Amy

by Deborah A. Price

  “We did. The officer took my phone, but it had been erased. The documents that Randy had in his possession were glanced over, but we’re not really sure what has become of those.”

  “Documents?”

  “Yes,” Amy felt a catch in her throat before sitting beside Kyle. “I tried to keep everything a secret, Detective. Every letter that had come for five months met the fate of my shredder. I only read a couple of them. Randy was an investigative reporter so he knew how to tape them together again, and a few of those were with him when he was murdered.”

  “I’ll make sure to look into them.” He reached for the envelopes and watched Amy lean further back on the couch. He pulled the first one out and then the one that Amy had not seen. “You said that there had been cameras and feel that he might have recorded you.”

  Nate glanced at the officer. “There had been four cameras. Not placed in good spots either. He heard private discussions and knows more than we’d like him to know. It’s my fault that he had been able to place those cameras.”

  “You didn’t know that I had a brother that could pass for me, Nate.” Bob reminded him. “Amy has drawn a very good profile of him if you can use it, or I have a few pictures you can take with you.”

  “You all know who is doing this.”

  “We know now.” Kyle answered. “Bob seems to have forgotten to mention that Ricky has stolen some of his personal belongings. We feel that the company ID badge will let him have access to several places where he wouldn’t normally go.”

  The other detective had been walking around the apartment taking pictures and called out for Mark while the others stared at each other.

  Amy leaned into Kyle’s embrace not wanting to know what had been found.

  “I thought you said that there weren’t any more cameras.” Kyle mumbled, glancing at Bob.

  “There weren’t.” Bob mumbled. “Amy, if I had known that Ricky was doing this, I would’ve sided with Melody and begged him to go for help.”

  “It’s too late to think about what could’ve been done differently, Bob.” Amy watched Nate pick up the after picture and turn it over to see if there was any writing before the phone rang.

  Amy straightened because she was sitting next to the phone and waited for the answering machine to answer it while the detectives glanced at them curiously.

  “Amy, I’ve decided that I can’t wait to meet you after all. Your friends are safe, but you will never be safe. Do you remember how it is to fear? To dread seeing a certain person that was part of your life? Do you? Have you forgotten your uncle? He couldn’t stay away. Yes, I’ve heard you talking about it to your boyfriend and your brother. Nash was both greedy and stupid. Now tell your brother not to worry. I don’t plan on killing you after the first time. No, I’ll keep you alive for several months. I want you to dread me. To fear me. Tell me something, Amy, have you ever dreamed of ending your miserable life? I’ll make you beg me to end it.”

  Amy stared at the phone when the voice had become quiet and watched while Mark spoke on his phone ordering for a trace from the number, wincing when Bob mentioned that it was his company phone.

  “That’s good news- right?” Elaine asked after looking towards Bob. “They know where to find your brother.”

  “No,” Bob responded, watching Amy lean back on the couch again. “It simply means that he knows how to route his phone there. The only way that he could get into my office is if Melody or her partner let him in. We share the same space.”

  Mark still had the phone to his ears while he waited. He was watching Amy’s reaction before the others started talking around her. He quickly jotted something in his notebook before placing the phone in its holster on his belt. “Miss Brannan, we will do everything in our power to protect you.”

  “He knows about what. . .” Amy looked at Nate before she stood. “I need to finish cleaning the kitchen.”

  Kyle stood and followed her to the kitchen. “Amy, we’ve done the right thing by calling the police.”

  “He told us not to, Kyle. You remember that- right? How do we know that he’s not telling us a lie so that Elaine relaxes her guard? How do we know anything?!” Amy tossed a plate to the floor and listened while it broke. “I can’t take anymore. Calling for help was the wrong thing to do. They can’t protect me if what Bob says is true.”

  Kyle watched her stare at the mess she had made on the floor and took her hands. “We have to believe that Detective Norman can find Ricky. Amy, look at me. Believe- okay? It’s what we need to do.”

  “You believe it if you want, Kyle.” Amy snapped at him. She walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed the broom and dustpan.

  Kyle grabbed the broom from her. “Don’t block this. Tell me what’s really on your mind.”

  “Nothing is on my mind.”

  “Liar, you’re thinking about Nash. Of how that made you feel. You’re dwelling on it because Ricky mentioned it.” Kyle propped the broom against the wall. “I’m not going to lose you, Amy.”

  “Dad fought for our mother, Amy. Don’t you remember him saying that?” Nate asked his sister. “Kyle loves you, sis. He’s just trying to help.”

  Amy focused on Kyle while Nate spoke. “No, he doesn’t. If he did, he wouldn’t keep pushing me to talk about it. He’d leave me alone.”

  The detective who was standing beside her partner stared at them. “You need to talk about what is bothering you. Get it out in the open and clear your head.”

  “Detective Keaton has a point. You should come to grips with that and then focus on what’s happening around you.”

  “I thank you for your opinion, but I’ll deal with this the why I deem is right. I’ve said enough about what Nash had done. I’m done talking about it.” Amy pushed the broom at Kyle and walked out of the room, heading down the hall to reach the privacy of her bedroom.

  Rose stood and stepped over to where Kyle was looking down at the mess. “Kyle, don’t give up on getting her to talk. Ricky might call Bob, and we’ll figure out where he is.”

  “I should go to her,” Kyle mumbled. “I didn’t mean to push her. She’s already told us so much.”

  “Ricky doesn’t know that I know anything.” Bob offered. “He should talk to me.”

  “Maybe,” Kyle muttered. “I thought that because my mother had talked to me, that I could get through to Amy. The more I push her, the more distance she places between us.”

  Nate stared at Kyle and scowled. “Push harder, Kyle. It might help like Detective Keaton said. I’m going to call Dad. He might have some advice from the time he and Mama went through this.”

  Kyle nodded and walked away from them. He walked into Amy’s room and sat down on the bed after she had refused to look at him. “Amy, you need to talk to me.”

  “No, I don’t.” Amy muttered under her breath while she sat at her desk. “Why would you want to know? Why would anybody? It’s over. Done.”

  “Ricky is playing a card that you don’t want to see.” Kyle stated in a soft voice. “You’ve told us that you wanted to end your life after the last time, but you never told us about the times before that.”

  “I lived in fear.”

  “How?”

  Amy closed her eyes tightly; her shoulders sagged while she tried to submerge the memories. “Every day I prayed that when I returned home from school that either Granny or Nate would be at the house. That he wouldn’t come over. I bolted the door behind me.” Amy inhaled deeply while remembering. “He managed to get a key from Granny. Nothing worked. He knew when I was by myself. Three years, he kept doing that. Three years where I should’ve been able to be an innocent child.”

  “You didn’t tell anybody.”

  “There was no one to tell. He said that if I told Nate, that it would get worse. He wasn’t worried about me telling Granny because she wouldn’t believe me.

  “What about Elaine?”

  Amy turned towards him with tears in her eyes. “I tried.”

  “Bu
t?”

  “It’s not something that comes up in conversation, plus I was already learning how to push it away. I was living in a hell, and Elaine- she was my best friend. Normal.”

  “And you don’t think that she could’ve helped?”

  “No, she couldn’t help, Kyle. She and Nate were. . .”

  Kyle stood and stepped over to where she was standing. Wrapping his arms around her, Kyle placed his lips on her forehead. “You’re not going through this alone, Amy, and what you felt was normal. All you have to do is talk to my mother and you’d know that.”

  “Like I’d want to talk to your mother,” Amy pushed away from him. “Can you just make everything return to normal?”

  “I wish that I could. We should finish talking with the detectives, Amy.” Kyle sighed. “I feel like you’re trying to push me out of your life. Are you?”

  “No, it’s not my intention.” Amy started walking towards the door he had closed.

  “Then why are you leaving?”

  “You told me that we needed to finish talking the detectives, Kyle. That’s where I’m going.” Amy turned the door knob and glanced over her shoulder. “I want to be with you, Kyle, but that won’t happen until this is over and then it might be too late.”

  Kyle stepped over to her and placed a hand on the door. “Too late?” He asked and turned her towards him. He wasn’t prepared to see the fear in her eyes. “You fought Nash, Amy. You can fight this.”

  “You’re scaring me, Kyle.” Amy informed him while placing a stiff arm in front of her.

  “I’d never hurt you, so I doubt that I’m scaring you.” He touched the hand that was on his chest and shook his head. “That’s what Nash did. He blocked you from. . .”

  “I’ve told you all that I’m going to tell you.” Amy snapped at him while relaxing her arm. “I can get through this if you lighten up and drop this.”

  Kyle nodded, pulled her closer, and placed a hand on the side of her face. “All I want is to hold you, Amy.”

  “Then stay,” Amy kissed him on the lips before turning in his arms. “I’m ready to do this.” She opened the door and stepped out to see Elaine talking to Rose.

  Elaine glanced at her after she walked into the room. “The detectives got a hit on the area where he was calling. They left to check it out.”

  Amy smiled in relief before walking into the kitchen and opening the freezer. Grabbing the carton of ice cream and a spoon, she stepped into the living room and sat on the couch before staring at Bob. “What are the chances that he’ll be in the same place when they get there?”

  “He’s at my sister’s house.” Bob answered. “I can’t guarantee that she won’t toss him out on his butt. There’s no love lost there. Never has been.”

  “Then why is he there?”

  “That I don’t know,” Bob answered.

  Amy placed the ice cream on the table and stared at him. “No love lost? Who can’t stand who?”

  “Melody doesn’t get along with Ricky. She never has.” Bob admitted.

  “There’s a reason; there’s always a reason.” Amy placed a hand on her stomach and walked out of the living room.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Does she put on an act, Bob?” Amy asked while focusing on him again. “Melody seemed like the type of woman that can get along with anybody. Lord knows she flirted with Kyle even though she knew he was with me. What happened between your brother and sister?”

  “I don’t know, and I’m telling you the truth.” Bob answered. “What are you thinking?”

  “That your brother is at her house because she’s scared of him.” Amy answered. “And if she is, you’d be the last person that will ever know.”

  “You think that he’s raped her?”

  “I didn’t say that. It might just be that he’s taken out his aggression using her as the target. If he thought that she was favored over him or. . .”

  “Melody’s relationship with our parents has always been stressed, but they love her.” Bob responded. “I love her.”

  Rose grabbed Bob’s hand. “But what if Amy is right? She could be overcompensating by being way too friendly.”

  “What are you saying, Rose?”

  “Listen to what is being said, Bob. There has to reason why your brother and sister don’t get along.” Rose answered, looking at him thoughtfully. “It could be that Melody knows something that Ricky doesn’t want anybody to know.”

  “You want me to think that would actually happen?” Bob asked with anger.

  Amy closed her eyes. “Maybe it didn’t, but, yes, Bob, things like that happen. I know.”

  “But Nate didn’t. . .”

  “No, not Nate.” Amy snapped; her eyes showing all the anger she felt. “It was my uncle, and he did more than beat me or slit my stomach with a knife. So if you want to sit there denying that Ricky can be hurting her without you knowing- you go for it. But don’t turn a blind eye, not now.”

  Bob studied her and then grabbed his keys. “He better hope he hasn’t touched her.”

  “Bob. . .” Rose looked at him with alarm.

  “No, Rose,” Bob looked at his keys. “Amy is right. I’m going over to Melody’s. I want you to stay here.”

  “Nate, will you. . .” Amy turned towards her brother.

  “Of course, Amy. Come on, Kyle. Let’s keep him on the straight and narrow.” Nate followed Bob to the door and turned to see that Kyle was hesitating. “Kyle?”

  “Is this another test, Nate?” Kyle stood next to Amy while staring at his friends. “I think that I want to know.”

  Amy glanced at him puzzled. “You kill me. In there, you wouldn’t let me avoid talking about the way I had felt and then when your friends need you. . .”

  “I just don’t want to leave you by yourself.” Kyle argued.

  Amy reached behind him and lifted the handgun. “You can go now.”

  “What are you doing?” Kyle asked, watching her walk over to the counter and lay down the gun.

  “Kyle, I’ll be waiting for you- that you can count on.” Amy stepped over to him and kissed him quickly on the mouth. “They’re going to need you.”

  Kyle saluted and then walked to where Nate and Bob were waiting for him. “Do you ever understand their methods?”

  Nate slapped him on the back and winked when he saw Amy watching them. “Guess we better make sure we stay in one piece.”

  Amy frowned after they left and glanced at the ice cream that she had placed on the table. “One day, I might actually eat that before it melts.”

  “One day,” Elaine agreed before walking over to the door and locking the deadbolt. “Do you really think that Ricky might’ve terrorized his sister?”

  “The day I went into their office to go over my marketing ideas, Melody had some bruises on her arms. I thought that maybe she had gone on a date with someone from her service, but it was explained to me that they didn’t date their clients. I guess I didn’t think about it afterwards.”

  “You remember that?” Rose asked with shock in her voice.

  “I’ve always paid attention to details.” Amy explained. “I wish that I could forget them.” She stepped over to the table and grabbed the soggy carton. “I could drink it.”

  Elaine grabbed some towels while pointing Rose to where Amy kept her glasses. “Maybe we could have a little pre-celebratory party. We can hope that Ricky messed up, got mad at his sister, and ended up making the biggest mistake of his life.”

  “It would be better if he didn’t hurt Melody though.” Rose mumbled. “I feel so sorry for her if that’s what really happened.”

  “Do you honestly think that abused people want pity or sympathy?” Amy snapped without thinking. “They want hope. A chance to live without fearing what might happen. That’s all. Isn’t that the same thing that you want?”

  Elaine raised her eyes while waiting for Rose to answer. “Well, it’s definitely what I’ve always wanted and got.”

  Amy nodded a
fter focusing on her friend’s ring. “That’s something I was going to give up on. Nate was dragging his feet asking you. He’s had the ring for a while.”

  Elaine agreed, opening a cabinet and taking out a bottle of Vodka. “This, ladies, is the good stuff. I say we have a lot to celebrate.”

  “It’s not a good idea, Elaine.” Amy turned away from them and walked towards the couch. “Maybe later.”

  “You’ve never had a drink in your life.”

  “How’s that bad? I just don’t want to be influenced.” Amy chuckled. “You can drink for both of us. Okay?”

  “I think that if they’ve found Ricky, then it’s reason enough to celebrate.”

  “I’ll celebrate with you after we get a phone call.” Amy responded, glancing at the evidence of a sheet being pulled from her sketchbook. “Happily so.”

  “Then I shall eagerly wait to hear the phone ring.” Elaine smirked and placed the bottle back in the cabinet. “What do you say, Rose? Care to join our little party?”

  “Well, I was supposed to go to mother’s house, but I’ve already called her, so I’m in.” Rose settled in the chair across from Amy. “How long have you been seeing Kyle?”

  Amy coughed, glaring at Elaine after listening to her laugh. “Seeing Kyle how?”

  “I thought that you were involved with him. I mean that is what it looks like.” Rose glanced from Amy to Elaine and back at Amy. “You’re not?”

  “Oh, she is involved with Kyle.” Elaine chuckled after walking into the living room and handing a glass of the melted ice cream to Amy. “More than involved. Right- Amy?”

  “I guess,” Amy placed the glass on the table and found herself focusing on the gun she had left on the counter. “Do we really have to talk about this?”

  “Do you love him?” Rose studied Amy, hoping to keep all of their minds from wandering to what Bob, Nate, and Kyle were doing. “I mean, you leaned on him a lot while we were talking to the detective.”

  Amy stood after staring at Rose. “I know what you’re doing, and I think that we need to keep our focus. It’s not the time to relax and become chummy.”