The Girl Thief

by Robert E Cummings

  Justin sneered at her, barely pressing down on the dummy.

  Tatiana turned and grabbed Sammy by the throat. “See what you’ve done!” The grip tightened, strangling. “What took me hours, you’ve undone in minutes.”

  Tinny taps became loud thumps. Tatiana’s grip loosened. The twins arched up and plummeted the screwdrivers into the dummy.

  Tatiana released her grip. “That’s it, my darlings.”

  Justin’s thrust wedged the screwdriver into the dummy. He twisted and pulled it out. A red stain bloomed.

  “I never thought a simple can of tomato sauce would bring me so much joy. And I have you to thank for it, little bird,” Tatiana said, pressing Sammy’s head onto her lap. “You’ll be more important than I thought for act three. It’s coming together so well that it must’ve been preordained.” She stroked Sammy’s face and neck.

  Sammy leaned back to grab the jacket, pressing her head against Tatiana’s leg.

  “Nip me, puppy dog, nip me.” She rubbed her finger along Sammy’s lips and into her mouth. “There’s not going to be enough tomato sauce for all the red we’ll cover these walls with.”

  Chapter Fifty-One

  ______________________________

  Sammy felt for the knife’s bulge. Where was the pocket opening? Found it. Tatiana pushed her away and stood.

  Gladys glared at her with disgust.

  Sammy looked away.

  Tatiana waltzed to the dresser behind Gladys. “My heroic darlings did such a fantastic job of taking care of the nasty lady. They get the candy for their efforts.”

  Sammy leaned down slowly, reaching for the knife.

  Tatiana spun around, holding the box as if it were a tray of jewels. “Don’t worry, Gladys, these candies weren’t stolen,” she said, glancing at Sammy with a smirk. “I may be many things, but I’m not a thief.”

  Sammy froze, flashing a smile.

  Gladys closed her eyes and blew air through her teeth, making a hissing sound.

  “She was more talkative when she was finding pots to empty the soup cans,” Tatiana said, bending down and offering the twins the candy.

  Tatiana leaned against the back of Gladys’s chair, still holding the box of candy. “You either have a neurotic obsession with collecting canned foods, or you’re expecting Armageddon.” She bent down beside Gladys. “Which one is it, Gladys?”

  Gladys glanced back at her. “I buy it when it’s on sale. I have to stretch every dollar I get from the state to feed the ungrateful.”

  Gladys glared at Sammy with enough contempt to burn a hole in her head.

  “I know what you mean, Gladys,” Tatiana said, putting the box back on the dresser. “She rebuffed all my efforts to get her to fly. Sometimes you have to nudge them where they don’t want to go.”

  Sammy grabbed the knife out of the pocket and slid it under her leg.

  Tatiana tapped her finger on the pointed screwdriver. She smiled, sucking on the finger. “Chocolate, Gladys?” She jabbed at the chocolate with the pointed screwdriver and offered it to her.

  Gladys turned away.

  “We have one final act, and you’re our star. I know you’ve been feeling left out so far.”

  “I know what’s in store for me,” Gladys said, glancing at the bed with a pancake-sized red stain.

  “Whatever you do, don’t play it overly dramatic.”

  “Hope you burn in hell.”

  “We’ll chase each other with pitchforks, Gladys. What do you say?”

  “The only thing I regret is letting this garbage into my house.”

  Sammy always felt like the tossed half-eaten sandwich or the grizzled remains of a chicken bone. Now even that was squashed underfoot, pulverized into bits and pieces, and blown away by the vagaries of the wind. She turned away from them. She wouldn’t cry. She’d better not cry. Please don’t cry.

  “I believe you hurt her feelings.” Tatiana’s voice had a playful lilt.

  “Feelings? She has no feelings. You two make a great pair.”

  “Even Gladys can see the similarities.”

  “I thought she at least had some concern for the twins.”

  Sammy glared at Gladys. “We were never anything more than a paycheck to you. You don’t care about anybody but yourself and your miserable son. When was the last time you read them a story or helped them with their homework?”

  “That’s the school’s job. My job is to provide the food and shelter, keep them in line when they get out.”

  “Hmmm, a disciplinarian,” Tatiana said. “Do you spank?”

  “You had your bingo, though, even though Cindy was as sick as a dog.”

  “Told Mark to check on her, and if she got worse to call me. Should’ve known the tramp would’ve tried to seduce him.”

  “Does his rubber girl know about this tryst?”

  The twins were huddled between the wall and the bed. Sammy had said enough, maybe too much.

  Empty cans tumbled and rolled. Sammy was surprised at how loud it sounded. Tatiana stood erect. She stepped toward the window and peered down through the drapes. Sammy felt for the knife’s handle.

  A kicked can spun and rolled. It sounded as though someone said, “Hello,” but the voice was low and timid.

  Tatiana’s hand was on the doorjamb as she leaned into the hallway and listened.

  Sammy gripped the knife. If she sprang up, would she be able to stab her? Could she actually do it? It was one thing to want to do it, to plan to do it, but could she actually drive a knife into someone?

  “Sam? Tatiana? Hello?” the voice whispered up the steps.

  Cindy?

  Tatiana grinned. “Just when you thought there’d be no dessert.”

  Sammy lurched forward, knife in hand. Too late. Tatiana was in the hallway, leaning over the banister. Sammy slumped back, slipping the knife under herself.

  “We’re upstairs, Cin. Come and join the party.”

  Tatiana pranced back into the doorway. “The family’s back together again.”

  Gladys huffed. “Family?”

  “Your favorite tramp has returned, Gladys. Something tells me that her next seduction attempt will succeed.”

  Sammy shifted off the knife to get at the handle.

  “Is Cindy here?” Jenna asked.

  Sammy nodded, listening for Cindy. It sounded as if she was climbing the steps.

  “Is she going to be wearing that same funny hat?” Justin asked.

  “No, sweetie.”

  “That hat is only for special friends,” Gladys said with a sneer.

  “She’s not my friend.”

  “I knew you could steal with the best of them. I just didn’t know how good of a liar you were.”

  It sounded as if Cindy was near the top of the steps, saying something about cans.

  “If you ever get tired of stealing and swindling, you should try your hand at acting.”

  “Gladys, why don’t you go…go count your money or bingo chips or whatever you do for jollies.”

  “Every day is a joy, providing for the ungrateful.”

  Cindy stood at the top of the steps, dressed as though she was going to work. The talk was something about a party.

  Sammy could get up and greet Cindy and pretend that there really was a party. Ask her how she liked the dress and the stupid wig. Tatiana may like the play along or just as easily hate it; either way, it was a long walk with a knife in her hand.

  She could wait for Tatiana to come back to the room. It’d be easier to get close to her then, but she’d have to stab her in front of the twins. If she hesitated, even for a moment, she'd share Gladys's fate.

  Sammy rolled her head back, bumping it against the dresser drawers. It was mostly Gladys’s dead husband’s things. No one was ever supposed to go in there.

  Tatiana had her arm around Cindy as if they were best friends. Sammy opened one of the drawers and felt for anything that the twins could use to cut themselves loose.

  Gladys glared. “Don
’t you dare take anything.”

  There were mostly clothes in the drawer, sweaters by the feel of it. She tried another draw. “Are there scissors or a knife in any of these drawers?”

  “Get your thieving hands out of there.”

  She found the looping handle of scissors, heavy silver with a mirror polish.

  Tatiana pushed Cindy ahead of her into her old room. She stared at Sammy. Her movements must’ve drawn attention. Sammy waved. Tatiana grinned and ducked into the room.

  “You put them back right now,” Gladys said.

  “They’re for the twins to cut themselves loose.” She shoved them across the wooden floor. One of the loops caught a nail, and the scissors stopped less than a foot away from Gladys.

  Tatiana gazed back in.

  Sammy pretended not to notice, looking bored.

  “He tried to rape me, just like he tried to rape you,” Tatiana said.

  Sammy wondered how Tatiana could say it with a straight face. “Kick it to them, Gladys.”

  Gladys sat transfixed, staring at the scissors, head slightly tilted. “Those are the scissors Francis gave to me to cut the ribbon for our new house.”

  “That’s real nice, Gladys. Kick the damned scissors.”

  Tatiana shifted her feet. “Well, if he’s going to rape someone, it might as well be Chocolate Cake.”

  “Chocolate Cake?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t make the introductions. Chocolate Cake, this is Cin. Cin, this is Chocolate Cake.”

  “Isn’t it just a doll?”

  “She’s a real doll.”

  Gladys’s foot was coming up short of the scissors. “Move the chair.”

  “I’m tied up. Why don’t you do it?”

  “She’s watching me.”

  Gladys rocked the chair from side to side, inching closer to the scissors.

  “Why didn’t you just call the cops?” Cindy asked.

  “They wouldn’t believe me. They never do.”

  “Why wouldn’t they believe you?”

  “I don’t have an honest face.”

  Gladys flicked her foot at the scissors. The scissors spun, moving about two feet over.

  “Justin, try to get them.”

  He scrambled up, arms stretched out an inch or two short.

  “Time to join the rest of the party,” Tatiana said, stepping aside for Cindy to pass.

  “Jenna, can you pull the bed out?”

  Jenna clasped her hand on the end post and pulled on it as if she were being blown in a storm.

  Justin was still coming up short. Cindy and Tatiana were steps away from the door.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  ______________________________

  Sammy waved Justin back, but he was focused on the scissors. Cindy and Tatiana were by the doorway.

  Cindy stopped. “Sam? Are you okay?”

  Tatiana put her arm around Cindy. “Doesn’t she look simply scrumptious, Cin?”

  The bed lurched sideways. Jenna stumbled, and Justin snatched the scissors and hurried back to the wall.

  Cindy turned toward the twins, who were now giddy at their conquest, and then toward Gladys strapped into the chair. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

  Tatiana ushered her through the door. “I’d imagine that wasn’t the first time you’ve uttered that phrase.”

  “Why is Gladys tied to the chair?”

  “We were playing musical chairs, and Gladys hogged all the chairs.”

  Cindy crinkled her face. “What?”

  “If you keep looking at me like that, Cin, you’ll give the impression you’re stupid.”

  Cindy blushed.

  “We were all set to play the final act when you showed up,” Tatiana said, putting her arm around Cindy and steering her toward the twins. “We have our fearless heroes who will do their best to stop the nasty lady.”

  “They’re tied too?”

  “You can’t keep interrupting me, Cin,” Tatiana said, squeezing her tightly. “Gladys will provide the audio cues since the twins will be blindfolded for the finale. Give me a good grunt, Gladys.”

  Gladys sneered, turning away from her.

  “She still resents me for giving her quiet time after the game of musical chairs.”

  Gladys shook her head.

  “No cheating on the next game, Gladys. We want full-throated groans, a muted scream or two, and plenty of whimpering. I’m sure our little darlings will inspire you.”

  That’s how the psycho bitch is going to pull it off.

  “And lastly, the damsel in distress,” Tatiana said, pointing to Sammy. “She’ll be imploring our heroes to save her from the nasty lady. She and the game will come to a delightful climax, and the nasty lady will no longer bother anyone.” She squatted beside Sammy and stroked her cheek. “What was all that wiggling before?”

  She’d see it coming if Sammy tried to stab her now. “Leg fell asleep.”

  “Want me to rub it for you?”

  Sammy reached under and grabbed the knife’s handle. That’s it, come closer.

  “This isn’t right,” Cindy said.

  Tatiana pulled away, looking up at her.

  “None of this is right.”

  Gladys shook her head. “Took you twenty minutes to figure that out?”

  Tatiana sprang up. “I’ve only had a few hours to plan this. Given a week, I could’ve had a first-rate production.”

  “Production? For what?”

  “Game, Cin. Haven’t you been paying attention?” Tatiana leaned in close and spoke low. “I can’t keep defending you if you keep asking these types of questions. Gladys outright implied that you’re a moron. If you want to take a crack at her, I have your back.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “She’s going to have to learn to do a decent groan. No time like the present to start practicing.”

  “But that won’t be pretending.”

  “How is she going to pretend if she’s never let out a good groan before? If you’ve never been sad before, can you pretend to be sad?”

  “I’m sure everyone’s been sad at least once.”

  “This is not about you and all the sadness she created in your life—”

  “It’s not like it was all sadness.”

  “The things she denied you in order to lavish gifts on herself, and the names she called you.”

  “What names?”

  “Tramp, whore,” Tatiana said, shaking her head. “She even accused you of seducing Lover Boy into raping you.”

  “I was sick. She knew I was sick, and she went out to bingo anyway.”

  “She made your life miserable. If that doesn’t deserve a smack, nothing does.”

  “She’s the one who’s sick to think I’d want to seduce someone to rape me.”

  “If you don’t retaliate, it’s like you’re admitting everything she said about you.”

  “What? No.”

  Tatiana nodded. “Give her a good smack and everybody will know it’s a lie.”

  “Hitting someone doesn’t solve anything.”

  “It settles the truth; unless you’re admitting you’re a stupid whore?”

  Cindy glared at her. “No.”

  “I know how we’ll settle this. We’ll play musical beds. When the music stops, whoever Lover Boy settles on is the stupid whore. You’ll be battling Chocolate Cake for the honors.”

  “What asylum did you escape from?” Gladys asked.

  “Do you want the list alphabetical or chronological?” Tatiana asked, strolling toward Gladys.

  Gladys shook her head, mumbling to herself.

  Tatiana bent over. “What was that, Gladys?” She punched her in the gut. “Did you say something?”

  Gladys bent over and moaned. Her face turned crimson red.

  “Hitting does solve something. We now know that Gladys can groan with the best of them.”

  “You’re a terrible person, a truly terrible person.” Cindy’s voice cracked.


  “All this wouldn’t have been possible without you, Cin. You told me everything I needed to know to make this a special event. What does that make you?”

  Cindy’s face looked as if it were going to crack open.

  “It makes you an event coordinator, silly,” Tatiana said, putting her arm around Cindy. “Let’s prepare for the next event: musical beds. I’m betting Lover Boy picks you.”

  Cindy swung out from under her arm. “No more events. It stops here.”

  “Haven’t you ever heard the saying, ‘The show must go on’?”

  “It stops here! I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  “Of course you wanted this. You hated Gladys. You told me that yourself.”

  Cindy shook her head. “No, I never said that.”

  “You wanted me to punch Gladys.”

  “It was cruel.”

  “Wasn’t it cruel how she made you wear those hand-me-downs, and all the other kids laughed at you? That punch was for all those kids laughing at you. You loved it when I punched her.”

  Cindy swallowed. Her face had this inward blank look.

  “You wanted this. You just didn’t know it until now. Put all your troubles in my hands, and I’ll guide you through the fog,” Tatiana said, pulling her close.

  Sammy called to her.

  “Sam, I’m sorry.”

  Tatiana stroked her head. “No, you’re not.”

  “I’m not?”

  “Cindy, don’t listen to her,” Sammy said. “Look at me.”

  Tatiana sneered at Sammy. “And you know what you’ll see? Hatred.”

  “Sam?”

  “She hates you for being the woman she’s not,” Tatiana said, gazing down at Cindy’s boobs. “Why, you’re more than twice the woman she is.”

  “No.”

  “Okay, then four times. You know she doesn’t respect you. She laughs and ridicules you all the time.”

  Cindy’s face creased, tears welling up.

  “Cindy, we’re friends, best friends.”

  “Would a friend sit idly by when Gladys called you a stupid whore? I was the only one who stood up for you. I’m your only true friend.”

  “She’s nothing more than a snake, a poisonous snake that burrows into your skull and poisons everything good and decent.”

  Tatiana glared at Sammy. “She’s just a child, pretending to be a woman to take care of the little darlings, but she can’t even take care of herself. If she took a cold hard stare in the mirror, she’d realize she just wants them as playmates.”