The Taste of Her Words

by Candace Knoebel

  “You,” I said through my teeth, some of my strength returning with the surge of adrenaline. I used the door to pull myself up, clutching my side as I started for him.

  There was no way in hell he was going to take my son from me.

  Once the door was shut, Matt turned, the devil in his eyes. “You think you can just slap a restraining order on me and I’m going to be okay with it? You think you can lie to me and not suffer any consequences?”

  Charlie was beating against the door, trying to open it with no luck.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, again looking for my phone. It had fallen near the edge of a drain. “You will go to jail for this.”

  “If the cops ever find me.”

  I knew in that moment, in his bone-chilling words and monstrous gaze, that this was it. This was my last chance.

  I dropped, reaching for my phone, but Matt was faster. He kicked it into the storm drain, and then snatched me up by the hair.

  He pulled so hard I screamed.

  “Don’t be stupid,” he said from above me, his tone taking on a darker, demonic tone.

  I slapped at his hands, trying to get them out of my hair as panic flapped its wings against my chest, but it was no use. He was an unmovable force.

  Dominating laughter rumbled through the rain as he forced my head down, using my hair like a leash, jerking me forward to the passenger door. He tugged so hard I couldn’t move even a smidgen of an inch without fear of my scalp ripping off. All I could see was the rain bouncing up from the concrete and his shiny black shoes.

  “If I remember correctly, you like it rough,” he said as he kneed me hard in the same side I’d heard the pop earlier, and then pushed me against the car. Bile rose in my throat as I reached my hand out for Charlie’s door, trying to see past the pain that shredded my vision. Just a few more inches and I could open it.

  “I said don’t be stupid,” he shouted into my ear. He smacked my hand away and then elbowed me in the face.

  Darkness clouded my eyes in big blotches as my ears rang so loud I thought my eardrums might burst. “Help,” I tried to squeeze out, but I couldn’t seem to get enough air in my lungs. Couldn’t blink anything into focus.

  Matt pressed himself against me, moving the hair from my neck as he leaned in. “Try to fight me, bitch, and you won’t live to see what happens with Charlie. I could knock you out and leave with him right now, and there isn’t a thing you could do to stop me. Not a thing you could do to protect him once I’m gone. Understood?”

  It hit me then… just how jeopardous the situation was.

  I managed a nod as the world tipped itself over and dumped out all the evil it saved for me.

  “Good.” He opened the door and waited for me to get in, taking pleasure in watching me relent.

  “Momma,” Charlie said, tears staining his words once Matt shut me in.

  “Your iPad, Charlie. Send a message for help. However you ca—” I stopped when Matt opened the door and hopped into the sedan. “Why?” I asked, trying to keep Matt’s focus on me as my vision swam in front of me. Hoping Charlie didn’t do anything too obvious. It felt like a building had collapsed on top of me. I could barely lift my hand, voice rough and hoarse.

  He put the sedan into drive. “This is your fault, Andrea. I told you nothing would stop me from having what’s mine. I’ve tried to be reasonable with you. I even dropped the charges against your boyfriend, but still… you continue to push me…” Anger clipped his words, his chest rising and falling. His knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. Blood coated the outside of his hands.

  My stomach turned. My blood.

  He sped forward in the direction of the main highway.

  “Matt, I’m sorry,” I said through chattering teeth, watching his every move. Digging my fingers into my thigh to keep me present. “I had to. My father—”

  “Your father is a scumbag. Just like every other lawyer.” He looked over at me, the lines in his forehead crooked and marred. “Just like you.”

  I dropped my gaze.

  “Put your seatbelt on and sit back. Where we’re going will take a while.”

  “Where are we—”

  He cut me off with a heated look that held a threat I didn’t want to fight against. “I suggest you keep quiet and stop asking questions, or you won’t remain awake to see.”

  My lips sealed shut as heat burned my throat. My body felt so heavy, like a thousand weights had been pressed on me as my eyes frantically searched outside the window. The winds were picking up, pushing against the sedan.

  I had to get us out of this mess. I had to protect Charlie.

  But I couldn’t see a way out.

  25

  N I G H T M A R E S

  He stole you away,

  Right out from underneath me,

  He will feel my wrath.

  I PULLED AROUND THE BACK of the bar like Andy had said and shut the engine off.

  Leaning forward, I gaped up at the sky pouring buckets of water in an endless stream and mentally prepared myself to get soaked. A small smile found the corners of my lips as I thought about Charlie and his weather warnings. He’d said a storm was coming.

  Leave it to a ten-year-old, I thought with a small chuckle.

  I pulled up Andy’s messages and sent her a text saying I was there. My heartbeat quickened in pace just thinking about seeing her again. Letting her go for the second time was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do, but I couldn’t keep chasing her. At some point, she had to see what we were worth. The only way she could do that was through time.

  I hoped.

  Ten minutes passed by as I repeatedly checked my phone, waiting for her answer. Maybe she was caught up and couldn’t check her messages. Breathing deep, I hopped out of my truck and headed around the side of the building to the entrance of the bar.

  It was near impossible to get inside. It seemed like every tourist on the strip had scurried their way inside to get out of the rain. It took me a few minutes of squeezing and worming through, but when I made it up to the bar, I flagged the first person I saw.

  “Hey, hotshot,” the bartender said as soon as she stalked up to me. I vaguely remembered her from the night I’d been in there, piecing together that it had to be Sandra from the thin, blonde hair and the oversized chest swelling over the deep V of her shirt.

  “Is Andy here?” I asked, looking past her.

  Sandra rolled her eyes and pushed off the bar. “No. She left with her son about thirty minutes ago. I doubt she’ll be back.”

  I scratched my forehead as my stomach twisted.

  Sandra started to walk away, but I called out, “She asked me to come get Charlie. Are you sure she left?”

  Her hip cocked out as she reached for a bottle of something under the bar. “As sure as the rain pouring outside.”

  I backed away from the bar, trying to make sense of everything. She wouldn’t ask me to come, and then leave without mentioning it. I knew she didn’t want to see me anymore… but she wasn’t the type to play games.

  Reaching for the door handle, I stopped when a man near the exit said, “Hey, man. You were in here a few weeks back with Andy’s brother, right?”

  I recognized him as the bouncer. “Yeah.”

  “You here for her?”

  I nodded.

  He jutted his chin to the door. “She left a little bit ago. There was a dude in here giving her problems. I offered to find her a ride, but she was in a rush to get out of here. The guy stormed out right after. There was something off about him.” He tugged at the hair on his chin. “About the way Andy was around him… almost as if she were scared.”

  Fear kicked me in the gut. “What did the guy look like?”

  His voice drifted away from me as he described Matt. My fingers curled into my palms, the skin pulling tight against my knuckles.

  “Anyway, I thought you should know,” he finished just as a woman approached him, asking him to assist her with ge
tting a ride.

  “Thanks,” I muttered as I headed back into the rain. I jogged to my truck and got in, hands gripping the steering wheel as I stared through the blurred window. Without thinking, I dialed her number and pressed the phone to my ear.

  It went straight to voice mail.

  “Fuck,” I shouted as I banged my fist against the steering wheel. I put the truck in drive and peeled out of the parking lot, heading for Andy’s apartment.

  With barely a soul on the streets, it only took a minute to reach her place. I parked and jumped out, running for the front door. Taking the steps two at a time, I ended up in the middle of the hallway, trying to decide which end was Andy’s. I knew she lived on the second floor from the conversations we’d had, but I couldn’t for the life of me remember which number it was. I opted for the doorway at the end of the hallway.

  I raised my fist and knocked. Stood back as my heart pounded at the base of my throat.

  A sliver of an older man’s face appeared through the crack of the opened door. “Yes?”

  “Shit. Sorry. Wrong apartment,” I said when I realized it wasn’t hers.

  I jogged the hallway and knocked on the other door, bouncing on my toes in anticipation. Please. Just open the door and tell me that you and Charlie are fine.

  The seconds passed by like the looming swing of a pendulum. I knocked again, telling myself that maybe she was in the shower, but the sick feeling in my gut told me otherwise. Pressing my ear to the door, I listened.

  Not a peep.

  I stepped back, running my hands over my face as I paced in circles, trying to think of what to do. My hand shook as I pulled my phone out and dialed Mr. Hale’s number.

  He answered on the second ring. “Dean?”

  “Mr. Hale, hi, sorry to bother you.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Andy… I think something happened,” I rushed out as I headed down the stairs.

  “What is it?” he asked, alarmed.

  “I was supposed to pick Charlie up from the bar—”

  “The bar?” he cut over me.

  “Yes… the woman who watches Charlie passed away.” I heard a sharp intake of air as I continued. “Listen, I was supposed to pick him up, but when I got there, she was already gone. She didn’t tell me she changed plans. On the way out, the bouncer told me Matt was there. He said he was giving Andy a hard time.”

  I stopped as what I just said sank in.

  “I think he has her.”

  There was silence on the other end. “Did you go by her apartment?”

  I closed my eyes. “She isn’t here.”

  “Shit,” he cursed, sounding muffled. His voice returned. “Okay, when we hang up, I want you to call the police and tell them what you told me. Make sure you report that he has a restraining order filed against him. I’ll make some calls in the meantime. We’ll figure this out.” He paused. Inhaled. “Andy is tough. If he did take her, there’s no way he’ll get far.”

  He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me.

  “Call me if you hear anything,” he added.

  “I will,” I swore. When the call ended, I did as he said and explained in detail what happened to the operator on the other end. I was assured someone would be looking into it. That a sheriff would be dispatched to where I was so I could brief him on the situation.

  A wave of helplessness crashed over me. I pushed my fist against the wall, trying to refrain from punching a hole clean through as I tapped my forehead against it again and again and again. If he lays a single fucking hand on her, I thought as I ground my teeth so hard my jaw ached.

  My phone buzzed in my hand, and I looked down, hoping it was the sheriff. Two notifications rippled across the screen.

  Wolfspirit10 has invited you to play a game on Words with Friends.

  Wolfspirit10 has sent you a message.

  That was Charlie’s gaming name. I slid the notification and waited for the app to open, pulse throbbing in my neck. He’d played the word story for eighteen points. I went straight for the message.

  Help. My dad took us. We’re on the I-40 and just passed the art institute.

  They were heading east. “Good job, Charlie,” I said, barely keeping my fingers steady as I typed back:

  I’m coming. Hang in there. If you hear or see anything, tell me. I need the exit number you take. Pay attention to the streets you turn on. If you get the chance, call 911.

  He didn’t respond, so I took a screen shot and sent it to Andy’s dad, telling him I was going after them. They weren’t too far ahead of me. I didn’t want to wait to give details when I could be out there. I rushed to my truck. Once the engine roared to life, I booked it for the highway, determined to find them.

  One way or another I would. When I did, Matt would regret the day he was born.

  26

  T H E U N H I N G E D T R U T H

  I watched you fade,

  A star in the sky,

  Too bright to carry on.

  AN HOUR HAD PASSED IN unnerving silence.

  Where was he taking us?

  The question loomed and pulsed in my head, like a cobra ready to strike and inject me with the poisonous truth.

  We were headed toward what I assumed was the mountains. I vaguely knew his family owned a house somewhere near Gatlinburg. It was a place they rented out year after year, drumming in income that kept Matt afloat while he continued to do nothing with his life.

  I glanced over at him, arm wrapped around my throbbing side as my thoughts raced. “Matt?”

  “What?” His voice was flat, but approachable.

  I kept my voice calm, trying not to rouse him as my head pounded in pain. “Are you taking us to Gatlinburg?”

  He looked over at me, eyebrows dipped, and then back to the road. I could tell he was coming off the high side of his emotions. Settling into a calmer state.

  “What are you trying to accomplish here?” I asked, trying to feel him out.

  “I thought I said no talking.”

  Instinct took over my senses. I knew what he wanted deep down. I always had. Complete control. For me to bend until I broke.

  I had to make him think he got me there if I wanted to gain any form of control.

  “I’m sorry, Matt. I don’t want you to be upset with me.” I reached for his arm, placing my hand lightly against it.

  He glanced at my hand. By the way his expression began to ease, I knew this was what he needed. Me to be apologetic. Sympathetic.

  He squeezed the wheel for a moment, wringing his hands as if in indecision, and then said, “I figured if I could get you there, and we could spend some time without interruption, then you could see we could work this out.” He glanced to the backseat. “For Charlie.”

  “You’re right,” I said, tucking my hair behind my ear, hoping he couldn’t hear my heart banging against my chest.

  He looked at me again, searching my face for any sign of betrayal.

  “I was wrong for filing the order. I never wanted to. I swear,” I added, meeting his gaze. Not giving him a smidgen of doubt.

  His eyes moved back to the road.

  I caught a glare of light bouncing off the window behind me from the corner of my eye. Charlie. He must be trying to contact someone. Matt was still focused on the road, trying to govern us through the rain.

  “Are you taking Exit 407?” I asked, keeping my eyes on him.

  He didn’t answer.

  “I was thinking maybe you could take the scenic route instead.”

  “407 is the fastest. We need to get out of this weather.” He leaned forward, staring up at the metal-gray sky. The clouds were moving fast, the wind still beating angry fists against the side of the sedan.

  I hoped Charlie understood what to do. Hoped he knew to tell whoever he was talking to—if he was talking to someone—that we’d be taking that exit. It would help them pinpoint where we were going.

  “I didn’t�
� I shouldn’t have hit you,” Matt said, jolting me back to reality.

  The memory of his hand on my cheek stung.

  In flames is where you were bred,

  simmering, squirming, clawing your way out.

  “It’s okay.” I rubbed my hand over the swollen parts of my face.

  He looked at me again. This time, his eyes glazed over with regret. “No, really. I was wrong, Andrea. I just… I get so heated sometimes. I can’t… I can’t control it, and I know that isn’t a worthy excuse, but it’s true. I just snap.”

  I chewed on the inside of my cheek and looked to my hands on my lap. Replaying the millions of times he had said this before. Every time he pushed me, he always followed up with apologies that felt so real and sincere.

  “It’s like I have this button and you know just when to push it,” he continued, plunging a hand through his hair. “You don’t understand. The thought of you riding off into the sunset with our son with someone else…” He looked over at me, the longing in his eyes making my stomach turn. “I want to work this out. Maybe even try to start over.”

  The thought of being with him again made me want to vomit, but I wouldn’t let him see that. I didn’t want him to return to his psychotic state.

  “We can talk about it when we get where we’re going,” I assured, offering an amicable smile.

  He gave one back. Touched a strand of my hair, almost reverently, as longing surfaced in his eyes.

  All I had to do was keep him in that state, and I’d be able to find a way out. Maybe even find a phone to call for help. Matt was delusional and in serious need of psychiatric treatment. Of that I was sure. I just wanted to keep him from doing any more harm to Charlie. If I could—

  Matt’s hand flew across my chest, jarring me in my seat.

  The seconds after happened fast. A semi up ahead swerved left, then right, then jackknifed and flipped, sliding on its side down the highway.

  “Charlie,” I shouted as Matt slammed on the brakes. As my heart leapt out of my chest.