by Makenzi Fisk
Ciara tilted her head. “Superhero saved the day.”
Allie nodded and took Erin’s hands. “Thank you. Lily’s gone.”
“I wish one of you had told me you were tracking a mini serial killer.” Ciara’s words were flippant but her brow crinkled with concern. She looked from Allie to Erin and sighed. “Life’s never boring when Allie is around. Squashed veggie pizza in the kitchen when you’re ready.” She took the dog with her. “You’re dishy enough to be a cat.” He perked up his ears. “Fancy some road pizza?”
Erin knelt beside Allie. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’m sorry. I took a chance.”
“If you hadn’t, Ciara might have been hurt. Lily followed her home.”
“I figured. She must have recognized the bike. I was riding it when she spotted me at the mall.” Erin stood up and clenched her fists. Muscles tensed between her shoulder blades.
“Lily.” Allie stared at the ceiling. “So much hate. It hurts to think about her.”
“Are you angry with me?”
“No, I’m not angry.” Allie met Erin’s eyes. “It was terrifying and exciting, but everything was out of control.” She sucked in her breath. “I need to stay in control.”
“Control.” Erin repeated.
“How did you figure out what to do?”
I have no idea. I took a crazy risk without regard for your safety. “Well, you and the dog seem to have a connection but you’re too sensitive. You’re like the ten amp fuse in our old house that gets tripped by the five hundred watt blow dryer. You needed a buffer. By now I realize that I have about as much psychic sensitivity as a stump. I’m the perfect buffer, Baby.”
“A buffer!”
“You say energy flows through everything. I just held the dog and then you.”
“I’m not sure I’d claim success quite yet but at least I didn’t actually vomit.” Allie rose to her feet.
“Maybe you can get used to Clyde, and we can—”
“He needs a better name.” Allie put a hand on her hip.
“You’re trying to distract me. I think you could get used to the dog if you tried. How about Gino?”
“After Gina, your first crush? Naming pets after old girlfriends is my thing.” Allie’s sense of humor was coming back. “This dog is yours and you should name him your way.”
“What about Sonar? Radar? Barack? He’s got those big ears.”
“I don’t think any of those work.” Allie got to her feet and headed to the kitchen. The dog met her in the doorway and she sidestepped. He followed, his tail like a helicopter.
“Are you trying to choose a name for Mr. Picky Eater?” Ciara had divided the squashed pizza onto three plates. She sat at the table and blotted the corner of her mouth with an organic napkin that looked like burlap. With dainty fingers, she slid the napkin onto her lap. “I was absolutely gob-smacked when the dog turned up his nose at my pizza. Do you suppose he’s a carnivore?”
Allie gave a tiny smile and allowed him to sniff her sock.
“He’s probably still full.” Erin crammed a handful of crust into her mouth. She’d start with the easy part and make her way to the purple spongy stuff.
Allie looked at the dog’s full dish on the floor. “But he hasn’t eaten much at all.”
“That dog is my hero. He was in on Erin’s great fish caper today.” Ciara laughed, her open palm colliding with her thigh at the same moment. “And you should have seen Rachel escape out the door. If it hadn’t been for those two, we would be looking at dead fish right now.” She leaned down and patted the dog.
Erin frowned and separated a tomato from the vegan cheese. She nibbled around an unidentified object embedded in the pizza wreckage.
Ciara retrieved three cans of raspberry-flavored beer from the fridge and passed them around. “I found these at the market.”
Erin stared at the stylized fish on the label and popped it open. Apparently Ciara’s aversion to fish didn’t extend to alcoholic beverages. She took a swallow and shrugged. It tasted just like beer, with raspberries.
Ciara considered Allie’s untouched bottle for a moment, then picked it up and put it back in the fridge. “Sorry, love. I forgot about the no drinking thing. Are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine.” The skin at Allie’s jawline rippled.
Erin’s teeth had been on edge since their safe haven was violated. Allie needed to rest but Erin had to get out. To move around and check out the neighborhood. “I’m taking the munchkin for a walk.”
“She’s gone for now, Honey, but be careful.” Allie squinted as if concentrating.
“I have cheesecake.” Ciara offered. “Are you sure you want to miss it?”
Erin envisioned a slab of tofu swathed in sauce that tasted like alfalfa. “Thank you, but I’ll pass.”
“I’ll take you up on dessert.” Allie got up for plates.
Erin headed out the door. Even though Lily was gone, she’d feel a lot better if the nameless dog watched her back while she changed the slashed tire. Afterward, they could scout the neighborhood together. He was small but his canine instincts appeared intact.
The last of the daylight had fallen over the horizon when Erin propped her mini flashlight against the porch step and pumped the jack under the frame of her truck. In the dark, she swore when she rapped knuckles against steel and sat back to rub her fist.
Rachel glowered down at her from the window, keeping silent watch on her folly. Yes, she could have waited until daylight to change the tire, but what if something happened in the meantime? Off-guard was never a comfortable place to be. It took her longer than anticipated but finally she stowed the jack and tossed the damaged tire in the back. First thing in the morning, she’d find a tire shop and get it replaced.
“Come on dog. Let’s run!” The chihuahua hopped on his hind legs, excited by her tone. Pulling hard against the leash, he led the way for the first block. He walked behind Erin for the second. Tongue hanging out, his little legs draped over her forearm as she carried him the rest of the way. She jogged down each alley and street in a methodical pattern until she’d covered a five-block radius.
Satisfied, she returned home. The kitchen light was out. Thank God. She’d missed the mystery cheesecake.
She found Allie and Ciara snuggled in front of the TV watching a black and white movie. Ciara was back in her Bat Girl pajamas, the cat stretched across her shoulders like a disheveled mink stole. Ciara had already braided one side of Allie’s hair and was working on the other.
Erin felt an ache in her gut. She could tie any number of fishing knots, even a Bimini twist, but braiding hair was one thing she’d never mastered. “Well, ladies, I’m headed to bed.” She picked the dog up and patted his head. His ears sprang up.
“I’m coming too.” Allie untangled her braids.
“After all my hard work.” Ciara protested.
“You know I don’t really like braids. I just let you talk me into it because you enjoy messing with other people’s hair. You should have been a stylist.”
“There’s still time for beauty school.” Ciara quipped.
Allie waggled her fingers and followed Erin.
“Fine.” Ciara dragged the placid cat to her lap. “Wrong-Way Rachel will finish the movie with me.”
Erin placed a hand on Allie’s waist. Allie was coming to bed early. That could mean only one thing. By the time Allie closed the bedroom door, Erin could no longer suppress her smile. She needed the comfort of their intimacy too.
* * *
Allie turns in her sleep. Darkness suffocates her.
The panther stalks.
Obsession. Contempt. Revenge. Power.
No! Wake up. Wake up.
The girl with hair like fire obeys the panther.
Fear. Anger.
A little one cries.
Weak. Trusting. Naive.
Hide. He’s coming!
A baby. A boy, curls soft as down, skin ashen, waxy.
Death.
Nooo!
CHAPTER 25
At the end of Nina’s block I dump the BMX bike into the bushes. The whole street is deserted. Nobody stays out at night around here. Nina’s mom’s van is parked in the driveway and her dad’s work van right behind it. The guy doesn’t like to take advice, does he? From two houses away I can hear the screaming. No one will call the cops to complain. Not in this neighborhood.
“I told you not to come back!” Nina’s mom’s voice is high and shrill. “What have you done? Look at her!”
“She’s making it up. I never laid a finger on her.” Her dad’s voice is harsh as gravel under my heel. Bastard. Nina blamed him for the cut on her face. Serves him right. Now maybe her mom will kick him out for good.
“How could you do this?” Something crashes and somebody screams.
I slink behind the house when a car comes. Gang-bangers looking for some fun. Shiny rims spin past and speakers thump long after it’s out of sight. The vibration pulses in my chest. We’re in sync.
On an empty paper bag from a trash bin, I scribble a new blackmail note.
Hey Loser. You didn’t listen. Now you have to pay $1000. You know where. Bring it at midnight tomorrow or go to jail.
I wedge it under his van’s wiper blade.
“Not my baby!”
Wait. Are they even talking about Nina? I slip around to Nina’s window. It’s dark and someone’s crying. I toss a rock. No one comes. The trashcan is empty. I drag it to the window and tip it over so I can climb on top. There’s a faint whine so I shove in the screen. Beth crawls out from under the bed and her eyes bug out when she sees me.
“Lily! Why are you in my window?” She stands on the mattress and stares at the bent screen. “Daddy’s going to be mad.”
“Where is Nina?” I don’t give a crap about her dad. “She was supposed to meet me at the park. What happened?”
“Nina lied. She said Daddy scratched her face, but I told mommy it wasn’t true. She came home like that. When she was with you.” She points a fat finger at me.
“You little shit.” I take a swipe at her through the open window and nearly lose my balance.
“You’re mean.” She retreats to the carpet where I can’t reach her.
“Go get Nina.”
“Daddy said to stay in my room. He said to be good and he would give me a present later.”
I don’t have time to explain to her that she won’t like what her daddy wants to give her. She’ll figure that out for herself when he comes back. “Go get Nina.”
“No.” She crosses her arms and her bottom lip puffs out. “Daddy said.”
I’ve figured out where Nina is. She’s in the middle of the screaming match with her parents, trying to protect Beth and her useless mom. I jump down from the window and slither around to the driveway.
Through the kitchen window, there’s Nina standing with her skinny fists up. Her mom’s hiding behind her. I don’t see her dad until he takes a step forward and smacks Nina square on the mouth with the back of his hand. She bends over and covers her face.
Hey! Stop it. She’s mine.
I yank the wiper blade up and grab my note. With my pen I scribble lines across the part where it says $1000 and replace it with a million. For this, he can pay me a million fucking dollars.
From my spot behind the bushes, I watch the house until they stop screaming and the kitchen goes dark. The light comes on in Nina’s mom’s bedroom a few seconds later. She’ll never kick him out.
A million dollars. One million dollars. I’ll be a millionaire. The smile spreads across my face. The tickle in my belly makes me fidgety. I’ll buy a jet ski. No, I’ll buy a yacht and a jet ski. Maybe I’ll buy a helicopter and park it on my yacht. Nina can come hang with me.
“Lily!”
I bolt upright. Nina is whispering too loud. Her dad’s gonna hear and smash her in the mouth again. I zip to the backyard and up onto the pail again.
“Hey.” I’m cool like I just arrived.
“What are you doing here?” Her lips are fat but there’s no blood. Her dad is good. That won’t leave a mark.
“You didn’t come to the park. I waited all day.”
“My dad… He’s mad.” She looks at me with red eyes.
“Yeah, I heard.”
“How long have you been out there?”
“Don’t blame me for what he did. I just got here.” It’s not my friggin’ fault she wasn’t smart enough to duck.
“I’m not… I don’t know. My mom saw the scratch and asked me what happened. I told her what you said.”
“Why didn’t she kick his ass out?” I know why. She’s useless.
“Mom didn’t believe me. She believed him. And Beth squealed.” There was a thump under the bed. The kid was hiding.
“That brat needs a slap in the head.”
“Lily! I know you don’t mean that.” Nina looks me in the eye.
I stare back. The hell I don’t. “Of course not. I’m only joking.”
“She heard you.” The corner of her eye twitches when Beth crawls out.
“Hey Beth. Want some candy?” The kid goes for it as usual.
“I like candy.” Beth climbs up onto the mattress beside Nina and I fake smile at her. She smiles back and holds out her hand. “Are you nice today?”
“Are you gonna be nice and not rat us out?” I turn it back around to her. I learned to do that when I was seven and my mom was worried that I couldn’t tell right from wrong. She got my grandfather to take me to a head shrinker. That was a waste of money.
“I pinkie swear.”
I got no problem telling right from wrong. I just pick whatever is easiest. I wipe the lint off a naked stick of gum in the bottom of my pocket and she takes it.
“Thank you,” Nina prompts her through swollen lips.
“Thank you,” the kid says like a polite robot.
“Let’s get the f—” I notice Nina’s crinkled up eyebrows. She’s ready to give me a lecture about swearing in front of Beth. “Let’s get the flippity dippity outta here.”
Beth giggles around her gum. “You’re funny.”
“Hurry up,” I tell Nina. “Your parents are f—” Nina still has that look. “Your parents are busy. Let’s go. They’ll never notice. Beth won’t tell, will you?” I stare hard at the brat. “Cuz if you do, you don’t get candy.”
Beth folds her arms.
Nina puts a leg up on the window, her face toward her sister. “If Dad comes in here, you hide under your bed and don’t come out, okay?”
“But Daddy said…” Beth looks at the door, looks at Nina. “Okay.” She scoots back under.
“Good girl. I’ll be back for you as soon as I can.” Nina climbs out. I’m hanging on as hard as I can but both of us on the trashcan is too much. The side folds in and it crumples sideways, spilling us onto the grass.
I land on top of Nina, my forehead crashing into her cheek. She sucks in her breath and holds it until I get off. Her shirt is up, showing her bra. Her cheeks are pink. This is the first time I’ve noticed that her belly button is an outie. Weird. She sees my eyes on her bare skin and her face burns red as fire.
“Are you sick?” I don’t want to be around her if she’s sick. Don’t friggin’ give it to me.
“Um… no.” She gets up and quickly straightens her clothes.
“Your plan to blame it on your dad didn’t work, eh?” Stupid. How was she gonna prove that anyhow?
“What? My plan? It was your…” She stomps ahead of me. “Never mind.”
“You ready for some fun tonight?” I’m hungry. My head hurts, my knuckles are sore and I really need a beer. I ran more in the last twenty-four hours than I have in the last month. “Let’s go get wasted.”
“I don’t want to get chased by the cops again.”
“That was no big deal.” It was a big deal. It was a rush.
“And I don’t want to proposition any men.” Nina’s face pinches, like she smells sour milk.
&nb
sp; “What are you talking about? That was hilarious.” I clap her on the shoulder and stand like she did at the truck stop. “Wanna party?” I mimic.
Her eyes turn into snake slits. “What about you? You sounded like Oliver Twist. Excuse me, kind sir. Can you give a poor girl a ride?” She laughs and slaps me back. “He thought you were nuts. It was never going to work.”
I look away. Don’t laugh at me. Right now I could wrap my fingers around her throat and squeeze until her eyes go blank. “Piss off. It always works.”
Her smile droops and we walk in silence for a minute.
She’s making me angry. Is she gonna wreck my entire night? “Let’s go get a car.”
“What if we get caught?”
“I never get caught.” Well, almost never.
Forty-five minutes later I’m behind the wheel of a blue car with a half tank of gas. Nina has her window rolled down and her hair whips in the breeze. She has a smile on her face when she sucks on her Slurpee.
“Your mouth doesn’t look stupid any more.” It’s true. Her lips aren’t puffy.
Her smile turns down. She tosses the rest of her drink out the window. The old Nina would have made me drive around to find a trashcan. I glance sideways at her. Is she ready?
“My dad’s in jail so he can’t hurt me any more.”
Nina’s eyes snap over to me, but I’m cool. I keep mine on the road. “He did this to you?” she asks.
“Worse.” It’s not really the same, but he wouldn’t give me money when I asked, and he tried to tell me what to do. That’s just as bad. I twist my mouth and do the eyebrow thing to make my face look upset. My practice paid off because she believes me.
“I hate my dad.” She punches the dashboard and snatches her fist back. “I wish he was in prison too.” She folds her fist inside the palm of her other hand and rubs it. Her eyebrow flinches. “I wish he was dead.”
There, she said it. The magic words. “Fuck him!” I pound my fist on the steering wheel and pretend I’m angry.
“Fuck him!” she shouts and punches the dash again.