The Silent Child Boxset

by Roger Hayden

  “What is this?” he finally said.

  Victoria wiped the tears from her eyes. “You tell me, Todd.”

  He slowly set the photo down and spoke in a quiet, serious tone. “Someone…” he said, swallowing. “Someone sent these to you?”

  “They were in the box left on our doorstep. The box I called you about earlier. The note was addressed to me. It said that there was some important information inside.”

  Todd’s hand rubbed his chest wildly and then he turned away from the table. “Doesn’t make any sense. Who’s doing this?”

  “I don’t know,” Victoria said. “But it looks like they’ve been following you.”

  Silence fell between them as Todd walked to the sink, as though the wind had just been knocked out of him. He leaned against the counter, staring out the window.

  “Who’s the woman?” she asked.

  His back remained to her, and he gave no answer.

  “Are you going to answer me? Victoria continued, her voice shaking.

  “I want to know who sent you those pictures,” he said in a soft, defeated voice.

  A flicker of rage sent her stepping forward with her fists balled and her voice raised. “It doesn’t matter! Who is that woman in the pictures, Todd? What are you doing with her? When were these taken?”

  Todd’s quick, shallow breathing filled the silence.

  “You think you can just stand there and not answer me?” she asked as tears rolled down her cheeks. “You owe me an explanation, Todd. Or you could just leave.” She paused and waited, wanting nothing more than the truth no matter how hurtful.

  “She was a temp at the office,” he said under his breath.

  “What?” she said, taking a step toward him.

  He slowly turned around to face her with reddened, watering eyes. “She doesn’t work there anymore.”

  Victoria thought to herself, confused by his answer. “So? Why are you with her in these pictures?” She spun around and grabbed perhaps the most damning photo, holding it up. “Why are you kissing her?”

  Todd began to speak, but Victoria wasn’t finished. She tossed the photo on the floor and rushed at him, stopping inches from his face, cutting off what he was about to say.

  “No! You’re going to hear me out first. When I saw those pictures, I was in complete denial. At first, I didn’t think it was you, and then when it became clear that it was you, I still didn’t believe it. I thought someone might have put you in those pictures, digitally manipulated your image.” She paused, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. “But now I know they’re real… You’ve broken my heart.”

  He attempted to touch her again, but she backed away.

  “I’m sorry, Victoria. I really am. It was a mistake.”

  “A mistake?” she shouted.

  Todd threw down his arms. “It was never supposed to happen. We were working together. We got along. It was just…”

  “You slept together?” she asked.

  Todd’s eyes shifted to the floor as though he was shutting down.

  “How many times?” she continued.

  He looked up with his hands interlaced, his unshaven face pale. “What does it matter?”

  Victoria narrowed her eyes in disgust. “You son of a bitch.”

  “It’s over between us, okay?” he suddenly protested. “In fact, it never really started. It was a mistake. I was ashamed to tell you. I’m ashamed to tell you now.”

  She tried to listen, but every word he said was like a dagger in her heart. She held her hands to her face, shaking her head and walking back toward the refrigerator. “No more. I’ve heard enough.”

  Todd stepped forward defensively. “It was one week, Victoria. One week. I made a mistake. I’ve never done anything like this before, and it’ll never happen again!”

  Victoria backed against the refrigerator as heightened emotions rushed through her. “I don’t believe you,” she said. “How can I ever trust you again?” She brought her hands to her face, sobbing as Todd inched toward her, attempting to provide comfort. Sensing him near, she jerked her head back and opened her eyes and pointed to the foyer. “Get out…”

  Todd paused, distraught. “Come on, Victoria. Let’s talk about this.”

  “Get out!” she shouted, startling him.

  The house went silent once more as she looked away from his pleading eyes, her hand still extended toward the front door. She waited, but he wasn’t moving. She then turned and walked away, grabbing her cell phone from the counter. “I mean it, Todd.”

  She made her way to the living room as he stood in the kitchen. The box of chocolates was still on the coffee table. Her mind raced in a hundred different directions. Someone was watching them. Of that, she was certain. Who knew how long they had been following Todd, or her for that matter. For a moment, she felt ready to forgive him, but as he crept into the living room behind her, all she could feel was anger.

  “Vicky, if you could just listen to me for a moment.”

  Facing their bookcase with her arms folded, she turned her head slightly and then back.

  He said, “I’m very concerned about this individual who took these photographs. If it’s the same person who sent you the flowers, we’re looking at a clear level of harassment.”

  “Save it, Todd,” she said. “Now’s not the time to act concerned about my stalker.”

  “This is my house too!” he snapped.

  Victoria spun around with fire in her eyes. “Tell me something,” she began as he quietly began to back away. “Did you happen to see this woman last month during your week-long business conference?”

  Todd shook his head, stunned.

  “Or what about all the other late nights you’ve worked?” She paused, clutching her chest. “My God. Who knows how many times you were lying?”

  “This is ridiculous,” he said.

  “That message on your phone,” she said, thinking to herself. “It said, call me ASAP. I wonder if that was her.” She stepped toward the coffee table in haste, grabbed the box of chocolates, and launched them at him with all her might. The box flew past Todd’s head and hit the wall, busting open.

  “What is wrong with you?” Todd shouted, astonished.

  “It was, wasn’t it?” she shouted back. She could tell by the look in his eyes that she was closer to the truth than she had hoped.

  “I told her not to call me again,” he said. “Nothing else happened.”

  Victoria turned away again, disoriented. Her whole body was shaking and she couldn’t think straight. All she knew was that she didn’t want to talk to him anymore. “Get out…” she said, head down and leaning against the wall. “I’ll call the cops if I have to.” She raised her head, her vision blurred by tears. Todd was still standing across from her, stunned to silence.

  “Okay…” he finally said. “I’ll leave.”

  He stormed off toward the hallway as she regained her balance and sat on the couch. Their bedroom light switch turned on and she could hear him rustling around in the room. She reached for the remote and turned the TV on just as he reemerged with a packed bag. She made no effort to look at him or say anything, but as he entered the foyer, he stopped and told her that he was sorry.

  “I guess I’ll find a hotel,” he said.

  Victoria began flipping through the channels without responding. If he was waiting for her to reconsider, it was a futile effort.

  “I know that you’re angry, and you have every right to be,” he continued. “But I love you and would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”

  “Too late,” she said in a strained voice.

  Todd looked at her for a minute and then turned and left, slamming the door on his way out. Victoria got up and walked to the kitchen at the sound of his engine starting. She watched from the window as he backed up and pulled away. With Todd gone, the house felt empty and quiet again. She turned the faucet on and splashed her face with water, distraught by all that had just transpired.

>   Head down, she dragged herself to the kitchen table and plopped down on the nearest seat. The photos lay under her arms, each one a reminder of what had happened to her marriage. Brooke would be home soon, and she knew that she had to pull herself together.

  She took a deep breath and brought her arms to her chest, exhaling. For a moment, she felt like everything was going to be okay. Then suddenly, a sadness drilled into her and the tears began to flow once again. Her arms dropped to the table. Her head soon followed as she sobbed and cried out in endless pain.

  * * *

  Victoria sat at her desk the next day, staring at the computer screen with an unshakable numbness, determined to make it through the work day. She couldn’t bring herself to talk to Todd. The wounds were still fresh. The less she thought about it, the better. Not thinking about it, however, had proved impossible.

  She hadn’t told Brooke anything yet. When she came home later that evening, Victoria had simply told her that Todd was working late. The charade wouldn’t hold much longer, and she knew that she was going to have to tell Brooke the truth soon.

  Her computer screen was nothing but a blur. It was already lunchtime and she still couldn’t concentrate. She had planned to leave work early, but that depended on how much she got done. Every time she tried to focus, Todd would reenter her mind. He had done a selfish and hurtful thing. How could she take him back? Then she thought of Brooke, and it wasn’t so easy to decide. They were a family. Was there a chance she and Todd could work things out?

  She sipped the last of her coffee, no longer warm, and stretched back in her chair. Her clothes were wrinkled, her hair was pulled back with strays falling to the side, and she hadn’t any makeup on. The last measure of concern was for her appearance. If she could finish the day out from behind her computer, that would be more than okay. In his flimsy line of excuses for the affair, Todd had managed to make one good point.

  They did need to find out who had sent the package and why. Someone had taken an interest in her and her family, and she hadn’t the faintest notion why. She needed to contact the police and report what was going on. It wasn’t the last time she’d hear from the mysterious stalker. That much she was sure of.

  Her fingers sat atop the keyboard, not moving, as her mind continued to drift, puzzling over her dilemma, when a knock on her door snapped her back to reality. She looked up to see her boss, Greg Daniels, standing in her doorway. He was all-business in a gray suit and tie, with an ID badge hanging from a lanyard around his neck.

  “Hello, Mr. Daniels,” she said with a slight aloofness.

  “Good morning, Victoria,” he said, holding a coffee mug in one hand, the other in his pocket.

  He was a competent boss and generally easy to work with. She never saw much in him in the way of personality, but he’d always been courteous and professional with her during the three years she’d been on the team.

  She quickly wiped her eyes and face and tried her best to attempt a smile as he continued. “I was just passing by and thought I’d check the status on that budget forecast analyst.”

  Victoria nodded and then glanced at the screen with a sliver of panic. She was supposed to have finished the work last night. Her last email to him the day before had implied that she would.

  “I’m almost done, sir,” she said, moving her mouse randomly across the screen.

  Daniels rocked back on his heels and took a sip of coffee. “That’s fine. I just wanted to make sure. I’ll check back with you in an hour or two.”

  “Sounds good,” she said,

  He nodded and stepped out of the office, only to stop and pivot his way back in. “Hey…” he said, leaning forward. “Is everything okay?”

  Victoria stared back at him, unblinking, as though she had no clue what he was talking about. “Um… Yes. I’m fine. Thanks. Just a little under the weather today.”

  “Okay,” he said, tapping the frame of the door with his knuckles. “You look a little out of it. No offense.”

  “None taken,” she said with a feigned laugh. “It’s just been a long week. Looking forward to the weekend though.”

  “Same here,” he said, turning to leave. “Finish up that proposal and get out of here.”

  “Will do,” she said as he walked away. A headache was starting at her temples.

  She glanced at the screen, trying her best to focus, but nothing worked. She minimized her spreadsheet, opened her web browser, and did a search for marriage counselors in the area. Several results came up. She had called her mother the night before and left a voicemail.

  She thought of calling her again but re-opened her spreadsheet as Daniels walked by her office, apparently in a hurry. She began typing just as her office phone rang, displaying an unrecognizable number on the caller ID screen. She hit the speaker phone button and said hello.

  After a brief pause, Todd spoke up. “Victoria, it’s me. Don’t hang up.”

  Her finger went for the disconnect button but stopped.

  “Please hear me out,” he continued.

  She grabbed the phone receiver and held it to her ear. “Todd. This is not the place or time. I need to think, and you need to give me space.” She glanced past her desk, conscious of a group of co-workers walking outside her office.

  “I understand that, but you can’t keep me in limbo. I want us to work this out.” She could detect fear in his tone—a realization that everything was on the line.

  “I don’t think that’s possible right now,” she said.

  “What have you told Brooke?” he asked.

  “Nothing yet,” she said, “but she’s going to have to know soon.”

  “I want to be there. I’ll tell her the truth.”

  “No,” Victoria said, adamantly. “You need to give me the weekend to think about things. I’ll get in touch with you on Monday.”

  “Victoria, please.”

  “This is your doing, Todd,” she said, voice rising. “We all have to face the consequences of our actions.” She hated the way she sounded like a lecturing aunt.

  “I told you that it was a mistake. You know, forgiveness is a virtue,” he said, voice growing desperate.

  “I agree. Now I have work to do. We’ll talk on Monday.”

  She hung up without letting him get in another word, feeling a sense of empowerment. She wanted him to be uncertain and afraid. She felt that he deserved it. She then wondered where, exactly, he was calling from. It wasn’t his cell phone number.

  She brought a hand to her forehead as her headache began pounding fiercely. Her office phone suddenly rang again from the same number. After a frustrated sigh, she picked it up.

  “Stop calling me, Todd. I mean it.”

  “I want to talk to Brooke,” he said. “Let me pick her up from school and explain everything to her then.”

  “That’s not happening. Goodbye.”

  “Victoria, wait!” he said, panicked.

  She paused, halfway from hanging up. “What?”

  “What can I do to make it up to you?”

  She couldn’t help but find his vulnerability persuasive, but her mind was made up. “You can leave me alone,” she said, hanging up again.

  She then returned to her keyboard and felt a little better after hanging up on Todd twice. She almost wished she could do it a third time. The phone suddenly rang again, much to her surprise, and she immediately looked at the caller ID screen. This time the number was different. Was Todd trying to be clever now?

  “You need to stop this now!” she said as she picked up.

  She waited and listened and heard nothing but distant static. “Hello? Todd?”

  A growling laughter crackled through the phone, something sinister and threatening.

  “Who is this?” she asked, voice shaking.

  The laughter ceased as she heard the beginnings of faint chant that grew louder as the repetition went on.

  “Tricky Vicky… Tricky Vicky…

  “Who the hell is this?” she asked, pre
ssing the phone against her ear.

  “Where’s your tricks, Vick?” the man’s voice said in a clownish, spite-filled voice. “I’ve got plenty of tricks too”

  “I can see your number,” Victoria said, writing it down with her free hand. “Whoever this is, I’m going to find out.”

  “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough…” He hung up before she could respond.

  Victoria sat frozen with the phone against her ear, stunned. The unsettling voice was no prank call. She hadn’t heard the name Tricky Vicky since high school. She glanced down at the number she had written on a sticky note. 888-531-6768. She hung up and immediately called it back. After several rings, the call went to an automated message spoken in a man’s friendly voice.

  “We’re sorry, the number you’re trying to reach has been disconnected. Thank you.”

  Victoria hung up and called the number again, only to receive the same message.

  Impossible, she thought.

  Someone was toying with her, and there seemed to be no end to the harassment. They knew where she worked and where she lived. How much more would she have to endure? She thought of calling the police but didn’t know what to report. Someone had delivered flowers to her at work and pictures of her husband with another woman. And now the phone call. It was enough to at least file a complaint and have the police look into it. Wasn’t it?

  She felt trapped and conflicted, with no clear answers to her dilemma. She gently placed the receiver back onto the cradle and then went back to her computer, where she did a search for gun stores in the area. She found a few listed, clicked onto a local website, and quickly looked through photos of their stock, eager to get a gun as soon as possible.

  Case Closed

  Leesburg, South Carolina

  Lieutenant Fitzpatrick had his man, and most of the department agreed that it looked like an open and shut case against one of Leesburg’s most notorious residents. With the search for additional evidence ongoing at his mobile home, Randall Morris had been transported to the Summerville Police Station for questioning. He had since been read his Miranda rights and formally charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm, but not with the murder. Yet.