The Girl Thief

by Robert E Cummings

  She couldn’t quite figure what Tatiana was up to. Maybe she was trying to drive a wedge between them. Like last night when Cindy came home a little tipsy from drinking a few glasses of sweet wine. She told Sammy that she would’ve invited Tatiana in, but “I didn’t want to upset you.”

  Sammy told her this was her place too and she could invite anyone she wanted, but if she invited Tatiana, Sammy would stay in her room. It took the sting out of Cindy’s argument. If Tatiana was trying to drive a wedge, Sammy had to do everything she could to unearth it.

  The door swung open. Sammy held her breath. Cindy was alone.

  Cindy lifted up the wrap around her shoulders then spun with it. “How do you like it?”

  Sammy didn’t, but she said she did.

  “Tatiana got it for me. She was afraid I might catch a chill in the restaurant.”

  Sammy doubted that was the reason, but she smiled and said it was nice.

  Cindy sat down next to her. “No alarms to defuse today?”

  “Taking a break from it.”

  “I bet you have them all figured out by now.”

  Sammy shook her head. “There are a lot of different alarms out there.”

  “Tatiana said she’d help you on your next heist if you wanted.”

  “No new heists on the schedule.”

  Cindy leaned in closer. “Tatiana told me how she took a chair’s stuffing and dropped it on a heater. It smoked, setting off the fire alarms and opening the last door.”

  That was the first clue she was a psycho.

  “Isn’t that so brilliant?”

  Yeah, she was a brilliant psycho.

  “Maybe that’s why you two don’t get along.”

  “Don’t follow.”

  “You’re both brilliant. People who are alike don’t get along. It’s a known fact.”

  “I’m nothing like her.”

  Cindy smiled. “Not in every way.”

  Did Cindy really think she and Tatiana were alike?

  “Part of it is the competition. I went out with a Roy and he was always needling his teammate Ruby. They wound up being good friends and co-captains of the team. Or was it Ruby needling Roy?”

  Sammy grinned. “I think you might’ve gone out with both of them.”

  “Did I?” Cindy asked, pondering it for a moment. “The point is that you could both be friends if you gave it half a chance.”

  Sammy wondered if the psycho suggested this. “Did you tell Tatiana this co-captain story?”

  Cindy nodded. “Just like I told you, and she said I could be right. She said she’s been very competitive since she was a kid.”

  “When she was a little thing of six feet?”

  Cindy laughed. “I asked her why she wore the big heels. She told me she likes to accent the positive.”

  A typical psycho response.

  Cindy took the wrap off and laid it on the back of the chair. “You missed a good meal. I’m sure you would’ve liked it.”

  “I doubt it.”

  “I told her about the burger joint, and she laughed.”

  “That’s funny?”

  “I guess she couldn’t see herself going to one.”

  Or she was just a psycho.

  Cindy stood, folding up the wrap. “She wants to make it up to you.”

  “Make what up to me?”

  “What we’ve just been talking about, the competition, the needling.”

  “What is she going to do?”

  “Something nice. That’s what making up means, Sam.”

  The psycho had days to plan this. What could it be?

  “Don’t look so gloomy,” Cindy said. “I’m getting out of this dress if I can get it off. I stuffed myself. The food was so good.”

  Sammy had expected the psycho to keep driving the wedge between them. Now she was doing a Kumbaya turnaround.

  Cindy trotted back with her dress halfway zipped down in the back to answer the phone. “Wonder who that could be?”

  Sammy hoped it was Johnny, telling her he didn’t care if the psycho was going to burn his toupee; she had to come in on regular hours now.

  “It’s Tatiana,” Cindy said as if it were good news then spoke into the phone, “Your ears must be burning. We were just talking about you.”

  Sammy sunk into the chair, feeling as if it were swallowing her up. She fought for breath. Cindy went on about the meal, delaying what was coming. The chatter was like a kid hitting every off-key note on a piano. She wanted to run, but she couldn’t move. The chair had a grip on her.

  Cindy turned to her, smiling. “We were just talking about that.”

  Here it comes, the psycho’s move. Her belly felt like a wet sandbag.

  Cindy’s smile slowly faded. “I don’t think that would be the best first move.”

  Even Cindy didn’t like it. The sandbag just got heavier.

  “I’m sure they’d love it and all, but—”

  Sammy didn’t want to think of who “they” were. She suspected who “they” were, but she didn’t want to go there. It was like feeling the blade of the knife and hoping it wouldn’t rip into you.

  “Why don’t you talk to Sam, and if she’s for it, then it’d be fine,” Cindy said, handing Sammy the phone. “She wants to talk to you.”

  Sammy looked at the phone but didn’t take it. “About what?”

  Cindy’s face was drawn, and she didn’t quite look Sammy in the eyes. “Just talk to her.”

  Sammy took the phone. “Whatever you want, it’s no, okay?”

  “I do miss your directness, little bird. I’ve been feasting on chocolate cake the last few days, and if I take another piece, I’ll barf.”

  Sammy looked over at Cindy who was biting her lip.

  “You’re like those duck necks. I could pick at them all day long.”

  “With all those little bones, you might just choke on them.”

  “You have to know how to pick them. I only pick at the tenderest pieces.”

  There she went again, showing her true psycho self. “What do you want?”

  “Well, Cin… Can’t even say the name now without going hyperglycemic. I had to get her a wrap, or I might’ve become lactose intolerant as well. I haven’t had cream in my coffee for days now.”

  “Glad you had such a good time.”

  “All I asked for was some necks to pick at, and I had to settle for cookies and milk.”

  “What do you want?”

  Cindy squirmed.

  “Well, a certain somebody thought we were in competition. Can you imagine you being any match for me?”

  Yeah, nobody could be that much of a psycho.

  “In time and with proper tutelage, you’ll soar and make me proud, but you’re hardly competition.”

  “Is this going anywhere?”

  “It’s all about getting you into the nest so you’ll never want to leave.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “You haven’t heard what I came up with yet. I know you’ll change your mind when you do.”

  Sammy was getting that heavy feeling again.

  “Are you ready to hear what I came up with?”

  Please, anything but that.

  “Make a family for the little bird. It makes perfect sense. The little bird fell out of the nest when she was just a hatchling and has been trying to get back ever since.”

  “What are you getting at?” Sammy had to fight to get the words out.

  “A family, little bird. Haven’t you been paying attention? There’s me, there’s you, and who else could we feather the nest with? Someone who you could read stories to and get candy for. Do you know anyone like that?”

  Sammy shook her head, managing to croak out a no.

  “I think you do. In fact, there’s a pair of them living with a hideous woman and her equally repulsive son. You don’t want the little darlings to be raised by them, now do you?”

  “You can’t.”

  “They’re up for adoption for wh
oever has the means,” Tatiana said. Her voice carried a gleeful lilt. “I can shower them with all kinds of means. You know I can.”

  Sammy gripped the phone to keep it from sliding out of her hand. The room seemed to tilt and spin.

  “Who’s going to read them bedtime stories and give them candy?”

  The phone slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  ______________________________

  Sammy leaned on the fence bounding the schoolyard, waiting for the twins. The doors opened and the kids spilled into the yard, but no twins.

  She had visions of the psycho taking them by force or trickery. Tatiana was capable of either. The last of the kids trickled out and still no sign of them.

  Sammy trotted to the gate with her heart in her throat. The principal, Ms. Maluku, was walking out with them. Sammy turned away. She was sure Gladys notified her to call the cops if Sammy came by the school.

  She peeked over her shoulder. Ms. Maluku pointed her finger at Justin as though he were in trouble. Sammy searched for Gladys but didn't see her.

  Justin marched out the door with a pout, and Jenna was right behind him, trying to keep up. Ms. Maluku disappeared back into the school.

  Jenna spotted Sammy and ran up to hug her.

  Justin stopped next to them, still pouting. “I hate it here.”

  Sammy knelt beside him. “What happened?”

  “Can’t I go with you, Sammy?”

  She wanted to say yes, but it was too dangerous with the psycho on the loose. “You going to tell me what happened, or do I have to get the king of the nut crunch to come here swinging?”

  “He hit Patrick for calling him a ‘throw away,’” Jenna said.

  “Is he an older kid?”

  Jenna shook her head. “Same class. It was Patrick’s older brother who first said it, and Patrick just repeated it.”

  “Thought he was my friend.”

  Sammy grabbed a handful of bearings. “How much older?”

  Jenna shrugged. “Eleven, twelve?”

  Sammy dropped the bearings. “People are going to be mean sometimes, but by you hitting them, that makes you mean too. So you got to make up your mind if you want to be a meanie or a sweetie?”

  Justin puckered his lip like he was thinking it over.

  “If I get you to smile, that’ll make you a sweetie,” Sammy said, reaching over and tickling him.

  He giggled, squirming from her grasp.

  Sammy pulled him to her. “I knew you were a sweetie.”

  Jenna put her arms around the both of them. “I wish we could go with you, Sammy.”

  Yeah, someday, someday soon.

  The twins stepped back and Sammy stood. “Let’s get going before Gladys calls in the drones.”

  Justin looked up at her. “If a drone comes after you, I’ll get the biggest rock I can find and knock it out of the sky.”

  “I can wave my hands and try to distract it, Sammy,” Jenna said.

  Sammy smiled. “You two leave the drones to me.”

  “We don’t want anything to happen to you, Sammy.”

  Justin nodded in agreement.

  “If I can dodge those candy monsters, a drone will be easy.”

  Justin tugged on her shirt. “Got candy, Sammy?”

  “The candy monster skipped town.”

  “You think that candy monster will be back in town soon?”

  “When he does, there should be plenty of candy for the taking.”

  Justin ran to a fallen tree branch about his size and swung it. He offered it to her. “You can use this to protect yourself, Sammy.”

  Sammy took it and used it as a walking stick. “Did Ms. Maluku call Gladys?”

  Justin nodded, pouting again.

  “Momma Gladys will send him to bed without dinner,” Jenna said.

  That was her usual MO: punish and save money on food. When Gladys had done that to her, Sammy had laughed before sneaking out to get something.

  Jenna tapped Justin’s arm. “I’ll try to sneak something up to you.”

  Sammy pulled Jenna to her. “That’s my girl, looking out for your brother.”

  “I’d do the same for you, Jenna, but you never get in trouble.”

  Sammy stroked Justin’s head. “You both make me proud of how you want to help each other. You’re stronger together. Don’t ever forget that.”

  Jenna looked up at Sammy. “We’re even stronger with you, Sammy.”

  Sammy held them against her. “Trying to make me cry?”

  Both shook their heads in earnest.

  She felt the half of a turkey sandwich in her jacket pocket and pulled it out. “This is a nice turkey sandwich, so when Gladys sends you to bed, you have this to eat.” Sammy stuffed it into his knapsack. “You got to act normal, or she’ll suspect something, you hear?”

  Justin nodded.

  Sammy picked up the stick and walked with them. If it wasn’t the sadistic Gladys, it was the psycho Tatiana she had to worry about. “Have either of you two seen anyone from the state come around?”

  “About a week after you and Cindy left, a lady came around asking questions,” Jenna said. “Momma Gladys told us to keep what happened in the family.”

  Justin nodded. “We told her we didn’t see anything.”

  Gladys was always good at covering her butt. “Nothing recently?”

  Justin shook his head, looking to Jenna.

  “Momma Gladys didn’t say anything to us.”

  Maybe the psycho was just playing with her head. She had a talent for that.

  “Race you to the corner,” Justin said, dashing off. Jenna was right behind him.

  The house was the next block up. Sammy jogged, tapping the walking stick.

  The twins stood by the corner, warily watching something. It was a car parked slightly angled to the curb.

  It was the psycho’s car. Sammy ran.

  Tatiana leaned against the front door, towering over the roof with her long heels. “They're adorable. I’m just bursting with motherly feelings. I may just start lactating on the spot.”

  Justin crinkled his nose. “Who’s that?”

  “Nobody,” Sammy said, nudging them. “Run along.”

  They hurried off. Jenna looked back.

  “Nobody isn’t the way to address their new mother.”

  “You can play all your little games with me, but leave them out of this.”

  “You want to play games, little bird?”

  “Just leave them alone.”

  “What kind of mother would I be if I did that?”

  “You’re not their mother. You’re nothing to them.”

  “With all that paperwork and red tape, it sickens me that it’ll take a few more days before I can welcome them into my bosom,” Tatiana said, looking down at her blouse. “They’re not Chocolate Cake bosoms, but we wouldn’t want to spoil the little brats, now would we?”

  Could the psycho really be adopting them?

  “So are you ready to fly into my nest, little bird?”

  More like a spider’s web.

  “You can put on that lovely wig and the gorgeous dress, and you’ll be so scrumptious.” Tatiana reached out and ran the backs of her fingers along Sammy’s neck.

  Sammy turned away from her touch.

  “I’m doing this for your own good. When I show you how to fly, you’ll wonder how you could’ve lived any other way.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Hop in the car, and we’ll get the wig. You do want to make me happy, don’t you?”

  “No.”

  “That’s not the right answer, little bird. You can be obstinate about other things, but not the wig. I must put my foot down on that.”

  Besides being psycho, she had a wig fetish.

  “We’ll get the wig, and I’ll take you to get some candy for the little brats.”

  Sammy looked away.

  “No candy for the little brats?” Tatiana asked, lean
ing against the side of the car. “I may just have to keep them all to myself.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “I lie about all kinds of different things, or maybe I’m lying about that. It gets all jumbled sometimes.”

  “You’re not going to adopt them.”

  “I’m only doing it to show you I can do what I want,” Tatiana said, reaching out to touch her.

  Sammy pushed her hand away. “You know why you’re not going to adopt them?”

  “You decided to be my little pet and not make such a fuss?”

  “Because even a psycho bitch like you knows deep down that’ll never happen. This is just another game, another psycho game, you love to play.”

  Tatiana glared at her. “Who do you think you are, calling me that?”

  “I call it like I see it, psycho bitch.”

  Tatiana swung at her. Sammy ducked and whirled the stick. Tatiana knocked it away, grabbed Sammy by the throat, and slammed her against the car. “Looks like you chose the hard lesson. That’s okay. What doesn’t break you makes you stronger. For your sake, I hope you don’t break. The saddest thing is a broken little bird.”

  Tatiana shoved Sammy away from the car and drove off, squealing the tires.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  ______________________________

  Sammy slipped under the “condemned building” boards nailed to the back door of the apartment building. It was in the zone northwest of Gladys’s house. The door lurched but didn’t fall. That was a good sign. Sammy pulled out the penlight she’d swiped from a convenience store two blocks back. The place had a damp concrete smell with a hint of mildew, which usually meant it had roofing issues. There could still be a corner room where she and the twins could stay until the psycho got bored and left.

  She pointed the penlight to the ceiling, shining through to the second floor in spots. An avalanche of debris had poured down from the stairs and spilled onto the first floor. It blocked access to the rest of the building. Birds cooing, feathers rustling punctuated the silence. Definitely a roofing issue.

  She slipped out. It was dusk, and she had two more buildings to check. The next building had a sheet of plywood covering the door, but only one side was nailed shut, so she could push it open enough to fit through. There was no door behind the wood, just an entranceway to another door. It smelled like something died. She hoped it was just a dead rat. The door had a smoked glass panel, but it was scratched enough to see three, maybe four people sitting on the floor in the hallway. It was dark except for a light coming in from an adjacent apartment’s window.