Don't Say a Word by Patty Stanley - HTML preview

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Marianne was comforted at the sight of Leon and the white Cadillac with its wide and comfortable seats.

“How’d it go?” he asked as Marianne slipped into the soft leather seat and buckled her seat belt.

“It was horrible, Leon. They made me feel like I had something to do with Celina disappearing. Even after all the time I was in there I still feel like they think I had something to do with it. At the least that I might know something. I don’t Leon. God, how I wish I did. I could put a quick end to this nightmare!”

She remained quiet and mumbled a quick good night to Leon and ran quickly to the front door. Mavis had gone to bed and again the house was eerily quiet. For some reason that even she couldn’t explain she felt compelled to go out to the garage. Rex’s garage, with Rex’s tools. Rex’s telephone that he insisted on having in the garage in case he hurt himself, he said. No one had ever seen him use that phone for anything except to call his buddies at the bar. Turning on the lights, Marianne went to his work bench and began to just look through his tools. Then through the mish-mash of objects on the shelf above. Something red caught the corner of her eye on the floor and picking it up saw that it was a child’s beret. Could it have been Shelby’s from all those years ago? She didn’t remember Shelby having a red beret. Turning it over in her hand she noticed the beret looked new. If the beret had been Shelby’s it would at least have dust on it after all these years. She put the beret into her pocket, turned out the light, then turned it back on and went back to the work table. Picking up a flash light from the table, she went up to her room.

In her room, she paced the floor and began to go over everything she and Celina had talked about that day in the back yard. She had told Celina of the good times they had at the old barn. How it was their hide-away and their club house. How they had played house, and war, where all the boys were soldiers going off to war and what great fun it had been. Lastly, she began to remember that Rex had been in the garage that day. Had he overheard them talking? If he has done anything to that little girl, I will kill that bastard!

She quickly changed into her pedal pushers, tennis shoes and pulled on a sweater. Call it a hunch or an inspiration but she knew she was heading out to the old barn. She had never before gone to the barn at night but she knew she had to do something to help Celina before it was too late. Now she knew where to go. The pieces were coming together. Celina should not be alone together with Rex! She started running. No matter what Rex says, here I come, ready or not.

The barn was on the edge of the woods. Long ago it had all been woods out there and the barn was right in the center of the woods. She had never gone to the barn through the woods. The quickest way from their house was on the streets which weren’t even really streets, just dusty paths. There were hardly any houses and no real path to follow.

The ground was uneven. She couldn’t go very fast. Fallen leaves, thick and squishy, hidden roots and rocks that she stumbled over. She ran, marking the beat of her feet with the pounding of her heart. She picked her way through prickly bushes and ignored the scrapes and scratches. The moon shed enough light that she didn’t have to use the flashlight. Thank you, God she whispered and felt encouraged that God would be at her side to guide her.

She soon made out the outline of the old barn ahead of her. It wasn’t hard to see, it was well lit by the moonlight. It was a huge two storied structure. Gray, splintered, weathered. As she opened the door and made her way inside the building, a glimmer of light came from behind a door. The floors were littered with beer cans, pop cans, candy wrappers, gum wrappers and discarded condoms. As she opened the door and made her way inside the building, a glimmer of light came from behind a closed door. She approached and opened the door. She had reached the bathroom. The single window was broken and dirty, but a flood of moonlight flowed into the room. Dust swirled around the room as she made her way inside. The medicine cabinet mirror lay shattered in pieces on the floor tile. An empty medicine bottle lay in the porcelain sink. The only sound to be heard was the chirp, chirping of crickets. A lone mouse stood sentry at the base of the toilet. Not having a visitor in a long while, it curiously eyed her before scuttling away. Outside the bathroom, a violent odor made its way to her nose. Pinching her nose, she leaned over and peered inside a bucket sitting outside the door. Crusty rags filled the bucket, little hints of movement underneath them. She thought it would be unadvisable to see what was under the rags.

She arrived at the foot of the stairs that led up to the loft. She stood and peered at the top, wondering when a twisted head person would crawl down and have her for dinner.  She summoned strength and eased her way up the steps. Each step intensified the moaning and creaking as if the steps could collapse at any moment. She turned to the right, and met her final destination. The door did not give way easy, a forceful push was needed. Stepping inside, a bin filled with God knows what, seemed to have been pushed against the door, attempting to deny anyone entry. She could make out the silhouette of a makeshift bed, a pallet on the floor. Edging in closer for a better look she could see rolled up blankets or maybe a person lying on the sleeping bags and blankets. She stepped a little closer and saw that this was Celina. She couldn’t let her Celina be hurt or scared. Or worse.

She couldn’t speak at first, her lungs were burning and raw. But she was there. She would do what had to be done. She would not let anything happen to Celina, even if Rex killed her. She was in time! She felt a thrill of triumph even though she knew it wasn't over yet. "Rex brought me here to play house, Marianne," Celina said. "Yeah, we're going to play house," Rex stepped out of the shadows. He was grinning. "Now let's see," Rex said. "Who wants to be the Mommy? Naturally, I get to be the Daddy. Marianne, you're the oldest. Maybe you should be the Mommy. Celina can be the baby and get in bed with us."

"If you hurt her, you'll have to hurt me," she said. Celina began to cry. "Don't cry," Rex roared at her. "No one is going to get hurt, Marianne. No one got hurt when you and I used to play house, did they?” She looked at him. He was standing with his legs apart. She looked at his shirt that was open at the neck, wads of black curly hair sticking out above the two open buttons. He loved to show that black hair that she hated. Or maybe he wanted to show the ugly tattoo that covered most of his chest. After it’s over he will kill us both. She knew he would. Rex would have to kill her too. She was an adult now and he knew she would talk. He could see in her eyes that she wasn't intimidated by him anymore. He would kill them both and leave them here in this old barn. "I won't let you hurt her," She said and wondered where she had gotten the nerve to talk back to him.

"You didn't talk before and you won't talk now.” He was so sure of himself. He thought that she was still afraid of him. "I don't want to tell on you and get you in trouble, but if you hurt Celina, I will tell everything." She jumped on him then, digging her hands into his hair. "Run, Celina, run!" She screamed. "Let her go, Rex. I will be your little girl. I'll play house with you. I’ll do anything you ask! Just don’t hurt Celina."

He shook her off like a rag doll. Celina had not moved. It was as though she were frozen with fear. Or as if she was fascinated, like at a circus side show with snakes, or something hypnotic. Or had some horrible need to know. Whatever it was, she was only eight years old. Marianne was older. She would have to save her.

Rex was looking at her too. "She's like you were at that age, Marianne. Mature. Your mother used to say you were born old. That you were never a child." Celina crept close to her and pushed under her arm for a hug.

"Well, are we or aren't we going to play house?” Rex said. "I think Celina should be the mommy.” He placed his hand under Celina's chin and tilted her face up. "How about that, Celina?” His voice sounded strange. His tongue thick. Celina looked up at Marianne. "Can I Marianne? Can I be the mommy?"

"No! No, Celina. You are the baby and I'm the mommy. Now you mind me or I'll have to spank you.” She spoke sharply. "Now Daddy has to go off to work. Say good-bye to him."

"Good-bye Daddy," she said. "How about a kiss for your old dad?" Rex said. Celina looked at Marianne to tell her what to do. If she gave him a kiss, maybe he'd go off to work and leave them alone. "Come on now," Rex said. "Come give your daddy a big kiss," he said and held out his arms to her. She jumped into his arms. He turned her face and held her, kissing her on the mouth. "Mommy," she cried, when she could get her breath.

"Give the baby to mommy," she said, desperately trying to protect her and buy some time until she could think what to do. She looked at Rex. It was like he had lost all sense of reality. He looked crazy. She wondered how many bottles of beer he had drunk. "She always cries when you go to work, but she'll be alright as soon as you go," Marianne said. Rex roared with laughter. "You didn't think I would fall for that did you?” He hugged her even more tightly in those hairy thick arms.

"Put her down. She can get ready and we can all go to bed."

Rex had a hunting knife on his belt loop. He pulled it out now and pointed it at Marianne.

"No tricks now," he said. But he put Celina down. “We’re just playing a little game. You do this little game I’m talking about, and I’ll see to it that you get to date your young man.”

“No. I can’t do it,” she said. “You said you’d do anything I asked,” he said. “Not this! Anything but this.” Celina stood looking at her without moving. Marianne thought desperately how she could delay him until she could figure out how to get away. Maybe she could outwit him somehow. She began to wonder if she could fight him. She didn't think so, but she would if she had to. “This isn't the way to play house," Rex pointed the knife at Marianne. "Let's stop the fooling around," he said. "Sure it is," she said. Celina started pulling at her leg, she wanted to whisper to Marianne. "Tell your little brat to speak up. No secrets from Daddy," he said, pointing the knife at her. He lunged at her. Then suddenly his voice and manner changed. "Come to Daddy, dear," he said to her. "Daddy's not mad at you."

"She's scared of the knife, Rex. Put the knife down and she will come to you."

"Right, put the knife down where you can get it? You must think I'm a real dummy.” He put the knife in his belt and reached out for Celina. "I'll show you how to play house now, Celina," he said with a horrible wink at Marianne. He was holding Celina in his arms by then and talking to her. He ran his tongue over his lips.

Celina began to cry. Rex began to kiss her. "Now, then don't cry. We're going to play house and it's time to go to bed now. Mommies and Daddies always sleep together and now you're the mommy and you're going to bed with Daddy.” He laid her down on the blanket and she stretched out, straight and stiff. Rex’s hands started to move up and down her thin little arms, then moved downward to her legs. She struggled to sit up. "Lie still," he ordered. "Baby wants mommy to come to bed with her and daddy," she said. "OK," Rex said and motioned for Marianne. “You can lay down on the other side of me."

Celina's eyes were filling with tears. “Baby wants mommy to sleep between us," she said. "No!" Rex roared. "I'm the head of the house and he’ll say where everyone sleeps. She will sleep on the other side of me."

She laid down beside him. If only she could get hold of that knife from his belt and if he wouldn't let Celina go, she would stab him with it. She thought she could do it. He was a monster.

His hands were moving faster over Celina's legs and moving upward. She grabbed for the knife, but he rolled over just as she grabbed it. The blade sliced into her hand. The blood started to flow instantly but she didn't let go of it. Rex roared with rage. He got hold of her wrist and bent it backwards.

"Drop it or I'll break your wrist." She knew he would do it, so she let the knife drop. She'd have to get at him some other way. "Do it to me instead," she begged. She grabbed for the knife once more but he was faster. Her hand was bleeding all over her but she didn't feel any pain. "I'll do it to you alright. But first I'm going to do it to her." With the point of the knife at her neck, he forced her to lie down beside Celina. He kept the knife there at her neck so that she could feel the prick. He opened Celina's thin little legs and mounted her. Marianne couldn’t stand it. She hurled herself at him wildly, throwing him off balance so that the hand with the knife was thrown backwards as he rolled off her. Together they rolled over again. For once, she was glad that she was big. She didn't feel the pain as he wrenched her arms to free himself. He was not going to hurt Celina if she could help it. Somehow she would stop him.

They struggled without making any sound. She was smarter than him and she was sober! Marianne bit his ear. He bellowed like a bull, but he had to free one of his arms to swat her head. She brought up her knee into his groin, hard. That made him roar again. She caught a glimpse of Celina frozen stiff on the make shift bed. After that she could only think of hanging on, no matter what he did to her.

She heard a cry and wondered if it was herself, then realized it was a siren. She heard shouts. Someone was coming. Were they coming too late? Not too late for Celina, but maybe too late for her. Now, at the very end, she realized she didn't want to die. In that instant, Rex heard it too. His attention was turned away from her long enough for her to grab the knife. She plunged it into his stomach, pulled it out and plunged it in again. She heard him groan with pain and he reached up and hit her, hard. She fell back and sat up and watched him grasping his stomach and groaning in pain. Marianne heard footsteps pounding in the hallway and soon the room was filled with police officers! "I had to stop him," she said. "I had to stop him. He was going to hurt Celina," She sobbed. She turned and looked at Celina. They looked at each other. Celina pushed her silky head against her. "I'm alright," she said. A child was saved!