Tatiana stood. “I’ll snap your neck before you get the call through.”
Sammy glared at her. “No, you won’t.”
“Oh, a challenge?” Tatiana said. “Who can get to Puppy Dog first?”
Cindy held the phone, backing away. She tripped and fell.
“On second thought, not much of a challenge,” Tatiana said, staring at Cindy. “Perhaps a little too top heavy?”
Cindy sat and pulled her knees up. She held the phone against her head as her body shook.
“Look at the whimpering puppy dog. Are you going to pee on yourself?”
Sammy rattled the fence. “Shut up!”
“You’ll never soar, worrying about whimpering puppy dogs.”
“What does that make you?”
“Free as a bird,” Tatiana said with a grin. “Come on, little bird. I know just the place to talk.”
“That’s it? Just talk?”
“It’s up to you.”
Sammy pushed off the fence. She felt light-headed and stumbled back.
“Sam!” Cindy’s cheeks were wet.
Sammy grabbed the fence and waited for the world to stop spinning. “I’m okay, lost my balance.”
“Don’t go with her, Sam.”
Sammy pushed open the gate.
Tatiana stood a foot away, staring at Cindy. “A quick snap of the neck and the whimpering ends.”
“You go near her, and I’ll kill you.”
“The talks are heating up already.”
Sammy closed the gate. “Come on.”
“I can always play with Puppy Dog another time,” Tatiana said. “You know there’ll be another time.”
“Not if I can help it.”
“I’m looking forward to our little talk. It should be electric.”
Cindy called out to her, rattling the fence. Sammy wanted to turn back and see her one last time. She didn’t know why she thought it would be the last time, but if she didn’t make it, she’d have to make sure the psycho was hurt bad.
Tatiana limped beside her. She wasn’t as tall without the shoes. They hobbled up from the ramp to the playground. A swing set was to the right. “Want to go for a swing?”
Sammy looked back at it. It was like the one Justin jumped off of and hurt himself. “Where are we going?”
“We’ll find a nice high perch.”
“Enough with the bird metaphors already.”
Tatiana stroked the back of her head. “I see you still kept the feathers.”
Sammy felt the top of her head. She’d forgotten about the wig. She grabbed it and flung it back.
Tatiana watched it sail and smiled. “I think you’ve outgrown it. I’ll have to get you one with a crest.”
Chapter Fifty-Five
______________________________
Tatiana leaned over the three-foot wall surrounding the roof of the apartment building behind Gladys’s house. They were three or four stories up. Flashing red-and-white lights lit up the street from the two police cruisers.
Tatiana turned to her with a smirk. “Why do you think it’s taking them so long?”
Sammy shrugged, wondering when she'd tell her the real reason they were there.
“My guess is that Chocolate Cake is refusing to cooperate.”
Sammy thought she was talking about Cindy, then remembered that was what Tatiana called the doll.
Tatiana looked out toward the horizon. A cool breeze brushed over them. It felt as if they were at the front of a ship going out to sea. “It could’ve been so much more.”
Sammy didn’t want to think about what could’ve been.
“Did Gladys welcome you to her bosom after you saved her?”
“You know she didn’t.”
“We can come back another time and finish the job. We don’t have to use the little darlings.”
“That was pure evil.”
“Don’t worry, little bird. The nice old bearded man in the sky won’t strike you down.”
“Why do I bother talking to you?”
Tatiana gazed at her. “The little shit who stabbed my leg will break his poppa’s record one day, you’ll see.”
Sammy looked away. Had Cindy told her that too?
“With that kind of hate welled up in him, it will only take a nudge. What was it for his poppa? Cold soup?”
Sammy wondered how much the twins saw before fleeing.
“With all that cold soup around, it just might push the little bastard over the edge.” Tatiana smiled fondly.
Sammy watched one of the police cruisers take off, lights still flashing. “Why are we here?”
“You know but you’re afraid of the answer.”
“Let’s pretend I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re bobbing in a little dinghy, afraid to look down into the sea.”
Sammy sighed. “Can’t you ever say what you mean?”
“No one ever says what they mean, little bird.”
“Especially you.”
Tatiana had that knowing smirk going. “There you go bobbing away in your little dinghy.”
“Maybe you can throw me a paddle.”
Tatiana smiled, stepping closer. “Tell me how you were going to use the knife. You were sitting on it. You may even have grabbed the handle once or twice.”
Sammy sighed, not wanting to play anymore of Tatiana’s games.
“Feel the handle biting into your fingers. I put my arms around my little bird, hoping for some small act of kindness.” Tatiana stepped up to her and pulled her close. “You draw your arm back, thrusting the blade into my back. Maybe you hit a rib, and you have to try again.”
Sammy pushed her. “I don’t want to play any more of your stupid games.”
“You have to get close with a knife; you can feel the breath and smell the fear as you’re ripping into the flesh.”
Sammy turned away.
“You have the urge to rip into flesh and feel the last dying breath on your skin, little bird. Why else would you get a knife?”
“You’re just talking about your own psycho self.”
Tatiana laughed. “This would’ve been much easier if you let the last game play out. Then you would’ve seen your true self.”
“I’m nothing like you.”
Tatiana smiled wistfully. “The spectacle of you writhing with pleasure as the blood splatters the walls takes my breath away.”
Sammy stared at her with disgust.
“We can go away. I know a few beach paradises with top medical facilities. They do great skin work. There won’t be a hint of a scar.”
Sammy didn’t have to worry about scaring, just living long enough to see another birthday.
“You can be devious and say yes and when I least expect thrust the knife into my back. How can you say no to that?”
“And be like you?”
Tatiana turned to watch the last police cruiser pull away. “There’s so much I can teach you.”
“I don’t want to learn anything from you.”
“I saw something special tonight.”
“Yeah, you getting your ass whipped?”
“I’m talking about rage, not the dull bluntness of a blind rage, but the cunning clarity of a savage rage. I can help you hone that into a sharp blade.”
“I can use it against you.”
Tatiana leaned back, studying her. “I could call your bluff, and it’s winner take all. Or we could put our cards down and split the pot. Do you really want me to call your bluff?”
Sammy clutched the wall, peering out into the dark horizon, the sky muddied with gray clouds.
“I know the perfect beach with pink sands and turquoise waters.”
The street in front of the house was quiet; darkened windows lined the block. “We could split the pot. You go to your beach, and I’ll go to the harbor and kick a few rocks into the water.”
“From this side of the table, it’s looking like your hand isn’t too strong. I’d raise, but I know
you’re all in.”
“You’re not too strong yourself,” Sammy said, gazing at the bandage tied to her leg. “No shoes either. Be careful. Somebody might step on your toes.”
Tatiana looked down as if measuring the likelihood of that happening. “I do miss the shoes. I suppose we could put the pot in escrow and resume our discussion another time.”
“Yeah, you can go to your beach, see the world, get some therapy…”
“They all ask the same questions. Must be given the same book and are too dull to deviate. I took a special interest in one. She tried so hard to keep her perspective. That’s what she called it—‘perspective.’”
“She must’ve had a handful with you.”
“More than she could handle, apparently. She took up residence, trying to find her perspective.” Tatiana smiled. “I should visit her again. Rehash the old times.”
What did Tatiana do to her?
“After that, I’ll teach Puppy Dog all the latest tricks. I’m sure she’s a good fetcher. I’ll never run out of milk.”
“You leave Cindy alone.”
“She’ll be my gift to you, little bird. Puppy dogs can be so pleasing. I remember my first one. I thought it was the greatest thing, but after a while it gets boring. She was a good little dog, so I snapped her neck.”
“You cruel, sadistic bitch.”
“It’d be cruel to let her go. She was attached to me. You’ll see how it is with your puppy dog.”
“You think I’d let you do that to Cindy?”
“Then I’ll just snap her neck.”
“Like hell you will.”
“She has to go, little bird. They all have to go. You can’t soar with these attachments,” Tatiana said, running her finger along Sammy’s neck. “I so want to see you soar.”
“What about the putting-the-pot-aside thing?”
“That’s only one game. Unless you take all my chips, there are other games to play.”
Sammy glanced down at the bandage wrapped around her leg just above her knee. A stain ran from the side to the back.
“There are all types of games we can play at the beach.”
A week with her, and Sammy’d be just as psycho. “Or I could play hide-and-seek.”
“That’s the spirit, little bird. It’s one of my favorite games.”
If she was going to attack, it’d have to be a surprise and hurt like hell. Killing Tatiana was another thing. Could she do it?
“I do enjoy seeing the look on their faces when I find them. It starts with little clues that they’ve been found—”
“I get the idea.”
“I really wish you’d reconsider. If you don’t like beaches, we can always do a mountain resort. I can show you some of my best techniques for finding those hiding little squirrels. I’ll even let you come up with a clue to let them know they’ve been found. We can watch them scurrying around, searching for their stash of nuts.”
Maybe she could kill her. Was there another choice? Sammy turned away, then spun back and kicked the scissor wound. Tatiana’s leg collapsed. She held onto the wall to keep from falling. Sammy kicked out the other leg. Tatiana fell to her knees. Sammy thrust her knee into Tatiana’s head and kicked about her head and face.
Tatiana covered up, trying to get her legs around. Sammy kicked her in the side, delighting in each grunt and groan. Tatiana dropped her arms to protect her side. Her face was bloodied and swollen. Tatiana smiled, but it looked lopsided. “There it is and in all its glory, you psycho bitch!”
Was she becoming Tatiana?
Tatiana swung her legs around and knocked Sammy down. Sammy scrambled to get up, but Tatiana held onto her leg and yanked it.
Sammy rolled over, faced down. She got to her knees. Tatiana pulled her leg hard and slid on top. She drove her elbow into Sammy’s back and straddled her. “If you could’ve seen your face while you were pounding away…” Tatiana whispered. “It was magnificent.”
“I’m nothing like you.”
“You keep telling yourself that, little bird.”
It was another game. That was all. Don’t listen to her; don’t let her get to you.
Tatiana grabbed a handful of hair and pulled Sammy’s head back. “Now it’s my turn for a little fun.” She slammed Sammy’s head down.
Flashes of light exploded. Another bang and darkness slowly enveloped her. She was floating on a river of darkness, drifting farther and farther away, bolts of lightning off in the distance.
Chapter Fifty-Six
______________________________
Blotchy figures soon took form: the wall, the door to the roof on a brick tower, and Tatiana lying a foot away. Sammy’s head pounded and every part of her ached.
Tatiana noticed her stirring. “On a good night, you’d be lucky to see the Big Dipper.”
She spared her life?
“There are places where the night sky blazes with stars. I could take you to one of them if you’d like.”
Sammy leaned on her elbow, facing Tatiana. “Forgot to collect your chips?”
“The chips are still on the table, little bird.”
“I showed you my hand.”
“It was devious and savage. Makes me so proud.”
Sammy rolled onto her back.
“The hands were so evenly matched; I couldn’t quibble over a queen-of-clubs high.”
Sammy felt her head, figuring it’d be more swollen. “You banged my head pretty good.”
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun.”
Was she commiserating with the psycho? “What now?”
“We could play another hand or admit we have a bond.”
“A bond?”
“You didn’t want to kill me, and I you.”
A flick of the knife would’ve done it.
“It was a magnificent display of savagery both at the house and here.”
Sammy gazed over at her. “You know why I didn’t kill you before?”
“You knew you’d never find true happiness until I showed you how to fly.”
“Because it seemed wrong somehow. That’s something you wouldn’t understand.”
“So what is right, little bird? Saving Puppy Dog, the little darlings?”
“Think I’d want to be anywhere near you if it wasn’t for them?”
“Funny how we fight against the things we need most. You could be a mighty raptor one day, but you have to leave the nest. You need me to push you out onto the tree limb, or you’ll never flap your wings.”
“If it wasn’t for them, I’d run away so hard that my feet would bleed.”
“Are they safe now?”
A cold chill washed over her.
“You don’t want to save them. Deep down you know you’ll never fly with them anchoring you to the ground.”
“I was a coward. That’s why I didn’t kill you.”
“Everyone’s afraid on their first flight. Have no fear, little bird. I’ll guide you through the updrafts and downdrafts.”
“Why do I bother?”
“Think of the adventures, and there’s no shortage of people paying for our services.”
Sammy doubted the services were fluffing pillows at some resort town.
“The chips are still on the table. Play another hand or join me for a lifetime of adventure.”
She’d lost once already, and she’d had the element of surprise. Sammy didn’t think she’d wake up from the next head-banging.
“Come with me to the beach. Swimsuits optional. We can kick sand at each other. I know delightful ways to get the sand out of all the crevices.”
Could she stomach going with Tatiana and biding her time?
Tatiana ran a finger behind Sammy’s ear. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I don’t play a game if there’s a chance I’ll lose.”
“You don’t think I can win?”
“The raptor doesn’t hesitate. She swoops down and snatches the vermin. You’re more vermin than raptor at this point.”
“If I agree to go with you, then what?”
“We have fun in the sun.”
“After that?”
“It depends,” Tatiana said, inching closer. “If our services are desperately needed, we can attend to it. Don’t worry; I don’t expect much on the first job.”
“And if there’s no job?”
“We have to cut all the strings for you to soar.”
Sammy leaned toward her. “What strings?”
“You know, but you still ask. This is getting tiresome, little bird.”
“Anything I do is to save them.”
“There is no saving. If you decide to join me on a grand adventure, then they have to die by your hands. Nothing would give me more pleasure than doing it myself, but I have to bow to my experience.”
“You’ve done this before?”
“You’re not my first little bird,” Tatiana said with a triumphant smile. “I just know you’ll be the last.”
Sammy had to kill her. There were no divine interventions or lucky happenstances coming to do it for her. Tatiana wouldn’t have a change of heart or tell her it was all a gag. The revelation felt cold and sharp like the blade of a knife.
Tatiana sat up. “We’ll get a hotel by the airport and fly out tomorrow. I’ll even let you pick the place.”
Sammy couldn’t worry about how to kill her, or she’d go down too many dead ends. She had to focus on opportunities.
“You’re not getting up, little bird. Don’t tell me you want to play another hand?”
Sammy cleared her mind of the noise. It was easier than she’d thought. Focus on opportunities.
Tatiana rolled on top of her; she clasped her hands around Sammy’s throat. “You’ll have to be a little more forthcoming.”
Never give up. Keep pushing.
Tatiana’s grip tightened. “I don’t hear anything.”
In the dim light of the roof, Sammy could see every cut and bruise on Tatiana’s battered face, one of the benefits of her new self. Tatiana was wrong about Sammy soaring through updrafts. Her talent lay in the deep, cold, inky blackness of the sea.
“You’re not going to just lie there and surrender? Plead at least.” Tatiana stared down at her, squeezing the breath from her. “Let me tell you how the little darlings are going to meet their end…”
The Girl Thief Page 28