obvious. It would drive him nuts.” She turned to Damon. “I hope you can protect her. What dan are you?”
Kat answered for him. “Sensei Damon’s just come back from Afghanistan. He was special ops. He outclasses both Sensei Connor and Sensei Dereck in karate, and everyone knows it. He will keep me safe. He’s saved my life before.”
“Oh my God! He saved you when you were attacked?”
“Um, it was something else, but I trust Sensei Damon with my life.”
Stephanie looked at Damon and crinkled her nose. She turned to Kat. “Have you gone up against other men after your attack? Did he save your life because he put you in danger?”
“No! It’s nothing like that. Sensei Damon is a good man. I hurt myself after my attack.” Kat pulled up her left sleeve and showed Stephanie the scar she made when she slit her wrist. “Do you remember the girl who was killed in the sand dunes about six weeks ago?”
Stephanie stared at her wrist. “Yes, but what’s that got to do with…”
“I was Emily Jones. I freaked out when I saw the news and went into a kinda trance. The world was just so bleak. Hopeless. Sensei Damon found me and saved my life. I needed something else to stop me from ever doing this again. Basically, I need to stop the bad people. Sensei Damon has promised to help me with that. I need to stop Adam and anyone who preys on others.”
“Oh my God. That actually makes a lot of sense. I hope this helps. Adam isn’t as bad as Brandon Underhill. I’m sure he’s one of the most hated men in the country. We were all praying for you. If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. Just make sure you’re not alone with him.”
“I’m never alone. I’m either at home with my parents, at work, or running with Sensei Damon. I sometimes go to my friend’s place, and I need to go for a prac for my course, but that’s it.”
Stephanie smiled. “You need to stay safe, Kat.” She turned to Damon. “You need to keep her safe.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Cooper opened the front door. “Mum, Darien needs help on the potty.”
Stephanie smiled. “I better go.” She put her hand on Kat’s shoulder. “You stay safe. I believe you can make a difference. Call me if you need any more information or just someone to talk to. Don’t go hurting yourself again. It was an honour meeting you.” She turned to Damon, “Look after her.”
“Absolutely. Thanks for everything.”
Kat hugged her without squishing her baby. “Thank you.”
Damon waited until Kat did up her seat belt and grinned cheekily. “You just couldn’t help yourself.” His grin turned into a smile. “Well done. It would’ve been hard to say, but it helped Stephanie understands why we’re doing this. Are you up to seeing Amy now? I know we have information but…”
“Amy was his wife and his last relationship that we know of. He also hit their daughter. If there’s anything else we need to know, she’ll know it. We need to do our research properly. I’m happy to go now,” Kat replied.
Damon smiled and started the car. “It’s not too far. Hopefully, her husband’s not home.”
Damon parked behind a blue Commodore. “I’m not sure we’ll be able to speak with her if they have visitors, but we’ll see.
They started walking up the path, and the door opened. A man and woman in their late twenties stepped out of the door.
The man smiled and turned around to face the couple inside the doorway. “Aren’t you two popular today? More visitors. Karate instructors, by the looks of things. Are you trying to up your hand-to-hand combat skills, Kev? Behind my back and all.”
“If it were behind your back, they wouldn’t be arriving as you were leaving, Gareth.” Kevin, about six foot one and obviously worked out, walked out of the door. Both men walked over to Damon and Kat. The women stayed at the door, one just inside the house and the other just out of it.
Gareth eyed the Ford Territory. “They came directly here.”
Kevin nodded. “How may I help you?”
“I’m Damon Knightly. This is Katerina Chase. We work at Knightly Karate Gym obviously. We’d like to speak with Amy about Adam Swanson.”
Kevin’s muscle’s bulged. “My wife does not need to reminisce about that monster. The things he did to her and our little Ashley. I want you both to leave. Now!”
“He’s after me!” Kat blurted out. “I just turned sixteen. He’s been trying to groom me. We want to make sure I’m the last girl he ever tries to hurt.”
Kevin crouched down a little, so he no longer towered over Kat. “I’m so sorry. Please, come inside. I’m Kevin and this is my partner, Gareth.”
Gareth smiled, and his blue eyes twinkled. “We’re both cops, but we’re off duty. This is between us.”
“As wrong as it is, the cops can’t do much about an old bastard grooming a sixteen-year-old. Innocent until proven guilty and all that crap. But if a karate instructor beats the crap out of him, most of us will look the other way. I doubt he’d even report it,” Kevin said.
Gareth put his arm around the dark-haired woman standing by the door. “Vicky, babe, could you look after the kids for a bit? Maybe take them out the back. We need to talk with Amy and these two in private.”
Vicky nodded but didn’t look happy. “Okay.”
“Boring shop talk, babe. Nothing exciting.” Gareth let his hand wander to her bottom before taking it away.
Vicky gave a half-smile. “You’re never off the job, are you? I guess I should be used to that.”
Gareth put his arm around her and pulled her in for a kiss. “Part of being one of the good guys, babe.”
Vicky kissed him again. “Yeah, I know.” She went inside. “Hey, guys. Let’s play outside.”
Kevin opened the door. “Please, come in. This is the love of my life, Amy.” He crouched down and looked Amy in the eyes. “That mongrel’s trying to groom Katerina here. They want to stop him and need our help. He won’t come anywhere near you or Ashley. I promise.”
Amy hugged her husband and let go. “I’ll be okay.”
“This is Katerina and Damon,” Kevin introduced.
“Please, call me Kat.”
“Please, take a seat.” Amy waited unti
l they had all sat down. “Adam can be so very charming, but it’s all an act. He made me trust him by going out of his way for me. He said I was his best friend and the only one who understood him. He made me feel that he was the only one who understood me. He got me to tell him things that annoyed me about my friends and family. He used that to get me to walk away from them. When they were gone, he was all I had.”
Tears came to Kat’s eyes. “That’s terrible. We want to stop him from ever doing that to anyone else.”
“How can you stop him? You’re tiny, and he can fight.”
Damon leant forward. “I’ll stop him.”
“You do know he’s a black belt in several styles? It could be a close fight,” Amy warned.
Kevin took Amy’s hand. “I don’t need to know his belt to see he could beat Adam.”
Gareth’s eyes twinkled. “And he’s packing. A gun beats fisticuffs any day of the week.” He turned to Damon and cocked his head. “Military?”
“Ex special ops. I’ve been back a few months now. You’re decent cops, reading me so well. You’re the second family we’ve visited today. I didn’t know what we’d be walking into, and I’m not risking Kat. She will be safe. I’ll kill him if I need to, but doubt it will come to that.”
“Adam’s a coward. He beats women and children. He won’t go up against you,” Kevin said.
“He’s hit women during sparring at other martial arts clubs. We’re hoping he does that to Kat,” Damon explained.
Amy shook her head. “If he’s grooming her, I doubt it. He’ll try to get her alone.”
Kat put her hand up slightly. “Stephanie told us he gets jealous and to hug Sensei Damon in front of him without making it obvious that we’re doing it for his benefit. Will that make him hit me in the dojo?”
“I doubt it. It would make him furious though. I don’t know what he’ll do. He got jealous if I even said hello to another man, especially if he were about my age. Damon’s looks would probably infuriate him, and if he knows he’s better than him at karate…”
Gareth grinned, and his eyes sparkled. “Oh, Amy. I’m sure he’s better than Adam in every way.”
Our Cause (Let the Monsters Live in Fear Book 1) Page 9