© February 2013

Part One

Chapter One: Not a happy ending

    Jon Vaines was just eleven when his life changed for the second time. The first had been three years earlier when his parents were killed in a car crash, which just left him and his sister. Hannah Vaines, Jon’s sister was just leaving school, so she found a job and was able to claim custody of Jon, so he didn’t end up going into care. They had been like most brothers and sisters before that happened, always arguing and trying to get the other in trouble, but the death of their parents had changed all that, and they were as close as two people could be now.

    Hannah had found work as a maid for a wealthy family called the Nobles. Eleanor and Keith Nobles were alright to work for; well as alright as it could be working for a family that wheeled as much power as the Nobles did in a small town like Charmington.

    The one person in the house she didn’t like to be around was their son Kevin Nobles, he always looked at Hannah like he was undressing her with his eyes, and Hannah always tried to not be in a room with him alone. Kevin could have any woman he wanted, as most would go on a date just to get taken to a nice restaurant, but as much as he tried to talk Hannah into going on a date with him, she always turned him down saying that she needed the job and didn’t want to risk losing it.

    The Job paid her enough money to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table. Hannah was also doing some evening classes at the local college, so she could look at getting a better job in the future. Jon would go with his sister to the Nobles house when he wasn’t at school, so he could help out where he could, and just spend time with his sister. It was on one of these visits when he was eleven that his life was ripped apart.

    Hannah had been asked to cater at a party the Nobles was having one evening, and she couldn’t find anyone to keep an eye on Jon, so she took him with her to the Nobles house.

     “I need you to stay in here and keep very quiet Jon, or I could get in a lot of trouble if the Nobles found out I’d brought you to a party at their home.” Hannah warned as she led Jon to a small room just off the main kitchen.

    The Nobles house was massive and it had fifteen bedrooms and three kitchens, so Hannah thought that Jon wouldn’t be found in this room as it was just a place the staff used when eating their meals while on break, and none of the Nobles ever went in this room.

    Jon had some homework to do, and he also had his PSP to play on, so he knew he wouldn’t get bored while his sister was working, and she could check in on him from time to time while she came and went with food and drinks for the guests.

     “I know the routine sis.” Jon smiled up at his sister as he got his school books out and started his homework.

     “I’ll bring you some snacks and a drink later in the evening.” Hannah smiled just before she grabbed Jon’s head and kissed him on the forehead.

     “Sis...!” Jon whined as he pulled his head away and started rubbing his forehead like she’d left lipstick or something worse where she’d just kissed him.

     “Just letting you know how much I love you baby brother.” Hannah giggled as she left the room, closing the door behind her.

    Jon smiled as he made a start on his homework. He wished he could help his sister bring money into the house, but she’d told him to focus on getting good grades and this would lead to him getting a much better job when he left school. Jon was a smart child that got good grades, but he didn’t have many friends due to his small size. He’d been mistaken for a girl more than once due to the fact he’d let his hair grow long and he tied it back in a ponytail. Jon also liked to help his sister by doing some of the cleaning and helping with the meals at home, sometimes he’d even cook the meals at home so Hannah could relax and rest up after a busy day at work.

    Jon had finished his homework and was playing on his handheld games system later in the evening when he saw a very angry Hannah enter the room with a plate of snacks and a glass of pop for him.

     “Is everything alright sis?”

     “No it’s not.” Hannah said as she slammed the plate and glass down on the table.

     “I haven’t left the room all evening sis.” Jon said thinking he’d done something to get her in trouble.

     “It’s nothing you’ve done bro.” Hannah sighed as she plopped down in the seat next to Jon. “It turns out that the party is something Kevin is throwing for some friends of his.” Hannah added with a frown.

    Kevin Nobles was just eighteen, but he liked to party, and his parents would let him do whatever he wants, to whoever he wants, and no one could touch him. Kevin had been caught drunk driving a number of times and he never got charged for it. He’d even knocked a woman over once and she was the one that got charged for jaywalking, even though Kevin couldn’t even stand up, he was so drunk.

     “I thought the music was a little loud for Eleanor and Keith.” Jon commented, as he could hear the music blasting out, even in this room that was located at the other end of the house.

    One rule that Kevin never broke, or let any of his friends break was the rule that none of them were to enter some parts of the house, and this kitchen and small room where Jon was now was one of them, so Hannah knew that Jon would be safe just as long as he didn’t leave this room and enter the other parts of the house.

     “If I’d known beforehand, I never would have agreed to work this evening.” Hannah frowned. “It’s like a frat party out there, and I can’t see his parents being happy when they see what some of his friends have done to the dining room table.” She added. “Letting a stripper dance on it in high heels was bound to leave marks.”

     “They have a stripper?” Jon asked as his mind filled up with images of naked women. Jon had seen lots of pictures of naked woman, but he was too young to have seen one in the flesh so to speak.

     “I don’t think they are real strippers, but they act like them, once they have a couple of drinks.” Hannah frowned. “Most of them look and dress like cheap hookers.”

    Jon’s mind started to form a plan that would get him a look at some of these women his sister was talking about, but he was soon snapped back to reality when his sister worked out what he was doing.

     “Don’t even think about trying to get a look at them baby brother.” Hannah warned.

     “I wasn’t...!” Jon lied.

     “I know you to well, and that is exactly what you were just thinking about doing.” Hannah smiled as she tapped him on the nose.

    Jon went to argue with her, but decided that there was no point as she knew him to well. “I promise.” He ended up saying with a sigh.

     “I hope that they will all be too drunk to notice me leaving soon, so we can get out of here and go home.” Hannah said looking hopeful as she got to her feet and left the room to go carry on serving drinks to Kevin’s guests.

    Jon carried on playing his game and trying to blank out the loud music he could hear from the party, but the more he thought about the party, the more he wanted to see what it was like. He had is cell phone on him, which was also a camera, so he thought it would earn him some street cred if he could get some photos to show the other kids at school. Jon wasn’t very tall for his age, and he was picked on a lot at school, so he didn’t have many friends and he thought that this might earn him a couple once they found out what he saw every once in a while, so with his mind made up, Jon pulled out his cell phone and went in search of these sexy sounding women his sister had told him about.

    Jon followed the sound of the music, as it got louder Jon knew he was on the right track and he was soon sneaking through rooms and hiding from guys who were screaming and cheering for another guy to drink down a large glass of beer. They were all too busy getting drunk to notice him and he was soon getting some nice pictures of almost naked girls doing things that he knew their parents wouldn’t be happy with.

    He was just about to make his way back to the other end of the house when he had to hide in a cupboard because he saw Kevin enter the room and he didn’t want to get seen by him. Kevin knew who Jon was, and he’d tried to use Jon a couple of times in the past to make a move on his sister.

    Kevin sat down on one of the couches in the room and Jon could see that he was going to be trapped in there for some time, as it didn’t look like Kevin was going anywhere anytime soon, as a girl he’d brought into the room with him fell to her knees between his legs and she started doing something that Jon couldn’t see, but he had a pretty good idea that the girl was doing something with Kevin’s privates.

    Jon stood and watched what was going on in the room for a short time, but he soon got bored and sat down. Jon thought he must have fallen asleep because when he woke, all the music had stopped and he could hear a group of guys talking. He was still waking up when he heard the voice of his sister.

     “Have any of you seen my little brother?” Hannah asked sounding panicked.

     “Why the hell would we have seen you stupid baby brother?” Kevin asked sounding very drunk. “Why don’t you do your job and get us all some more drinks.” He added.

     “I think you’ve all had enough.” Was Hannah’s reply.

     “Who the hell do you think you are to tell me when I’ve had enough to drink you stupid little bitch...!” Kevin snapped.

    Jon had gotten to his feet and was about to leave the closet when he saw Kevin lunge for his sister. Jon was across the room, and saw it happen through the small gap in the slightly open door. Jon watched Hannah easily step out his way, but she was soon being held by another one of Kevin’s drunken friends.

     “Get your hands off my sister you asshole...!” Jon screamed as he burst out the closet and started punching the guy that was now holding his sister.

     “Get lost squirt.” The guy said as he let go of Hannah with one arm and pushed Jon away from him with enough force to send Jon flying backwards to the ground.

    Kevin and his friends were soon laughing as they watched Jon get to his feet again and try to make the guy holding his sister let her go. One of Kevin’s other friends was soon pulling Jon away when they saw him start to kick the guy holding his sister and it looked to be doing more damage than his punches were.

If you want to skip the rape scene scroll to the next double stars

     “I think I need to teach you a lesson about not bringing your family to one of my parties.” Kevin said as he stepped up to where Hannah was being held by the guy still. “You know I’ve always wanted to know what it would feel like to give you one.” Kevin added as he grabbed Hannah’s face and squeezed her cheeks together.

    Hannah didn’t waste anytime trying to stop him by bringing up her knee and making contact with his balls. Kevin hunched over in pain and was rewarded with another kick to his face. This just seemed to make him angry as he was soon pulling Hannah to the ground as he ripped her clothes away like they were made out of tissue paper.

    Jon was trying to get loose from the guy holding him, but due to the large size of the guy holding him, and his own small size, Jon was forced to look on as Kevin Nobles raped his sister. Jon looked around at the other guys in the room, hoping that one of them would step in and stop Kevin, but they all just cheered him on and some were even filming it on their cell phones.

    Hannah had been fighting him to start with, but she was soon just lying there while Kevin got his revenge on her for kneeing him in the nuts and then the face.

     “That was one tight little pussy you had there baby.” Kevin said in a slurred tone as he got to his feet and did up his pants again.

    Jon tried to get free of the guy holding him, but he was still unable to move. Jon looked at his sister hoping she would get to her feet and they could finally leave, but Hannah just looked up at the ceiling with her eyes open and her mouth half open.

     “Hannah....! Hannah...! Get up...!” Jon screamed as tears ran down his face.

     “You might need to give her a minute kid; I think I was too much of a man for her to deal with.” Kevin said sounding proud of himself as he turned to look at Hannah still not moving on the ground. “Don’t just lay there bitch, get up and get us those drinks I asked for.” Kevin added as he kicked Hannah in the side.

    Hannah still didn’t move so one of Kevin’s friends knelt down and felt for a pulse. He was soon backing away from the body like he’d been burnt by it though. “Shit man, you killed her...” He screamed out in panic.

     “Yeah right.” Kevin said with a sick sounding laugh like he knew his friend was just trying to play a prank on him.

     “Oh shit Kev, he’s right, she’s dead.” Another friend said after he couldn’t find a pulse either.

    Kevin was soon back down on his knees as he tried to make Hannah wake up, but he soon felt far more sober when he realised that he’d killed her. Kevin had gripped his hands around Hannah’s throat as he drove his penis into her, and he tried to stop her screaming and fighting, and at some point in the middle of it all she had choked to death.

    The guy holding Jon had let go of him in the middle of finding out the girl was dead, so Jon was now down on his knees at the side of his sister trying to wake her up.

     “Please sis, wake up.” Jon said through sobs of tears and he shook his sister’s lifeless body.

     “She’s gone kid.” Jon heard someone say, but he just kept shaking her.

     “I’m going to make you all pay for this.” Jon snarled as he jumped to his feet and started punching Kevin.

    Kevin just slapped Jon across the face with the back of his hand, sending Jon flying to the ground again, but just as he hit the floor, Jon saw that one of the guys that had been filming the rape had dropped his cell phone on the ground, so Jon grabbed it and clutched it close to himself. He realised that none of them had seen him do it when none of them tried to make him give it back, so he slipped it into his pocket and crawled over to be with his sister.

    Jon lay with his sisters dead body waiting for the police to arrive, but it was a couple of men in dark suits that turned up with Kevin’s parents, but before Jon could do anything he felt a prick in the back of his neck and he found himself falling asleep.

    Jon was groggy when he woke to find himself in his bed back at home. Thinking he’d just had a bad dream, he was worried when he sat up and saw that he was still dressed in the same clothes he’d been wearing at the Nobles house, so he jumped off his bed and ran to his sister’s room.

    He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his sister’s body slumped on the bed, but the thing that he noticed was the needle stuck in her arm like she’d been taking drugs, and there were other things that pointed towards his sister being a drug user spread around the room.

    Jon grabbed the phone on his sister’s bedside table and called 911. The police and paramedics arrived and Jon tried to tell them what happened, but no one believed him to begin with, that was until he found the phone in his pocket and he showed one of the officers the footage of Kevin Nobles Raping his sister and the fact she stopped fighting half way through.

     “I told you she didn’t take a drug overdose.” Jon said as he watched the officer as he watched the video evidence of what really happened.

    If Jon thought this would get Kevin arrested and charged with murder, he was very wrong. The video went missing and the officer denied ever seeing it when the case went to court, and Hannah’s death was ruled as accidental death due to drug use. The officer involved was the new chief by this point.

    Jon was put into foster care, but he wouldn’t stop trying to make people understand about his sister. Jon soon came to realise the town of Charmington was under the thumb of the Nobles, and Kevin was untouchable by the law. Jon was moved out of the state and he found himself being fostered by a woman that ran a shady business that catered to business men and women looking for a good time. He knew that the Nobles had something to do with this and he swore to get his revenge on the Nobles if it was the last thing he did. He soon found himself on a cocktail of drugs to keep him compliant while Karen Jones, his foster mother had him dress up in different costumes to entertain some of her customers.

    Jon found himself playing the part of anything from a school girl to a baby for the men and women Karen offered her escort services to, and not once did Jon ever see a social worker to complain, not that he could, being so out of it on whatever cocktail of drugs he was on, and it had been a couple of years since it all started.

    He’d tried running away a couple of times, but the dependency on the drugs made him return to Karen and he would just get punished for running away. The only thing that stopped Jon from ending it all was the thought of having his revenge on the Nobles at whatever cost. Jon thought that one day he would be able to get away from Karen, then he would make Kevin Nobles and his friends pay for what they did.

    One of the ways Karen started using to stop Jon trying to run away was to make him dress as a girl all the time and none of the outfits were what a normal thirteen year old girl would wear. He found himself dressed as a very sissy looking girl, but it never worked the way Karen wanted due to Jon looking too much like a girl, rather than a boy in a sissy dress so all the women that worked for Karen started calling him Josie, and soon they all forgot that Josie was actually a boy called Jon.

    Jon, now Josie learned to answer to that name and he was soon being treated like one of the girls, but Karen still picked on him and kept him drugged all the time to stop him causing anymore trouble for her. Josie would follow Karen around like a zombie and do whatever she asked.

Chapter Two: An act of kindness

    Josie had been at the market with Karen doing some food shopping when Karen bumped into an old friend that use to use Karen’s escort service, so they went for a coffee.

     “How have you been keeping Debbie?” Karen asked once they had their drinks and had found a table in a corner of the restaurant away from everyone else.

    Debbie had a friend with her called Emma Stead. “I’ve been fine and I’d like you to meet my old school friend Emma Stead.” Debbie said as she pointed to her friend that looked more interested in Josie than anything the other two had to say.

     “Hello Emma, it’s nice to meet any friend of Debbie’s” Karen said with a smile as she held out her hand for Emma to shake.

    Emma shook Karen’s hand and gave her a smile, but it was a fake smile and Josie could see that this woman didn’t like Karen one bit. “It’s a pleasure.” Emma said just before she pulled her hand out of Karen’s and wiped it on her napkin. “And who is this pretty little thing?” Emma asked as she looked at Josie again.

     “Don’t mind him, he’s a little simple, but he likes to dress as a girl so we call him Josie.” Karen said, taking any opportunity to put Jon down.

     “He...?” Emma asked looking shocked to find out that this pretty looking girl was really a boy. “Is he alright, he looks ill.” Emma added when she saw that he was wearing makeup to hide dark rings under his eyes, and he looked a little too skinny, like he wasn’t being fed enough.

     “He’s fine, aren’t you Josie?” Karen said as she slapped Josie on the arm making him flinch away looking worried.

    Emma had to bite her lip so as not to say something that would just get the poor child in more trouble, but she had already decided to rescue the child away from this evil woman. Emma had been told about some of the things Karen Jones offered people as well as companionship. Her friend Debbie had stopped using Karen’s escort service when she found out about some of the other services. Debbie had also cursed under her breath when she bumped into Karen again after all this time.

     “I am fine, thank you for asking.” Josie said sounding like a robot with no real feeling in what he said.

     “Do you hire the child out?” Emma asked looking interested in doing so if the answer was yes.

     “Everything is possible for the right price.” Karen smiled back thinking about the money she was soon to make off Josie. “He is available for everything except intercourse.” Karen pointed out. “He’s too young for that, if you know what I mean.” Karen added in a tone that said even that was available at the right price.

    Emma actually threw up a little bit in her mouth as she felt the acidic taste in the back of her throat and she fought the urge to slap Karen across the face for even thinking such a sick thing. “I just like the idea of seeing what it would be like to have a daughter.” Emma explained her reason for showing interest in Josie.

    What Emma said was partly true because a childhood illness had left her unable to have children of her own and she had helped a number of children in the past, thanks to being left a small fortune by her parents when they died in a plane crash five years ago, and she was an only child, so she didn’t need to work anymore. Emma was now twenty nine and she was starting to wonder what it would be like to have a daughter of her own to spoil, and something about this child just called to her.

     “Poor Emma is unable to have children of her own.” Debbie said, but she soon shut up when Emma gave her a look that said she didn’t want this woman knowing anymore about her than needed. “I’m sorry Em.” Debbie added just before she went back to sipping her coffee.

     “How long would you want him for?” Karen asked, putting a nasty sounding edge to the word ‘him’.

     “A week to start with, but I’d like the option on keeping her for a month, maybe longer if things work out.” Emma said in a matter of fact way, but Emma was fighting a smile when she saw the dollar signs in Karen’s eyes.

     “I’m not sure that will be possible, I do have other customers that like to spend time with him.” Karen said trying to make it sound expensive for Emma to have Josie for that length of time.

     “I’m sure we can come to a suitable price that will allow you to find some other way to keep your other customers happy.” Emma said to let Karen know this was going to happen, but she needed to name her price. “So how much will it cost me, and please stop referring to the child as being a Male when you have her dressed looking so pretty.” Emma added in a stern tone that made Karen look worried.

    Karen frowned and went to speak, but stopped when she saw Emma get her cheque book out. “She’s got to be worth five hundred dollars a day.” Karen said, but she sounded doubtful about being able to get that much for Josie.

     “I’ll give you enough to cover for thirty days then.” Emma said as she wrote out a cheque for fifteen thousand dollars and handed it over to Karen.

    Karen looked at the cheque and wished she’d gone higher now, but a deal was a deal, and she was still getting money from the Nobles to keep the little brat drugged up and out of trouble. This just meant she was getting paid double for the child.

     “I can have hi... Her ready to leave with you tomorrow.” Karen said only just remembering to correct herself before she called Josie a boy in front of this crazy woman willing to pay so much money just to play pretend with some boy she wanted to think of as a daughter.

     “I’ll follow you back now and help her get her things packed up.” Emma said like it was an order and not a request.

     “But I need to make sure this cheque is good before I can let you take her.” Karen said looking worried as she held up the cheque.

     “Do you doubt I have the funds to cover such a small amount?” Emma asked sounding angry. “We can soon fix that.” She added as she snatched the cheque back and rose to her feet.

     “I didn’t mean I don’t trust you, it’s just bad business to let goods go without knowing you’re going to be paid.” Karen said as she tried to snatch the cheque back, but Emma was too quick for her and the cheque was quickly in her purse out the way.

     “Let us go to a bank so I can draw out the cash for you then, but I will be taking Josie with me today.” Emma said as she looked at her friend Debbie and then Karen.

    Karen was quick to get up out her seat, but Debbie just remained seated. “I’ll wait here; the bank is only a couple of doors down.” She shrugged just before taking another sip from her coffee.

     “Come along Josie, we don’t have all day.” Karen said as she pulled a sleepy looking Josie to her feet and then started to make her way over to Emma as she left the restaurant and headed towards the bank a couple of doors down.

    Karen was soon grinning from ear to ear as she stepped out the bank with a brown envelope with fifteen thousand dollars in it.

     “If you follow us back to my house, we can get Josie’s things packed up for you.” Karen said as she went to take Josie by the hand so she could go to her car.

     “If you don’t mind I will take Josie with me now you have the money.” Emma said in a tone that said she didn’t trust her now. “Or you can give me back the money and then you can take Josie in your car and I’ll meet you there.” Emma added sounding smug with the fact she already knew this nasty little woman wanted the money more than the child.

     “No it’s fine for you to take Josie with you.” Karen said as she got a small note pad out her purse and wrote down her address.

     “I’ll let you go back home and start packing her things then, and I’ll go and collect Debbie and meet you there in a little while.” Emma said as she took Josie by the hand and led her away without waiting for Karen to answer.

    Karen patted the side of her purse and had to fight not to start screaming, she was so happy with how much money this little brat was earning her on top of all the money her other girls made her, and she would keep getting paid from the Nobles for the next month as well.

    Debbie smiled when she saw Emma walk back into the restaurant with Josie holding her hand. “What are you playing at Em?” Debbie asked when she saw her friend had a smirk on her face.

     “I think that evil bitch has this poor child on some sort of drug, and I hate the way she was treating the child.” Emma said as she sat down and then watched as Josie just stood and waited to be told what to do. “Please take a seat Josie.” Emma added as she pattered the seat next to her.

    Josie sat down like she was in a trance of some sort and she just looked off into space like she didn’t have a care in the world.

     “Do you want something to eat before we take you back home to collect your things?” Emma asked.

     “I’m fine thank you for asking.” Josie said in the same robot sounding voice as she’d used before when she’d been asked a question.

     “Does she ever say anything else?” Debbie asked as she remembered that was what she had said the last time she spoke when they first sat down with Karen to have their drinks.

     “How old are you Josie?” Emma asked as she looked Josie in the eyes.

    Josie just looked right through Emma for a couple of seconds, and then she looked confused like the question was too hard for her to answer. “I don’t remember.” Josie finally got out through gritted teeth, like the thinking process was just too hard for her.

     “Don’t worry about it, I’ll help you remember.” Emma smiled as she took hold of Josie’s hand.

    Josie pulled away looking worried. She wasn’t thinking clearly, but she did know that this new woman had just paid for her, and she didn’t trust anyone these days.

     “I’m sorry Josie; I didn’t mean to scare you.” Emma said as she held up her hands to show the child she didn’t mean her any harm.

     “You don’t plan to let her go back to Karen do you?” Debbie asked when she saw the way Emma was with Josie.

     “I don’t know how that evil little bitch got her hands on this child, but she won’t do any more damage to her.” Emma growled. “All she wanted was the money, she never even asked me for an address or who I was.” Emma pointed out. “My name could have been made up, and I doubt she’d remember my last name if you called and asked her this minute.” Emma huffed.

     “So you don’t plan to go over to Karen’s home and collect Josie’s things then?” Debbie asked looking a little shocked at what her friend was about to do.

     “Oh no, I plan to go and collect her things, but only because I plan to have Karen arrested for abuse and whatever else I can dig up on her.” Emma promised.

    One of the many companies her father and mother had owned before they died was an investigation company that looked into cheating partners among other things, and Emma planned to put a team to work tracking down how a boy named Jon ended up being dressed as a girl and being called Josie. Emma also wanted to get Josie checked out with a doctor to find out what drugs Karen was giving him, even if he did look happy being a girl called Josie.

     “It couldn’t happen to a nicer woman.” Debbie grinned as she was all for Emma getting Karen arrested.

     “Do you want me to drop you off at your home before I make my way over to this woman’s house to collect Josie’s things?” Emma asked.

     “I think I’ll come with you, so I can be a witness to anything that might happen while you’re there.” Debbie said looking worried for her friend.

     “I so wish for her to start, if only to give me a reason to have a go at her.” Emma smiled.

    Emma had been trained by her father to look after herself, and had won tournaments in various forms of martial arts.

     “Maybe I should protect Karen from you then.” Debbie giggled.

     “Would you really want to try and do that though?” Emma smirked.

     “No, but I would like to see you knock her down a peg or two.” Debbie grinned.

     “I will do that Deb’s, but it will be done in such a way as it will hurt her more than me hitting her.” Emma started to explain. “The way to hurt someone like Karen Jones is to take away their money because that is all they care about. I saw that when she was so quick to leave me with Josie while she ran off with fifteen thousand dollars.”

     “She did look a little pale when you snatched that cheque back off her.” Debbie remembered.

     “She wasn’t much better once I got the cash for her, and she looked ready to run away when I said that Josie was coming with me and I’d meet her at her home later in the day, or she could give me the money and she could take Josie.” Emma frowned. “She sees Josie as nothing more than a meal ticket to earn her money.” Emma added with disgust.

     “Do you think Josie might be a runaway that she’s keeping drugged to stop him talking to anyone?” Debbie asked as she looked at Josie looking off into space slack mouthed.

     “I don’t think she’s keeping Him against his will, but there must be some reason for keeping him drugged up like this.” Emma said as she waved her hand in front of Josie’s face, not getting much of a response.

     “Why are you treating him like a boy after the way you spoke to Karen earlier?” Debbie asked looking confused.

     “I just said that to knock that bitch down a peg because I didn’t like the way she was treating Josie.” Emma said with pain in her voice. “If he still wants to be a girl once we get him off whatever drugs it is she’s giving him, then I’ll help him do it properly.” Emma added as she held out her hand and waited for Josie to place her hand in it.

    Josie noticed the offered hand and he looked confused for a couple of seconds before he reached out with his own shaky hand and let Emma take hold of it. Josie even gave Emma a little smile like he was happy to be with her.

    Karen must have been looking for them arriving because she stepped out of the house when she saw a top of the range BMW pull up outside her house. The look on Karen’s face said it all, and she should have asked for more money to loan Josie out for a month.

     “Did you find the place alright?” Karen asked as she looked at Emma getting out the car while Josie remained sat in the back of the car. Emma could tell by the way Karen was now looking at her car, that she wanted to say ‘nice motor’ rather than wait for an answer to her question.

     “Yes, I just programmed your address into the onboard computer and she guided me straight here.” Emma smiled as she stroked the roof of her car just to make Karen a little more jealous about it.

     “How much did she cost you?” Karen asked, not even bothered to ask how Josie was doing.

     “Do you have Josie’s things packed and ready to go?” Emma asked like Karen hadn’t just asked her a question.

     “Yes they're just inside the doorway.” Karen said looking a little put out by Emma’s lack of conversation, but she was soon turning and walking towards the house with Emma following close behind while Debbie waited with Josie in the car.

     “I’m sorry to rush you, but I have a meeting to get to across the other side of the city later in the day and I don’t want to get stuck in traffic if I can help it.” Emma said as a reason for rushing Karen along. The real reason was the fact Emma just didn’t like the woman.

     “All the clothes she’ll need are in that bag, and this makeup case has all her medication in it and a list of what she needs to take when.” Karen explained. “Don’t forget to give them to her, or she can get a little worked up.” Karen warned as she walked back out the house and over to the back of Emma’s car so they could place everything in the trunk.

     “I’m sure we’ll cope just fine.” Emma smiled as she closed the trunk and then walked back around to the driver’s side and got in the car without saying another word to Karen.

    Karen just turned and made her way back up onto the porch that ran along the front of her house and then entered the house without even bothering to wave or even smile at Josie or the other two women.

     “That bitch is unbelievable.” Emma said as she started her car and pulled out the driveway. “She never once bothered to ask me where I live, or for any proof of whom I was.” Emma added as she shook her head.

     “I’m sure she will feel different about that by the time you’ve done with her.” Debbie grinned as she looked over from the passenger seat.

     “You can count on it.” Emma grinned back just before she looked at the zoned out child sat in the back of the car looking out the window like he had given up on life all together.

     “Where are we going?” Debbie asked when she saw that they weren’t heading towards either of their homes.

     “I want to take Josie and get him checked out by Lisa. I also want to know what the hell these drugs are as well.” Emma frowned.

    Emma was soon pulling into the parking lot of the hospital where her friend Lisa worked, and they got out the car and went in search of her.

     “Emma, Debbie...!” A woman in a white lab coat said when she saw the two women enter her room with a young girl following close behind holding Emma’s hand.

     “Hi Lisa.” Emma said as she gave her a one armed hug because Josie wouldn’t let go of her hand. “I need a big favour from you.” Emma added in a pleading tone.

     “Sure, what do you need?” Lisa asked as she looked at Josie trying to work out who the girl was. Lisa knew that Emma liked to help out the local homeless kids, and she wondered if this was one of them. Even though the child didn’t look homeless with how she was dressed, but she did look a little old for the outfit, as it was designed for a much younger looking girl.

     “Can you run some tests on this person for me? I think someone has been keeping them doped up.” Emma explained. “They gave me these pills and said I’m supposed to give them to him at these times.” Emma added and let it slip that Lisa was looking at a boy and not a girl.

     “To him...?” Lisa asked, not missing the little slip Emma just made. “You mean to say that this is actually a boy and not a girl?”

     “I don’t have to many details, just that I’m rescuing him from an evil bitch of a woman that I plan to have arrested just as soon as I find out what she’s been up to, but to start with I need to find out just what sort of drugs she’s been pumping him full of.” Emma said angrily.

    Josie had started to flinch away from Emma as her tone rose in pitch and she sounded more and more angry. Emma noticed this and she calmed herself down again.

    Lisa took the bottle of pills off Debbie who’d been carrying them for Emma and she looked at each of them. “I’m not sure where this mystery woman was getting them from, but none of them are what they say they are on the bottles.” Lisa said as she looked at one of them. “I know for a fact that this one is a birth control pill designed for teenage girls.” She added as she held up one of them between her thumb and finger. “This would explain the reason for me thinking I was looking at a girl and not a boy.” Lisa frowned.

     “I think the pretty face, long hair and pretty pink dress might have been the biggest giveaway.” Debbie said sarcastically.

     “Nice to see that time hasn’t changed you Deb’s.” Lisa grinned as she playfully slapped Debbie’s arm.

     “How long will it take to get the results so we can help wean him off whatever it is he’s been given?” Emma asked looking worried for Josie who was now cuddled into Emma for protection after seeing Lisa and Debbie playing around slapping each other.

     “Normally a week, but the guy that heads up the research department has been after a date with me for a couple of months, so I should be able to get them by tomorrow, but you will owe me a big favour for this.” Lisa said as she wagged her finger at Emma playfully.

     “Just name your price Lisa.” Emma said. “What do I do about giving her any more of these pills in the mean time?” Emma asked.

     “I’d just carry on until we get the test results back, just in case she... I mean he has any withdrawal symptoms.” Lisa warned. “The last thing we want to do is hurt him anymore by sending him cold turkey.” She added as she looked at the pills again with a worried look. She had a pretty good idea what a couple of them were, and if she was right they would need to wean Josie off them very slowly.

    Lisa got Josie to take a seat so she could draw some blood and then she sent Josie off to the bathroom to give her a urine sample. Once that was done and Lisa had the samples labelled up, Emma, Debbie and Josie left to go home while Lisa made her way down to sweet talk the lab guy into fast tracking the results for her.

     “I thought we were heading home?” Debbie asked as she watched Emma pull the car into a strip mall parking lot.

     “We are, but I want to get Josie some more suitable clothes to wear.” Emma said as she looked at the pink dress with all the white lace that looked more suited for a girl half Josie’s age.

     “Do you want us to come in with you?” Debbie asked.

     “No, wait here, I shouldn’t be too long, and I think Josie is getting ready for a nap looking at her.” Emma pointed out as she looked at Josie as she fought to keep her eyes open in the back of the car.

     “Good point, I don’t think she’d be much use to you.” Debbie whispered as she looked over and watched Josie lose her battle to stay awake as her head fell back and her breathing became softer.

    Emma wasn’t gone long before she returned to the car with a couple of bags with different clothing shop names on them. She placed them in the trunk of the car before she got behind the wheel and made her way home.

    Debbie offered to go back to Emma’s place with her, so she could help get Josie into the house and into bed to rest properly.

    Emma pulled into the garage and then she opened the car door and pulled a still sleeping Josie out and carried her into the house while Debbie opened the doors as they went. Josie was so light that Emma had no trouble carrying her up to one of the many guest rooms she had in the house.

    Debbie pulled back the covers and Emma placed the sleeping child in the bed and then covered her up again before leaving the room with Debbie walking just in front of her.

     “I should be fine now if you want to get off.” Emma said as they got down to the kitchen and Emma put the kettle on to make a drink. “You can borrow the beamer if you want?” Emma added as she held up the keys to her car.

     “I was thinking of stopping for a couple of days to see if you needed any help looking after Josie.” Debbie said looking hopeful that her friend would want the help.

     “I don’t think he could cause that much trouble, but the company would be nice, and I think you’ve got a soft spot for the child as well.” Emma grinned as she saw her friends face light up now she knew she could stay.

     “I feel the same as you, but I don’t think I’d have had the guts to do what you did.” Debbie admitted looking sad.

     “I’m not sure I would have before today, but something was telling me that I needed to help get that poor child to safety.” Emma said looking a little confused as to what had driven her to do what she did, but she was glad she had now she’d spoken to Lisa.

    Emma made them both a drink and then they returned to the bedroom where Josie was sleeping and they settled down to wait for him to wake. Emma was hoping he might be a little more focused, so she could get some answers as to why he was with Karen Jones in the first place.

 

To Be Continued Next Friday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 © February 2013

Part Two

Chapter Three: Who are you?

    Josie woke and looked confused as he couldn’t remember falling asleep, and the bed felt too nice to be his, so he cracked open his eyes worried that he had fallen asleep with one of Karen’s customers, but he found himself to be alone in the bed. His head didn’t feel as foggy now and he remembered that Karen had rented him out to another woman and she was much nicer than Karen ever was to him.

     “Hello, how are you feeling now sweetie?” Emma asked when she saw Josie look at her.

     “Who are you, and what is it you want from me?” Josie asked with fear in his voice as he pulled the covers up trying to protect himself a little more.

     “I want to help you, and you’re totally safe here with me and my friend.” Emma said in a calm quiet voice as she got up out the chair she’d been sat in and then sat on the edge of the bed.

    Josie had become very untrusting of everyone in the past couple of years, but there was something about this woman’s smile that put him at ease and he was happy to let her brush some stray hairs out his eyes.

     “Will you send me back to Miss Karen when you get bored with me?” Josie asked looking worried.

     “No, but I do want your help in getting her arrested for what she’s been doing to you.” Emma said. “Did she take you from the streets?” Emma asked.

     “No, she’s my foster mother, but no one ever comes to check up on me.” Josie explained. “I was given to her when I wouldn’t keep quiet about my sister and how she was murdered.”

     “What happened to your sister?” Emma asked.

    Josie explained in great detail what he saw and how the police and everyone in the town covered it up just to keep their jobs and to stop Kevin Nobles going to prison for it.

     “As soon as I’m old enough, I plan to return to Charmington and kill Kevin Nobles for what he did.” Josie added at the end.

    Emma could tell by the look in his eyes that he was serious about it. “You’ll need a plan if you want to get away with it and not get caught.” Emma pointed out as she played along with him for the time being to earn his trust. She would talk some sense into him later, once he was not pumped full of drugs and confused.

     “Em’s...? Can I have a quick word with you out in the hallway?” Debbie asked before she could say anything else to Josie.

     “Sure.” Emma said looking over her shoulder at her friend. “That’s my best friend Debbie.” Emma added as she stood up and followed Debbie out the room.

     “What the hell are you saying? You can’t make it sound like getting revenge by killing someone is a good idea.” Debbie said in an angry whisper.

     “I need to earn his trust, and right now he needs to think that I’m on his side when it comes to getting even with the man who killed his sister.” Emma explained. “Once we have him off the drugs, then I can start work on talking him out of it.” She added with a smile.

     “Just as long as I don’t find the two of you running off to kill this Kevin Nobles whoever he is.” Debbie frowned.

     “Don’t worry, if we do, I’ll get you to drive us there.” Emma grinned making a joke of it just before she turned and walked back into the bedroom.

    Debbie wanted to call out to Emma, but she was worried about upsetting Josie, so she kept her mouth shut and followed Emma back into the bedroom where they found Josie now sat up on the edge of the bed looking around the room.

     “I hope this room will do you for the time being?” Emma asked as she joined Josie on the bed.

     “It’s a really nice room.” Josie said. “Much better than the little place I normally sleep in the basement back at Karen’s.” She added with a shudder.

     “She keeps you in the basement?” Debbie asked sounding shocked.

     “Yes, Miss Karen keeps me locked down there most the time.” Josie said in a matter of fact way.v

     “How are you feeling now? Are the drugs wearing off any?” Emma asked trying to ignore Josie’s comment about him sleeping in the basement of Karen’s house.

     “Things do seem a little clearer now, but I still feel confused about what’s real and what’s a dream.” Josie said with a shake of his head.

     “Do you remember meeting my friend Lisa and the tests she did on you?” Emma asked.

     “Yes, I think so.” Josie said looking deep in thought as he tried to remember what had happened earlier in the day.v

     “I’ve bought you some new clothes if you want to get changed?” Emma said as she pointed at the shopping bags across the other side of the room. “I’ve even got you some boy clothes if you want to get away from pretending to be a girl.” Emma smiled to let Josie know that it was okay for him to look like a boy again.v

     “Really...?” Josie asked looking shocked to hear this.

     “Sure, you can be whoever you want to be while you live here with me.” Emma smiled some more.

    Josie was soon up off the bed and looking through the shopping bags and pulled out a pair of boy’s jeans and t-shirt and some boys boxers like he use to wear before Karen got her hands on him. He was excited to be dressing like a boy again right up until he felt how scratchy everything felt on him, and then he found himself wishing that his boy clothes felt as nice as the girl clothes he’d been wearing all these months.

    Once he was dressed he walked over to look in the full-length mirror he saw on the back of a door to a walk in closet. This is when he got another shock when all he saw was a pretty girl trying to look like a tomboy, and not doing a very good job of it. He just let out a sigh and then walked back to the bed and sat down looking defeated.

     “What’s wrong?” Emma asked.

     “I still look like a girl, even with boy clothes on.” Josie sighed again.

     “I’m sure you would look more like a boy if we cut your hair.” Emma pointed out as she picked up a hand full of Josie’s long blonde hair.

     “But I like my hair long; it reminds me of my sister.” Josie said as he slid away from Emma looking worried, but Emma could see something else in his eyes as well.

     “Do you like pretending to be a girl Josie?” Emma asked with a smile.

    Josie just looked at Emma like she was maybe trying to trick him, but he finally gave her a little nod to say yes he did like pretending to be a girl.

     “Do you want to try on the girl’s clothes that I bought you then?” Emma asked.

     “Yes please.” Josie said as he got to his feet and walked across the room and removing the t-shirt as he went. He was soon naked again, but he didn’t look bothered about there being two women in the room with him as he removed the girl’s clothes from the shopping bags and started to get dressed.

    First he stepped into a pair of white cotton panties and then he slipped on a silky vest style top before he pulled out a pale pink short sleeved blouse and slipped that on and did up the buttons at the front. He then pulled out a denim skirt and stepped into that before pulling it up and then doing up the button and then the zip. The last items were some ankle socks and a pair of pink trainers.

    He walked back over to the mirror once he was fully dressed and he actually smiled when he saw himself this time and nothing felt scratchy this time.

     “Does that feel any better Josie?” Emma asked as she watched him pose in the mirror.

     “Yes thank you Miss Emma.” Josie said as he walked across the room and knelt at her feet before he kissed her hand.

     “What did you do that for?” Emma asked as she pulled him up again and sat him on the bed next to her.

     “That is how Karen taught me to show my thanks to anyone that did something nice for me.” Josie explained looking worried that he might have done something wrong.

     “Just a simple thank you will do from now on sweetie.” Emma said as she took hold of Josie’s hand. “I must admit that you do look much prettier dressed like this than in those boy’s clothes you were just wearing.”

     “Thank you Miss Emma.” Josie smiled back looking happy for the first time since she met him.

     “Please, just call me Emma, or Em like Debbie does.” Emma grinned as she looked at Debbie stood in the door way watching them get to know each other.

     “You can call me Debbie or Deb as well.” Debbie smiled at Josie, which earned her a smile in return.

     “Hello Debbie.” Josie said with a little wave. “It’s nice to meet you.” He added sounding more like a girl than a boy.

     “Are you hungry?” Emma asked as she rose to her feet and then held out her hand to help Josie get up. Josie looked at the time like it wasn’t time for him to eat yet, something that Emma didn’t miss. “Did Karen only let you eat at a set time?”

     “Yes she did.” Josie whispered sounding worried again.

     “We eat when we’re hungry around here.” Emma grinned as she dragged Josie out the bedroom and down towards the kitchen with Debbie leading the way.

    Josie was soon sat at the breakfast bar while Emma and Debbie sorted out dinner for them all. Josie even giggled as he watched the two of them playing around. Josie hadn’t seen this sort of thing since before his sister died and she would play around with some of the staff at the Nobles house on her break when he was at the house with her.

    Once the meal was ready they all sat down to eat, but Emma and Debbie noticed that Josie’s hands had started to shake, and he was looking a little pale like a junky in need of a fix.

     “Are you feeling alright Josie?” Emma asked looking worried.

     “No not really.” Josie said through gritted teeth. “This is how I get just before Karen gives me my evening pills, and it’s already a couple of hours past the point she would give them to me, but I like being able to think clearly.” Josie whined because he really didn’t want to take them anymore.

     “My friend Lisa is working out what the pills do to you, so you won’t have to take them very much longer, but for the time being it would be best if you carried on taking them.” Emma said with pain in her voice due to her not wanting to see Josie become the robot type person he was when she first met him earlier in the day.

     “Okay, but can I wait until I’ve finished eating before I take them?” Josie sighed.

     “Sure, just as long as you’re not in any pain.” Emma sounded worried for Josie, which made Josie smile at the fact someone was worried about him.

    Josie managed to eat most of what was given to him, but he was soon taking the hand full of pills from Emma and washing them down with a glass of water. It didn’t take long for him to zone out and Emma helped him get to bed again where he was soon fast asleep.

    Debbie found Emma sat at the side of Josie’s bed a little later in the night and she could see that Emma had been crying.

     “Are you alright Em?” Debbie whispered as she pulled up a chair and sat down next to Emma.

     “No Deb, I’m far from being alright.” She whispered back sounding very angry. “I’m going to help Josie get his revenge for what was done to him and his sister.” Emma added with determination in her voice.

     “I know what I said earlier, but you can count me in.” Debbie said as she took hold of Emma’s hand and looked just as determined as Emma did when she looked Emma in the eyes.

    The two women left Josie to sleep so they could make their way down to the kitchen so they could have a glass of wine while they started to form a plan to help Josie get her revenge on the people who wronged her and killed her sister.

     “The first thing we need to do is help Josie get off those drugs, and while we do that, I will have a team find out as much as they can about this Nobles Family and their son Kevin.” Emma said through gritted teeth as she thought about all the different ways she wanted to hurt him at that very minute.

     “Are you going to let him carry on dressing as a girl while he recovers?” Debbie asked.

     “I think we can both see that Josie is a girl to look at, and calling her a boy is just cruel.” Emma frowned.

     “I must admit that he did look like a pretty girl trying to be a boy when he had those clothes on earlier.” Debbie giggled. “I’m sorry; I know it’s not a laughing matter.” She added as she tried to get control of herself.

     “Don’t worry about it; she did look funny dressed as a boy.” Emma agreed as she used the female term for what Josie was.

     “So we’re going to think of Josie as a girl then?” Debbie asked with a smile.

     “Do you think we could keep referring to her as a boy when she looks so cute and girlie?” Emma asked.

     “I’ve been having trouble seeing Josie as anything but a girl since we first met her, so I don’t have any trouble with it.” Debbie agreed. “I do think we will have our work cut out for us though, as I doubt she’s been shown very much about being a teenage girl.” Debbie warned.

     “Very true.” Emma agreed. “I think we should just treat her like a blank canvas and show her everything.”

     “I just hope Lisa can find some way to get her off those pills without too much suffering.” Debbie said as she looked up at the ceiling in the direction of the bedroom where Josie was sleeping.

     “If anyone can, it will be Lisa, or she will know the right people to help her.” Emma said with confidence in her friend.

     “What do you plan to do about the dressing though, and the fact she is still really a boy?” Debbie asked.

     “We focus on getting her off the drugs and thinking with a clear head, and then we can look at finding out just how much of a girl she really is. We have all the time in the world to help her out.” Emma smiled.

     “What do you plan to do about Karen when she comes looking for her?” Debbie asked looking worried.

     “I plan to get the police involved so we can get her on tape admitting to everything she’s done to Josie.” Emma grinned. “You do realise that Karen will come looking for you first though, due to you two having some history together and she doesn’t know where I live.” Emma pointed out.

     “I’ll have a word with David and see if he can spare a couple of his guys to keep an eye on me until we get this sorted out.” Debbie said not looking to worried by the fact she could be in some danger. David was Debbie’s brother and he ran his own security company that specialised in protecting high profile people. “You do know he’ll want to have a couple of his men keep an eye on you as well.” Debbie added with a grin.

     “David should know by now that I don’t need looking after.” Emma smirked.

     “I really can’t understand why you keep playing so hard to get Em; you know that he’s had a crush on you since high school.” Debbie frowned.

     “I know, but I’m just worried about spoiling our friendship if it didn’t work out.” Emma whined.

     “That would never happen, and it would be fun having you as my sister in-law.” Debbie grinned.

     “Sister In-law...? That would mean marriage and we’ve not even been out on a date yet.” Emma gulped as she looked a little pale. “Don’t go getting ahead of yourself.” She added.

    Debbie just started giggling as she threw her arms around Emma and started calling her sis. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to offer to protect you himself.” Debbie grinned.

     “I’d be happier if he was the one keeping an eye on you.” Emma frowned.

     “David spend more than an hour with me?” Debbie laughed. “I will need protection then, from him.” She added with more laughter.

     “True, you do seem to wind each other up still.” Emma agreed as she thought about all the times they had got each other in trouble and fallen out over the smallest of things, but David still came running when ever his little sister was in trouble. Debbie was actually a year older than David, but she was only five feet three inches tall, where as he stood at a little over six, so he always called her his baby sister, just one of the many reasons they still argued a lot.

     “Do you want me to give him a call and fill him in on what’s going on then?” Debbie asked as she stepped over and pulled her cell phone out her purse and waved it in front of Emma’s face while grinning like a Cheshire cat.

     “Alright...” Emma sighed in defeat. “Give him a call, but ask him to come over so we can explain in person. I’m not sure how he’ll feel about helping us once he finds out about Josie being Transgendered.” Emma added looking worried.

     “He’ll be fine with it.” Debbie said like she already knew how her brother felt about such matters.

     “How can you be so sure?” Emma asked with a raised eyebrow. “He doesn’t like to...?” She started to ask.

     “Oh god no!” Debbie said as she burst out in a fit of giggles when she realised what Emma was getting at. “Please don’t put that image in my head.” Debbie said as she closed her eyes and started shaking her head from side to side as she thought of her brother in a dress.

     “Then how can you be so sure he will be okay with it all?” Emma frowned.

     “He has a friend from his days in the marines whose transgendered and is now a woman, but please don’t go saying anything to anyone about it.” Debbie said in a whisper, even though they were the only two in the house other than Josie who was fast asleep upstairs. “She works for David, so you might even get to meet her once you explain everything to him; he did a lot of research into the subject when Lesley first came out to him.” Debbie added with a proud smile for her brother, which was a rare thing to see given how much they argued.

     “Have you ever met this Lesley?” Emma asked looking more interested in finding out more about this friend of David’s.

     “No, but David and I did talk about it when he couldn’t think of anyone else to confide in.” Debbie shrugged.

     “He confided in you?” Emma asked looking a little shocked to hear that.

     “We talk a lot about stuff like that, I can be a good listener when I want to be and play the big sister.” Debbie said in a hurt tone, but she was soon grinning again, so Emma knew she hadn’t hurt her friend’s feelings too much.

     “You better give him a call then and invite him over.” Emma said just before taking another sip from her wine glass. She watched as Debbie pushed some buttons on her cell phone and then waited for David to answer the other end.

     “Hello brother dear, I love you too,” Debbie said in a sweet voice when she heard him answer his phone. “I’m round at Em’s place and she seems to be in a spot of trouble and could use some help from you.” She added in the same tone of voice. “I thought that would change your tone.” Debbie giggled. “She wants you to come over now, if you’re not too busy? We’ll see you soon. Bye...”

     “I take it he’s coming over then?” Emma asked, not that she needed to, having heard what Debbie just said.

    Yes, he was all ‘what the hell do you want’ until I said you needed his help.” Debbie grinned. “Then it was ‘I’ll be right over.” Debbie added in a deep voice trying to sound like her brother.

     “I guess the least I can do is let him buy me dinner after all this.” Emma sighed.

     “Now that would make his day.” Debbie giggled as she clapped her hands together excitedly. “I would say you should buy him dinner, but I know my brother to well, and he’d never let a lady pay for a meal.” Debbie added.

     “I know; that is one of the things I find so sweet about him.” Emma smiled.

    Emma got up to answer the door when someone rang the bell, she looked through the spy hole and saw it was David, so she took the chain off and opened the door to let him in.

     “Hi David.” Emma smiled as she let him in and then gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

     “Hi Em’s.” David grinned when he broke the hug with her. “What trouble you been getting into now?” He asked with the same grin plastered on his face.

     “You better come into the living room and take a seat so I can explain it all to you.” Emma said looking more serious now as she led the way into the living room where Debbie was sat with a glass of wine in her hand.

     “Hi sis.” David smiled as he took a seat next to her on the couch, while Emma took a seat on the other couch facing them both.

     “Hello brother dear.” Debbie smiled back at him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I told Em’s a little about your friend Lesley.” Debbie warned.

     “Why would you do that?” David asked looking angry. “She’s no different to any other girl.” He added in his friends defence.

     “She only told me because it bears some relevance to what I need to talk to you about.” Emma said as she stepped in to stop David having a go at his sister.

     “Just what kind of trouble are you in Em’s?” David asked looking worried.

     “I was out having lunch with Deb’s earlier today when we bumped into a woman that runs an escort agency that your sister used to use.” Emma started to explain.

     “You use escort agencies?” David sniggered as he looked at his sister. “I thought you said you were a chick magnet sis?” He asked smugly.

     “I am.” Debbie frowned as she punched her brother in the arm. “I only use them when I need a date to fool mum and dad into thinking I’m straight.” Debbie explained.

    Debbie was a lesbian, but her parents didn’t know anything about it, so to keep the secret Debbie would hire a guy from an escort agency whenever she needed a date for a family get together. She found it was better to have some guy from an agency, rather than give some poor boy the wrong idea by just hooking up with someone in a bar. She could also pick through a list to find the right guy to impress her parents.

     “I could set you up with a couple of guys from work if you want me to.” He offered.

     “That could get complicated when they find out I don’t go that way though bro.” Debbie pointed out. “I don’t do guys remember, and they always expect it to get there at some point.” She sighed.

     “True, but what has all this got to do with Lesley and this trouble Em’s in?” David asked looking confused.

     “If you shut up and listen, she will explain.” Debbie said sarcastically.

     “Sorry, please continue.” David said as he looked at Emma to carry on explaining.

     “Debbie had explained to me some time back why she stopped using this woman’s escort service, so I knew who it was the minute Debbie said her name, but the thing that made me angry was the way she treated the young girl she had with her.” Emma said through gritted teeth as she thought about the way Karen Jones had spoke to Josie when they first bumped into her at the mall.

     “Why did you stop using this woman’s escort service?” David asked as he looked at his sister.

     “I found out she was into some very shady things which involved children.” Debbie said.

     “Did you report her?” David asked sounding angry.

     “It was just rumours I’d heard, so there was nothing I could do.” Debbie said in her defence. “And the evil bitch was way too smart to get caught.” Debbie added sounding angry.

     “So what’s changed then?” David asked as he realised that they must have something to use against her now, and wanted his help to use it against her.

     “The young girl this woman had with her was actually a young boy, but she was treating him like dirt and calling him a boy, just to embarrass the poor child, not that he realised any of this due to him being drugged up on a cocktail of drugs she’s been feeding him.” Emma explained.

     “How do you know all this?” David asked.

     “Because the child is asleep up stairs in a guest bedroom.” Emma said in a matter of fact way.

     “You stole the child away from this woman?” David said looking worried.

     “No, I’ve kind of rented the child off her for a month, not that I plan to give her back.” Emma said looking serious about it.

     “You’ve paid this woman money to rent a child off her...?” David asked with anger in his voice. “Do you realise how many laws you’ve broken by doing that?”

     “I had to do something to rescue the child.” Emma snapped back. “And I’d do it again if I had to.” She added.

     “Did you sign anything?” David asked as he tried to get his anger under control. He wasn’t so much angry with Emma; it was more over the fact that anyone could treat a child like this and just rent them out.

     “No, she never even bothered to ask me where I live.” Emma frowned. “She was just interested in getting her hands on the money I was offering.”

     “How did you pay her this money?” David asked.

     “I wrote her a cheque, but she wouldn’t let me take the child until it was cleared, so we ended up going to a bank so I could cash the cheque and pay her cash. The money grabbing evil bitch.” Emma spat out the last part angrily.

     “Be grateful she is, because that means there is no money trail to lead her back to you.” David pointed out. “May I ask why you keep referring to this boy as a girl if he was being forced to dress as a girl against his will?” David asked as he got side tracked from the main topic.

     “Because Debbie and I think the child might be transgendered.” Emma said. “I bought him some boy clothes and then helped him to get dressed in them, but he just looked like a pretty girl trying to be a tomboy, and he didn’t look happy in them, so we let him dress as a girl again and he was much happier then.” Emma explained.

     “That may just be some form of brainwashing though.” David frowned. “Or the drugs she has him on.”

     “Lisa has taken some blood and urine samples, and she’s also got some of the pills to see if she can find out what the bitch was giving him.” Debbie said.

     “That’s good then, but you will need to find him some real help from a shrink, and if he’s addicted to any of these drugs she was giving him, he may need to be put someplace where he can’t hurt himself or others.” David said looking worried about Emma and Debbie getting hurt if the child became violent.

     “That’s why we called you bro.” Debbie smiled.

     “I’m not a shrink.” David said missing the point Debbie was trying to make.

     “I know that dopey, but Lesley must know a couple of doctors we can take Josie too.” Debbie explained. “We need to get her in with a shrink that understands the problems she’s going through.” Debbie added.

     “Josie: is that the child’s name?” David asked when he realised that he’d never thought to ask that.

     “Yes it is.” Emma nodded. “it’s really Jon, but after he tried to run away a couple of times, the woman started dressing him as a very young looking girl in frilly dresses, so the other woman that work for this Karen Jones started calling him Josie.”

     “Is this Karen Jones his legal guardian?” David asked.

     “Foster mother, but I have a feeling that it wasn’t a legal thing in the true sense of the word.” Emma frowned. “I’m going to get some of my people to look into it all, but I need your help to keep Debbie safe.” Emma added as she looked at Debbie still sipping her wine.

     “Why do you need to keep Deb’s safe?” David asked looking confused.

     “Even though this bitch never got any of my details, she may still have Debbie’s from the time she was using her escort service, and I don’t want anything to happen to Deb’s because of something I’ve done.” Emma explained with pain in her voice over the worry she felt for her best friend.

     “God help anyone who lays a finger on my sister.” David said with an evil look in his eyes as he thought of all the ways he would hurt the person that even looked at his sister the wrong way. “Lesley has just finished working on another bodyguard job for me, so I can get her to help keep an eye on you sis, and I’ll take care of keeping you safe Em.” David added with a grin.

     “Thank you, I’ll pay you the going rate David.” Emma smiled.

     “Let me buy you dinner sometime, and we’ll call it quits.” David joked, he asked Emma out all the time and she always said no to him, but he never gave up, so what Emma said next left him with his mouth hanging open in shock.

     “Okay, but you will have to work it in around me helping Josie.” Emma replied.

     “I can help with looking after Josie while you two go out on a date.” Debbie grinned.

     “Its dinner, not a date.” Emma frowned.

     “Whatever you say girlfriend.” Debbie grinned as she looked at the goofy smile her brother had on his face.

    David went over some more details with the two women, and he told Debbie it would be best if she stopped with Emma for the time being to help make it harder for this Karen Jones to track her down.

     “I was planning to stop here and help take care of Josie.” Debbie smiled as she saw how good her baby brother was at his job.

     “I’ll talk with Lesley in the morning and come back over then to meet up with this Josie and we’ll take it from there.” David said as he was getting ready to leave.

     “What’s this Lesley like?” Emma asked. “Does she pass?” She asked looking nervous about asking such a question.

     “I’ll let you see for yourself tomorrow.” David smiled; he was still on cloud nine over finally getting a date with her, even if she had stated it wasn’t a date.

     “I hope she won’t mind that I know about her past?” Emma asked looking worried.

     “I doubt it, she’ll just be glad to offer Josie some help if she can.” David smiled.

    Emma and Debbie walked David to the door and then he waited for them to lock up before he left and got in his truck and drove away. Emma looked in on Josie and found her to be fast asleep still.

     “Do you think one of those pills we gave her this evening helps her sleep?” Emma asked Debbie as the two of them watched the child sleep in the middle of the large bed.

     “Probably, the evil bitch seems to have everything else in that cocktail of drugs the poor child has been forced to take.” Debbie said as she found it hard to not sound like she wanted to go and teach Karen Jones a lesson she’d never forget.

     “She’ll pay for what she did, as will the people who covered up her sister’s death.” Emma said with promise in her voice.

    Emma led Debbie to another guest bedroom and then she went to her room to try and get some sleep, but she knew it was going to be hard finding sleep while she worried about Josie and how hard it was going to be getting her off the drugs Karen had been giving her.

Chapter Four: Feeling Safe

    Josie sat up in bed looking confused as to where she was to begin with, but memories of the day before started to come back to her. The drugs had started to wear off, which was both a good and a bad thing, good because she was thinking more clearly at the minute, but also bad because she was feeling edgy and nervous like she always did when she first woke, and before Karen arrived with a hand full of pills and a glass of water to wash them down. Josie smiled as she knew that Karen wasn’t going to walk into the room and start tormenting her with promises of embarrassment by taking her out in another pretty dress she’d found for her to wear.

    She looked around the room and saw a sports bag that she knew to have her things in that Karen had given to Emma, so Josie slid out of bed and went over to see if her dolly was in it. The doll had belonged to Hannah, and was the only thing she still had to remember Jon’s sister by. The fact Jon wouldn’t let the doll out of his sight was one of the reasons Karen had started dressing him as a girl, but the plan to torment him backfired on Karen when Jon found he liked dressing as a girl. All the women that worked for Karen started calling him Josie, and pretty soon he was just being treated like any other girl, and the drugs helped for him to deal with all the things Karen tried to torment him with, to the point of him now thinking of himself as a girl.

    Josie opened the bag and smiled when she saw the doll sat on top of the frilly girl clothes Karen always dressed her in. Josie smiled when she looked down at what she was wearing now and saw that Emma or Debbie had dressed her in a teenage looking oversized pink t-shirt style nightdress with Hello Kitty on it. Josie liked the things Emma wanted her to wear, they were far better than Karen’s dress sense. Josie would look at what the other girls her age were wearing while Karen took her out, and she would wish so hard to be able to dress like them, but that was the only way Karen got her revenge on Josie, and Karen knew it.

    Karen took a sick pleasure in dressing Josie like a five year old in over sized frilly dresses and Mary Jane’s while taking her out to public places. Karen would then take pleasure in telling anyone who walked up to her and said how pretty her daughter looked, that it was her foster son, but he was a little simple and loved to dress like a little girl. The drugs helped Karen sell the fact Josie was a little simple because Josie always looked a little spaced out most the time, and even looked confused when asked a question, like she didn’t quite understand what she was being asked.

    Josie walked back over to the bed and sat on the edge of it as she hugged the doll close to her chest, partly because it made her feel closer to Hannah, and also because if had a secret hidden inside.

    Jon had hidden his cell phone inside the doll when he found out that the police were under the control of the Nobles, and the phone he’d given the police with the video of their son choking and raping his sister had gone missing, and whenever Jon tried to tell anyone about it, they just looked at him confused while telling him that his sister had died from a drug overdose. Jon had realised then that the only way he would ever get justice for his sister was to find someone that would listen to him, but the Nobles had used their money and power to get him placed with Karen Jones. Jon had tried running away several times, but he was always caught and returned to her. It was after the third escape attempt that Karen had the idea to start dressing him like a little girl when she saw how he always clung onto the doll that once belonged to his sister.

     “I’m going to help you fit in a little better if you’re going to keep carrying that doll around with you.” Karen had said just after the men had left who had brought him back to Karen’s home in the middle of the night.

    Karen had been good to her word, and pretty soon Jon was wearing pretty little girl dresses and was being called Josie. Jon wasn’t very tall for his age, and he looked far too pretty to be a boy, so all the women that came and went from Karen’s escort service, just thought Josie was a girl, and they all treated her nicer than they ever did Jon. Karen had hated this little fact, and that is why she had started telling everyone that he was her foster son. Most looked like they didn’t believe that the pretty looking girl in her party dress could really be a boy, and the ones that did believe Karen, just looked at Josie with a sad look before leaving as fast as they could.

    Josie was so lost in thought that she jumped and let out a little squeal when she heard a voice talking to her from the doorway. She let out a sigh when she looked up and saw it was Emma smiling at her.

     “I’m sorry sweetie; I didn’t mean to scare you.” Emma said as she walked over to where Josie was sat and sat down beside her while pulling the frightened looking child into a hug. “How are you feeling?” Emma asked as she hugged the shaking child.

     “I feel edgy, but I always feel this way when I wake.” Josie started to explain. “It passes once Miss Karen has given me my morning pills.” She added in a worried whisper.

     “I’m hoping my friend Lisa can help us find some way to get you off those things.” Emma said with a frown as she thought of all the ways she would like to beat the crap out of Karen for what she’d done to this child. “I think one of the pills I gave you last night was a sleeping pill, given how long you slept.” Emma added with a smile as she tried to hide her anger with Karen, not wanting Josie to think she was angry with her.

     “It would be the sort of thing Miss Karen would do to me.” Josie sighed. “She also locks me in my room so I can’t roam around her house, or try to escape.” Josie added in a matter of fact way.

     “Please feel free to roam as much as you like around my home.” Emma smiled. “I’ll give you the ten cent tour later if you’d like?” Emma asked with a warm smile.

     “Yes please.” Josie smiled back just before she cuddled back into Emma’s side. Josie found there was something she really liked about this woman, and her friend Debbie was nice as well, nothing like Karen or the people she spent most her time with.

     “That’s a pretty doll you have, did Karen buy it for you?” Emma asked when she saw how protective of the doll Josie was.

     “No, it belonged to my sister, Hannah.” Josie informed her as she hugged the doll even tighter. “This was the reason for Karen to start dressing me as a little girl, because I wouldn’t stop carrying the doll around with me.” Josie added with a pout to her voice which made Emma smile at just how much like a girl Josie was.

    Josie had learned to keep some things a secret from people, so she left out the part about the doll having Jon’s cell phone hidden inside, the same cell phone that had the pictures he had taken at the party on the night his sister was killed, as well as a copy of the video which he had sent to himself for some reason, but he was glad he had after what happened. Josie was going to wait and see if she could trust Emma and her friends before letting them see any of that though.

     “Are you hungry?” Emma asked as she looked down at Josie still snuggled in tightly to her while she looked at the doll.

    Josie looked up into Emma’s eyes and smiled as she nodded her head up and down. Emma rose to her feet and pulled Josie to her feet at the same time and led her from the bedroom and down the stairs towards the kitchen, where the smell of something nice cooking, wafted its way up Josie’s nose and let her know just how hungry she was.

     “Morning Josie..!” Debbie shouted when she saw her and Emma enter the kitchen. “I hope you’re hungry because I’ve made a bit of everything because I didn’t know what you liked to eat.” She added with a grin as she waved her hand across the counter that was full of different things people ate for their breakfast.

     “Wow...” Was all Josie could think to say as she looked at all the food. “I normally eat what I’m told to eat.” She added as she stepped over to the counter, but looked too scared to actually try anything.

     “Well don’t just stand there, get stuck in.” Debbie said as she pointed a spoon she was holding towards the counter top.

     “Can I really just help myself?” Josie asked.

     “Sure, why would you think otherwise?” Debbie asked with a puzzled look.

     “Miss Karen doesn’t normally let me eat too much, and never anything like this.” Josie said as she licked her lips while looking at all the plates filled with bacon and pancakes as well as yogurt and fresh fruit.

     “Well that evil bitch isn’t here, so splash out and have a feast.” Debbie giggled.

     “Deb’s...! Don’t use that sort of language in front of the child.” Emma scolded her friend, but she was thinking the same thing as Debbie.

     “Well she is, and I bet Josie agrees with me.” Debbie said in her own defence.

    Rather than give Debbie an answer, mainly due to her being programmed to not do or say anything that might get her in trouble, she just sat at the counter and started trying all the things Debbie had cooked.

    Emma and Debbie looked at each other, and without saying a word, they both thought the same thing, and that was to stop Karen from ever doing anything to hurt Josie again. They were soon helping Josie to eat the food and they all ate in silence until there was a knock at the door.

     “Don’t look so worried Sweetie, it will be Debbie’s brother.” Emma said when she saw the frightened look on Josie’s face when she thought it might be Karen coming to pick her up.

    The fear Josie had just felt, put her off wanting to eat anymore, so she placed the fork down on the plate and pushed it away. “Thank you for the breakfast Miss Debbie, but I’m full.” Josie said in a whispered voice.

     “As long as you ate what you wanted Josie, and please stop calling me Miss.” Debbie said with a giggle as she playfully slapped Josie’s arm.

     “Sorry Debbie, old habits.” Josie giggled back. She soon stopped giggling and looked worried when she saw Emma walk back into the kitchen with a tall man and a woman that wasn’t much smaller following just behind.

     “Hi bro, want some breakfast? We’ve done.” Debbie said as she smiled at her brother.

     “Are you sure?” David asked, but he was already taking a seat at the counter and filling up a plate.

    The woman that had entered with him just looked at him and shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t know where you put it all.” The woman said with a smile in her voice.

     “Help yourself if you want to.” Debbie said as she looked the woman up and down, while thinking how cute she looked for such a tall woman.

     “I thought you were going to bring Lesley over to meet us today?” Debbie asked after seeing that there was no way this woman was once a male, and was in the marines with her brother.

     “This is Lesley sis.” David said around a mouth full of food while trying to grin at the fact he’d just fooled her.

     “You use to be a...?” Debbie said as she looked more closely at the woman stood facing her trying not to grin. “You look amazing.” Debbie added when she managed to get her mouth to open and close again.

     “Thanks, but it’s been a long hard road, and I never would have done it without Davie here.” Lesley said as she stepped over and kissed David on the cheek while hugging him from behind.

     “Are you two an item then?” Debbie asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

     “Oh god no...!” Lesley frowned as she broke the hug with David. “I had enough of boy bits while I had them, so I’m batting for the other team.” Lesley added, trying to keep it all cryptic in front of the child, while looking Debbie up and down.

     “She’s all yours sis, if you can handle her.” David smirked, just before he shoved another fork full of food in his mouth.

     “Minors or majors?” Lesley asked still trying to keep things sounding cryptic.

     “Majors.” Debbie replied in the hopes that Lesley would understand that she only dated other women. “I’d love to grab a drink sometime and chat about your favourite team.” Debbie added, sounding in full flirt mode now.

     “What you doing later?” Lesley asked with a grin.

     “Nothing much. How about you?” Debbie asked.

     “I’m going to be taking this beautiful woman out for a drink I just met.” Lesley replied. “Pick you up at seven?” She asked.

     “Sounds good to me.” Debbie grinned.

    Josie had sat quietly watching Debbie and Lesley flirting with each other, while also watching David eat what was left of the food on the counter top.

     “Is this the little trouble maker then?” David asked after swallowing another mouthful of food.

    Josie shied away from David looking worried as she turned to see what the look on Emma’s face said. Josie was worried that Emma might send her back to Karen if she’s too much trouble.

     “She’s not a troublemaker David.” Emma said as she stepped over and wrapped her arms around Josie in a protective way a mother would when someone threatened their child.

     “I was just kidding.” David chuckled. “Sorry kid, bad joke I guess.” He said with a sad look on his face.

    Josie still looked worried, but she felt better with Emma’s arms wrapped around her, this was something new for Josie. She’d been hugged before, but only by creepy men that wanted to see her dressed in weird clothes and then have her sit on their knee. She didn’t see David as one of those men though, he seemed nicer, and he didn’t look at her like she was some prize he’d just won.

     “I filled Lesley in on what you told me last night, and she’s willing to help in any way she can.” David said once he’d finished clearing the counter of food. “So where do you want to start?” David asked as he looked at Emma for an answer.

     “I was thinking of calling Lisa and seeing if she knows what this cocktail of pills are that that evil woman has Josie hooked on.” Emma said, struggling to keep the anger out of her voice.

     “That sounds like the start of a good plan, and I was hoping we could give Lesley a little time with Josie, so they can talk about how Josie is feeling at the minute.” David said with a smile.

    Josie just looked even more worried as she looked up at Emma as if to say she didn’t want to be alone with this new woman.

     “Don’t worry sweetie, Lesley was just like you once.” Emma said calmingly.

     “I wasn’t born with the right girl parts.” Lesley said when she saw the puzzled look on Josie’s face.

     “You were like me once?” Josie asked, not looking quite as scared now. “So I can be a girl when I grow up?”

     “You can be anything you want to be.” Lesley said with a promise in her voice. “Please feel free to come and talk to me at any time about any problems, or feelings you’re having trouble dealing with.” Lesley added.

     “Thank you.” Josie smiled a little bit.

     “You’re most welcome honey.” Lesley smiled back as she cupped one of Josie’s cheeks in her hand. “I have the numbers for some really good doctors in the field, and I’m sure they will be able to put you in touch with some experts that deal with young transgendered people.” Lesley added as she looked at Emma.

     “Thank you for offering to help us out Lesley.” Emma smiled as she looked at this woman that looked like a super model in her female business suit with the medium length skirt that hid very little of her long slender legs.

     “Just give me five minutes in a room alone with this Karen Jones, and you can call us even.” Lesley said with an evil grin.

     “You may need to get in line for that one.” Emma grinned back. “I’ll be first in the queue.” She added.

     “I’ll hold her for you then.” Lesley grinned back.

     “Sounds good to me.” Emma giggled. She’d only just met this woman, and already she could see them becoming good friends. Emma also liked the fact Josie seemed to like Lesley as well.

    Emma wandered off to call Lisa, while David was volunteered to help Debbie with the dishes. Josie offered to help as well, and she soon found herself stood at the sink washing, while Debbie and David dried and put away.

    They were just finishing up in the kitchen when Emma walked back into the room looking worried.

     “Did Lisa find out what those pills are?” Debbie asked.

     “Yes, and she wants us to get Josie back to the hospital right away.” Emma said as she held out her hand to take Josie up to get dressed, so they could leave the house and get her back to the hospital.

     “What’s in them?” Debbie asked.

     “Let’s just say none of it is very good, and Lisa was glad we didn’t give Josie any of them this morning, because she says we need to get it all flushed out of her system as soon as we can.” Emma said sounding worried.

     “So what was she giving her?” David asked looking angry with this Karen Jones.

     “One was a female hormone replacement, there was also a testosterone blocker as well as a form of Methadone to keep her addicted in the hope of stopping Josie from running away, and something called Ketamine, which is the thing that makes Josie looked spaced out most the time.” Emma said sounding angry. “Lisa said that the evil bitch could have killed her if she’d kept giving her all those drugs.” Emma added as she pulled Josie into a hug to let her know she wasn’t angry with her.

     “We'll make her pay for what she’s done.” David said with a promise in his voice as he stepped over and placed one hand on Josie’s shoulder, and the other on Emma’s to let her know she wasn’t going to be alone in any of this.

    Emma pulled herself together and soon had Josie dressed and a small bag packed, as Lisa had said Josie would need to be kept at the hospital for the next week or two while she got over the worst of the withdraw from a couple of the drugs she was being forced to take.

     “Why are you packing my things up?” Josie asked close to tears. “Did I do something wrong?”

     “No sweetie, but my friend says she needs to keep a close eye on you, so she can help you get better.” Emma said as she pulled the shaking child into her arms and hugged her. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again, nor will Debbie, David or Lesley.” Emma promised.

    Josie was soon holding Emma’s hand as she was led out of the house and into the back of David’s SUV. Josie was sat between Emma and Lesley, while Debbie was in the front with David behind the wheel.

 

To Be Continued Next Friday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 © February 2013

Part Three

Chapter Five: The Ward

    Josie looked worried as she was led to the room she’d be stopping in while they weaned her off the cocktail of drugs Karen Jones had been feeding her. Emma and the others had been shocked and angry to hear about a couple of them.

     “I’m scared.” Josie said once they were in the room.

    The room was pretty basic, just a bed, a chair and a small bedside table, which Josie noticed was bolted to the wall, just like the bed was bolted to the floor.

     “I know you are sweetie, but it’s for the best, and Lisa will be helping you, as will I and the others.” Emma said as she pulled Josie into a hug. “I’ll be coming to visit you all the time as well, and soon you will be back at my house with me and Debbie.”

    Debbie, David and Lesley had all gone with Emma and Lisa to Josie’s room in the psych ward, so they all gave Josie a hug before they left to give Emma and Lisa some time alone with Josie. Josie stiffened up when David knelt down and pulled her into a hug.

     “Sorry kiddo, I didn’t mean to scare you.” David said after releasing Josie from his grip.

    Josie just gave him a nervous smile before letting Debbie give her a hug, which she enjoyed a lot more. Josie looked just as happy when she got a hug from Lesley before all three of them left the room, so Emma could sit with Josie for a couple of minutes while Lisa explained what would happen over the next couple of weeks.

     “Do I really have to stay here for the next two weeks?” Josie asked sounding very scared after Lisa had finished explaining what would happen over that time frame.

     “It may take a little longer to make sure you are over the worst of the withdraw effects, but we will do all we can to help you through it Josie.” Lisa said with a smile as she tried to reassure the child.

    Josie looked determined to get well as soon as she could so she could get out of this place. She thought it looked worse than the little room she had back at Karen’s, and that was saying something.

     “I need to go now, but I’ll be back a little later in the day to spend some more time with you.” Emma said as she rose to her feet with Lisa at her side.

     “I’m going to give you something to help you sleep Josie, but it will also help you deal with the side effects of not taking any of those other drugs.” Lisa explained as she picked up a needle and got ready to inject Josie with it.

    Josie looked scared to death as she watched Lisa jab her in the arm with the needle before Emma helped to place the child in the bed so she could rest. Emma then looked at Josie one more time before leaving the room and watching Lisa close the door to stop Josie trying to escape, as she knew Josie would once the drug withdraw got worse.

     “Are you sure there is no other way to help her other than locking her in here for the next couple of weeks?” Emma asked in a pleading tone.

     “I wish there was Em, but those are some pretty serious drugs Josie’s on, and we need to wean her off them very slowly, or she will be in even more pain than she will be anyway.” Lisa explained.

     “I’m still worried about Karen finding her here and taking her back.” Emma said looking worried.

     “There is no way that evil bitch can find her Em. We used Lesley’s last name, and they have all her contact details, so as not to leave a trail back to you or Debbie and I.” David said as he stepped over and pulled Emma into a hug.

     “There is no way Karen will track down a Josie Green and think she’s her Josie.” Debbie said.

     “From what you’ve said, I doubt this Karen will even worry about Josie until you don’t return her in a month.” David said with an edge of anger in his voice. “By which point I hope we have a plan to have her arrested.” He added.

     “Josie will be safe Em, I have a couple of close friends that work on this ward, and they have promised to take good care of Josie for me.” Lisa said in a reassuring tone that did help to make Emma relax a little bit, but she had formed a close bond with Josie already, and she wasn’t going to let anyone hurt this child anymore.

    Josie was sat up in her bed looking out the window in a dream like state when Emma and David returned later in the day, but the two of them sat with Josie anyway, David in the chair, and Emma on the bed next to Josie.

    Debbie had gone out for a drink with Lesley, but they had both promised to visit the next day to keep Josie company while Emma put the people to work at her father’s investigation company that she now owned since her parent’s deaths. Her father had hired some good people, and they took care of things so Emma could focus on running the other companies her father had owned at the time of his death, but she had also sold three of them to people that ran them for her father, as she had very little interest in doing so herself, and she still wanted to live her own life, not be stuck visiting Company after Company to see how things were going, just like her father was always doing. It had been while him and her mother were flying to one of the smaller Companies he owned, that their private jet had crashed, killing both her parents, leaving Emma the sole surviving member of the family, and now owner of her father’s legacy.

    Josie smiled up at Emma just before she cuddled up to her a little closer. Josie looked spaced out due to whatever it was Lisa had her on to help with the withdraw, so Emma wrapped her arms around Josie and she was soon fast asleep in Emma’s arms.

     “Debbie looked keen to get to know Lesley a little better.” Emma said in a whisper after they had sat quietly for some time. “I hope Lesley is trained to deal with her.” Emma added with a grin.

     “Lesley can take care of herself.” David smiled. “She’s had to deal with a lot since she came out to everyone.” He added with a serious look on his face.

     “Does she still see any of her family?” Emma asked.

     “No, none of them will have anything to do with her, not since she became Lesley the female.” David said looking angry. “She comes from a long line of military, so it didn’t go over to well when she told them what she planned to do.” He added with a frown. “I got into a fight with her father on the night she told them.”

     “What happened to make you get into a fight with her father?” Emma asked; shocked at what David had just said.

     “Lesley had hired a private room at a restaurant, and then invited her family over to meet the new her.” David started to explain. “It all started off fine as everyone thought she was just playing some sort of a prank on them, Lesley had dressed as a female a number of times in the past.” David said when he saw the puzzled look on Emma’s face.

     “Did none of them work out earlier then, that Lesley might be transgendered?” Emma asked.

     “I think a couple of her family had a pretty good idea about it, but most of them never saw it coming.”

     “So what happened with her father then?”

     “He had jumped to his feet and looked ready to punch Lesley, so I stepped in because Lesley wasn’t dressed for fighting, and I didn’t want her to break a nail.” David grinned. “She’d spent all afternoon having a makeover, and her nails had been lengthened, so she couldn’t make a fist, and slapping her father wasn’t going to stop him attacking her, so I stepped in and made him back off.”

     “Did you never feel like hooking up with Lesley? It sounds like the two of you are pretty close.” Emma said.

     “No, never.” David said with a shudder. “It would be like dating Debbie.” David added when he saw the way Emma was looking at him and thinking he had a problem with Lesley being a female. “Lesley and I are like brother and sister is what I mean, not that I don’t see her as a female. Besides, I’ve only ever had eyes for one girl.” He smiled as he looked at Emma with Josie wrapped in her arms.

     “I’m sorry that I played hard to get all these years.” Emma said as she looked David in the eyes. “I wanted to say yes to you so many times, but I was worried about spoiling my friendship with Deb’s.” Emma explained.

     “I doubt there is anything you could do to get rid of my sister.” David grinned. “But if you ever find a way then let me know, I’ve been trying for years to get rid of her.” He added with a chuckle.

     “I know you don’t mean that.” Emma frowned. “I’ve seen the way you run to her rescue when ever she’s in trouble.” She added looking smug.

     “I only do it to stop our parents complaining, and she does get into a lot of trouble.” He said in his defence.

     “You keep telling yourself that’s the reason, but I like the fact you play the protective big brother, even if you are younger than her.” Emma smiled proudly.

     “Okay you caught me, but please don’t let Deb’s know how I feel about her.” David said looking worried.

     “Too late for that, she’s already worked that out, and she loves you for it.” Emma giggled. “I’m glad that you stuck by Lesley as well, I like her.”

     “I won’t lie when I say that I do miss my old drinking buddy, but he’s still in there, kind of.” David said with a puzzled look. “Lesley is a much happier person than Les.” He added looking thoughtful as he thought back to the days when Lesley was still Leslie.

     “Did Lesley use to go to our school then?” Emma asked as she tried to remember David hanging around with a boy called Leslie.

     “No, we met in college when we got put in the same dorm room together.” David explained. “Lesley’s family wanted her to go into the marines like all the males in the family had done for years, but I found out pretty early on about Lesley’s dressing.”

     “Didn’t it bother you?” Emma asked. “How did you find out about it anyway?”

     “I was supposed to be going home during one of our college breaks, but I had a falling out with Deb’s, so I returned to the dorm room early and found Lesley sat on her bed reading a magazine while listening to music with her headphones on.” David shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “The door was locked, but I had a key, so Lesley didn’t realise I was in the room until she looked up and saw me stood there checking her out.

     “I bet that must have scared her to find you stood there looking at her?”

     “That’s one way of putting it.” David chuckled as he thought back to what happened. “She jumped up off her bed so fast that she ended up sat on her backside when the headphone lead got wrapped around the nightstand and they yanked on her head tipping her off balance.” He explained.

     “What happened next?” Emma asked looking interested to find out more about Lesley’s first meeting with David.

     “I helped her to get back on the bed and then I removed the sandal she was wearing to check her ankle because I’d noticed she was limping a little when she was back on her feet.” David frowned. “The sandals were new, so she wasn’t use to wearing them yet.” David added as he shook his head from side to side. “She got plenty of practice after that night though.”

     “What do you mean?” Emma asked totally engrossed in the story. “Did the two of you go out?”

     “It was some time after that first night I found her, before Lesley stepped out into the world, but at the time we both thought that Leslie just liked to wear women’s clothes, it was only later that She realised it was more than just the dressing up.” David sighed.

     “What happened?” Emma asked when she saw David’s troubled look.

     “I’d lost touch with Leslie after leaving the marines, but I got a call from him one night, or early hours of the morning, and something didn’t sound right, so I asked where he was and I went to meet with him, just to find him sat in his living room with a pistol sat on the table in front of him.” David said looking scared now as he thought of how close he came to losing his best friend.

     “He was going to kill himself?” Emma asked as she found it hard to swallow all of a sudden.

     “Yes, he’d had the gun in his mouth when he had a sudden thought that he couldn’t end it all without speaking to me one last time.” David said with a chuckle, but he didn’t sound very happy. “He said he needed me to understand the reason for what he was about to do.” David added looking confused.

     “So you were able to talk him out of it then?” Emma smiled.

     “I found out that he was really depressed and had lost his job due to lack of interest in being Leslie the guy anymore, and he was spending more time dressed as Lesley the girl, but he needed to eat, so was forcing himself to become a guy again, just to feel more and more depressed.”

     “How were you able to help Lesley become the woman she is now then?”

     “I helped him pack up all his things, or all of Lesley’s things, and I moved him in with me and gave ‘her’ a job working for my security company.” David said with pride. “I helped her to get in with some good doctors that knew all about the things she was going through, and I’ve been at her side ever since.” He added.

     “How come Deb’s never met Lesley before this morning then?” Emma asked looking shocked that David had managed to keep the two of them apart.

     “They have bumped into each other a couple of times, but it was normally while we were working, so Lesley didn’t have the time to introduce herself, but she’s known about Deb’s being a lesbian for some time, but she was a little like you, and didn’t want to rock the boat so to speak.” David said with a roll of his eyes like it was a stupid reason to not go looking for a relationship.

     “How do you think your parents will react when they find out Deb’s is a lesbian, and she’s falling in love with a transgendered person?” Emma asked as she tried not to giggle at the thought of David and Debbie’s parent’s heads exploding when Debbie took her new girlfriend home to meet them.

     “I think mum will be fine with it, but dad will probably disown her.” David frowned.

     “I’m sure your mum will talk him around again.” Emma smiled as she thought of just how smart their mother was. Amanda, Debbie and David’s mother had been a rock during the funeral when her own parent’s had died.

     “I get the feeling that mother already knows about Deb’s secret, but she won’t say anything until Deb’s is ready to speak about it.” David said looking thoughtful for a second or two.

     “She is one smart woman your mother.” Emma agreed. “And Deb’s isn’t that good at hiding things.” She added with a roll of her eyes.

     “Tell me about it.” David frowned. “But Deb’s was a good listener when I spoke to her about Lesley.” He admitted.

     “She’s not as air headed as she acts.” Emma smirked. “I think she just likes to let people think she’s a dumb blonde for some odd reason.” She added with a shrug.

     “What do you plan to do with this little monster then once she’s well again?” David asked as he looked at the sleeping form of Josie wrapped in Emma’s arms.

     “I’m hoping she will let me raise her as my daughter, or son if she finds out all this is just part of the cocktail of drugs that evil bitch had her on.” Emma added the last bit with a snarl as she thought of Karen Jones.

     “She’ll be one lucky kid to have you as a mother.” David smiled. “I hope you will let me be part of her life as well?” David asked looking hopeful.

     “I’d like that.” Emma smiled back. She thought that David would make a good father, but she felt a little sad that she would never be able to give him children of his own, and she wondered if he knew this already, or if Debbie had kept that a secret from him. “I think I should tell you something before we get to serious though David.” Emma said nervously.

     “If it’s about the fact you can’t have children, then don’t worry about it, I already know.” David said with a sad smile. “I was at home on the night you broke down and told Deb’s in her room.” He explained.

     “And you still want to date me?” Emma asked like she wasn’t worth dating because she wouldn’t be able to give him any children if things got to that point.

     “Yes, because it doesn’t make you any less of a female just because you can’t have children.” David said in a scolding tone. “Lesley will never have children of her own, but she’s still as much as a woman to look at as any other, so stop thinking of yourself as being any less deserving to be called a woman than any of them that can have children.” His voice had risen to the point of it making Josie stir in Emma’s arms. “Sorry.” He whispered when he saw the child move and let out a groan.

     “I wouldn’t worry about waking her to much, I don’t know what Lisa has her on, but its working wonders in making her sleep.” Emma smiled as she saw Josie settle again and start breathing more softly again.

     “Do you believe in fate?” David asked.

     “Not really, I’ve never believed in god or anything that can’t be explained by simple fact.” Emma shrugged.

     “I don’t believe in god, but I do believe in fate, and the universe making things happen for a reason.” He started to explain. “It’s like Lesley having the sudden thought about calling me to explain her silly reason for ending her own life, or the fact you couldn’t have children led you to care more than most about all the troubled children in the world.” He added as he looked down at Josie again.

     “I’d like to think that even if I did have children of my own, I would still want to help Josie.” Emma said as she stroked Josie’s hair.

     “True, but would you have had the time needed to help her get through all this?” He asked.

    Emma went to answer him with a yes, but then stopped when she realised the point he was making, and it would have been harder for her to give Josie the care she needs if she’d had children of her own to look after as well. “That’s an interesting point you make.” She said with a little smile.

     “That’s fate for you.” David said with a smug smile.

Chapter Six: Going Home

    Over the next several weeks Josie went through hell, but she was soon looking much healthier, and Emma and David would visit her every day. Josie slowly started to trust David more, and by the time she was ready to leave again, Josie was happy to sit on David’s knee while they laughed about some of the silly things him and Debbie did growing up, and Josie got to learn more about Emma, as she was always part of the story, being Debbie’s best friend since they were children.

    Emma had put her own life on hold while she helped Josie recover from the drugs, and so she could get the people at her Father’s Investigation agency to look into Karen Jones and the Nobles family.

    Karen Jones was an easy case for them to get arrested, but the Nobles were a little better at covering their tracks, and what Emma was able to uncover, still didn’t lead back to them directly. The thing that worried Emma though, was how some people that had trouble with the Nobles ended up dying in accidents. All the type of accident that could have also been a murder made to look like an accident. A broken neck after falling down some stairs, or a failed mugging, things like that, but all of them came after some trouble with the Nobles.

     “The Nobles rule this small town with an iron fist.” Emma said with a growl after she slammed the folder back down on the table and looked at David sat on the other side of it. “If we take down Karen, they will just send someone else to take care of Josie.” Emma added with a sigh.

     “You know they won’t want to leave Josie alive to take out some revenge on their son once she’s old enough to.” David said looking worried.

     “What if they thought she was already dead or a boy called Jon Vaines was?” Emma asked with an evil smile. “Do you think they even know that Karen is making him dress as a girl, and she rents him out to whoever wants him?” Emma added as the thought popped into her head.

     “That plan would fall apart the minute you couldn’t show them a body.” David pointed out. “And I’m sure they must have someone keeping an eye on what Karen is doing with him.” David added as he balled up his fists trying to control his anger over what Josie had been going through since the death of her sister.

     “Not if they have a murder suspect and no way for her to tell them where the body was buried.” Emma explained.

     “And just how do we get someone arrested for killing someone that isn’t dead?” David asked looking confused.

     “We give the police video evidence of said person doing the murder, but said person won’t be able to tell them where the body is buried because that part won’t be on the video.” Emma said.

     “And who do you plan to set up for this murder?” David asked, but he already had a pretty good idea who.

     “Our wonderful Miss Karen Jones.” Emma grinned.

     “How do you plan to get her caught on camera killing Josie?” David asked.

     “I work in the movies, and I’m sure I can get a couple of the people I know to help us stage a fake murder.” Emma shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

     “Do you have any idea how insane this plan sounds?” David said as he sat back and rubbed the sides of his head. “And don’t forget that for any of this to work, it will mean Josie going back to Karen.”

     “Not if I can make myself look like her and then stage the murder scene while we keep her out the way, so she doesn’t have an alibi.” Emma said sounding excited about helping Josie get some revenge on Karen.

    Emma had been working as a stunt woman in the movie business before her parents died, and she still did the odd stunt when they needed a woman to do something dangerous that fit Emma’s build. Emma had got to know the special effects people on a number of big budget movies she’d worked on, and she knew they would jump at the chance to help her get some payback on Karen for what she did to Josie.

     “You’re really serious about doing this aren’t you?” David asked when he saw the look in Emma’s eyes.

     “Yes, deadly serious.” She smiled at her own bad pun.

     “I’ll help you look into this, but I won’t let you go ahead with it if I feel that the plan is flawed in any way.” David warned as he looked at the time and got to his feet. “We need to get over to the hospital and pick up Josie.” He added as he walked around the table and helped Emma stand.

     “It will work David.” Emma smiled as she let him wrap his arms around her and then he leaned down to give her a kiss. They had become very close over the past several weeks and all the time they had spent with Josie while she recovered from her addiction to the drugs Karen had her on.

     “I’m sure it will baby, but I don’t want any of it to blow back on you or me.” He said when they broke the kiss. “I don’t want to have to visit you in prison.” He added with a grin.

     “I’m sure we can come up with the perfect plan to stop that from happening.” Emma said as she looked up into his eyes.

     “Damn right we’ll come up with the perfect plan.” David agreed.

     “Let’s go and pick up my daughter.” Emma said just before she broke away from David and made her way towards her office door. Emma had come to think of Josie as her daughter, and she planned to make it a real fact once they had the Nobles off her back, and if Josie was willing to call Emma her mother.

    Emma and David could hear giggling coming from the room Josie was stopping in, and they entered the room to find Debbie and Lesley telling Josie some story that must have been funny, looking at the way Josie was rolling around on the bed giggling.

    Josie looked a lot different to how she looked several weeks ago when she first came to this place. She was still dressing as a girl, and it didn’t look like the drugs had anything to do with that, and Lisa had sat with Josie and spoke about her dressing. Josie had explained about it just feeling right to be dressed this way. Lisa had gotten Josie to speak with a couple of child psychologist friends she knew she could trust, and they had also said that Josie was most definitely transgendered.

     “You ready to get out of this place then Josie?” Emma asked as she sat on the bed next to where the child was still rolling around giggling.

     “Can I still come home to live with you?” Josie asked looking worried all of a sudden.

     “That’s the plan, unless you want to go live someplace else?” Emma asked with a smirk, already knowing the answer.

     “Please don’t send me away.” Josie pleaded as she threw her arms around Emma’s waist and gripped onto her.

     “I don’t plan to let you out of my sight, never mind sending you away.” Emma said with a pout as she wrapped her arms around Josie. “I also want to talk to you about something, but let’s get out of this place and go get some lunch.” Emma added as she got to her feet and pulled Josie to her feet with her.

    Josie was wearing a pink t-shirt and a denim skirt over black leggings, and she had a pair of ballet flats on her feet. Debbie had spent some time playing around with Josie’s hair and she had even added a little makeup to finish off the look. The end result was a much older looking girl than what Karen used to take around with her.

     “You’re looking very pretty today Josie.” David said as he walked on Josie’s other side to what Emma was walking.

     “Thanks Dave, but you should thank Deb’s and Lesley, they did all the work.” Josie smiled up at him as she walked along holding Emma’s hand.

     “They’ve made you look more like a fifteen year old rather that the thirteen you really are.” Emma agreed.

     “Anything is better than looking like an oversized five year old.” Josie shuddered as she thought of how Karen used to dress her.

     “There won’t be any more of that happening to you sweetie.” Emma promised.

    Josie wasn’t sure she could trust Emma fully yet, but in the short time she’d known this woman, Josie had had no reason not to trust her, so Josie smiled, happy in the knowledge that she now had someone fighting on her side.

    Once they were out at David’s car Josie got in the back and found herself sat between Debbie and Lesley, while Emma got in the front passenger seat next to David who was driving.

     “How far is this place we’re going to eat?” Josie asked after they had been driving for almost an hour.

     “I wanted to pick a place where I knew we wouldn’t run into Karen, or anyone that might know you.” Emma explained as she looked over at Josie sat between Debbie and Lesley. Emma saw Josie stiffen at the mention of Karen’s name. “I promise she will never get near you again Josie.” Emma added.

     “Neither will any of us.” Lesley said as she wrapped an arm around Josie and pulled her into a one sided hug. “Though I would like to spend ten minutes in a room with the bitch.” Lesley added.

     “Lesley...!” Emma said in a scolding tone at Lesley’s choice of words.

    Josie seemed to like the choice of words Lesley used though, as she sat giggling while she thought of Karen being beaten to a bloody mess by the tall woman sat next to her.

     “I’m sorry Em’s.” Lesley said sarcastically. “I mean the wonderful Miss Jones.” She added with more sarcasm.

     “Now you’re just being silly.” Emma frowned just before she started to giggle.

    David was soon pulling into the parking lot of a restaurant he knew the owner of and he got out and then helped the others to get out before he locked the car and then led them into the place where he was greeted by an elderly man in a nice suit.

     “David my old friend...!” The man shouted as he walked over and held out his arms to give David a hug like they hadn’t seen each other in some time.

     “Hello Peter, can you fit us in?” David asked.

     “I can always find room for you and your lady friends.” Peter smiled as he looked at the three women and the young woman David had entered with.

     “You make it sound like I come here all the time with different women.” David said looking nervous when he saw the way Emma was looking at him now.

     “I see you have the beautiful Lesley with you, but who are these three beautiful creatures?” Peter asked as he looked at Emma, Debbie and Josie. “You must tell me your secret?” He added in a fake whisper.

     “Hello Peter.” Lesley smiled as she stepped forward and gave Peter a hug and a peck on the cheek. Lesley had to hide a smirk when she saw the evil look Debbie was now giving Peter as he hugged her back while grinning over the kiss on the cheek he’d just gotten. “Stop trying to get David in trouble with his new lady friend. You know that he’s only ever come here with me.” She added in David’s defence.

     “I know, but now he has four very beautiful women on his arms.” Peter said looking shocked.

     “This is my sister Debbie, and her friend Emma, and this little thing is Josie.” David said as he pointed at each of them in turn.

     “You’re Emma...?” Peter said looking a little too excited about meeting Emma.

     “Can you fit us in Peter?” David asked before Emma could say anything. David’s tone said that he’d spent some time talking about Emma to this man, and Emma wondered what he might have said about her. “Some place where we can have a conversation without the other diners overhearing us.” David added with a knowing look that told Peter, David needed to talk business with his three guests.

    Peter clicked his fingers and a waiter ran over, Peter whispered something in the waiter’s ear just before the waiter ran off to do whatever it was Peter had just told him. Peter then led the five of them deeper into the restaurant to a large table far away from the other diners. David and Peter helped all the ladies to take their seats before David sat down.

     “Just wave the waiter over when you’re ready to order.” Peter smiled just before he left to go speak with another guest.

     “Peter makes you sound like quite the ladies man.” Emma asked while she looked at the menu she’d just picked up, but not bothering to look at him.

     “You heard what Lesley said to him, I’ve only ever come here with her.” David said in his defence, but with an edge of worry in there as well.

     “I don’t mind if you had, but I would be upset if you brought anyone else here, now we’re dating.” Emma smiled, but she had an edge of warning in her tone.

     “Why would I want to bring anyone else here, now I have you?” David asked with a look that said he questioned Emma’s sanity.

     “Good answer.” Emma purred as she leaned over and let David kiss her.

     “Do you mind, some of us want to eat.” Debbie whined from the other side of the table where she was sat next to Lesley. She did start to giggle though, so Emma and David just carried on kissing.

    Debbie wanted to kiss Lesley, but they didn’t want to start any trouble in Peter’s restaurant, so they settled for holding hands under the table instead.

    They were soon placing their orders with the waiter and then they all enjoyed the wonderful food the restaurant had to offer. Josie ordered a burger and fries, and she had to admit that it was the best burger she’d ever tried, and the fries were to die for Josie informed them all after she’d finished the mouthful she’d placed in her mouth.

     “Do you think you can find room for a desert?” David asked as he watched Josie push the now empty plate away.

     “Can I really have a desert?” Josie asked like it was a taboo for her to have anything like that, and it had been with Karen. Karen would only ever let Josie have a young child’s meal in the past, and then Karen would sit and eat a desert while Josie had to sit and watch.

     “Sure, order anything you want.” David smiled.

     “Can I have one of them?” Josie asked as she pointed at a child on another table with a large dish of ice cream covered in nuts and sauce.

    David answered Josie’s question by waving over the waiter and asking him to bring her one of those Sundays like the child on the other table was eating.

    Emma, David, Debbie and Lesley all smiled as they watched Josie get stuck into the ice cream when it arrived. Josie would let out a moan of delight after every little mouthful past her lips.

     “You make it sound like you’ve never had an ice cream Sunday before.” Lesley giggled as she watched Josie enjoying the desert.

     “Miss Karen never let me have desert when I went out with her.” Josie explained between mouthfuls. “She would make me sit and watch her and her friends enjoy them though.”

     “I really don’t like that Bi...” Lesley growled out, but stopped herself saying the word ‘bitch’.

    Emma waited for Josie to finish the ice cream and sit back looking full for the first time in a while before she spoke to her about wanting to adopt her in a fashion.

     “Josie, can I ask you something?” Emma asked looking nervous.

     “Have I done something wrong Emma?” Josie asked looking worried when she saw how nervous Emma looked.

     “No sweetie, you’ve done nothing wrong.” Emma said as she pulled Josie into a hug. “I just want to ask you something, but I’m a little worried about how you might react.” Emma explained.

     “It doesn’t sound like it’s a good thing you want to ask.” Josie said as she looked up at Emma while wresting her head on Emma’s chest.

     “I hope it’s a good thing, but that will be up to you.” Emma smiled down at Josie as she brushed some hairs out Josie’s eyes. “You see I got very ill as a child, and as a result was left unable to have children of my own.”

     “I’m sorry to hear that Emma.” Josie said sadly. “I think you would make a wonderful mother.” She added.

     “I’m glad you think so, because I want to be your mother.” Emma said before waiting to see how Josie would react to that.

     “You want me?” Josie asked, not sure she’d just heard Emma right.

     “Yes I want you.” Emma grinned. “I want you to call me mom, mother, mummy and all the other wonderful sounding things that mean you’re my daughter.” Emma added.

    Josie just looked up at Emma, trying to look for any signs that this was just another cruel joke being played on her, but all she saw was the loving, caring face of the woman she’d come to trust most in her short life, as she waited for an answer.

     “Yes mummy, I’d love to be your daughter.” Josie said as she threw her arms around Emma’s waist and started sobbing happy tears.

    Emma felt a warm fussy feeling when she heard Josie call her ‘mummy’. Emma was soon being passed a tissue by David, as she found herself crying happy tears as she held Josie in her arms. David, Debbie and Lesley all smiled and snuffled as they tried to hide the fact that they too had all been touched by this bonding moment.

     “But how will you stop them making me go back to Miss Karen?” Josie asked once she’d got her feelings under control again. “They always send me back to her.” She added with a snuffle.

     “I have a few ideas on how to deal with that, but for the time being, let’s go have some fun shopping.” Emma said excitedly as she tried to help Josie relax and not worry too much about Karen, or anyone else for that matter.

     “Can I get some more clothes like this mummy?” Josie grinned as she looked down at what she was wearing.

     “You can buy anything you like sweetie, the sky’s the limit.” Emma said pulling Josie into another hug.

    David waved the waiter over and asked for the cheque, but it was Peter that came back without it.

     “You should know by now David, that your money is no good here.” Peter smiled.

     “I can’t expect you to cover the cost of everything we ate.” David argued.

     “Did you all enjoy what you had?” Peter asked as he looked at the others.

     “Yes, it was the best burger and fries I’ve ever had.” Josie said with a grin. “And the desert was out of this world.” She added with a dreamy sigh.

     “Then that is all the payment I need.” Peter’s smiled widened as he waved off David wanting to pay for their meal.

     “Thank you peter, the food was wonderful.” Emma said as she gave Peter a peck on the cheek, just like Leslie had done when they entered the restaurant.

     “I’ll accept that as the tip.” Peter chuckled.

    He was soon getting an even bigger tip as Debbie and Leslie also gave him a peck on the cheek. Josie settled for giving him a hug.

     “Thank you for the lovely meal Sir.” Josie added as she hugged the man’s waist.

     “You’re welcome back here anytime princess.” Peter said as he hugged Josie back.

     “Thank you.” Josie smiled up at him, liking the fact he’d just called her a princess.

     “If you ever get bored with spending time with a good looking guy like David, then come give me a chance to show you a good time.” Peter chuckled as he looked at Emma.

     “Hey...! Go find your own girlfriend, you dirty old man.” David said with a chuckle as he playfully slapped Peter’s arm.

     “How am I supposed to do that, when you seem to have all the pretty ones with you?” Peter grumbled as he slapped David back.

    The girls all blushed, and David just chuckled as he thought about how it must look for him to be in the company of three such beautiful women. He couldn’t think of Josie in the same way, as she looked way to young for him, but he would be proud to have her as a daughter though, and he hoped that if he played his cards right, he might get that chance now that Emma had let Josie know how she felt.

    They all said their goodbyes and left the restaurant and got back in David’s car. David wasn’t looking forward to spending the afternoon wandering around a mall, but the fact he would get to spend more time with Emma made up for the torture to come.

    They were soon wandering around having fun with Josie as she got to try on fashions designed for girl her own age, and she found it even more fun to have Emma, Debbie and Lesley to help her learn about different things, and what went with what.

    Josie wasn’t sure how her new mother planned to stop Karen Jones from getting her back, but she knew that these four people would do all they could to help keep her safe. The one thing Josie still lived for, was to get Vengeance for her sister, Hannah, and with help from these people, Josie knew she now had a chance to do just that.

 

To Be Continued Next Friday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 © February 2013

Part Four

Chapter Seven: The downfall of Karen Jones

    It had been a week since Josie got out of the hospital, and it had been the best week Josie could remember having since before her sister was killed. She spent the week going shopping most days in different parts of the state, but never close enough to risk running into Karen Jones. David, Debbie and Lesley were always close by as well, just in case there was any trouble, but Emma had some people keeping an eye on Karen, just to make sure she wasn’t about to surprise them, but Emma had been right when she thought that Karen would just wait to see if anyone started asking questions about where Josie had vanished off to.

    Emma knew they would need to finalise the plan to frame Karen for Josie’s murder soon, when she got a report from the team she had keeping an eye on Karen. Someone had called Karen and spoke about the fact they hadn’t seen Jon Vaines coming and going in a week or so. Karen had told them that Jon was stopping with a friend for a couple of weeks, but the person on the other end of the phone had warned her to get the child back so they could carry on keeping an eye on him.

    It was only after that call that Karen started trying to track down where Jon might be, but she’d long since lost any details belonging to Debbie, and Karen was to tight to pay out money to try and track her down, so Karen had started spending more time at the restaurant where she’d first ran into Debbie and Emma, in the hopes of bumping into them again.

    Emma looked deep in thought when David knocked on her office door at her parent’s home where she’d been stopping with Josie since getting out of hospital. Josie was in the back yard playing in the pool with Debbie and Lesley while she looked over the reports from the teams she had keeping an eye on Karen.

     “What’s wrong baby?” David asked when he saw the look on Emma’s face.

     “That bitch Karen Jones is looking for Josie.” Emma growled as she slammed the folder shut on her desk.

     “You knew it was only a matter of time before she did.” David pointed out.

     “I know that, but I’ve just found out that she’s being watched by someone involved with the Nobles family.” Emma said with a frown. “They’re adding pressure for Karen to track down where Josie is and get her back, or him, as there was no mention of Josie, just Jon.” She added as she looked deep in thought.

     “Can’t you use any of the stuff you’ve found out to stop Josie from going back to her?” David asked, still not happy with Emma’s plan to set Karen up for the fake death of Jon Vaines.

     “No, none of the phone taps or other ways we’ve got the information we have can be used in a court of law, and the Nobles have been covering their tracks far too well for far too long, so nothing ever leads back to them, and they have loyal people willing to take the fall if it ever does.” Emma explained.

     “How close are you to having a working plan to set this trap for Karen then?” David asked as he sat down facing Emma on the other side of her desk.

     “I just need to get a car to match hers, and the disguise to make me look enough like her to fool a security camera.” Emma said looking deep in thought.

     “And you still need to explain the plan to Josie, and the fact she will have to become Jon again to pull it off.” David said sarcastically.

     “I don’t think Josie will mind becoming a boy again; just long enough to get some payback on that evil bitch.” Emma smirked evilly.

     “How do you plan to get Karen out of sight long enough to pull of this little deception?” David asked as he pocked holes in Emma’s plan.

     “Deb’s and Lesley have said they will help there.” Emma smiled. “It turns out that Karen likes to go to some of the same clubs as they do.” Emma added with a smirk.

     “You mean she’s a lesbian?” David asked in a whisper, even though there was only the two of them in the room.

     “It looks that way, so Deb’s and Lesley are going to change their look and then spike Karen’s drink before they whisk her away so I can then become her and get her arrested for abduction and murder.” Emma grinned as she made it all sound so easy.

     “How many people know about all this?” David asked sounding worried.

     “The teams know just enough to make it look like Karen might be unstable enough to harm Josie, or a boy called Jon Vaines. I never gave them any of the information about Jon now being Josie.” Emma explained. “The team even managed to get some conversations between Karen and a couple of people showing interest in hiring Jon for some kinky sex scenes.” Emma added in a growl.

     “I still think you should hand all this over to the police and see if they can use any of it to keep Josie safe.” David pleaded.

     “Karen has some very powerful people in her back pocket, and I don’t want to risk her using them to get the charges dropped.” Emma explained her doubts in what David wanted to do.

     “What’s to stop her using these same people to get these other charges dropped?” David asked as he saw a large hole in Emma’s plan.

     “If the video footage comes out like I hope, then none of her powerful friends will want to stick their neck out and defend her, not once she’s being charged with murder.” Emma said sounding confident in her plan.

     “You do have a good point, but we still need to sit Josie down and explain the plan to her and see if she’s willing to become Jon again so you can carry out this insane plan.” David frowned as he rose to his feet. “And I think now is as good a time as any to sit her down and explain it.

    David helped Emma to get to her feet and they left her office and made their way out into the back yard to explain the plan to Josie.

    Josie was just doing a cannonball into the pool as the two of them walked out onto the patio. They both laughed as she managed to splash Debbie and Lesley who were sunbathing by the side of the pool.

     “Hey! Try and keep the water in the pool shrimp.” Lesley said as she tried to look angry, but she was smirking as she said it.

     “Sorry Aunty Lesley.” Josie said with a giggle as she swam to the edge of the pool.

     “I can see you look really sorry.” Lesley frowned as she saw the child giggling.

     “Can you come out of the pool for a short time sweetie so we can talk?” Emma asked once she was crouched down at the side of the pool where Josie was bobbing around on her back on the surface of the water.

     “Okay mummy.” Josie smiled as she turned over in the water and swam to the steps and climbed out of the pool and let Emma wrap a large fluffy towel around her. “Am I in trouble?” Josie asked looking worried when she saw how serious Emma looked.

     “No sweetie, but we do need to talk about some serious things.” Emma said as she walked Josie over to a large patio table close to where Debbie and Lesley were now sat up on the sun loungers.

     “Is this going to be the talk I think it is?” Debbie asked looking worried.

     “Yes it is.” Emma said looking worried. “Karen is looking for Josie now, so we’re out of time and need to put our plan into effect.” Emma added.

     “Please don’t send me back to her.” Josie said looking scared to death now as she was reminded of the place Emma had rescued her from.

     “That will never happen sweetie, but I will need your help with something.” Emma grinned.

     “What can I do mummy?” Josie asked not looking quite as worried now.

    Emma spent the next half an hour explaining the plan she had. Josie was grinning an evil grin by the end of it as she thought about Karen being locked up for murdering her, or a boy called Jon that she once was.

     “You do realise that this will mean you being Jon again?” David pointed out.

     “It will be worth it to see that woman get what’s coming to her.” Josie said without any sign of guilt for what they were about to do.

     “I will also have to make myself look like Karen for this plan to work.” Emma added, wanting to make sure Josie understood everything.

    Josie understood only too well, and this was the first step in her plan to get the Nobles back for killing her sister, and it would also settle a few scores she had with Karen. The fact everyone would think Jon was dead would also mean she could get closer to Kevin when the time was right.

    Josie was fidgeting as she sat on the couch dressed as a boy again. She wasn’t use to wearing rough boy clothes anymore, and she’d not had a pair of trousers on since the first night she met Emma, but she just kept thinking about the reason for her being dressed this way, and she was able to cope with it. Josie’s mind was soon taken off her clothes when she looked around after hearing the clicking of heels on the hard wood floor. Josie let out a gasp and jumped to her feet looking scared when she saw Karen enter the room.

     “Don’t worry sweetie, it’s just me.” Emma said.

     “You look so much like Karen.” Josie said as she relaxed again while looking Emma up and down.

     “So you think this will fool anyone that sees the security footage of her killing you?” Emma asked with a grin.

     “I know Karen better than most, and I can’t tell you apart from her, so I can’t see anyone else being able to.” Josie said as she took a closer look at Emma’s disguise while looking for any possible flaws in it, but found nothing that said Emma was anyone except Karen Jones.

     “So are you ready to do this?” Emma asked as she let out a sigh. “Do you want to go over the plan again?” Emma asked.

     “I’ve got it mummy.” Josie said with a roll of her eyes, or Jon’s eyes as she now looked like her old self again. “Do Deb’s and Lesley have Karen?” Josie asked looking worried.

     “Yes, she’s sleeping like a baby in a hotel room, and they got her up to the room without anyone knowing who she was.” Emma smiled evilly.

     “How did they manage that?” Josie asked looking puzzled.

     “They put her in a disguise and then helped carry her up to the room like she had just drunk too much.” Emma smiled some more.

     “So you drugged her?” Josie asked.

     “I didn’t, but Deb’s did.” Emma grinned. “Don’t worry; it’s a date rape drug that leaves no trace in the system, so she won’t be able to use the excuse she was drugged when she’s arrested.”

    Josie found herself wishing she could see the look on Karen’s face when the police arrived to arrest her for murdering her Male self, but she would have to be kept someplace safe and well out the way until the trial was over, and Karen was doing hard time. She could then focus on becoming Josie for real and then going after Kevin Nobles and his parents.

     “I better get going then, and I’ll see you in an hour at the parking lot.” Josie said as she took a couple of deep breaths to settle her nerves.

     “David will be keeping an eye on you, but you won’t see him doing it.” Emma said looking worried as she gave Josie one final hug before letting her leave the apartment they had rented.

     “I’ll be fine mummy.” Josie whined.

     “I know you will, but I’ll feel better knowing David is keeping an eye on you while you’re out there alone.” Emma said sounding like a worried mother.

    Emma watched as Josie left the apartment to make her way across town. Making sure to get seen on as many security cameras as she could, and making it look like she was trying to get away from someone. Emma was also going to get seen on camera, but it would look like Karen was trying to find someone instead. Emma had bought a car that was an exact match for Karen’s, so the police would know who it was that murdered the boy they would see being killed later in the night.

    They had worked out a route they would both take, so Josie would meet up with Emma in a parking structure that had cameras everywhere. Jon would enter the building after spotting Karen’s car, and then Emma pretending to be Karen would make it look like they get into a struggle before Karen pulls a gun and shoots Jon before putting him in the trunk of her car and driving away. Emma had gotten Lisa to take a pint of Josie’s blood so they could spread in around the real Karen’s car for the police to find when they went to arrest her. Emma had even added some strands of hair belonging to Josie, just to make a good strong case against her. Emma gave Josie a ten minute head start before she left.

     Karen woke with a killer headache after her night out clubbing. She couldn’t remember much of what happened, and she couldn’t remember how she had gotten home, but she looked around and saw that she was in her own bed, but was still dressed in the little black dress she had been wearing when she went out the night before. She remembered meeting up with a couple of hot looking women and then doing some shots, but that was all she remembered.

     “How much did I drink last night?” Karen asked herself as she sat up in bed and felt a work crew of little men in her head going at it with jack hammers.

    She crawled out of bed and went into the bathroom to take some painkillers and start the shower so she could get clean.

    Karen was feeling a little more awake by the time she was done in the shower, and the painkillers were working, so she was ready to get some breakfast, or brunch, as it was getting close to being midday by the time she went down to her kitchen.

    She looked at the door to the basement where she kept Josie when he was home, and she wondered if she was ever going to track him down before Mr Smith called her again. Karen knew it was a mistake to just let that woman take Josie, but the money was just too good to pass up on at the time. The problem Karen had now, was she couldn’t remember the woman’s name to help her track down where she might be keeping Josie, and she didn’t have any contact details for Debbie due to the line of work she dealt in, and her customers not wanting to be implemented in anything if Karen got caught providing a service for anyone willing to pay for it.

    Karen had just finished making herself a coffee and some toast when there was a heavy banging on her door, so she went to see who it was. She opened the door to find half a dozen police officers and some men in suits stood there.

     “Karen Jones you’re under arrest for the suspected murder of Jon Vaines.” One of the men in suits said as he entered the house showing her a piece of paper giving them permission to search her property.

     “What are you talking about?” Karen asked as she was slammed up against a wall by the man while another cuffed her hands behind her back.

     “You were caught on camera last evening chasing the boy into a parking structure where you proceeded to struggle with him and then you pulled a gun and shot him before you placed him in the trunk of your car and drove him away.” The officer explained. “Make it easier on yourself, and tell us where you put the body.” The man asked.

     “I didn’t kill anyone...!” Karen spat out in shock at what she was hearing. “I don’t even own a gun.” She added sounding cocky about it. She soon looked worried again though when she saw an officer walk down the stairs with a plastic bag with a pistol inside.

     “We found this Sir, and it smells like it’s been fired recently.” The officer with the pistol said as he handed it to the detective.

     “Good work.” The man in the suit said. “Let’s get it to the lab for testing, and I want to have her hands tested for residue.” He added.

    Karen was left speechless as her hands were placed in plastic bags just before she was led out of her house and over to a waiting police car. She couldn’t help noticing the trunk of her car and the fact there was a large red stain on the cream coloured carpeting in there.

     “I’m being set up, can’t you see that..!” Karen screamed out as she tried to get away from the officer taking her to the waiting car.

     “Where’s the child then if you didn’t shoot him?” The detective asked.

     “I don’t know where he is; I let some woman take him with her a couple of months ago and haven’t seen him since.” Karen spat out thinking it was better to be arrested for renting the child out over being charged with his murder.

     “What do you mean you let some woman take him with her a couple of months back?” The detective asked with anger in his voice at what he was hearing. “And just who was this woman?” He asked.

     “I don’t know; I never got any of her details before I let her take him away, but I never killed him.” She said in a pleading tone.

     “That’s got to be the biggest load of bull I’ve ever heard.” The detective said as he let the officer put her in the back of the squad car to be taken back to the precinct.

    Karen sat in the room back at the precinct in shock as she watched a video of herself in a parking structure fighting with Jon before she pulled a gun and shot him. She then watched as she dragged him over to her car and placed him in the trunk before driving away again.

     “Do you still want to stick to your story about Jon being rented out to some mystery woman?” The detective asked as he stopped the video.

     “That can’t be me in that video, I can’t even remember what I did last night after I went to a club and met up with a couple of women and we started doing shots.” Karen pleaded. “They must have been in on it.” Karen added sounding like a crazy person.

     “So now you’re saying that a group of people went to the trouble of getting you drunk, while someone dressed up as you and then shot Jon before loading him into the trunk of your car and then dumping the body someplace before returning your car to you?” The detective asked with a look that said she was insane if she thought that was going to fly with them.

     “Can anyone vouch for you being in this club last night?” The detective asked.

     “I don’t know, I can’t remember leaving the club, or how I got home.” Karen said sounding angry at the fact she had to keep repeating her story, what little she could remember of it.

     “Well unless you can produce Jon Vaines alive and well, we plan to charge you with his murder.” The officer said as he looked at some paperwork that had just been brought into him. “Test show that DNA in the trunk of your car matches that of DNA found in the basement where you said you kept the child.” The detective added as he gave Karen an angry look over the conditions she was keeping the child in. “Test also show that you have fired a gun in the last twelve hours, and we found your prints on the weapon, which has also been fired, not to mention that a slug removed from the scene matched up with being fired from this gun.” The detective said as he tapped the plastic bag that had the pistol in it that was found in her home.

     “How can you charge me with murder if you don’t have a body?” Karen asked with fear in her voice.

     “The evidence speaks for itself.” The detective said as he closed the file. “CSI say that the amount of blood found in the trunk of your car was enough to prove fatal to the person that lost it, and it was a match for Jon.”

     “But I didn’t kill him.” She pleaded, but it was falling on deaf ears as she was taken back to her cell.

    Emma had bought a gun using some fake ID she’d had made with Karen’s name on, so the gun the police found at Karen’s home was registered to her. Emma had even gone as far as to wear the disguise that made her look like Karen, so the gun shop owner picked Karen out of a line up. Emma had used a movie prop gun to make it look like Karen shot Jon on the security camera, but she turned way and then fired a shot into a parked car, so the police had something to match the bullet from the gun to when they found it at Karen’s home the next day.

    Josie had played dead while Emma lifted her into the trunk of the car that matched Karen’s, then the two of them had made their way over to Karen’s house where Emma let Josie have the pleasure of pouring the blood into the trunk and making it look like Karen had had a dead body in there.

    Debbie and Lesley slipped Karen’s sleeping form into a large trunk that they then had a member of the hotel staff take out to Lesley’s waiting car so they could get her home ready for the police arriving, which they had and all the evidence had pointed at Karen killing Jon and then hiding the body some place.

    Karen was charged with the murder of Jon Vaines and was told she would be facing the death sentence unless she told them where she’d disposed of the body, but she couldn’t tell them, even if she wanted to. She was found guilty of murdering Jon Vaines, and she was taken in for psychiatric review after she started screaming that Jon was still alive and was in the courtroom dressed as a girl.

    Jon was in the courtroom with Emma and David, well Josie was, but she looked nothing like Jon anymore, so no one believed Karen, and they just put it all down to her coming up with yet another excuse to try and get her off death row.

    Emma’s plan had worked perfectly, and Josie had been in the courtroom, and she did smile an evil smile at Karen when their eyes met. Emma and David made a quick exit with Josie though while Karen was having her tantrum and trying to get someone to grab the girl so they could see for themselves that she was really a boy called Jon. Emma was wearing a disguise so Karen didn’t realise who she was, and Karen had never met David, so she had no idea who he was.

    Karen never lived long enough to face lethal injection. Emma found out that Karen had offered to name names for a lighter sentence and she was killed not long after before she had a chance to say anything. It had been made to look like a prison fight, but Emma knew that one of the people at risk of being exposed had paid off another inmate to silence her.

     “I thought you’d be happy she was dead sweetie.” Emma said after she showed Josie the newspaper that said Karen was dead.

     “I am in a way, but I would have been happier to think of her suffering a little longer in prison.” Josie said with a sigh as she put the paper down on the kitchen table.

     “She was about to start talking about some very important people, so I bet one of them had her silenced before she could.” Emma said in a fake whisper.

     “Do you think it might have been the Nobles that had her killed?” Josie asked.

     “No, they’ve kept their distance since she was arrested, and with them thinking you’re dead, they had no reason to get involved.” Emma smiled. “Speaking of you being dead, we need to sort out getting you a new ID.” Emma added wanting to change the subject.

     “Are you able to do that?” Josie asked. “I thought it would throw up red flags if I suddenly appeared out of nowhere.” Josie added.

     “We just need to take the Identity of someone that died at birth and was born around the same time you were.” Emma explained.

     “I hope it will be a girl.” Josie said looking worried.

     “And here was me looking through boy’s names for you.” Emma said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

    Josie just giggled and stuck her tongue out at Emma. Emma just did it back at her and they were both soon having a giggling fit.

     “Will I have to change my name then?” Josie asked.

     “Probably, is that going to be a problem?” Emma asked looking serious again.

     “No, not really, just as long as I have your last name mummy.” Josie smiled.

     “That’s a given Ms Stead.” Emma smiled as she reached across the table and took hold of Josie’s hands in hers. “You’re my little girl now sweetie.” Emma added lovingly.

     “I love you mummy.” Josie said with tears in her eyes.

     “I love you to sweetie.” Emma said in return with tears in her own eyes. “Do you want to help me find a name for you when we’ve finished breakfast?” Emma asked excitedly.

    Josie started grinning as she nodded her head up and down to say yes she would. They finished breakfast and then the two of them got the dishes washed and put away before they went to Emma’s office and started looking through baby ID’s that all died at birth, or was the same age as Josie and had died early on in life.

     “How about Edith?” Emma asked with a grin after they’d been looking for half an hour.

     “Do I look like an Edith to you?” Josie asked with her hands on her hips trying to look angry, but she was fighting not to start grinning when she saw that Emma was only teasing her.

     “You do look a little like an Edith if I squint as I look at you.” Emma argued.

     “Not fair...!” Josie whined as she playfully slapped Emma on the shoulder.

    Emma just giggled as she defended herself from the attack while giggling even more. She pulled Josie into a hug and all the fight went out of Josie as she enjoyed the embrace.

    They got back to searching through the records and Emma was soon looking at the perfect new identity for Josie.

     “I’ve found it...!” Emma shouted as she hit the print button on her computer and the printer sprang to life and spat out a piece of paper with the name on it.

     “Josie stepped over and picked up the paper expecting to see another silly name, but she smiled when she saw the name on the printout.

     “This is perfect.” Josie grinned as she read the name Josephine Blake. “How do I become her though?” Josie asked.

     “Just leave all that to me, and get use to using the last name of Stead from now on.” Emma said as she pulled Josie into another hug with her.

    Emma was true to her word and in no time at all Josie was Josephine Blake and then she was Josephine Stead once Emma had sorted out all the adoption details with some close friends of her parents. Emma kept the truth from them with a little fake ID work and Josie was soon Josephine Stead.

    Due to Emma being asked to work on a couple of big budget movies and do the stunts for the leading lady, she decided to take Josie with her, so she could keep an eye on her and home school her between stunts. Josie was soon being asked if she wanted to be an extra in some of the scenes and she was soon making some new friends that she stayed in touch with once the movies were over.

    Josie and Emma were as happy as any real mother and daughter, and Emma got some help from her friend Lisa. Josie was soon seeing the right people to help her make the outer body match the mind inside.

    As the months went on, Josie looked more and more like a young woman, and she looked happy as she let her time with Karen Jones fade to a distant bad memory, but Josie never let herself forget about the Nobles and what Kevin Nobles had done to her sister Hannah.

    Josie had found out about Emma keeping tabs on the Nobles, just to make sure they never found out about Jon still being alive, not that Josie looked much like Jon anymore, thanks to the hormones and fashion advice from Debbie and Lesley, not to mention all the martial arts and other forms of exercise that Josie now did alongside Emma.

    Emma wanted Josie to be able to look after herself if she ever found herself in trouble, so she’d forced Josie to train with her in the beginning, but Josie soon learned to enjoy the training, and she was soon sparing with Emma, David and Lesley. Debbie just said she was a lover, not a fighter, when ever Emma tried to get her to train with them.

    Josie was still being home schooled by Emma, with some help from Debbie and Lesley, but it was Emma that was teaching her today, and Emma had needed to pop out and take care of some things, so she’d left Josie with a paper to write. Josie had finished the paper and had got into Emma’s home office to check the latest info on the Nobles. She growled when she saw the latest photos of Kevin Nobles pop up in the file Emma kept on him.

     “I’m going to make you pay for what you did you bastard.” Josie said under her breath as she clicked on the screen so she could read all about what Kevin had been up to in the past month. Josie did smile though when she looked down and saw her very feminine looking hands with the pretty pink nails. She just loved everything about being a girl, and she knew she’d be even happier once she was not reminded of her past every time she looked in the mirror before and after taking a bath or a shower and she saw the thing between her legs.

    Josie was so lost in reading the file on Kevin Nobles that she hadn’t heard Emma return, but she did jump and let out a very girlie squeal when Emma placed a hand on her shoulder.

     “I’m sorry mother...!” Josie gasped out as she tried to swallow her heart that had jumped up into her throat when Emma scared her. “I know I shouldn’t be in here.” Josie added as she tried to close the file.

     “I know you come in here and check up on the Nobles sweetie.” Emma said as she pulled Josie up out the seat and gave her a hug. “Sorry I scared you.” Emma added with a pout that was hiding a smirk.

     “No you’re not.” Josie frowned.

     “True, I’m not, but it was funny to hear you squeal like a little girl.” Emma said with a giggle. “Did you finish reading everything?” Emma asked as she looked at the computer screen.

     “I read what I wanted to.” Josie sighed. “I know I should let it go, but I just can’t get past the fact he killed my sister and is living his life while Hannah is dead.” Josie said with tears in her eyes as she looked up at Emma.

     “I know how you feel sweetie, but the Nobles are too well connected, and to go after them now would just paint a target on your back as well as mine.” Emma explained. “If I wasn’t worried about what they might do to you, I’d have handed over that video you kept of Kevin killing your sister.” Emma added.

    Josie had finally shown Emma the video on Jon’s old phone not long after they heard about Karen Jones getting killed in prison. Emma had wanted to take it to the police, but David had warned them about the Nobles finding out that Jon was still alive and now living as a girl called Josie, so Emma then had to sit Josie down and explain about them not being able to do anything about it now, and she should have shown them this before they set Karen up for Jon’s murder.

     “He’ll upset the wrong person one day sweetie, and then he will get what’s coming to him.” Emma promised as she hugged Josie close to her chest while stroking Josie long blonde hair.

     ‘I’ll be the one to make him pay.’ Josie thought to herself as she looked at his picture on the computer screen.

    Emma couldn’t read minds, but she knew that Josie was not going to let this go, and one day in the future Josie would make Kevin and his family pay for what they did to her, but more for what they did to her sister Hannah. Emma still hoped that time would help Josie to move on and just forget about Kevin and what he did to her sister.

Chapter Eight: Time marches on

    Over the next several years Josie blossomed into a beautiful woman. She went through all the things any teenage girl does, but she never showed any interest in dating guys or girls, she just focused on getting good grades and impressing her mother., all the while she was keeping detailed records on Kevin and his eleven friends that helped to cover up Hannah’s murder.

    Josie kept her transgender a secret from even her closest of friends in high school when she finally started there. To them she was just another girl. Emma had found a doctor that carried out a little procedure to make it look like Josie had a clitoris to look at, but it didn’t work like a normal girl’s would, so it meant that Josie had to fake being on at that time of the month. It was made easier by the fact she said she was on when ever Emma was on.

    She finally took a trip to Thailand with Emma once she finished high school, where Emma paid for Josie to have the final surgery to make her a woman. David, Debbie and Lesley all went with them and they enjoyed a long holiday in the country while Josie recovered from the surgery.

    Josie was resting in her room and the other three were all enjoying a cold drink out on the balcony of the hotel room in Bangkok.

     “She’ll be fine in time Em.” Lesley said when she saw Emma looking towards the bedroom door where Josie was resting.

     “I know that, but I just hate to see her in pain.” Emma said with a sigh. “You must know better than any of us what she’s going through at the minute.” Emma added when she thought about Lesley having the same surgery some time back, and how good she looked now.

     “I think you will find that Josie sees this as a happy pain, and she will soon get use to the dilating, I did, even if I don’t like doing it still.” Lesley shuddered.

     “Josie really isn’t keen on that one bit.” Emma agreed.

     “I’ve never met anyone of us that was.” Lesley admitted.

     “How are things with your parents now Debbie?” Emma asked as she tried to take her mind off what Josie was going through, it made Emma feel totally useless to see her daughter in so much pain, even if like Lesley said, Josie saw it as a good pain.

    Debbie had finally told her parents that she was a lesbian, and she was in love with a woman and had been for several years now. She had been disowned by them to begin with, but they had relented after a year, when they saw that Debbie wasn’t going to come back, and David had told them that Debbie was head over heels in love with Lesley, and Lesley felt the same way about Debbie.

    Things had been getting back to normal after that, right up until they found out about Lesley once being male, and David’s best friend on top of that. Debbie’s parents had forbid Lesley from setting foot in the house, which led to Debbie not speaking to them, and that was the last Emma had heard about any of it.

     “I’ve not spoke to them since they told Lesley to get out their house.” Debbie said looking like a child as she pouted and crossed her arms across her chest.

     “I still think you should go and speak with them.” Lesley said looking worried about how things were between Debbie and her parents.

     “I’ll speak to them when they come to their senses and let you enter their house again.” Debbie said in a tone that let Lesley know she wasn’t going to back down on this subject.

     “I hate the fact you’re not speaking to your parents over me.” Lesley said as she tried to reason with Debbie. “I haven’t spoken to my family in years now, and I don’t want that for you baby.” Lesley pouted as she pulled Debbie into a hug just before they started kissing each other.

    Emma let the subject drop as she found herself being kissed by David, and Lesley now having her tongue halfway down Debbie’s throat judging by all the moaning Debbie was now doing.

    Josie slowly recovered from her surgery and they all returned to the States where Josie started college and a career in business so she could help Emma to run the companies she’d inherited from her parents. Josie was also still going on movie shoots with Emma when she was asked to do a stunt for a famous female actress that fit the same build as Emma. Josie found herself with an interest in doing all things dangerous, and she was soon doing stunts alongside Emma.

    Emma made sure Josie kept on top of her college work, even when they were away on a shoot, and Josie left College with a lot of degrees that she was soon using to help Emma run the business empire started by her father, and Josie still wasn’t interested in dating anyone as all her free time was spent keeping an eye on Kevin and his friends.

    All the time Josie was going through high school and then College, she never once lost sight of her goal to get Vengeance for Hannah, and she had a full working history of Kevin Nobles and his family. Josie had also had the time to plan the perfect revenge for her, and deal a shocking blow to the Nobles family that they would never recover from.

    Josie had kept her plan for vengeance from Emma and the others, so they wouldn’t be arrested if she got caught doing what she had planned. All Josie needed to do now was wait for the right time to set things in motion. This was going to be the hardest part due to Emma being very over protective of Josie and keeping a close eye on her still, even now Josie was in her early twenties and able to look after herself, thanks to combat training with Emma, David and Lesley for the past several years. Josie saw the perfect time to carry out her plan when Emma and David asked to speak with her one evening while they were out having dinner together.

     “Why do I feel like I’m a child again, and I’ve done something wrong?” Josie asked with a nervous giggle as she looked at Emma and David on the other side of the table, as much in love today as they were when Josie first met them.

     “You’re not in trouble dear, but David and I do have something to ask you.” Emma said looking more nervous than Josie did.

     “What is it mother?” Josie asked as she put down her wine glass and looked seriously at Emma.

    Emma looked at David as she took hold of his hand, then she looked back at Josie. “David’s asked me to marry him, and I’ve said yes, but I want to make sure you’re okay with having David as your father?” Emma asked before waiting for Josie’s reaction to the news.

     “That’s wonderful news.” Josie said as she jumped up and ran around the table to hug the two of them. “It’s long overdue, but I’m so happy for you both.” Josie added sounding like a little girl as she jumped up and down making everyone in the restaurant look at her like she was insane.

     “I knew you would be okay with all this, but I just wanted to make sure sweetie.” Emma said as she hugged Josie and tried to stop her bouncing around.

     “I do have one condition though.” Josie said looking serious as she looked at David. “Firstly I want you to take good care of my mother, and second...” Josie was stopped at this point by David speaking.

     “I thought you said one condition?”

     “I’m a female; I’m allowed to change my mind.” Josie said as she slapped David on the arm for interrupting her. “I want to call you dad or daddy once you’re married to my mother.” Josie grinned.

     “You don’t need to wait for me to marry your mother to start calling me dad or daddy.” David grinned back as he held his arms open to get a hug from his new daughter.

    Josie giggled as she jumped on her father’s knee and let him wrap his big strong arms around her like any protective father would do. It may have looked weird for a twenty four year old woman to be sat on an older man’s knee, but Josie didn’t care what others thought about her, not anymore.

    Emma and David were married in the gardens of Emma’s parent’s home on a sunny summer’s day with Debbie as her maid of honour and Lesley as David’s best woman. Josie was happy to be a bridesmaid in a beautiful Champagne coloured dress.

    Josie had talked David into taking Emma on a cruise for their honeymoon. They would be away for a couple of months, which would give Josie enough time to carry out her plan and finally see Kevin Nobles pay for his crime against Hannah and a lot of other woman he’d hurt over the years, but always got away with, all thanks to his parents and a team of lawyers willing to do whatever it took to keep their son out of jail.

     “I still don’t understand why you can’t take a break from working all the time and come with us.” Emma said as Josie saw them off at the dockside on the morning they were leaving on their honeymoon.

     “It’s your honeymoon mother, what sort of fun would I have while you two spend all your time in your suite having fun?” Josie asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

     “Josie...!” Emma blushed as she slapped Josie on the arm while blushing and looking around to see if anyone might have overheard what Josie just said. “David and I can do that sort of thing anytime, but I’ll miss having you around for the next eight weeks.” Emma added as she pulled Josie into another hug.

     “I’ll miss you too mummy.” Josie pouted. “But I’m sure you’ll still have a wonderful time, and I’ll still be here when you get back.” Josie added with a smile. Josie wasn’t sure if she would be there when Emma and David got back, but she wasn’t about to tell her mother and new father that.

    David was finally able to pull Emma away from Josie so the two of them could board the ship. Emma stood on the deck waving to Josie as the ship pulled away and headed out to sea.

    Josie watched until the ship was just a small spec on the horizon before she stopped smiling and looked deadly serious about her list.

    The list had twelve names on it, and was also the reason for Josie never dating in all this time. Josie had spent all her free time researching the twelve men on the list. The name at the top was Kevin Noble, and the other eleven were the others in the room on the night Hannah was killed.

    Josie had spent years finding out all she could about each and every one of them, just so she could find some way to destroy each of their lives. It was easy with a couple of them, and she’d already crossed their names off the list, but others were too smart and covered their tracks when they did things that they didn’t want anyone to find out about, so Josie had come up with different plans to get each and every one of them.

    She knew she needed to take each one of them down in a different way, so as not to tip off Kevin and his family to the fact it was some sort of vendetta against them all for what happened to her sister.

    Josie had always wondered why none of Kevin’s friends ever let anything slip out about what happened to Hannah on that night, and it all became very clear when Josie started looking into each of his friends pasts and saw that Kevin’s father had paid for them all to go through business school.

    Keith Nobles had paid out a small fortune to keep the fact his son had murdered her sister a secret, and each one of them had a good paying job now because of it, something that Josie wanted to fix, and now she had eight weeks to take care of the last ten names on the list.

    Josie returned to the house and packed up some things before she left to take care of the next person on her list.

 

To Be Concluded Next Friday  

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you

 © February 2013

Part Five

Chapter Nine: The List

    Josie got to the motel close to the name of the third person on her list and she sat on the bed looking at the tatty looking note pad that had the list of names. She looked at the two names she’d already crossed out and thought about their fate.

    1. George Ferland

    George had watched while Kevin choked Hannah, and then he lied to cover it up, just like all the names on the list had.

    Josie had spent some time working out a plan to get each one of them back, and she came up with the idea of finding out something she could use against each of them to make what happened look like a natural conclusion to a problem they had trouble with in their own lives, so no one would think what happened, odd.

    George Ferland had a problem with gambling, well the problem was he wasn’t very good at it and lost a lot of money, but he had a nice sized trust fund left to him by a rich uncle that had passed away, so he never worried about upsetting the men he made the bets with, he just paid up and shrugged off any loss, no matter how large it was. Josie had a plan to change this little detail though.

    Josie had gotten herself a job as a waitress in a restaurant George liked to dine at, then one evening just before he went to a casino. She’d cloned his credit card at the end of the meal, and then she’d scanned a couple more when she said that the first couple had been declined. Josie had finally said that the fault was on her end and his cards were fine.

    George had gone to the casino thinking nothing of what happened. He took out a large line of credit and then had it extended when he ended up on a losing streak. The losing streak was due to the casino being run by the mob, and no one won if the owners didn’t want you to, which was all the time. Josie had found out that they liked to let the customers win a little to begin with, but once they thought they couldn’t lose and they started to make bigger bets, the owner would then fix the game so the customer lost big time.

    Josie had used the cloned credit cards to purchase lots of items online and cause the banks to put a freeze on all of Georges cards, so when he came to settle his account at the casino at the end of the night, he wasn’t able to.

    George had gone missing, just to turn up face down in the local river a couple of weeks later. Everyone knew about George and his gambling problem, and most knew where he liked to go and do his gambling and who ran those places, but the police couldn’t prove anything, and no one looked to closely at the fact his accounts had been hacked, they just thought it had happened after someone found his wallet.

    Josie had smiled when she saw his name in the paper and she’d then crossed him off her list. She’d hoped to get him beaten up, but seeing that he’d been killed was a nice surprise, and she wasn’t going to lose any sleep over it. Just like he’d never lost any sleep over the death of Hannah.

    2. Charles Codd

    Charles Codd had been the one to film what happened on his phone, but he later denied ever doing it when Jon had given his phone to the police. Josie knew that Kevin’s father had paid off people in the police force to lose the phone and the report.

    Josie had trouble in the beginning as she tried to find some way to get her revenge on Charles. He didn’t gamble, or drink. She thought him to be a saint until she followed him one evening to a motel and saw him meeting with a woman. The thing Josie found odd was how they seemed to be looking around to make sure they weren’t being watched before entering the motel room. Josie didn’t need to see in the room to work out what the two of them were up to. Josie followed the woman when she left and soon found out she was married to Charles’s business partner and the two of them were having an affair.

    Josie followed the two of them for a couple of weeks and worked out a routine and realised the two of them had a meal once a week at the same restaurant, so Josie called up Charles’s business partner and arranged to meet him at the same restaurant on the same night at the same time as Charles would be having a meal with the man’s wife.

    Charles and the woman looked like a couple in love as they sat eating their meal while holding hands and sharing the odd kiss. Charles’s business partner had arrived for the meeting and was seated at the table while he waited for Josie to arrive. He had no idea what Josie looked like because they had only spoken on the phone, so he had no idea that she was already sat at another table ready to watch the floor show when the man saw Charles with his wife.

    The man had been sat waiting for a little over fifteen minutes before he looked around the room and saw his wife sat with Charles at another table. Charles leaned across the table and kissed the woman just as he looked.

    Josie smiled as she saw this happen, then she had to hide the grin she had on her face as she watched the man jump up and charge across the room to confront Charles. Josie watched as the man never said a word as he pulled Charles to his feet and then proceeded to punch Charles repeatedly.

    Charles’s face looked a mess by the time several waiters had managed to pull the man away from Charles who just fell to the ground out for the count.

    Josie later found out that Charles’s business partner held the lions share in the company and he sold it on to another company while Charles was recovering in hospital before he vanished, leaving Charles with a mountain of debt to deal with and no way to pay any of it off.

    Charles was now working a nine to five job and trying pay off his debts, and he was living in a little apartment in a rundown part of the city.

    Josie parked up across the road every once in a while and watched Charles get home from work and she smiled when she saw the beaten look he had on his face and she knew that she helped to put that look there. She sometimes wished she could walk up to him and tell him why all this happened, but she knew that would give the game away and she would never stand a chance of getting the others on the list, so she settled for watching him live his life, what life he had now.

    3. Robert Hamel

    Robert Hamel was the reason for Josie being in this motel room; she was now going to destroy Robert’s life before moving on to the next person on her list.

    Out of all the names on the list, Robert was going to be the easiest to bring down because she’d found out he was embezzling money from the company he worked for. He was doing a good job of covering his tracks, but Josie had worked out he was living beyond his means after following him on and off for a couple of weeks and seeing that he owned two homes, but didn’t have the kind of income to cover for them. After a little more digging she’d found a second bank account and then that led back to where the money was coming from.

     Josie made detailed records and was ready to send them to the company, but she wanted to get an agency job working at the company so she could watch him get arrested before she sent the envelope full of evidence to the company by courier.

    She had no trouble getting a job using some fake ID, and she was placed in the same department working under Robert as a junior analyst. Once she was in place she called in and arranged to have the envelope delivered later that morning.

    Josie was working at her desk when four men in suits entered their part of the building with police officers following. Josie watched as Robert was dragged from his office with his hands cuffed behind his back and taken away by the police.

    Robert was charged and found guilty of embezzlement and sentenced to time in prison. Josie knew he would have trouble finding work once he was released; now he had a criminal record, so she’d crossed another name off her list.

    Josie had already moved on to the others though while Robert sat in prison awaiting trial, she saw her work was done with him now, and the law would get it right this time and he would be charged for his crimes.

    4. Lee Banks

    Lee Banks was a nasty piece of work who Josie wanted to see suffer almost as much as Kevin Nobles. She followed him and soon found out he had a thing for hookers. He would pick one up and then take pleasure in tying them up and raping them before beating them and then leaving.

    Josie had seen some of the hookers try to press charges, but the police had no time for any of them and thought they asked for all they got, given the line of work they were in.

    Lee had picked up one girl that Josie didn’t think looked like your normal type of hooker, so she called the police and reported a crime, hoping to stop Lee before he did too much damage. They turned up to late and the girl was a mess. Josie found out that the girl had been thrown out by her stepfather and was just trying to get some money to eat. Josie also found out that the girl had an older brother who was in the military, and he was a little pissed to say the least when he found out about what had happened to his baby sister.

    Josie soon had a plan and she sent an envelope to the girl’s brother showing him some pictures of her entering a motel room with Lee Banks. Josie had also added details of where he lived and the fact he’d done it to some other girls as well. She even added details for some of the other girls that had tried to press charges against Lee.

    Lee had just picked up another girl and taken her into a motel room when Josie watched the girl’s brother and a couple of his mates burst into the room and drag a naked Lee out of the room before they threw him into the trunk and drove away.

    Josie thought about driving off in the other direction, but she just had to see what these large men had in stall for Lee, so she followed them to a rundown warehouse in the middle of nowhere and she parked a good distance away and sneaked up to the warehouse so she could watch Lee get what was coming to him.

    The men had Lee chained up and the girl’s brother was using him like a punching bag as he asked how he liked to get tied up and beaten.

    Lee had a cloth stuffed in his mouth, so his answers were not heard just grunts and groans after every punch. Josie felt a little sick as she heard his bones break, but she started to think about all those poor women he’d beaten, and she felt a little better after that.

    The girl’s brother finally got bored and he left with his friends, but they left Lee hanging in the middle of the old warehouse for someone else to find dead or alive.

    Josie liked the idea of Lee living for a long time to come, so she called the police and then she left herself. She later found out that Lee Banks was now in a wheelchair and would never walk again due to spine damage. He would also never be able to have sex again either. Not able to deal with this, Lee Banks took his own life a couple of months later. That was the one thing that did upset Josie though, the fact he was too much of a coward to keep on living, but she still smiled when she crossed his name off her list and moved onto the next person on the list.

    5. Ronald Nepton

    Ronald Nepton had started working for a large company before he met and married the boss’s daughter. Josie didn’t need to research Ronald to know he had his sights set on owning the company, but it didn’t stop him from seeing other women on the side for sex. His wife was a little bit of a prude Josie found out after meeting her in a restaurant ladies room.

    Josie did some digging and she found out that Ronald had been forced to sign a prenuptial that would mean he got nothing in a divorce if he was found to be cheating on his wife. Josie smiled as she realised that he would be left homeless once his secret was out, so she set to work getting the evidence she needed to end his marriage.

    Ronald didn’t just have one mistress; no he had three of them who he saw on different night of the week when not being forced to spend time with his wife.

    Using the skills she’d picked up from helping out at the investigation company her mother owned, and she helped to run, Josie soon had all the evidence she needed to take down Ronald.

    Ronald’s father in-law received an envelope with photos and a DVD with video evidence of Ronald making love to two of the three women he was seeing behind his wife’s back, and the photos were of Ronald with the third woman. Ronald’s father in-law showed his daughter the evidence and Ronald soon found himself tossed out on his ear with nothing more than the shirt on his back.

    Josie followed Ronald to see what he was going to do next, and she was a little puzzled when she saw him meet up with Kevin. None of them had been in contact with each other in all the time Josie had been watching them, so she was wondering what Ronald needed from Kevin now. She sat at the other end of the bar and stole secret looks at the two men as they spoke in a booth. Josie could see that Kevin wasn’t happy with whatever it was Ronald was saying, and it ended with Kevin getting to his feet and walking out looking very angry with something.

    Ronald stopped for a couple more drinks and he looked pretty smug with himself over something. Josie wondered if he’d used some form of blackmail to try and get some money out of Kevin and his family.

    It was getting late and Josie finally decided to return to the hotel she’d been stopping in, so she could get some sleep before she moved onto the next person on her list.

    Josie was shocked to read in the paper the next morning that Ronald Nepton had been killed in a car crash. The article said that he’d driven into a tree after having too much to drink in a local bar. Josie saw that it was the bar where he’d met with Kevin. Josie found herself wondering if Kevin and his father might have had something to do with Ronald’s sudden death, but like with all the other things, proving it would be impossible, so she shrugged it off and focused on her next victim.

    6. Sean Rodgers

    Sean Rodgers had been a tricky one to find anything on. He worked in a bank now and he seemed to live a dull life and had no family or girlfriend he spent time with, and he was good at his job, so she was struggling to find some way to make his downfall look like a natural thing. She did think about attacking him and making it look like a mugging, but she wanted him to suffer more for his part in covering up her sister’s death.

    Josie finally decided that she would need to be a little more involved with Sean’s accident, so she used some of the things she’d learned in the makeup room on some of the movie sets she’d been to with Emma and she made herself look very different before she started flirting with Sean in a bar after he finished work one evening.

    Once Sean had a couple of drinks in him, he relaxed enough to start excepting Josie’s advances and they were soon leaving the bar and heading for a restaurant for a meal.

    Josie talked Sean into taking a short cut down an alley and they were halfway down the alley when Josie ripped her top open and started screaming for someone to help her. She planned this so that they were close to a bar that catered to bikers. Josie played the part of a scared woman as several large men in biker clothing appeared around Sean, who still looked shocked at what Josie had just done.

    Sean never had time to say anything before he was being beaten up by the men. Josie was taken into the bar by a couple of women where she was checked out to make sure she was alright, then she was put in a cab and told not to worry about ever seeing Sean again, and he wouldn’t be attacking any other women.

    Josie played the sobbing victim until she was being driven away in the cab, then she smiled as she thought of Sean being set upon by the large men.

    Sean wasn’t killed, but he was arrested, and he lost his job at the bank when they found out the reason for him being arrested. No charges were brought against him due to Josie not being there to press any, but the bank didn’t want the bad press, not after the papers got pictures sent to them and they put them in their paper with a story about a group of hero bikers stopping a sexual predator from raping a woman.

    Josie was happy with the outcome and she set her sights on the next one on her list. She hadn’t realised how long it was going to take to get them all, and she was running out of time to get it all done before Emma returned from her honeymoon.

    7. Adrian Stollene

    Adrian Stollene was already being taken care of, so Josie had very little to do with his downfall. He was already dying from bowel cancer and only had months to live, so she would just keep a close eye on him and cross his name off her list when she read about him losing his battle to it.

    Josie moved onto the next two names on her list.

    8 & 9. Joseph McCarthy and Mike Vincent

    Joseph and Mike worked together at an investment company, so Josie decided to take the two of them down together. She found out that they were already being watched due to people thinking they were doing some insider trading, so Josie decided to help the investigation by planting some evidence that would lead to them being arrested for it, but before she had time to find out any information, the two of them were arrested and charged for doing it, so she was able to sit back and watch the two of them get locked up as well as several other people from the company they worked for.

    Josie did feel like she’d been cheated out of her revenge, but she knew by looking at the two of them that they wouldn’t last long in prison before they were someone’s bitch. Josie had read stories in the papers about men going into prison and then becoming some other guy’s girlfriend, and forced to dress the part, so she tried to picture the two of them in dresses. She thought that both of them would look quite pretty actually.

    Realising there was nothing more she could do to get back at them, she moved onto the next name on the list.

    10. Matt Drake

    Matt was an adrenalin junky and was always looking for something to do that gave him a near death thrill. One of the things he loved to do was ride his motorbike at fast speeds on the mountain roads.

    Josie saw this as a good way to take him out herself, so she bought herself a fast bike and then she started following him around looking for a chance to challenge him to a race. Due to the fact she was wearing a helmet, he had no idea what she looked like, so she wasn’t bothered about it taking some time to pick the right moment.

    It didn’t take long for Matt to notice her and they were soon playing a game of cat and mouse on some winding roads through the mountains. Josie had been trained by some of the best stunt people in Hollywood on a bike, so she was able to not only keep up with Matt, but also pull away from him.

    Matt wasn’t as good as he thought he was and he came close to going over the edge a couple of times as he tried to keep up with Josie. Josie let him catch up a couple of times just to pull away from him again, forcing him to go faster to try and catch her up.

    Josie noticed a large rig making its way up the mountain road from the other direction and she saw this as the right time to let Matt meet his fate, so she opened it up and started to pull away from him. Matt opened it up and was able to catch up with her, but it put him on her outside as they went around a blind bend.

    Matt came face to face with the rig and had to swerve around the large truck which put him to close to the edge of the cliff and he went over the edge.

    Josie wanted to stop and watch the carnage as he went down the mountainside, but she didn’t want the police asking her questions, so she opened it up and got out of there as fast as she could. The bike was running fake plates, so she wasn’t worried about being caught that way, and the visor on her helmet was to dark for any cameras to see her face.

    She later read in the paper that Matt was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital due to internal bleeding.

    Josie was now down to just two names on her list.

    11. Conrad Hilson

    Conrad was like George Ferland and had a gambling problem, but unlike George, Conrad didn’t have a trust fund to fall back on, so he was in to some very shady people for a lot of money.

    Josie decided to make it look like he was getting ready to run, so she cloned his credit card and then bought him a one way ticket online to make it look like he was leaving. Josie just hoped the people he owed money to had people keeping an eye on him, and they did, because within a couple of hours of her buying the ticket online, Conrad was being picked up and taken to see the main man he owed all the money too. Josie had to use her imagination as to what Conrad was saying to the man as he tried to say he knew nothing about any ticket and the fact he wasn’t planning to run out on his debt.

    While Conrad was with the men, she picked the lock to Conrad’s apartment and she packed up some of his things and made it look like he was leaving in a hurry. She was cutting it close and had to pretend to check a mail box in the lobby when she saw Conrad return with three men following him. None of them gave her much of a look, other than to check her out as they walked past pushing Conrad along and then into the waiting elevator. Josie knew that Conrad would have trouble denying he was about to run once they saw the state of his apartment, and the packed suit case just inside the door.

    Josie was just making her way out of the apartment block when she heard someone screaming just before there was a loud crashing sound and then a woman started screaming. Josie walked around to the side of the building where all the noise was coming from and she saw the twisted bloody body of Conrad sat in the remains of a car roof. She didn’t need to check for a pulse to know he was dead.

    Josie was now down to just one name on her list, and she knew that this one was going to take a little more work on her part because she had something a little more involved planned for Kevin.

    12. Kevin Nobles

    Josie’s plan for Kevin had taken a little more planning and she had managed to rent the apartment next to his at the same time as Emma and David left on their honeymoon, and she would come and go smiling at Kevin whenever they passed each other in the hallway. Josie had wanted to just beat the crap out of Kevin every time she looked at him, but she calmed herself and thought about her plan and how much more satisfying it would be to stick to it and get the result she wanted that way, so she would play nice and earn his trust. The last thing she needed was to show up on anyone’s radar after she’d carried out her plan for vengeance.

     “Let me help you with that.” Kevin said to Josie one evening as she struggled to get into the apartment complex with a couple of heavy shopping bags.

     “Thank you so much.” Josie said sounding relieved for the help, even though she’d planned for this to happen, and she’d been waiting in her car for Kevin to arrive before she got out of her own car.

     “Think nothing of it.” Kevin said as he looked Josie up and down. “Do I know you?” He asked as he focused on her face.

     “Yes, I live just down the hallway from you.” Josie smiled back as she tried not to throw up over the thought of just how much she hated this man.

     “No, I don’t mean it like that.” Kevin chuckled. “I just feel like we’ve met before some place.” He added as he tried to remember where he might have met her before. He’d had the same feeling since he saw her move in several weeks ago.

     “I just have one of those faces.” Josie shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, but she knew where he’d seen her before, well someone that looked like her anyway.

    Josie had made herself look like Hannah did at the time Kevin killed her. Josie knew it was a big risk, but she wanted to see if he remembered her and what he did, but he didn’t look bothered, and it didn’t look like he’d clicked as to who she looked like, not that it was hard for her to look like Hannah, Josie found it hard to not look like her sister as she got older, and they had the same eyes. Josie often found herself sobbing as she looked in the mirror and saw her sister looking back at her. It also helped to keep Josie focused on what she needed to do.

     “Are you having company over for dinner?” Kevin asked, snapping Josie out of her thoughts and reminding her where she was and what she was planning to do. “You sure have a lot of stuff here for just one.” He added as he looked down into the bag he was carrying for her.

     “No, just me, but I needed to stock up on some things, as I tend to work some long hours and don’t always find the time to go to the market.” Josie explained with a smile. “You must let me cook you dinner tonight as payment for all your help.” Josie added in her best flirty voice.

    Kevin seemed to think about it for a couple of seconds before he answered. He also looked Josie up and down like he was trying to see what she would look like naked. This made Josie feel sick again as she tried not to shudder at the thought of being in bed with this man. All Josie saw when she looked at him was the man that killed her sister.

     “I’d love to have dinner with you.” Kevin smiled. “What time shall I come over?” He asked.

    Josie snapped and dropped her bag of shopping just before she kicked out with her right leg and made contact with Kevin’s head sending him flying into the side wall of the elevator. Before he had time to recover, Josie grabbed his head and slammed it into the wall repeatedly until he stopped fighting and there was just a bloody mess where his face once was. Josie let go of his hair and watched as he fell to the floor dead.

     “Eight.” Josie said as she snapped out of her fantasy and smiled at him.

     “I’ll be over at eight then.” Kevin smiled even more as he looked Josie up and down again like he already knew he was going to get her in bed before the evening was over.

    Kevin was in the middle of getting ready for his dinner date when there was a knock on his door and he found Josie stood there looking upset over something.

     “Is everything alright?” Kevin asked.

     “No, I’m sorry but I will need to cancel our dinner date.” Josie pouted. “Something is wrong with my stove and I’m unable to cook us a meal and I can’t get anyone to come and look at it until tomorrow.” She added with another pout. “Unless you know anything about stoves and want to come take a look at it for me?” She asked looking like the typical female in need.

     “Sorry, but I wouldn’t know where to start, but why don’t you come over here and I can order in for us, or I can take you out for a meal instead?” Kevin asked, not wanting to miss out on spending time with this beautiful woman. He was still being haunted by the feeling that he knew her from someplace.

     “But I will have to throw away all the stuff I’ve been working on if we do that.” Josie whined. “I know, why don’t I bring everything over here and I can use your kitchen instead.” Josie said looking excited about their dinner date being back on if Kevin agreed.

     “I don’t mind if you still want to cook us dinner.” Kevin agreed eagerly. He was still hoping to have her in bed before the evening was over, and having her cook in his apartment just made it all a lot easier for him to achieve.

     “That’s wonderful.” Josie said as she clapped her hands together excitedly. “I’ll just go and get everything and bring it to your place.” Josie added as she spun around and ran back down the hallway to her own apartment. Kevin watched her go and smiled to himself as he checked out her beautiful rounded butt bobbing from side to side as she ran. He found himself wanting to sink his teeth into that soft flesh hidden beneath the tight white shorts Josie was wearing.

    Josie was soon busy in Kevin’s kitchen as she carried on sorting out dinner for them both. Kevin would wander in and out seeing if she needed any help, and other than opening a bottle of wine Josie had brought with her, she was coping just fine.

     “Do you want a glass with me?” Kevin asked as he poured the wine into the first glass.

     “I wish I could, but I’m on antibiotics at the minute, so I’ll stick to water.” Josie smiled just before she picked up her glass of water and took a sip from it.

     “More for me then.” Kevin grinned just before he took a large sip from his glass. “I do feel bad drinking your wine though.” Kevin added in mock sadness just before he took another sip from his glass and then topped it up.

     ‘Yes, I can see you’re really choked up about it’ Josie thought to herself, but just smiled like it was fine.

    Josie carried on sipping her water while she got the meal ready for them to eat, and she was soon telling Kevin to take a seat at the table.

     “This looks amazing Josie.” Kevin said after he’d helped Josie take her seat just before he joined her on the other side of the table.

     “Thank you Kevin, but it’s nothing special.” Josie said as she tried to play down the praise she was being shown.

    Josie smiled as she watched Kevin eat the meal and continue to take sips from his wine glass. She could see him beginning to sweat, and he wasn’t looking to good by the end of the meal.

     “Are you alright Kevin?” Josie asked trying to sound worried for him, but she already knew what the problem was.

     “I’m really not feeling to good.” He said as he wiped some sweat off his face.

     “Let’s get you seated on the couch where you’ll be a little more comfortable.” Josie helped him to get over to the couch.

     “You still look so familiar to me Josie.” Kevin said in a slurred voice. “Maybe I dated your sister.” He added suddenly. “Do you even have a sister?” Kevin asked.

     “I did.” Josie answered with anger in her voice. “She was murdered though.” Josie added as she looked Kevin in the eyes.

     “I’m sorry to hear that.” Kevin said as he tried to shake off the sleepy feeling he had.

     “I doubt you’re really sorry, you weren’t when you killed her.” Josie snarled as she rose to her feet and looked down at a puzzled looking Kevin.

     “Hannah...?” Kevin said looking puzzled. “But how can you be her sister?” He asked looking confused. “She only had a brother, and he died years ago.” Kevin went to get up as he spoke, but his legs failed him and he fell back on the couch just before he passed out.

    Josie jumped into action as she cleared away all the items that made it look like he’d had company for dinner. She replaced his meal with what she’d been eating because she’d laced all his food with heroin to make it look like he died of a drug overdose. She planned to finish him off with a final injection and then leave the needle in his arm to add to the overall effect. She wanted it to look like he died the same way he made it look like Hannah died. She saw it as poetic justice for him to die this way.

    Once Josie had gotten everything cleaned up and it now looked like Kevin had been eating alone, she set up the needle in his arm and pushed in the plunger and watched the liquid vanish into his arm. She then stood and watched him die. She’d even laid him on his back so if he was sick while she cleaned the place up, he might die of choking on his own vomit, but he didn’t.

    Josie felt for a pulse and couldn’t find one, so she left his apartment and then packed up her things and left the apartment block for the final time. She’d used a fake ID to rent the place, so she wasn’t worried about anyone finding her, and she’d been dressed to look like Hannah every time she came and went, so if his father saw a picture of her, it would just look like a ghost getting its revenge on them. Josie hoped that his father did go looking for her, and then she could put an end to him as well.

    Josie knew that if they looked closely enough, they would see that he’d ate and drank things with heroin in them, but she hoped that finding him with a needle stuck in his arm, and no sign of a struggle, everyone would just think he took an overdose and that would be the end of it.

     “Rest in peace you bastard.” Josie said a couple of days later when she read in the paper that Kevin Nobles had been found dead of an overdose and his parents were said to be devastated over the death of their son. Neither of them had any idea that their son was using drugs the article said.

    The paper went on to say that they had spoken to a number of Kevin’s friends and they all said he liked the party lifestyle and they weren’t shocked to hear about the way he’d died.

    Josie was hoping to feel some sort of peace herself now she’d finished getting revenge for her sister’s death, but she still had that empty feeling whenever she thought about Hannah.

    She didn’t have much time to worry about what she’d done because Emma and David were due back at the end of the week, so she returned home and made sure they had food in and everything looked like it had before they left on their honeymoon.

Chapter Ten: Emma’s return

    Josie was waving and grinning like a lunatic when she saw them walking down the ramp towards her, she soon looked a little worried when she saw the look on Emma’s face though. Emma wasn’t happy about something, and she had a feeling it had to do with her.

     “Hello mummy.” Josie said in a child like voice as she threw her arms around Emma and hugged her. “I’ve missed you so much.” She added.

     “I’ve missed you too, but we need to go someplace private so we can talk.” Emma said with a frown.

     “Let’s just get home and we can talk there.” David said like he already knew what the problem was with Emma.

     “Hi daddy.” Josie said with a grin as she let David wrap his large arms around her. “I’ve missed you as well.” She added as she looked up at him.

     “As I’ve missed you.” David smiled. “I hope you’ve been keeping out of trouble while we’ve been away?” He asked with a frown.

    Josie wanted to say she had, but a little voice in her head said she was lying if she answered that question, so she just smiled as she slipped her arm through Emma’s and started to lead her towards the place she’d parked her car.

     “I’ll drive, that way you too can talk about the cruise.” David said when they got to the car and the bags were in the trunk.

     “I don’t mind driving.” Josie said, not wanting to spend time with her mother in the back of the car. Emma had not said anything to her daughter all the time they had been walking to the car.

    Josie found herself outvoted on the matter when David took the car keys off her and then she was helped into the back of the car by Emma before she got in the back herself.

    Emma made small talk with Josie on the way home, and Josie started to relax, so by the time they pulled into the grounds of their home, Josie was completely relaxed, which was a tactic Emma had used on her since they first met each other. Josie and Emma were even having a giggle over some silly things David had done while they were away.

    Once they had all the bags in the house, Josie made her way to the kitchen, so she could make them all a cold drink. She was in the middle of pouring them all a glass of orange juice out when Emma asked her a question.

     “Now that we’re home and away from prying eyes, do you care to explain this...?” Emma asked as she showed Josie a picture on her phone of a newspaper with Kevin Nobles death on it.

     “It’s a picture of a newspaper on your phone mummy.” Josie smiled as she tried to play dumb, even if she already knew it wasn’t going to work.

     “Don’t get smart with me young lady.” Emma frowned. “You know full well what I’m talking about.” Emma added as she showed Josie the screen on her phone again.

     “Turns out there is a god after all.” Josie smiled as she looked at the screen and read the bold text that said Kevin Nobles had been found dead of a drug overdose.

     “I’m sure there may be a god up there, but I doubt he had anything to do with what happened to him.” Emma said. “Please tell me you had nothing to do with this?” Emma added with a pleading tone to her voice.

    Josie was about to lie to her mother, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it, so she closed her mouth again and turned away in shame, not over what she’d done, but because for the first time since Emma saved her, Josie was disappointed over letting Emma down.

     “I can’t do that mother, because I did have something to do with it, I had everything to do with it.” Josie said as she balled her hands into fists. “They all had it coming. Ever since they all covered up Hannah’s death after he killed her.” Josie added as she pointed at the picture still up on Emma’s phone.

     “They...?” Emma asked in shock when she realised what Josie had just said. “How many have you killed?”

     “Just Kevin directly, but a couple of them died because of what I set in motion.” Josie admitted.

     “Oh god Josie, what have you become?” Emma said with pain in her voice.

     “I was really careful mummy, and they will never realise that I had anything to do with it.” Josie said as she stepped forward to comfort Emma, but she looked shocked when Emma stepped back and raised her hands to keep a distance between the two of them like she was scared of Josie.

     “I don’t know who you are anymore.” Emma said with tears in her eyes.

    Josie went to speak, but stopped when Emma turned away from her. Josie just looked at her mother’s back for a couple of minutes before she just had to get away from there as the thought of losing Emma was too much for Josie to deal with.

    David had been stood in the doorway and he tried to stop Josie leaving the room, but she just slapped his arm away and ran past him and out the front door. She jumped in her car and then realised that her keys were back in the house, so she finally broke down and started sobbing with her head in her hands. She finally looked up when she felt a hand on her back. She looked up expecting to see David, but she was shocked to see Emma stood there looking at her with tears rolling down her cheeks.

     “Where do you think you’re going?” Emma asked with a snuffle.

     “I don’t know but I just thought you didn’t want to see me anymore.” Josie said between sobs.

     “I’m sorry I made you think that sweetie, but I’m just worried that I’ll lose you if they find out what you did.” Emma said as she pulled Josie out the car and pulled her into a hug as the two of them sobbed.

     “Come on you two, let’s go back inside the house and sit down.” David’s voice said from just behind them.

    David soon had the two of them seated on a couch in the living room and they each had a glass of juice.

     “We need to know every little detail of what you’ve been doing while we were away.” Emma said once they had both recovered from their sobs.

    Josie spent the next several hours explaining everything she’d done to the twelve names on the list she’d made. Emma and David took some notes so they could look into it for themselves and make sure Josie had gotten away with it.

     “Do you feel like you’ve slain the demons that you’ve been carrying since the death of your sister?” Emma asked as she pulled Josie into a hug.

     “I don’t know what I was expecting mummy, but I still feel the same as I did before I started.” Josie said with a sigh.

     “Did you think getting revenge on all of them would magically give you Hannah back?” Emma asked as she stroked Josie’s hair.

     “I’m not sure what I expected, but I just feel so lost now I’ve carried out my vengeance on them all.” Josie said as she looked up into Emma’s eyes. “I’ve spent so much time living for the day I finally got even with Kevin Nobles that I never thought about what I would do once it was all over.” Josie added as she went back to resting her head on Emma’s chest while Emma hugged her and stroked her hair like she’d done when she was younger.

     “I think you need to start having some fun, and find yourself someone to love like I have.” Emma said as she smiled at David sat on the couch facing them.

     “Do you think I’ll ever find anyone that will want to date a freak like me?” Josie asked with a pout.

     “You’re no more of a freak than me.” Emma said in a scolding tone.

     “But I’ll never be able to give a man, children, and I’m not even sure I want to be with a man.” Josie shuddered.

     “I can’t have children, and it doesn’t make me any less of a woman.” Emma pointed out. “And I still got a beautiful daughter as well.” She added as she hugged Josie a little tighter. “Don’t go looking for love, but don’t close your heart off to it either, and you will soon find out which side of the fence has the greener grass.”

     “I hope you’re right mummy.” Josie said as she enjoyed the hug she was getting.

     “I’m always right, I’m your mother.” Emma said sounding proud of the fact. “Now we better see about sorting out some dinner. Debbie and Lesley will be here soon.” Emma added when she saw the time.

Epilogue

    Debbie and David’s parents finally caved in and let Lesley become part of the family when they realised that their daughter was in love, and would risk losing them if it meant being with the person she loved. They seemed to except Lesley even more when Debbie sat them down and said she was pregnant with Lesley’s baby. Lesley had had some of her sperm frozen before she had her sex reassignment surgery, so Debbie was proud to be an expectant mother to be with Lesley’s child.

    Emma and David checked into the reports on all eleven guys that Josie set up, and they couldn’t see any signs of Josie being spotted. Josie had even gotten away clean with the murder of Kevin Nobles. Kevin’s father had bigger problems to deal with as evidence came to light about others he’d taken care of. They even found evidence of what him and Kevin did to Hannah, after Adrian Stollene came forward and admitted to taking part in the cover up. Adrian had said in an interview that he wanted to meet his maker with a clear conscience due to the fact he was dying, and he’d seen that some of the others involved had already died in various ways and he thought that they were all cursed.

    Keith Nobles was found guilty on several counts of murder, as well as other charges. Josie smiled as she read the paper after the trial. She finally felt able to let Hannah rest in peace.

    Josie finally found love when she went to a night club with Debbie and Lesley that catered to the gay and lesbian community and met a pretty young woman called Tammy that turned out to be a crossdresser called Timmy. They hit it off right away and Josie loved being able to spend time with her boyfriend and best friend depending on what they wanted to do. Josie even told him about part of her past and how she was born with a birth defect as she saw it. She never told him about her mission to avenge her sister, Josie couldn’t see the point of risking her happiness, and it would also lead to the fact that Josie was once Jon Vaines, a boy that was buried next to his sister back in their home town, even if it was an empty grave due to them never finding a body, and if they ever did find his body, it didn’t look anything like that of a young boy any more.

    Timmy asked Josie to marry him and she said yes. They were married eight months later with Josie in a beautiful white wedding dress with Timmy wearing a three piece suit. They had a second wedding for some friends they had from the clubs they went to, and this time it was Josie and Tammy that got married. Tammy was wearing an identical wedding dress to Josie this time though.

    Emma and David paid for Josie and Timmy to go on a cruise. Emma whispered in Josie’s ear on the morning they were due to leave that she promised not to kill anyone while Josie was away.

    Josie stood on the deck of the ship waving to her parents with Timmy at her side with his arm around her, playing the protective husband, and also letting all the other men on the ship know that she belonged to him. Josie had no idea her life would turn out so perfect after she saw her sister get murdered and then she was thrown into the hands of Karen Jones, but she’d been rescued by a wonderful woman that loved her as if she was her real daughter. Josie was going to enjoy her honeymoon and then she was going to look at adopting as many children as she could so she can make Emma the best granny she can, because she’d already become the best mother a daughter could want.

     “I hope you like kids Timmy.” Josie said as she looked Timmy in the eyes.

     “If it makes you happy baby, then I will love every single one.” Timmy replied just before he leaned in for a kiss.

 

Story by SaraUK

 

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you