Truly Madly Deeply: Volumes 1-4

by Brenda Pandos

  “She said to stop,” Logan seethes.

  My heart halts for a moment at his voice.

  “The boyfriend, come back for more,” Marsden says. “I think you just like to watch.”

  Logan reaches down for my hand and pulls me to my feet. I stand, and moan, unable to put weight on my twisted ankle. He tucks me into his side.

  “You okay?” he whispers.

  Relief floods me knowing he can handle himself against Marsden, and I nod.

  “Good.”

  I scan the field for back up, surprised that Kat or at least a security guard hasn’t heard us and come to our rescue. The only thing I see is my Maglite, lying on the ground behind Marsden, its light illuminating the side of the snack shack.

  “When I get my hands on you,” Marsden growls.

  “Can you walk?” Logan asks me.

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Do you have your snack shack keys?”

  I feel my pockets. “Yes.”

  He leans in and kisses my temple. “Go inside and call for help.”

  I marvel at how level headed he is in the midst of all of this, even to the point of remembering I don’t have cell service here. But that also means I have to hop past Marsden, which I don’t want to do.

  There’s a click. My blood turns to ice. We look up into the barrel of a gun.

  “I don’t think so,” he says. “I came prepared this time.”

  Logan slowly slides in front of me while holding up his hands. “This isn’t necessary.”

  “I don’t give a shit what you think,” he says with a toothless smile. “I came to get what I’m owed.” He combs the fingers of his other hand in a gesture for me to move. “Come on.”

  I hold onto Logan and his body hardens. “No.”

  “I’m not giving you a choice!” He yells. “You’ve got to the count of three. One, two—”

  “Okay.” I slowly limp forward.

  “No,” Logan says, holding onto me.

  Terror spreads across his face, but I have no choice. I won’t be responsible for Logan’s death.

  “I’ll be okay,” I promise him.

  Marsden nudges the gun in a gesture for us to separate, and I limp forward.

  Marsden grabs my hand and yanks me forward. I lose my balance and fall into him. He swings me around and pins me against his sweaty chest, his hand clutching my throat.

  “Aren’t you sweet,” he whispers in my ear. “I bet you’ve never done this before, not like that other bitch.”

  Hate fills Logan’s eyes. “If you touch her.”

  Marsden laughs. “You’ll what?”

  “I’ll kill you,” Logan promises.

  “I’d like to see you try.”

  I try to wiggle away from him, but his fingers tighten on my neck. My eyes water. I make a fist, my arm shaking. Maybe if I knock the gun from his hand, we can get away. But then again, Logan might get shot.

  Marsden moves us backward. I hop on one foot, unable to walk on my left. He pulls me roughly with him.

  “You be good,” he says to me.

  Then we’re falling backward together. I land on top of him and the gun goes off.

  My ears ring from the noise, and somehow I pry myself out of Marsden’s grip. Logan flies forward and lands a punch in his jaw. They struggle for possession of the gun.

  I scramble backward, crawling over the Maglite that must have tripped us earlier. The two wrestle, punching and clawing at each other. Blood is seeping from somewhere, smearing on their hands and clothing. Did Logan get shot?

  “You son of a bitch!” Marsden yells as the gun spins away from them.

  He cocks back his arm and punches Logan in the face. They grunt, grasping at the gun. Logan doesn’t seem to be on his game like before, and Marsden finally palms the thing.

  I snatch the Maglite and jump to my feet. Pain rips up my leg, but I don’t care. I heft my arm back and smack Marsden in the temple with the metal flashlight. His head whips to the side and his forehead splits open. Blood gushes down into his eyes. He turns to me, gun pointed at my chest.

  “You’ll pay for that.”

  Logan grabs his wrist and wrenches it. The gun falls free. I cock my arm back and whack him in the head one last time. Marsden finally goes down and doesn’t move.

  The Maglite slips from my shaking hands and lands on the grass with a thump. I stare at Logan as he gets to his feet. He pulls me into his arms and hugs me hard. His body convulses once as his lips press into my hair.

  “Maddy… Madison… Why? Why?” he whispers. “What am I going to do with you?”

  I close my eyes and let the fear fall away. Here in his arms is where I belong, where I’m safe. Then I remember.

  I pull away and look up at him. “You’re hurt.”

  “I’m fine.” He looks down at me, glassy eyed, grabbing onto my shoulders. “What are you doing out here?”

  I swallow down my fear, my heart racing like mad. This is my moment, the moment of truth.

  “Kat snuck out again and I followed her.”

  I clamp my mouth shut as the fear bubbles up inside, the fear of losing him. Then I know, that even now, I can’t tell him the truth about her.

  “Why didn’t you text me?”

  I wring my hands. I should tell him she was hooking up with Dirk, but I can’t. “I don’t know.”

  He shakes his head. “You’re worse than the kids.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” I close my eyes. “I heard a noise, but I didn’t realize it was Marsden until it was too late. She got away, but I… didn’t.”

  His face turns white. “Where is she?”

  I blink at him. “I don’t know.”

  He runs his hands through his hair.

  “I didn’t do this to worry you, or get your attention…” I suck in a breath. Tears well up in my eyes.

  I open my mouth once again to tell him, filled with shame for keeping the secret so long, then stop when I hear Kat’s voice.

  “Logan?” Her hand covers her mouth. “What happened?”

  Dirk is running next to her with the phone to his ear, hopefully talking with the cops.

  As they get closer, Logan glares at Kat. “Maybe I should ask you the same thing.”

  Adrenaline rips through me.

  I stumble forward, limping. “I saved you, and you left me here!”

  Kat presses her brows together. “What?”

  I blink for a moment, stunned. “Why did you leave me?”

  She tilts her head to the side. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been in the cabin all night.”

  My mouth drops open. I look at Logan and watch his anger turns into confusion.

  “I heard a gunshot,” she finishes. “Logan wasn’t in his cabin, so I got Dirk.”

  The air whooshes from my lungs. I was almost raped because I stumbled across him attacking her, and now she’s denying she was ever here. Incredible.

  “I’m telling the truth,” I say. “She was here. He even tore her shirt. Look at it.”

  “My shirt isn’t torn.” Kat pulls up her sweatshirt. “Were you dreaming?”

  “Dreaming?” I shriek and point to Marsden. “This is a nightmare.”

  I’m blown away that she’s lying about this, and I try to formulate a coherent thought, but I can’t think fast enough around this twisting hurricane of misinformation that’s being blamed on me.

  “I think you’re confused,” she says calmly.

  “You were out here! I saw you!” I pull out my phone to see if I’ve accidentally recorded something. Nothing is in my videos.

  She shakes her head. “No, I wasn’t.”

  The tears fall down my cheeks. “I’m not making this up.”

  A helicopter circles overhead, lighting up Logan’s concerned face. If I don’t have a way to prove I’m telling the truth, then I’ll look like the desperate one again, the liar.

  Marsden moans and his eyes open. He tries to roll over.
Logan puts his foot in his back, smashing him back down.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Logan says to him.

  Kat eyes Marsden warily.

  “You,” Marsden points at Kat.

  She backs up into Dirk. “Take me back to the cabin,” she tells him. “I’m sure the girls are freaking out with me gone.”

  He puts his arm around her. “Yeah.”

  My chest rises and falls as I pant, my mind racing. I hate Marsden with a vengeance and would never talk to him directly, but he acts like he recognizes her. “Marsden, what do you mean?”

  His eyes swing to mine. “She’s a freakin’ thief. She took my money and I came to make her keep her promise.” He looks at Kat. “Isn’t that right, Michelle.”

  Michelle? Money? The wadded up bills she took that were on the grass when I caught the two of them together comes to mind.

  “He’s crazy,” she says as she backs up. “I don’t know what he’s talking about. Take me back now.”

  But the name Michelle jogs something in my memory. Why is it so familiar?

  “You know him?” I ask.

  Kat’s body tenses. “What?” She chokes out a laugh. “He’s clearly confused me with someone else.”

  “You’re her,” Marsden says. “You’re Michelle!”

  Logan’s glance goes between Marsden and Kat. “What’s he talking about?”

  “I don’t know.” Kat bursts into tears and buries her face in Dirk’s neck. “Take me back. Please.”

  The cops show up from nowhere and immediately arrest Marsden.

  “No!” he yells. “Arrest that bitch. She stole my money!”

  Once they cuff him and lead him away, my shoulders relax. I turn to Logan. “You believe me, don’t you?”

  His eyes lose focus. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

  Dirk returns from taking Kat to the cabin, and deals with the cops. The paramedics arrive and dress Logan’s arm where the bullet grazed him. Fortunately, it’s superficial and doesn’t require stitches.

  Another paramedic attends to me, bringing me a lawn chair before wrapping my ankle with an Ace Bandage. He dresses the cuts on my head, too. I know I should be relieved Marsden is in custody. Instead, I’m sick and want to throw up.

  Dirk comes over to me. “Maddy.”

  “I’m not lying. I’m not.” I glare at him, ready to rat him out, but not with Logan standing within earshot.

  His eyes harden. “I think you’ve had a traumatic night.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “Kat will finish out the week for you.”

  “What?” I burst into tears. “No!”

  “It’ll be best.”

  “You’re just doing this to cover your ass!” I try to stand.

  Marge and Joe come up behind him.

  “I think he’s right, Maddy,” Joe says. “I’d like you to stay with Marge so she can keep an eye on you.”

  I shake my head and look at Dirk. He’s doing this to punish me. “No. Those are my girls. You can’t take them from me.”

  “Maddy, you’re hurt,” Dirk says. “How are you going to do anything with them anyway? You can’t walk.”

  “I can.” I struggle to stand, but bite back a yelp when trying to put weight on my ankle.

  “You need a break, sweetie.” Marge gives me a kind smile, but I take it as pity. “It’s not like you can’t see them later.”

  “I don’t want a break. I’m fine.” I let go of the chair, and teeter on one foot, almost losing my balance. “I’m not leaving my girls.”

  “You need to ice and stay off that foot.” Marge comes under my arm and takes hold of me. “I’ll help you. Come on.”

  Joe takes up my other side. The tears roll off my cheeks. I’m not winning this fight tonight.

  I look over at Logan, wondering what he’s thinking of all of this. He’s busy talking to one of the cops. The tears continue to fall. How in all of this am I the one that’s being punished?

  After I give my statement, I allow Marge and Joe to help me away from the scene, both doing their best to console me as I silently bawl. We pass the other cops on the way, and I overhear one of them say Marsden cut the fence and had taken out two security guards. Both were on their way to the hospital in critical condition.

  “You were a lucky girl tonight,” she says. “Thank goodness Logan was here.”

  I look down, unable to shake the feeling he was only here because he wanted to find Marsden, and intimately Kat is responsible, but she’ll never suffer the consequences.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The next day, I awake with a start as visions of Marsden attacking me ravage my dreams. The fog clears and I glance around the room. I’m at Marge’s house.

  Aching from head to toe, I sit back as the images fade. The pain is nothing compared to the raw throbbing in my heart. After everything, I just want to hide away and sulk.

  The name Michelle keeps haunting me and I can’t figure out why Marsden was calling Kat that.

  I flip back the covers and put my sore foot to the ground. It throbs even without weight on it. But I have to get back to the cabin and be the counselor my girls deserve. I scoot my butt to the edge of the bed. My ankle burns in pain, and I know I’m not going anywhere without crutches.

  “You’re awake.” Marge opens the door and peeks her head in. “How are you feeling?”

  I startle at her voice and return my foot to the pillows to elevate it. In her hands is a tray with eggs on top of stir fried squash and cheese.

  “Okay.” I shimmy my butt back to lean against the pillows while in a sitting position.

  She sets the tray down on the side table and adds an extra pillow behind my back. Breakfast smells amazing, but my stomach hurts too much for food. I take the cup of coffee and sip.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “Well…” Marge sighs and sits in the chair across from me. “Campers are going home early.”

  “What?” My eyes fall shut. “No.”

  In my mind’s eye, I can see my girls’ disappointed faces: Holly, Emma, Bridge, Kara and Jen. I can’t help but feel like this is my fault.

  “Don’t feel bad,” she says after seeing my expression. “It’s for the best. One of the security guards didn’t make it, so this is now a homicide. There needs to be an investigation.”

  “And next week?”

  She shrugs. “We don’t know yet.”

  I sink back into the pillows. If they cancel camp for good, where will I go? It’s too early for my fall job to start, if I’m still hired. Mom’s made it clear I’m not welcome in her shoebox of an apartment.

  “Just eat. We’ll take one thing at a time.” She smiles, then exits.

  I stare at the tray and turn away. My phone buzzes on the tabletop. I flip it over to find several texts from Syd, Mom, and even one from Gage. None from Logan.

  I want to chuck the phone. After everything Gage still thinks there’s a chance between us.

  My heart feels shredded in my chest. Nothing has gone as planned. Anxiety to prove my innocence claws through me, but I know it will always be Kat’s word against mine.

  Chatter in the hallway makes me look up. I wipe off a tear as Bridge busts into the room.

  “Maddy!” she calls out and bounds toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “You’re okay.”

  I manage a smile and pat the top of her blonde head. “Yeah, I am.”

  After Bridge lets go, the rest of them take turns hugging me. I brace myself for Kat to show, but she doesn’t.

  “What happened?” Jen asks.

  Bridge, Jen and Holly get comfortable on my bed, while Emma and Kara share the chair.

  “No one told you anything?” I ask.

  “Other than that guy is in jail, no,” Jen says. “Very tight lipped.”

  “Oh, Kat did say that you’d left in the middle of the night and were attacked,” Kara says. “But, if that happened, then why are you here and he’s in jail? Do you know some secret ninja moves?�
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  I bite my lip. They clearly can see through her lies. Why can’t Logan? “I had help.”

  “You did?” Holly asks.

  My eyes lose focus. I can’t keep hiding behind the lies. It’s time I tell the truth and be who I really am. Be myself for once.

  “Kat’s right, but she was the one who left first, and when I went to find her, I heard a scream. She was… well, I shouldn’t say.”

  “No, tell us,” Emma leans forward.

  Jen nudges Holly. “I told you something was up. Kat had all those scratches and bruises.”

  I sit up taller. “She does?”

  They all nod.

  “She said it was from the rec games, but I didn’t see them yesterday,” Jen says.

  I look away. Maybe I don’t have to prove anything. When Logan sees the bruises, he’ll be infuriated, like he was when he saw the marks Gage left on my arm. The truth is bound to come out. But will that be before or after camp ends? No matter what, I know it’ll be too late.

  “So basically you saved her. Right?” Bridge asks, eyes filled with light.

  “I… I more like distracted him.” I know Kat will chew me out for telling the girls this, but I don’t care anymore. It’s the truth. “But then he came after me. Logan stopped him.”

  Emma grabs her chest. “Holy crap! You’re kidding.”

  “No.” I stifle an ill-timed giggle. “I should have called for help… I was stupid,” but then Kat would have been raped or maybe even killed, and even though I despise her, I don’t wish it on her.

  “But nothing. You saved Kat,” Holly says. “You’re a hero.”

  I shrug. “No. I’m lucky.”

  “That she is,” Marge says from the doorway. “I’m sorry to shoo you all out, but Maddy needs her rest.”

  “Awe,” they cry.

  My heart warms. “I’ll come say goodbye, don’t worry.”

  They all give me a hug. Bridge is last. After she pulls away, she smiles.

  “Sorry we never got to win cabin cleanup,” I say.

  She wrinkles her nose. “Oh, that.” She laughs. “Dirk found out that Sonia’s girls were cheating and made them do KP for every table at breakfast.”