Good Girls Stay Quiet

by Jo Cassidy

All three men went wide-eyed and turned to Brendon, who flushed.

  He shifted uncomfortably. "Since you’re pointing a gun at me, I'm not going to lie - I'm attracted to you. But I would never pressure you for sex. I was being truthful when I said you weren't ready for it. Neither am I." He looked me straight in the eye. "I've only wanted to kiss you, and that's it."

  I nodded. "Okay."

  He raised his eyebrows. "Okay?"

  "Okay."

  Brendon let out a relieved breath.

  I turned to Mr. Mendoza.

  "Wait," Brendon said.

  I swept the gun to him and Brendon scooted back.

  "Never mind," he whispered.

  "Just say it."

  Brendon shook his head. "Not with you pointing a gun at me."

  Clenching my hand around the gun, I slowly lowered it. "Say it."

  "You're a good kisser. That's what I wanted to say."

  Again, Troy smiled. In fact, so did Mr. Mendoza. Daddy, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to strangle Brendon.

  "Thank you," I said.

  "You're welcome." Brendon scrunched his face.

  "Are you okay?" I asked him.

  He raised his eyebrows. "Um, I'm in pain. Your dad beat me up."

  "Right," I said, nodding my head. "I'm sorry you're in pain." I changed my focus to Mr. Mendoza at the end of the line. Again, out of everyone, he looked the most relaxed, like he kneeled in the dirt in front of a fire and a gun pointed at him every day. "Troy hired you?"

  "Yes," Mr. Mendoza said, his voice deep and rumbly.

  "Why?"

  He stole a glance at Troy, who nodded. Mr. Mendoza scratched his goatee. "I'm a private investigator. He wanted me to find his daughter."

  I tapped the gun against the side of my leg. I really had no other questions for him. I knew who he was and what he wanted.

  I turned to Troy on the other side of him. "Why do you think I'm your daughter?"

  "Wait a second," Brendon said, holding up a hand. "Ford only gets two questions?"

  My left shoulder went up in a shrug. "That's all I had for him."

  Brendon lowered his hand with a grimace on his face and mumbling something about it being unfair that he had no embarrassing questions.

  I raised my eyebrows at Troy, wanting an answer.

  He took a deep breath. "A while back I found out that an old girlfriend of mine had a baby. When we broke up, she never said anything about being pregnant. She died during child birth, so I couldn't ask her about it and see if the baby was mine. The time line matched up, though."

  "I searched everywhere," Mr. Mendoza said. I didn’t stop him from cutting in. He was adding to the story, not trying to change it or defend himself. "Nora Stewart was bounced around to different foster homes."

  Nora Stewart. The name sounded familiar. It struck something deep inside me just like the time Noah had accidentally called me Cora Nora. Or maybe it hadn’t been an accident.

  “Is anything ever an accident?” Noah asked.

  Please be quiet, Noah, I thought. I need to stay focused.

  Mr. Mendoza had his hands calmly clasped in front of him. "Nine years ago, she disappeared from a foster home and was never found."

  Troy clenched his jaw. "The police didn't even look for you."

  "They looked," Mr. Mendoza said, eyeing Troy. "Just not very long."

  "They gave up on her," Troy said, frustration in his eyes. "They gave up on my daughter."

  It had been nine years since Daddy brought me home. That didn't make me Troy's daughter, though. "Why do you think I am your daughter?"

  "DNA test," Mr. Mendoza said. "We took some of your hair and compared it to Troy's."

  "You took my hair?" I scrunched my nose and ran my fingers over my braid.

  Mr. Mendoza rolled his eyes. "I didn't rip it from your head. Girls shed hair all the time. The first time you left my office, there were two on the chair."

  Troy scooted closer to me, sending a little bit of dirt up around him. "It matched, Nora. I'm your real dad."

  I lifted the gun. "No. If that were true, you would have called the police."

  "We just barely got the results," Mr. Mendoza said. "These things take time, and we didn't want to make a mistake. We were headed over to your house when the GPS signaled you were out here."

  "GPS?" I asked.

  Troy looked down at the ground. "I wanted to make sure you were really mine before we did anything. I went to your school so I could see you." He glanced up at me. "And we put a GPS tracker on Gary's van."

  Daddy braced as if to lunge toward Troy, so I pointed my gun at him, my finger sliding to the trigger. "Don't move."

  Mr. Mendoza grumbled something I couldn’t make out. “Can we go over some gun safety? Don’t put your finger on the trigger until you want to pull it. We wouldn’t want that accidentally going off.”

  I moved my finger to the side of the gun. I didn’t want to use the gun – they scared me.

  “Also, hold it with both hands if you ever shoot,” Mr. Mendoza said. “To stay steady.”

  I stared at him in confusion. Why was he giving me pointers on guns? His eyes looked like they knew more than I ever would.

  "We have the same eyes," Troy said, putting the conversation back on track. "That first night we met, I knew you were my daughter. I could see it." A couple tears slid down his cheeks. "You have Naomi's smile."

  "Naomi?" The word felt odd on my tongue. Foreign.

  "Your mother." Troy scooted closer to me.

  I stared into his eyes and suddenly saw so much of me in him. It was a weird connection I couldn't explain.

  "Nora, if I had known I had a baby, believe me when I say I would have taken you in, raised you, and loved you." Troy pushed his shoulders back. "I do love you. You're my daughter. If you'll let me, I'd like a chance to be your dad."

  "No!" Daddy’s jaw tightened. "I'm your father, Cora!"

  I hadn't moved the gun. I'd kept it pointed at Daddy the whole time. Daddy. He wasn't my real dad. Just the man who'd loved me and taken care of me for nine years.

  "Why did you take me?" I asked him. "That night, on the lawn. Why?"

  The storms in his eyes calmed. He took some breaths to steady himself. He opened his mouth and then closed it.

  “Please,” I said. “Just tell me why.”

  He lifted his chin. "I was driving by and saw you all alone on the lawn. Those people didn't take care of you. They let you sleep all alone outside. Any pedophile could have come by and snatched you up."

  "Like you did!" Troy yelled.

  "I'm not a pedophile!" Veins burst on Daddy’s forehead. "I would never touch my daughter like that. I wanted to take care of her, provide for her, and give her a stable home."

  "Wait." Brendon glared at Daddy. "Not only did you beat her, you kidnapped her?"

  "You beat my daughter?" Troy asked, his stare like daggers being thrown at Daddy.

  "No!" Daddy's chest heaved in and out from anger. "I disciplined her, like any loving father would do." The dark gray clouds flew back into his eyes in full force.

  Brendon stood, so I moved the gun to him. He held up his hands. "Look at her back. She has scars."

  "How would you know that?" Daddy asked, jumping up.

  Brendon stepped away from him. "It's hard to hide when every time I hug her, she sucks in her breath from pain!"

  Troy pushed Brendon behind him, putting himself between him and Daddy. "You'll never touch my Nora again."

  "Her name is Cora!" Daddy bellowed. His hair was disheveled, like it was falling apart with everything else on him.

  I shifted the gun between Daddy and Troy. Two men claiming to be my father. One by blood, one by raising and taking care of me. What a true father would do.

  But I still had to know one more thing. I lowered the gun to my side and looked Daddy straight in the eye. "You took my journal."

  "No." Daddy blinked rapidly. "I . . .”

  "Please. No more lying. It was un
der the driver's seat in the van. It's been there for at least a couple weeks." I patted the gun against the side of my leg. "Why did you take it? When?"

  Daddy stood there in silence, staring at me. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt, something he never did in public. But his cheeks had gone red. He fanned his shirt a bit.

  All I wanted was the truth. He owed me that much.

  He rubbed his hands on his pants. "That night I came in to check on you. You said you were studying for a math test. When I opened the door, I saw you stuffing something in your backpack.”

  I’d thought he hadn’t notice, but I’d been so focused on what was in front of me, not Daddy.

  “I wanted to know what,” Daddy stammered. “I needed a moment when you weren’t attached to your backpack. So when you were in P.E., I went into the locker room and found the journal."

  "You went into the girl's locker room?" Brendon folded his arms. "I thought you said you weren't a pedophile."

  Daddy glared at him. "I was the only one in there." He took a deep breath. "I read the journal until school ended and then shoved it under the seat. I was hurt, Cora. All those things you said about me – about us. After everything I did for you. You betrayed me."

  "Betrayed you?" Troy pointed his finger at Daddy. "You kidnapped her! Beat her! Made her change her name and basically worship you!"

  "Stop!" I yelled, the gun heavy in my hand. It needed to end before I lost all control. "Just let him finish."

  Daddy stood tall, a slight smirk crossing his lips. "I wanted to test your loyalty and see if you'd do whatever you could to protect our family. See how far you'd be willing to go."

  All of this had happened because he wanted to test me? All he had to do was tell me he’d found it and pull me out of school. No one would have ever gotten hurt, aside from me. I’d never have gotten attached to Brendon, or Jenna, or Dalton.

  Dalton. There was one thing that had been driving me crazy. “Did you tell Dalton I wanted to learn the guitar?”

  “I had to see if you followed all my rules at school. I couldn’t spy on you in the classroom, so it had to be out in the open. I planted a seed in his head.” His nostrils flared. “I quickly learned, you didn’t obey my rules. You disappointed me.”

  Brendon rubbed the back of his head. "So you're the one who knocked me out?"

  "Yes," Daddy said with a grin. "It gave me great joy. You tried to take advantage of my daughter. You tried to rape her."

  "Whoa!" Brendon threw up his hands. "Rape her? We only kissed." He looked wide-eyed between me and Daddy. "A mutual kiss, wanted by both sides, does not lead to rape." His gaze finally settled on me. "What has he done to you, Nora?"

  It was so strange to hear him call me by that name. My real name. The name I had been born with and belonged to me.

  "I would never take advantage of you like that," Brendon went on. "I do like you. A lot. But I respect you." He shot a glare at Daddy. "Not like him."

  The storms in Daddy's eyes exploded. The final hurricane, blowing in, raining terror on everything in its way.

  "I gave her everything my family couldn't give to me!" Daddy roared.

  Gary. His name was Gary Snow. Or maybe not. I had no idea who the man really was. He'd taken me in the middle of the night. Kept me locked in a basement. He’d called me broken. But was I?

  "My father always said I'd amount to nothing," Gary spat, "but I raised a beautiful daughter all on my own!"

  It all came flooding back. He wanted me to change my name. He threw out so many options. After months, I finally agreed to Cora because it was close to Nora.

  "My name is Nora," I whispered.

  Gary locked me in a basement for a year. He put me down there when he thought I'd been bad. Everything, though, had been minor. Little scratches or a burned meal. I couldn't have friends. Couldn't go outside without him. He locked me in my bedroom when he wasn't home. He had complete control of my life.

  "You controlled me," I said.

  Gary shook a fist at me. "I loved you! That's how a father shows his love. He shelters and protects his children!”

  Did I want that? Someone who dominated me? Told me what I could and couldn't do? I'd never have a normal life with him. Never have friends. Never finish high school or go to college. Never have a job or a chance at a career I wanted. Never be a painter.

  I wanted to paint. Or write. I was an artist.

  But he stopped me from being one. With him, I could never date. Never get married or have kids. Never own a home or a car. Never travel or see new things.

  “He’s a cancer,” Sally said. “A vile disease that will consume you. You need to let him go.”

  “Let him go,” Noah agreed.

  They were right. I would never experience life with Gary Snow as my father.

  “You’re my world, Cora.” His eyes were feral, contrasting with his words. “The only thing worth living for. I’d do anything for you. You must know how much I love you." He practically snarled the last part, like I should’ve been grateful for his love.

  I clutched the gun in my hand. "I don't know what your father did to you, but you're through playing with my life."

  I was strong. I was brave.

  I was not broken.

  Gary pulled at his hair, the wild in his eyes exploding everywhere. He wiped at some spit dribbling down his chin. "I'm the greatest father you'll ever have."

  "That's not true," Troy said with a plea in his voice. His whole demeanor was much softer and gentler than Gary's. His eyes held kindness and concern. “Please give me a chance. There’s a whole world out there waiting for you. Let me give you the life you never had.”

  Could he really do that? Would he let me do all the things Gary wouldn’t let me do?

  Gary lunged at Troy, the storms in his eyes moving in for the last destruction. Somehow, he had a knife in his hands. He must have had it tucked in his pants. He'd kill him. Gary would kill my real father before I could even get to know him.

  I wouldn't let that happen.

  “Stop him!” Noah and Sally roared.

  With a deep breath, I wrapped both my hands around the bottom of the gun and pulled the trigger. Once. Twice. The gun was hot in my hands.

  I kept pulling until it ran out of bullets. I’d never used a gun before, and I had no idea if my aim was accurate.

  Gary stumbled back, away from Troy. He fell to his knees, his wild eyes searching me out until they stared straight into mine.

  The storms in his eyes hadn't calmed. Hadn't stopped. Not until he fell to the ground and the life left him.

  I let out a shaky breath as a relieved sob crawled up my chest and into my throat.

  Gary Snow would never hurt me, or anyone, again.

  Chapter 41

  The gun fell from my hands, and I landed on my knees. Brendon rushed to my side and wrapped his arms around me. I clung to him, crying and screaming.

  I'd killed the only man I had loved. I’d taken the life of the man who had provided for me and raised me.

  The man who had stolen my life.

  Brendon rocked me in his arms, letting me get out all my frustration. I wanted to stay there forever and not face the aftermath. I was safe in his arms. Nothing could harm me.

  After a while, sirens sounded in the distance.

  Troy knelt in front of me and Brendon. He held out my last journal – the one Gary had found.

  "What do you want to do with this?" Troy asked. His voice was soft and gentle. Compassionate.

  I took the journal from him. "As much as I would love to burn it and erase the past nine years, I want to keep it."

  "Why?" Brendon asked, holding me firmly in his arms.

  I turned the journal over in my hands. "As a reminder. Any time I feel pity or remorse for Gary Snow, I can open this and remember what he did to me. What he stole from me."

  I still loved him. A part of me always would. While his motives weren't purely good, he thought he had been doing the right thing. He had provided
me with a stable home. He had loved me. I knew he did – in his own twisted way.

  Police were soon on the scene. Ambulances and fire trucks also arrived. Smoke filled the air, and all I could smell was burning paper. So many people surrounded me and asked me questions. A never-ending stream of men and women wanting to look at me. Get a good look at the kidnapped girl. The girl who had shot the man who'd held her prisoner.

  Brendon and Troy never left my side. I was grateful to have them. They weren't overbearing or trying to control the situation. They were just there to let me know they cared and I wasn't alone.

  That had always been my biggest worry. If Daddy was ever taken from me, I'd have no one. I'd be all alone in the world. But that wasn't true. I had Brendon and Troy. Wherever I went next, I could make new friends. I'd find another girl who was amazing like Jenna.

  A paramedic left me after he'd checked my vitals. For the moment, I was just with Brendon and Troy. But another person would be demanding more from me soon.

  I looked at Troy, the gentleness in his demeanor comforting me. "What now?"

  He went to take my hand, but then pulled back. He wanted to be careful. I could see it in his eyes.

  So I held out my hand to him, and he took it with a soft smile.

  "I was hoping you could come live with me and my family."

  I furrowed my eyebrows, my stomach sinking. "Your family?"

  Troy nodded. "I have a wife and a little girl. Renee is pregnant with a boy. Two more months."

  "Oh." I stared down at our clasped hands. "I don't want to intrude on your family."

  Troy let out a small laugh, the sound warm and inviting. "Nora, you are my family. Renee is so excited to meet you. She's already decorated your room. And Ella, she can't stop talking about her big sister. I'll try to keep her away so you can have some space, but she's five and doesn't quite understand boundaries yet."

  I couldn’t help but smile. A family. A real family. Just like the ones I daydreamed about in the brick homes around my house. "Where do you live?"

  "Utah," Troy said. "If you like the outdoors, there's a lot to do. Hiking, skiing, four wheeling, shooting." He grimaced. "Maybe we'll stay away from guns for now."

  Brendon chuckled. "Probably a good idea." He squeezed my arm. "Does she get a cell phone? I'd at least like to keep in touch."