The Handfasting

by David Burnett

  He refocused on the phone call. “May I speak to Dr. Katherine Jackson, please? This is Dr. Steven Richardson. I’m returning her call. She said to ask you to find her.”

  He was on hold for almost a minute and he wondered if the connection had been lost.

  “Steven! It’s Katherine—it’s Katie, Steven. Thank you for calling! Thank you for calling!”

  “Your message sounded important.”

  “I can’t really talk right now. We’re awfully busy…too many people around.” The words came in a sudden rush. “Steven? I do trust you. Last November…oh, I don’t know how to say this, Steven. Last November,” she took a deep breath, “Bill Wilson…and two other men…they assaulted me. I met him for dinner one night—I shouldn’t have gone—and they assaulted me. Steven, I couldn’t talk about it! I only told Becky and Sara, and Aunt Emma. I’m so sorry. I’m not like that girl in England. It was me, not you, Steven. I love you. I do trust you. I just couldn’t…I couldn’t talk about it. They’re going to arrest Bill this afternoon, today, at four o’clock, at the Royal Hotel—that’s where it happened, Steven. He thinks he and I are getting engaged, but the police, they’ll arrest him for what he did. Please understand…”

  “Dr. Jackson, Exam Three! STAT!”

  “Oh, not now! Please…”

  “You need to go, Katherine. We’ll talk later.”

  As Steven walked back toward the gate, he heard Bill still pleading with the attendant.

  “I’m getting engaged this afternoon. My girl is meeting me, at four o’clock. I can’t disappoint her. I must be in New York. Look. Look. I have the ring.” He reached into a pocket, producing a small box. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  “It certainly is, sir. I’m afraid, though, that all I can do is ask if anyone will give up their seat. I’ll make the announcement again.”

  He thinks he’s getting engaged, but he’s getting arrested? Today, at four o’clock? Not if he misses this flight, I’d say.

  Steven stopped at the attendant’s desk. He slapped Bill on the back. “Bill Wilson!”

  Bill spun around to look at Steven.

  “Steven Richardson!” Steven saw that Bill seemed not to recognize him. “We met at the Museum in Richmond last fall. Good to see you.”

  “Uh, good to see you, too.” Bill scowled and turned back to the attendant.

  “You seem to be having a bit of a problem. On your way to New York? To propose to your girl, you say?”

  “That’s right. Look, I’m really busy here. So, if you don’t mind…”

  “And the flight is full? Maddening, isn’t it? I’m glad I have a seat.” Steven patted his jacket pocket. “Well…” He grinned and started to walk away.

  “Wait. Yes. Yes. That’s right. You know Katherine. Squired her around New York for a while didn’t you? Saw you on TV. Well, you know that Katherine and I are old friends, and, well, we’re going to be married. It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m going to propose. Except,” he turned to the attendant, “there’s no seat on the plane for me. So I won’t be there to propose.”

  “All of our flights are full today,” the attendant said. “We can have you out at seven in the morning.”

  “Her parents will be in town then. No. That just won’t do.”

  There was the crackle of static and an announcement came across the PA system. It was barely audible, and on top of that a baby was screaming right beside them.

  Bill looked up. “Was that my name?”

  Both the attendant and Steven shrugged.

  “If it’s important, they’ll page you again,” Steven suggested, then he turned to the attendant. “You’re asking if anyone is willing to give up his seat?”

  “Yes, sir. We’ll put you on the first available flight and give you a free ticket to anywhere in the country.”

  “Today is Valentine’s Day.” Bill put a hand on Steven’s shoulder. “I can’t propose at breakfast the day after! Not with her parents sitting across from us.”

  Steven paused. “Well, we can’t have you late for such a momentous occasion, can we?” He turned to the attendant. “You need a single seat?”

  “Yes, sir, that’s correct.”

  “You can have mine.”

  The attendant’s face brightened.

  “Seriously, sir?”

  “Seriously?” Bill echoed.

  Steven smiled and patted Bill on the back. “Seriously.”

  He took his coupon for the free flight and his boarding pass for the morning flight and strode off. He walked across the terminal and stopped at a newsstand near the gate to find something to read. A few minutes later, as he walked out, the last boarding call for Bill’s flight was announced.

  Steven walked back to the gate and placed his hand on Bill’s shoulder. “Give my best wishes to Katherine. Tell her one thing for me. Tell her to remember the yellow roses.”

  Bill waved him off and hurried through the gate.

  As the passengers boarded, the attendant motioned for Steven to come over.

  “Sir, we’ve a last-minute cancelation on this flight after all. It’s in the First Class section. Would you like the seat?”

  “An upgrade?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Steven grinned. “First Class, eh? Shame it didn’t come up in time for the gentleman I gave my ticket to.”

  The attendant returned his smile. “That it is, sir.”

  ***

  “Katherine!”

  It was three o’clock and Katherine was in the staff lounge. She had put on make-up, had re-styled her hair, and was preparing to leave when the telephone rang.

  “Katherine! It’s Bill!”

  “Bill, what’s wrong?” She suddenly felt tense and her stomach was rumbling. Was he not coming? Had word of his impending arrest somehow leaked?

  “Nothing, nothing’s wrong. I just called to tell you I’m in town, just checked in at the hotel.”

  Katherine sighed, relieved. She leaned against the wall and willed herself to relax.

  “I almost didn’t make it.”

  “What do you mean? What happened?”

  “I had a stand-by seat and the flight was full.”

  Cheapskate.

  “I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for your friend, Steven Richardson.”

  “Steven? What happened?”

  “He heard me trying to explain to the attendant that I needed to be on the flight in order to propose to you. And he gave up his seat. You know, I thought that he would be upset that we were getting married, but he congratulated me, wished us the best. I think I misjudged the man. Misjudged this whole thing. I really think this was meant to be, Katherine.”

  She shook her head and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. He sounded so excited—thought that she was too. If he were anyone else, anyone other than Bill, she could have felt sorry for him, but no, Bill Wilson was going to get exactly what he deserved.

  “Steven is a nice person, Bill.”

  “I suppose so. Oh, he asked me to give you a message, sort of strange. What was it?” Bill paused. “Oh, I remember. Something about roses…remember the yellow rosebush, maybe? Don’t know what that means. Anyhow, I’ll see you about four!”

  “I’ll be there, Bill.”

  Katherine hung up and smiled.

  Remember the yellow roses.

  “I remember,” she whispered.

  Whenever you see a yellow rose, remember I love you.

  Katherine closed her eyes, almost in prayer. “Thank you, Steven. Thank you.”

  “Dr. Jackson?” Amelia looked into the lounge. “Detective James is here. She’s asking for you.”

  Katherine checked herself in the mirror and gave herself a reassuring nod. The detectives were waiting in the hallway when she stepped out.

  “Are you ready?”

  Katherine nodded. “I am. Let’s go.”

  Amelia hugged her. “You’re doing the right thing. I’m proud of you.”

  “Nervous?” Detective James tal
ked as they drove across town, attempting to keep Katherine calm, she supposed. Detective Williams drove.

  “A little.”

  “It’s normal. I always feel a little nervous before an arrest, and I’ve been a cop for almost fifteen years.”

  Katherine saw the hotel ahead. That awful day came rushing back to her. She could feel her heart racing and she began to perspire. She clenched her fists to stop her hands from shaking.

  The detective explained. “Now, uniformed officers will be waiting when we arrive. Don’t be alarmed, though. We won’t need them. They’ll be there, just in case.”

  Right, Katherine thought. We won’t need them, but then again, maybe we will. Comforting.

  “We’ll walk into the bar ahead of you and stand to one side. You’ll come in, alone, as he would expect. All you need to do is to point to him. Point and tell me ‘That’s Bill Wilson.’ We’ll place him under arrest. As soon as we confront Mr. Wilson, you may leave if you want. It might be best if you did. One of the officers will drive you home. Any questions?”

  “No.”

  “We arrested the other two last night, I told you. You should have seen the surprise on their faces.” She chuckled. “Typical. They’re claiming that everything was Wilson’s idea, that he recruited them ‘to teach you a lesson,’ as they said. Said four other guys were at the table when they hatched the plan. Tried to blame them, too.”

  “There were others there when I arrived. The table was full. I saw them drinking a toast as I passed the bar after, well, as I left the hotel.”

  Detective James sighed. “Code of the West or something. Uniformed officers will question them today, if any of them are in the bar. Mr. Kelly says it’s a regular group.”

  They pulled over a block from the hotel.

  “It’s ten of four. Let’s wait.”

  They waited for five minutes. Katherine’s stomach rumbled.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “We’ll go in first—you follow. Just point him out and tell me ‘That’s Wilson.’ Tell me where he is sitting, what he is wearing, anything so that we confront the right man.”

  As they reached the hotel’s front door, Detective James nodded at two uniformed officers. Through the doors, they turned left, toward the bar.

  The room was full, and, standing outside, Katherine did not have a clear view. The detectives entered. She followed seconds later. At the bar, Willy Kelly looked up. His eyes widened as he recognized the detectives, recognized Katherine. He looked toward the other end of the room.

  Bill sat at the same table where he had been in November, in the same chair, with his back to the door.

  Just point him out and tell me ‘That’s Wilson.’ We’ll put him under arrest.

  This was too easy, Katherine decided. Too easy for him. He’d never have to hear what he did to her. They would charge him with holding her against her will, with raping her, but no one would ever tell him all he did to her. No one would tell him that she dreamed about it almost every night. He would never know how much she hated herself, how she’d lost Steven—how she’d picked up the knife.

  Katherine had gone to court with her father many times, and she knew how the system worked. No one could charge Bill with those things, things that, ultimately, were much worse than the physical hurt he had inflicted.

  Katherine pointed. She spoke loudly, to be heard.

  “That’s Bill Wilson. He has his back to us. He’s the only one at the table wearing a suit.” She took a step. “I’m going to talk to him. I’ll nod when I’ve finished.”

  Detective Williams grabbed for her, but Detective James caught his arm.

  “She needs to do this. I’ll follow her. You come from the other side. Wait for her signal—unless he touches her.”

  “Hi, guys.” Katherine strode up to the table, stopping at the empty chair beside Bill. “Where are Arthur and Jimmy?” she asked. “I would certainly enjoy seeing them right now.”

  Bill turned, jumping to his feet. “Katherine! My wife-to-be. My love.” His voice boomed across the room, and people turned to look. He reached out to hug her, and she allowed him this. A uniformed officer entered the bar through the other door and approached the table from behind.

  “Sit down, Katherine. You remember everyone?” Bill pulled her chair out, but Katherine remained standing. She nodded at the four other men.

  “You and Bill are getting married we hear,” Guy said. “He’s been telling us about the wedding and the honeymoon.”

  “Has he really?” Katherine put a hand on Bill’s shoulder. “He needs to let me in on the plans, too. Maybe we’ll have time to talk after dinner.”

  “Didn’t sound like he was planning on doing much talking after dinner.” Bill—Bill Number Two—smirked.

  “I imagine he’s not.” Katherine nodded. “So,” she turned to face Bill. “I guess we should talk now.” She took a step back. “I want to see the ring.”

  “Here? Now? I’ll give you the ring at dinner.”

  “Now, Bill. I know the guys have seen it. Show me the ring. Now.”

  Katherine’s heart was pounding and she was struggling to stay calm. She noticed the puzzled expression on Bill’s face as he extracted a small box from his pocket and pulled the top back. He held it up for Katherine to see. She reached out and took it from him.

  “That is one large rock, Bill. It really is.” She closed the box and handed it back. “Do you think it is payment enough for the hell you’ve put me through?”

  Bill’s four friends gasped, and the people at the next tables suddenly stopped talking and turned to look.

  “Katherine, what do you mean?” Bill looked confused.

  “What do I mean?” She stepped toward him, her hands on her hips. “I mean that you raped me, Bill Wilson! You pretended to be sick, I helped you to your room, and you raped me!” Her voice was loud now, and others were turning to look.

  “Do you know what my life has been for the last three months? Dreaming about you, and waking up in a cold sweat? Sitting at the window of my apartment, hours on end, looking over my shoulder as I walked along the street, terrified that you and your friends were coming after me?”

  She took a deep breath and looked around the room. Other conversation had completely ceased, and all eyes were turned toward her. “This hotel, it’s between my apartment and the subway. I haven’t been able to walk past it in three months without being sick! I have driven away the only man—the only man—I have ever loved! Because of you. Because of what you did to me.” She stared at Bill’s blank expression. “Do you understand any of this?”

  “Katherine, I…I told you, you know, I, I was drunk.” Bill was stammering, but he regained control and his voice rose. “Anyway, it was your fault. Yours. If you had only had the decency to be grateful…”

  Bill reached toward her, but she pushed his hand away.

  “Drunk? Not your fault? You planned it. You!” She turned to the table, pointing at each of the other men in turn. “And you, you, you, and you! All of you! You sat at this table, and you plotted what you would do to me. Two of your buddies joined in. You drank a toast when it was over!”

  She turned back to Bill. “Why was that, Bill? Why did you have the others join you? You didn’t think you could handle me by yourself? Or was it just more fun with a group?”

  Bill stepped toward her so that their faces were practically touching.

  “It doesn’t matter, Katherine. The why doesn’t matter at all. You are damaged goods. You are ruined. No one else will have you now.” He laughed. “It’s me or no one—and frankly, I’m beginning to lose interest.”

  Katherine slapped him, the smack, she was sure, could be heard across the room.

  “Steven Richardson loves me. You gave me the message yourself. He will marry me.” She took a deep breath. “And if not, then being an old maid is still better than crawling into bed with a snake like you at night, better than having your children, bet
ter than having to pretend that I don’t want you dead every day of my life.”

  Katherine turned to Detective James, gave a quick nod, and stepped away.

  The room was silent. Bill looked to the four men sitting at his table. “Are we going to let her talk to me like that?” When no one answered, he looked around the room. “Can she get away with talking to me like that?” Again, no one stood to support him. He glared at Katherine. “My next phone call will be to my Aunt Betty. You’ll rue this day for the rest of your life.”

  “William Robert Wilson?” Detective James held out her badge.

  Bill turned. “Who are you?” he growled.

  “I’m Detective James, New York City Police. William Robert Wilson, you are under arrest. You are charged with the unlawful confinement and rape of Katherine Lee Jackson. Put your hands behind your back.”

  As her partner placed his hand on Bill’s shoulder, two of the other men started to stand. Detective James turned and held out her hand. “You gentlemen remain seated.” She motioned to the uniformed officer who stood directly behind them. “This officer needs to talk with you.”

  Bill suddenly jerked his right shoulder forward, pulling away from Detective Williams. He rammed his other shoulder into Detective James’s chest, knocking her to the floor. As she fell, he looked across the room and scowled at Katherine. Then, elbowing his way through the crowd, he started toward her, pure hatred filling his face.

  Detective Williams lunged for him, grabbed the collar of his coat, and pulled him down. But Bill slipped out of his coat, punched the detective, and pushed him away.

  Weaving between the tables, knocking chairs out of the way, he lunged his way toward Katherine. The crowd scattered and people screamed as he shoved them out of his way. An off-duty police officer blocked his path, but Bill lowered his shoulder, plowed into the man, and kicked him aside.

  Katherine quickly pushed past the bar and through the door into the lobby, but Bill caught her in a flying tackle. They crashed to the floor. She rolled over, sliding free, but he caught her hair and dragged her back into the bar. Katherine shrieked and struggled to free herself. As he flipped her onto her back, a hand tightened around his throat, and another hand grasped his belt.