Chapter 16:
Officer Spick stayed until dinner time, making sure I got acquainted with every room in the house, and every rule that followed. He made it a point to make sure I understood what would happen if I broke any of the rules, even the ones his mother didn't know about. When suppertime rolled around I was hungry enough to eat a horse, and Joyce cooked the whole thing for me. There was almost nothing left on my plate after two servings of her mashed potatoes, green beans, steak, and a thick brown gravy that topped everything off. I reached for the spoons to get a third helping, but snapped my hand back into my lap when Joyce's laugh startled me.
"You're acting like you've never had a meal before." She smiled. "Go ahead, you can have more."
I blushed. "Thank you. I'm just really hungry, and this is amazing. It really is. I haven't had food this good since my mom-" Joyce waited patiently for me to finish. I didn't want to say anything that would arouse suspicions of what my father did, I didn't want to risk being kicked out of the home. Like father like son. "Um- I mostly make my own meals, and I'm not a very good cook."
"Well, maybe you could help me in the kitchen some time." She beamed, then jerked her thumb at her husband playfully. "This guy just sits around all day." They share a look that could only be described as loving, and nothing else.
"So," Joyce hit me with her devilish gaze. "Now that Kevin Mc-Police-Pants isn't here, tell me about this girl."
My eyes suddenly became very focused on the plate in front of me. The hopelessness of the entire thing made my heart ache for what I couldn't have, what Ashley had given me a glimpse of when we were both trapped and afraid. I knew things had changed drastically, she wasn't afraid, she wasn't alone, she had him now and she felt safe in his arms. Of course, she wouldn't want me over him. Did anyone see HIM trying to kidnap and rape her? No. He's the hero of this tale, and the villain never gets the girl.
"Oh, c'mon." Joyce prodded lightly. "Don't be so shy. I promise I won't tell her." She winked at me.
"Well," I couldn't help but smile as her face flashed behind my eyes. "She's gorgeous. Her eyes are really something, you know? And her hair, it's like- this waterfall of gold around her shoulders. But her smile really gets me. I don't get to see it very often because- well, she kind of hates me, but it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Aside from her as a whole."
"Why does she hate you?" Joyce stood and began clearing the table. "You seem like such a charming young man."
I debated on whether or not to tell her. It seemed as though Spick, or rather Kevin, hadn't told her all of my situation. I stared at the plate in front of me intently and suddenly became aware that Earl was staring at me with enough force to drill holes into my skull. Suspicious actions bring about suspicious looks, and I reeked of trouble. My heart started thudding in my chest, I didn't want to tell them what I've done and risk losing the perfect life I was beginning. If Spick didn't tell them, he must've had a reason to not say anything.
What if they kick me out?
Panic seized me and threatened to turn into hysteria. I knew my dad was hunting me, if I was stuck on the street he would find me. There would be no one around to help me if he found me. I couldn't go back to him. Thousands of "sessions" raced around my head, my own screams filling my ears, dulled memories of the pain returning to my body. I couldn't go back. No. Things would be so much worse; he wouldn't kill me. He'd keep me alive, he'd torture me until I begged for death. I've seen him do it, and I knew he would be more than happy to do it to me. Blood lines mean nothing to him. I may be his son, but if I'm a problem, I'm just collateral damage.
"Oh honey, you're shivering." Joyce's hand was cool against my skin. "Are you alright?"
"Um- yes." I shook my head to clear it. "I just- I don't want to talk about that anymore, if that's okay. It brings back- bad memories."
She nodded understandingly. My appetite was gone, and as I looked at my half full plate I felt ashamed to leave so much untouched. Joyce's dinner was delicious, but memories of my dad left a sour taste in my mouth and a slow churning in my stomach. Conversation was light, with long pauses between replies. All of us were beating around the bush, trying to find something else to talk about, but failing at keeping the subject away from my past wrongs. I tried not to answer, and Joyce respected my silence. Earl, however, was very suspicious, his warm greeting now faded into a cold stare. I understood why. He was the protector of the home, even though he was confined to a wheelchair.
"Thank you for letting me stay here." I said softly. "I'm very tired now. I'm going to go to bed."
"Okay," Joyce kissed my cheek as I stood. "Sleep tight."
The quaint bedroom I had liked now seemed too foreign. I didn't deserve this. Despite the internal battle of worth, I slept.
The night was cruel. The third time I woke up in a cold sweat, panting like a dog, was when I resolved that I was going to spend the rest of my life being punished for my sins. Nothing could rid my mind of what I had done.
Nothing but Ashley.
Hers was the only clean, pure thought that I could use to chase the fear away, if only for a moment. I couldn't help but think that she was my light in the dark nightmare of my dad's world. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have even ran away from my dad. I would still be there, caged in the house, assisting him in his horrendous deeds. She saved me.
Hours before the sun would rise, I silently made my way through the house to the home computer they kept in the corner of their living room. Facebook was just getting its start when my dad snapped, so I knew enough to find it and create my own account. Ashley's picture was a dream. She was laughing with another girl, her blonde hair mixing with her friend's red strands as wind blew it back. Her smile was frozen on the screen, and I spent too much time just staring at her. She was beautiful.
The spell was finally broken when I heard a noise behind me. It sounded like it came from the ceiling, but my heart leaped into my throat at the thought of my dad creeping up behind me. I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. I sent her a friend request and held my breath. I didn't know how all of this worked. This wasn't exactly what I spent most of my time doing in the last three and a half years, I was nowhere near expert at it. Moments later, a little red square with a white 1 in the center popped up in my inbox. Ashley sent me a message.
"Andrew???" It read. I slowly typed my reply, using a method known as 'hunt and peck.' I felt ridiculous.
"Yes"
"Your dad is here!!!!! Demitri came to my house!!!!" I froze. Another chat bubble popped up. "I don't know what to do! I'm scared!!! The police can't find him!!!" Another bubble. "What do I do?"
How was I supposed to know? My dad was unstoppable. There was no way we could get away from him unless he died. Thirty, maybe forty years of running might keep us safe, but that's no way to live. That's being alive. Not living.
"I don't know." I pecked out. "When did you see him?"
"Yesterday! He came to my house and threatened to take me and kill my boyfriend!" Another bubble. "*exboyfriend"
My selfish heart leaped with joy at the news that she was single. I suddenly realized that the villain of this story could turn into the hero. I could save her. Or at least try.
"Where do you live?" I typed. "I can be there today."
Her response didn't come for a while. Every second she took made me nervous enough to want to smash my fist through the screen. She had every right to distrust me, especially with information as sensitive as her home address.
Her response was her address and a brief message telling me that the sooner I could get there, the better. I snatched a pen up from a small cup to the right of the monitor. Scribbling her address down onto my hand I stood and turned to leave.
"Where ya headed, son?" Earl's voice made me jump out of my skin. In a panic I dove to the floor. After realizing that it wasn't, in fact, my dad, I slowly stood and faced my host. It was strange to me that a man half my height, in a wheelchair, could intimidate me as much as he did.
"That girl." I stammered. "She needs my help."
"What kind of help?" His intense gaze pierced me to my core. I swallowed hard but my throat stuck. My mouth was dry. "I thought she hated you."
"She does." I looked at the floor. "I kidnapped her. But it wasn't my choice. My dad- he made me. They haven't caught him yet and- and he's coming after her I didn't think he would go after her. I thought she was safe. I knew it there was a chance he would try to find me, but I never thought he would go after her. I have to protect her. She saved me from him. Now it's my turn."
Earl thought for a moment before reaching over to a cluttered table and tossing me keys. "My son is a cop. Don't you put a scratch on that car, or we'll both have you paying for it. Don't be stupid. Kevin said you were in a tight spot, so if you have to use this as a getaway vehicle, call me so I know you haven't just run off with it."
As he slowly wheeled away, I clutched the keys to my chest, my mouth hanging open. The breath was sucked out of my lungs as the freezing waters of shock washed over me. I was able to break out of my frozen state and stumble out the door into the early morning darkness. The cool air around me felt sinister, the shadows cloaking the dangers that lurked in the night, particularly my dad. Around the quaint house and into the garage, I found a tan Grand Marquis waiting for me.
Out on the road, the signs were difficult to read but within the hour I was able to find her home. The rising sun turned the eastern horizon a light shade of pink, it would be minutes before it peeked above the mountains. Her house was bigger than Earl and Joyce's, taller, suggesting more floors and wider for bigger rooms. A nicely finished wooden porch lead up to a solid oak door. As I made my way up the sidewalk that split her lawn in two, a light came on just above the door. Ashley stepped out and looked around, making sure no one else was nearby, then gestured for me to hurry. In the glowing light on the porch, she looked ghostly, her skin sickly yellow and dark rings around her eyes. It was definitely a shock, but then I realized that I probably looked worse.
Her home was warm, dimly lit, the only light coming from a kitchen behind a large archway. The first floor seemed to be comprised of just the main room, kitchen, and dining area, but there was plenty of space even with all the furniture.
"Hi." She whispered.
"Hey." I breathed. In the softer lighting, the sickly yellow was taken from her face, and she was normal again with the exception of dark circles under her eyes. I had grown accustomed to seeing them that way anyway, she never slept well at my dad's house.
"How are you?" I asked.
"Scared out of my mind." She turned from me and wrapped her arms around herself. "He was here. Today. Demetri came to my house, and your dad's van was parked across the street a few hours ago. I don't know where they went. The police have been patroling the neighborhood, but they haven't seen him. He's like a freaking ghost! I wish I would've just imagined the whole thing but-" she swallowed hard, "Darren saw it too."
"Darren?" I squinted at the floor. "Your boyfriend?"
"Ex-boyfriend." She corrected coldly. A sofa was positioned in the center of the room with two chairs across from it, reminding me of Earl's main room. Ashley sank down into the middle of the sofa and I took residence up in a chair. The tall, straight back was uncomfortable and stiff.
"You know your dad better than anyone else." She said softly. Even from the chair I could see her trembling. "How do we stop him? How can we get the police to find him? Why is he doing this?"
I thought for a moment, trying to dust the cobwebs of exhaustion from my mind. Everything I knew about my dad was from a scared child's point of view, nothing was very clear. All of my memories were clouded in a haze of terror, obscuring details and causing me to cower inward.
"It's personal now." The rusty gears in my head started turning. "It's one thing to run away. But you took me with you. In some twisted way, he see's that as you taking his legacy, everything he's worked for. You made a fool of him in front of Demetri, you made a fool of him by running away. He wants his pride back."
"So how do we stop him?" She blinked back tears.
"I-" I sighed. "I don't know. He's never been stopped before, and- maybe he never will be. He's smarter than anyone wants to give him credit for, and he uses that to his advantage."
"Ashley?" A light flicked on in a stairwell that lead upward. Up until that point it had only been a dark hole in the wall, I had assumed it was just a closet. "Ashley, are you down here, honey?"
In the blink of an eye, Ashley was on her feet between me and the stairwell. When her dad rounded the corner he was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Striped, silk pajamas hung loosely on his thin frame, making it look as if he was a man made of striped boxes. He looked at Ashley questioningly before his tired eyes found me. The same fire I saw in Ashley's eyes sparked into her father's, his hands balled up into fists, and he suddenly looked much bigger.
"What are you doing in my house?" He growled. He moved to position himself between me and Ashley, but she stepped in his way.
"Dad," she said softly. "I invited him. It's okay."
I stood, ready to run for the door. I knew what father's were capable of when they were angry, and I knew he had every reason to unleash his wrath upon me.
"Mr. Jacobs, I'm really sorry." I grabbed the back of my neck and was surprised to feel how cold and clammy they had become. "I know you don't want me here, but-"
"Get away from my daughter and out of my house!" His voice was dangerously calm.
"He can help!" Ashley pleaded. "Daddy, please. He's the one who helped me escape, don't you remember that? If it weren't for him I'd be dead. Or worse."
"And if it weren't for him none of this would have happened!" Mr. Jacobs was yelling now. He grabbed his daughter's shoulders and forced her to step aside. I reeled back to the front door as he advanced on me, my spine slamming into the doorknob. "Don't you ever step foot on my property again. I will kill you if I see you again, do you understand? So pack your bags and take a one-way ticket out of here."
"Dad, stop!" Ashley yanked his arm back. "Listen to me! No one knows Jerry better than Andrew does! He can help! Please, just give him a chance. You weren't there, dad. You don't know what kind of a monster Jerry is, but Andrew does. Jeez, he spent his whole life with that man basically cowering in his room. Jerry tortured him too. They weren't pals, they weren't accomplices. He's just as much of a victim as I am, and he's had it worse. Andrew is here because he wants to help, if not me, than himself. Until Jerry is put behind bars we are never going to be safe. That man is insane, brilliant, and evil, dad. Please, please just give Andrew a chance to help! This can end, dad!"
I would've been touched by her pleading my case, but a more powerful feeling was freezing my body against the door, cutting off any capabilities to feel anything else but cold, hard fear. Her dad towered over me by at least a head and a half, sure he was as thin as a toothpick, but his height was a serious disadvantage to me. His intense gaze bore down into my eyes, burrowing deep below the surface, violating my private thoughts and secrets of my mind. Although, their color was different, his eyes captivated me in almost the same way Ashley's did, minus the rush of butterflies and romantic feelings.
Seconds squeezed by, running down the clock like molasses in the wintertime. All three of us were frozen in place, our breath caught in our throats, waiting for someone to break the tension. Finally, his rancid morning-breath washed over my face in reluctant resignation.
"You leave by noon." He jabbed a finger into my chest. "And if you ever decide to come back, make sure I know about it. Otherwise I will kill you. We aren't friends, and you are not off the hook." He turned to Ashley. "Stay where I can see, and hear you. I'll be making breakfast."
As he entered the kitchen, another set of footsteps creaked down the stairwell. It sounded wrong, there were too many feet.
"Come here, Daisy." Ashely patted the side of her leg as the groggy dog rounded the corner. She looked at me with her big, round, chocolate eyes and paused for a heartbeat. The blanket of sleep that had covered her before was shaken off and she padded up to me, tail wagging, narrowly missing small knick knacks that were on the coffee table between the sofa and chairs.
"She likes you." Ashley smiled. "Unlike my dad, she knows who you are already."
We seated ourselves on the sofa, facing each other, in clear view of the kitchen.
"What can we do to stop him?" Ashley asked.
Author's Note:
I'm so glad you're liking this book! :) Please be sure to check out my latest project, "Unbreakable."
If you like this book, you'll love that one!
As always, be sure to comment and vote!! I love hearing from you guys :)
Yours,
Hystride