“I just figured it out myself this morning. I remembered that day. She got one of the guards to let her out, and she came home. Father was working, and Roberta and I were at home alone. Mother went up in the attic and got a rope. I begged her not to hurt Roberta, but she said she wasn’t Roberta anymore.” He looked into her eyes, and Mary shuddered again. “That’s why I killed Mother.”
Mary swiped at the tears running down her face. “I’m sorry, Robert.”
He set down the plate and came to kneel by her chair. “It’s okay, Mary. I have a new sister now, and maybe in time, when you’re ready, you’ll let me call you mother.”
If we want to live, we’re gonna have to be real smart. Mary placed a hand on his head, as she’d done many times in the past to comfort Anna Claire. “Maybe in time, Robert. In time I think I might like that.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Loki took a deep breath and stared at the moon. Having Wilkes and his team here was frustrating. And they aren’t doing anything, so why are they here? She didn’t like inactivity or simply waiting for the killer to come after them. She needed to be out there, searching for him.
“I’ve heard everyone else’s theory. What do you think about his mother being killed?” Jake handed her a cup of tea.
She turned and smiled at him. “It’s hard to understand someone like him. Now that we know what Rosetta told us, and after what we’ve seen and heard from Grace, his mother was the violent one with the girls.” Loki sipped the tea. “He tortured animals until recently. I think he killed the doctor, Mrs. Gardina, and the police officer.”
“Not sure I’m following your train of thought. Are you saying we don’t have to worry now that his mother is gone?”
“We either don’t have to worry about other people or have a lot more to worry about. I still think he’ll try to kill us. He may have found he likes it and simply start killing at random.”
“So either way we need to find him and stop him.” Jake placed an arm around her. “I’ve been a real ass lately. I miss the quiet we had before everybody showed up at our door.”
“Me too, and Bruiser is mad at me, but until this is over, I think we need to keep him inside and hidden. For some reason, Tatum is determined to kill him. He could have hit me easily, but he kept trying for Bruiser.”
Jake dropped his arm and bent to pick up a small rock. He tossed it into the forest. “If Wilkes had his way, it would be the same for you. He gets a pissed-off look on his face every time you walk out the door.”
“Like I do when you go out for your evening walk?”
He ignored her comment and stamped his feet against the cold. “We’re going to set up an hourly watch. With the temperature dropping the way it does after dark, it’s dangerous for any of us to pull more than an hour.”
“Both times he’s been watching us, including when he shot at Bruiser, it was during the morning hours,” Loki said. “What makes Wilkes think he’ll come after dark?”
Jake shrugged, picked up another rock, and tossed it. “Because most evil people only come out at night. It was dark the night he came here, wasn’t it?”
“I think that’s a misconception,” Loki said. “Evil doesn’t care what time of day of it is, and it was only dark because of the time of year. It was early evening. I was wondering if maybe he came in the mornings because of his mother. There might be some reason he was afraid to leave her alone at night.”
“If she’s dead, he doesn’t have that reason anymore. Which means Wilkes is right and we need to set up guards. Unless you have another reason for thinking he won’t show up at night.”
“You mean unless I’ve had a vision? No, I haven’t, but if it were me, I would let us wear ourselves out keeping a vigil for a few nights and strike when we least expected it.” She turned to go inside. “But I’m a woman, so what do I know?”
“Damn it, Loki, I didn’t mean it that way,” Jake growled. “I’m not used to this sitting around and waiting for something to happen. I want to know where the son of a bitch is and go after him.”
A chilly wind picked up, and Loki shivered. Mother was cold, freezing cold. If Robert killed her, she knows where he is. “I’m going to talk to Grace.”
“She’s already asleep. I told her to sleep in your room. I hope you don’t mind. She was exhausted. I don’t think she’s quite got over that cold or whatever she had. Maybe you need to call Dr. Coomer again.”
The idea of sleeping in Grace’s room with the possibility Mother might return didn’t appeal to Loki, but she’d never admit that to Jake. “It can wait until morning.”
~ ~ ~
Robert listened at the bedroom door. There were other questions he wanted to ask Mary, but she’d looked so tired. He hoped they both were sleeping.
He paced the living room, his thoughts chaotic. He had no idea where his sister was buried. She thought he’d forgotten her, as mother had. If he knew where she was buried, he could lure the Indian there and kill her. Then he’d be able to talk to her right away. The need to know was overpowering, and he banged on the door. “Mary!”
“What’s wrong, Robert?”
He could hear the fear in her voice and chastised himself for scaring her again. “I’m sorry.” He unlocked the door and opened it. “I need to know where Roberta is buried.”
“On the old homestead, right beside your father.”
“Where?”
“I don’t rightly remember. Once you go through the main gate, there was an old barn behind the house, and a row of apple trees. The graveyard was somewhere in there.” She eyed him suspiciously. “You grew up there, Robert. Surely you remember where your father is buried?”
“I only remembered who I was today, Mary. Can you take me there?”
“Now?”
The urgency inside him had a burning intensity, like the way he felt when he tortured an animal. “I need to go, Mary. I need to go right now.”
She stared at him for a moment. “All right. Let us get dressed.”
Robert paced as he waited for them, his hands trembling. A dull throbbing sensation had created a twitch behind his left eye. Mother would be back soon, and he needed to get away before she stopped him. “Hurry, Mary.”
“Anna Claire will never be able to walk that far. I think her leg is broken,” Mary said from the doorway. “We’ll have to leave her here.”
Robert shook his head. “I’ll carry her. If we leave her here, Mother will get her.” He pushed past her into the bedroom and lifted Anna Claire from the bed. “You can drive.”
~ ~ ~
Mary kept her hands on the wheel and her eyes on the road, but her mind was racing for any idea that would get them away from him. Maybe if I rammed a rock embankment, somebody would stop and help us. She glanced in the rearview mirror where Robert sat, his arm around Anna Claire. She couldn’t chance it. If the wreck didn’t kill them, he would. She passed the Redmond homestead.
“I saw two more Indians at the old farmhouse. Who are they?”
“Loki’s brothers, Dadron and Jules.”
“Do they have the power too?”
Mary sent up a silent prayer for patience. “They’re normal people, Robert. Like you and me. None of us have any special power.”
“That’s not true!”
Mary’s heart raced, and a deep throbbing pain began in the middle of her chest. Dear Lord, forgive me. I can’t let him hurt Anna Claire. “Are you talking about the way they talk to spirits? Is that what you’re calling power?” Mary laughed shakily. “I thought you meant something like superpowers.”
“So do the brothers have the power too?” Robert asked.
Mary nodded, unable to bring herself to lie again. She stopped in front of the gate to the Tatum farm. “You’ll have to get out and open it.”
She held her breath as he opened the door, her foot poised above the gas pedal, her hand ready to jerk the car in reverse. Her heart sank and tears filled her eyes as he swung Anna Claire into his arms and carried
her to the gate. She’d never hurt anyone in her life and had taken an oath to save lives, but as God was her witness, if she got the chance, she was going to kill this crazy bastard.
Robert swung the gate open, and Mary drove through, then waited until he closed it behind them and got in the car with Anna Claire. “I think the barn was behind the old house. Not much of a road anymore.”
Robert didn’t answer, and she peeked in the rearview mirror again. His face was a stony mask of anger. Maybe if I talk about Roberta, he’ll calm down. “I haven’t been here in years. Anna Claire and I used to come over and clean off the graves. We planted a rosebush behind little Roberta’s tombstone. Always bloomed every year. It gets warm weather, maybe the three of us can clean it up again. Plant some more flowers.” She parked in front of a pile of rubble. “I think this is where the barn was. There’s the apple trees. I remember Roberta telling me how much she loved them June apples.”
Robert opened his car door, picked up Anna Claire, and started toward the apple trees. Mary climbed out and ran to catch up with him. Why doesn’t he say something? Did I say too much? Oh, Lord, give me strength. I don’t know how much longer I can take this. “Graveyard should be right behind the apple trees if my memory is right.”
Mary followed closely as Robert pushed his way through the trees, unaware of the branches scratching at his clothes and skin. “Come here, Mary.”
He lowered Anna Claire until her feet touched the ground. “You take care of Sister.”
Robert walked toward the tombstones and stopped at each one until he found the one he was looking for. He knelt beside it and wrapped his arms around it.
“Grandma…”
“Hush, child. We don’t want to upset him.”
“But there’s no rosebush there, Grandma. He’s going to know you lied to him.”
Fear started somewhere in Mary’s gut and slowly worked its way up to her heart, which started pounding. She’d been so intent on placating him that she’d rambled, and now that rambling was going to send her soul to hell. Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Oh, dear Lord, what have I done?
Mary held Anna Claire close, hoping to instill a little warmth into their bodies. She was afraid to interrupt Robert, still kneeling at his sister’s grave, but they’d been here for hours, and if she didn’t do it soon, they were all going to be hypothermic. “Robert, Anna Claire is freezing. We’re going to the car.”
“Don’t, Grandma.” Anna Claire’s teeth chattered.
He rose, placed a hand on the tombstone, and turned to look at Mary. “We can go now.” He came toward them, picked up Anna Claire, and carried her to the car. “I’ll drive, Mother.”
Mary slid into the backseat next to Anna Claire and took her hand. Maybe he didn’t notice there wasn’t a rosebush. She shivered, unsure whether it was the cold or the image of Harriett Tatum’s bloody body that had flashed through her memory when he called her Mother.
The ride to the house was silent, and Mary was thankful for that, and that Anna Claire had finally stopped shivering.
Robert parked the car and handed Mary the keys. “I’ll bring in Sister.”
Mary nodded, the fear rising up from her belly, tightening her vocal cords. She waited until he opened her door, then hurried up the walk to unlock the front door. Anna Claire’s eyes sought out hers over his shoulder as he carried her toward the bedroom. “Run, Grandma,” she mouthed. Mary shook her head, closed the door, and locked it. If they were going to die, they’d die together.
“Would you like me to make some coffee, Robert?”
He placed Anna Claire on the bed and smoothed the hair away from her face. “That would be nice, Mother. Then we can talk.”
The bloodstain was gone, but the memory of it caused Mary’s hands to tremble as she filled the pot and placed two cups on the counter. Does he take cream and sugar? Her eyes scanned the cabinet in hopes of finding something, anything she could knock him out with. There simply wasn’t any way she could get Anna Claire out of here with that busted knee. The hair on the back of her neck rose, and she knew without looking that he was behind her. “I forgot. Do you take cream and sugar?”
“Why don’t you have a seat, Mother? You look tired. Let me fix it for you.” He poured two cups and placed one in front of her.
Had he said the same thing to Harriett right before he stuck the knife in her chest? Mary picked up the cup and sipped. She didn’t want coffee, but she didn’t want to piss him off any more than he was.
Robert sat down beside her, his knee touching hers. “This is nice. In a few days, we’ll be able to leave here and start a new life. Where would you like to go, Mother?”
Mary gritted her teeth. To your funeral, you crazy son of a bitch. She smiled at him and took another sip. In a few days, she was apt to be as crazy as he was. “Always had a hankering to go to Hawaii. You ever been there?”
Robert took the cup from her hand. “I’m sorry, Mother. I’m being inconsiderate. You must be exhausted after all that walking. Why don’t you go to bed? I’ll clean up. Tomorrow is going to be a big day for us.”
Mary kept her steps slow and even, afraid to look behind her. “Good night, Robert.” She closed the bedroom door, dropped to her knees at the edge of the bed, and began to pray.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
On her way to the kitchen, Loki checked on Grace and smiled at the picture she made, cuddled up with Hope. Jake had been right about the exhaustion, and she needed her rest. The house was quiet for the first time in days, and she wanted to enjoy the morning before the others woke up.
Bruiser whined and limped with her into the kitchen. “If I take you out, do you promise to be good? No running?”
He stared up at her with huge brown eyes, and she couldn’t resist, but she could control where he went. She opened a drawer, took out the leash, and hooked it to his collar. After opening the back door, she picked him up and carried him down the steps. “If that leg doesn’t heal soon, I’m going to have to put you on a diet.” Loki sat him down and let out the leash to allow him some room.
The sun was rising, and although the weather was still a bit nippy, it appeared temperatures were finally getting back to normal. This was the first year Loki could ever remember snow or the temperatures dropping below freezing. Being trapped inside the house would be even harder if the weather warmed up.
She turned sharply at the noise behind her and breathed a sigh of relief as Grace came to stand beside her. “You scared me.”
“Aren’t you scared being out here?”
Loki shook her head and pointed at the trees. “See those birds?”
Grace nodded, shielding her eyes from the sun.
“Their hearing is much better than ours, and they would warn me if anyone were near or even close. Always check the trees for birds before you come outside. If they’re there, it’s safe. If they aren’t, better to wait.”
“I wish I was an Indian.”
Loki thought about the prejudice, looks, and snide comments she and her brothers had endured for years. “I think you’re perfect the way you are. Why would you want to be an Indian?”
“You know about everything, and if I was an Indian, I would know how to track Husband, and we could all be happy.”
Bruiser tugged on the leash, and Loki moved forward to allow him access to the edge of the forest. “He isn’t your husband, and you don’t have to call him that anymore. His real name is Robert Tatum.”
Grace kicked at a pebble in front of her. “I don’t know what to do with the anger.”
Bruiser limped toward them after doing his business. Loki understood Grace’s statement. She had recently been there herself when Tatum had killed Fawn and Midnight. “You harness it, Grace, until you need it. And then you throw it at the person who’s responsible for it.”
“I feel helpless most of the time. I wish there was something I could do to help.”
Loki sat on the back step and patted the spot beside her. �
�There is something you can do.”
Grace flopped beside her. “What?”
Loki exhaled and stared into the forest. “Did Mother say anything when she visited you the other night?”
Grace started to tremble, and Bruiser laid his head on her knees. “I don’t remember. I was so scared when I saw her all I could do was scream.”
“I think Robert killed her, and maybe if you talked to her, she’d tell us where he is.”
The trembling increased, and Grace’s entire body began to shake. “I…I…I can’t,” she whispered. “Please don’t make me.”
Loki placed her arms around her and pulled her in close. “No one will make you, Grace, but we need to find him before he hurts someone else. I’d be with you. All I’m asking is for you to think about it.”
~ ~ ~
Wilkes sat on the outcropping of rock beside Teresa. “I came to relieve you.”
She stood and stamped her feet to bring some feeling back into her legs. “It’s almost as bloody boring out here as it is in the house.”
“Anything out of the ordinary?”
“Nothing. What the hell do you think this bugger is up to?”
“I wish I knew. Rosetta found several properties in his name or Harriett’s name. We had the locals in each town check them out. She also found a bank account.” White teeth flashed in the darkness. “We cleaned him out.”
Teresa laughed. “It’s good to see you see smile, Wilkes. Maybe if you smiled more often, people wouldn’t hate you so much.”
“But you still would, wouldn’t you, Nik?”
“I don’t hate you—not anymore, at least. I did for a long time. I know it wasn’t your fault.”
“Are you going to ask Loki to help you find Tommy?”
Teresa sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe. When I read Rosetta’s report and saw what she could do, that was all I could think about.”
Wilkes placed a hand on her shoulder. “And now?”
“Now I understand what you do, and why you do it. Without people like you and your team, we’d never find the Robert and Harriett Tatums of this world, and they would simply go on killing forever, and all those children would be placed in cold files and forgotten.”
The Forgotten Page 19