Tori put on a vicious, almost deadly leer.
Damn witch . . . Killed my sister . . . I’m going to get her, but good.
Tori wickedly stared out at the clouds.
Chapter Forty-Four
The plane had touched down at Del Toray Airport just five minutes late. Tori had made her way down the terminal and to the baggage area. She waited with a group of other people as the bags began coming down the circular runway. Tori saw that her lone brown suitcase was among the first to come through the rubber straps, of which the baggage storage area was behind. Just her luck, she figured. Usually, she had to wait a while for her bags whenever she had been on a plane. Hating what lie ahead, she wouldn’t have minded a short wait this time. However, there was no such luck.
As Tori stood there waiting for the bag to get around to her, she noticed that an elderly lady had watched her almost from the time she had arrived at the baggage terminal. The lady had been seated in one of the many plastic chairs that lined the wall adjacent to the terminal. She looked to be waiting for somebody. Tori looked at the lady, who stared at her, and then she looked away. Susy’s attack had given the Edwards family a celebrity status. Before leaving Del Toray, Tori had been stopped on several occasions on the street by different people. They had wanted to express their sorrow over what had happened, though many of them had been negative towards her, having sided with Ava in regards to the accusations. Tori hoped this lady wasn’t considering approaching her. She didn’t feel much like talking to anybody right now.
But Tori wasn’t to have it so good. She glanced at the lady getting out of her seat, her eyes firmly planted on Tori. Tori wished that bag would hurry up. She wanted to grab it and get on out of there before the lady could get to her. However, it wouldn’t even be close. The bag wasn’t even halfway to her. The elderly lady arrived at her in virtually no time.
“Excuse me,” the lady said. “But aren’t you Tori Edwards? Aren’t you little Susy’s big sister?”
“Yes,” Tori answered with a sigh.
“I just wanted to say, that I’m so sorry about what happened to your sister.”
“Thank you.”
“And despite what everybody else thinks, I believe you might have a point about that Ava’s guilt.”
Tori was at least glad to hear that much.
“Yes, lady. You couldn’t be more right.”
“My prayers are with your sister. God always does what’s right. Little Susy will get justice.”
Tori wasn’t too high on God right now. And she had very serious doubts about him doing what was right. She didn’t respond.
“And I’m also sure,” the lady continued, “that the good Lord will bring her through this just fine. She’s going to recover and live a happy, healthy, and full life.”
Tori just stared at the woman. She even contemplated the possibility of hitting her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tori asked venomously.
The lady was befuddled. She saw definite anger there.
“Well . . . it only means, that I believe your sister will come through this well. When I saw the noon news today, there was a report she was holding on just fine. She’s quite a fighter, I can tell you that.”
Tori’s anger quickly turned to shock. Again, the lady was puzzled by Tori’s expression. She was becoming uncomfortable.
“Anyhow, good luck to you. God bless the child.”
The lady started to walk away.
“No. Please, wait,” said Tori. “Are you saying . . . Are you saying that my sister’s still alive?”
Now the lady was more bewildered than ever.
“Uhh . . . Yes. She was at noon. Oh my goodness . . .”
The lady threw her hand to her mouth in stark embarrassment.
“Oh my God. Has she died? I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. She’s died since noon? Oh, please forgive me.”
“She was supposed to have died early this morning. That was the news I got.”
“No. No, that couldn’t be true. That would have been all over the news. That little girl has become the talk of the town.”
Tori couldn’t believe the range of emotions that she had been forced to go through in the past twenty-four hours. And now, it looked as though it were about to happen again. She didn’t know what in the world was going on, but she definitely was going to get to the bottom of it. She just hoped this lady wasn’t some kind of kook. She’d hate to get her hopes back up, only to have them smashed all over again.
Tori’s bag had just about arrived at her. She pushed past a couple of men and grabbed it early. She pulled the bag over the belt and brought it to rest on the floor. The suitcase had wheels on it. It also had a strap which she could use for pulling it. She grabbed the strap, taking one last look at the totally confounded lady.
“Thanks,” Tori said.
She hurried away from the terminal. She just wanted to get to some privacy, and to where there was no noise. Then, she would make a call. She had to find out if her sister was alive or dead.
With the exception of the janitor, Ava was in the Elks Hall alone. She was in the ballroom. The janitor was out front in the lobby somewhere, working. There was going to be a fundraiser there tonight, of which money would be raised for Susy’s expenses. Ava was already trying to figure out ways to extort some of the money. She had truly started hoping that the little brat would keep holding on, so that the Edwards’ family could keep raking the money in. Her plan with the idiot, and as she was now very grateful – the very dead Joe Riley – had been a big bust. However, she was starting to think that the plan may yet turn out to be her best career move to date. And even more so, now that high-level minister Berry Burns had been caught embezzling money from his church. He had also been hit with photos of him taking part in an orgy – on five separate occasions. Berry had seriously fallen from grace. He was the biggest Del Toray news story after Susy. The Brandersons more than ever, would now be looking for a replacement. Things were falling just right for her. The moron – Ava thought – regarding Burns. She was happy that he was such a fool.
Ava was putting what she considered to be prettier tablecloths on the tables there in the ballroom. She was friends with Steve, the Elks Hall director. She had a certain way that she wanted things set up. He had allowed her to come in and do it herself. The room was filled with round tables. Ava had gotten the janitor to help her reposition the tables. The tables had originally been set up such that half had been on one side of the room, and the other half had been on the opposite side. The middle of the room had been one shiny, waxed, open space. Ava had brought one half over to join the other, such that all the tables would be joined together in one big group. There was still space between the tables, but things were a lot closer. It had made things somewhat crowded, but it also made things a lot cozier. Ava had told Steve that it would simply look better that way, and she was known amongst her friends to have a flare for interior decorating. However, her real reason had been purely financial. She felt that if people were in a cozier environment, then they would feel more at home. People who felt more at home, usually were in a more giving mood when it came time to donate. She had also moved the tables a little closer to the stage. Again, she felt it would make things more personal. It had worked at her church, gathering people closer together, and she figured it would work here too. Steve hadn’t necessarily agreed with Ava’s changes, but he had let her have her way; such behavior was contagious with Ava.
Ava was so looking forward to the night. She had rushed here from the hospital, having made her daily visit there earlier, along with Jimmy. She had left Jimmy there, because he was supposed to go to his school for a Little League Baseball meeting. Ava hadn’t wanted to drive all the way out to the school. A neighbor who worked part-time at the hospital, had agreed to take him to the meeting once she got off work. The neighbor’s son, whom the mother would pick up from a friend’s house, would be playing in the league also. Things had worked out perfectly for Ava. Bu
t then, she figured, what was new? Crime definitely paid. She had no doubts about that now. Fate was on her side.
There had been one thing, though, which hadn’t worked in Ava’s favor. Reverend Holt was nearby. He was having another one of his soup kitchens for the poor right across the street. He had arranged for large groups of homeless people to be bussed into this high-class part of town to eat at one of the city’s best restaurants – for free. The restaurant was donating the food and time.
Oh how she hated that man. Every time he was around her, he gave her the jitters. She didn’t know why; he just did. He wasn’t all that good of a person, she thought enviously. He couldn’t be. Nobody could be. He had to have his dark side, just like her. But for the life of her, she couldn’t see it. And that made her nervous. He always seemed to be nearby, challenging her. Was it good versus evil? she speculated. Well he was going to lose, of that she was sure. She stopped briefly from smoothing out a tablecloth. She put her hands on her hips. She threw her chest out proudly.
Her thoughts were vehement: Nobody defeated Ava Edwards. Nobody. Not even you, Reverend Goody-Two-Shoes. I’m the leader. I’m the Princess. However, though she stood there with pride, there was still something that wasn’t quite right, something that sort of ate at her. She couldn’t put her fingers on it. She could only blame it on Holt. There was just something about that man. He got to her.
Chapter Forty-Five
Tori had gotten the taxicab driver to park the cab in the parking lot in front of the hospital. This was going to cost her a good deal of money, but currently, she just wasn’t worried about such things. She had to see her sister. The hospital had confirmed what the lady at the airport had told her. Tori had never been so grateful in her entire life. Susy had never been dead, but Tori felt as if her sister had been given new life. She also felt that she herself had been given new life. This was great. Susy had to pull through this. Tori was almost ordering it to happen.
She hopped out of the cab. He would wait there, until she came back, and then she would get him to take her to Henry. She looked greatly forward once again to giving him the news about his sweet wife. Tori rushed through the parking lot and onto the hospital grounds. She hurried through the glass doors.
She practically sprinted down the hallway, catching several people’s attention, and being told to slow down by a nurse and orderly. Tori paid them little attention, but she did slow down, realizing where she was at. She turned the corner, and she then hurried past the nurses’ station.
“Visiting hours are about up for Susy,” she heard the nurse at the station say.
Tori didn’t need to stay long. She only needed that final confirmation – that facial verification. It was the one that would leave no doubt at all that Susy still lived. She had been told it was true. Still, there was nothing like seeing it with her own eyes.
She hastened on to Susy’s room. When she got to the doorway, she stopped. She stood there, and she watched her sister. There was Susy. She still lay there in her coma, but she was still alive. And where there was life, there was hope. The tubes were still in her nose. She was still attached to all the different machines. But she was still alive. She still clung to precious life.
Slowly, Tori walked to the bed. She took hold of Susy’s arm. It was still warm. The blood still flowed through her veins. Tori couldn’t believe it. She actually felt supreme happiness again. It had been an emotion lacking in her as of late. She was overjoyed at seeing her baby sister in this state. She had never been so euphoric in this room. She brought Susy’s hand to her mouth. She kissed it.
“You’re a fighter, kid, aren’t you? Just like your big sister . . . You never give up.”
“Oh, I say it’s just a matter of time. She’s still outta here.”
Tori heard the voice come from behind her. She knew who it was. She had to compose herself. She had to control herself. Because if she didn’t, there was no telling what she would do to the sick little bastard. She put Susy’s hand back down at her side. Then, gradually, fighting back extreme anger, she turned around.
He stood there in the doorway. Jimmy had a big grin on his face. There was also a strong look of satisfaction there.
“Mess with me,” he said, “and you get fucked. This worked out even better than I thought. You came all the way back.”
Tori couldn’t say a thing. She was much too angry. She was breathing hard. She knew that she must have looked like pure terror right now.
However, it didn’t seem to faze Jimmy at all.
“When you called, the idea just came to me off the top of my head. And they say I’m stupid. Ain’t nobody stupid gonna come up with something that good, that fast.”
“You little . . . I ought to break you in half.”
Jimmy giggled.
“Do you . . . Do you know what you put me through? Do you know just how much that sick brain of yours caused me to suffer?”
“Yeah. That was the point.”
And that was also it – for Tori. She could control herself no longer. She stormed for the doorway. Jimmy quickly took off. But by the time Tori got to the doorway, he had already found himself a huge orderly. He had run into the man’s arms.
“She want to hurt me. She want to hurt me. Stop her. Please stop her.”
Tori was able to stop herself in the doorway. She had to think. This little punk might cost her something important. She couldn’t let anything deter her from her goal, which was to get to Henry. She wanted no one to break that news to him before she did.
“Something wrong?” the orderly asked Tori. A number of people were watching.
“Yeah. Something’s very wrong. You’re holding a sick, sick boy right there. Just like his momma.”
“No, she’s the sick one,” Jimmy whined. “Please don’t let her hurt me. Please, Mister. I’m just a innocent little kid.”
Even the orderly had to look down strangely at Jimmy after hearing that bit of melodrama. But Tori could tell, the orderly had every intention of protecting the kid.
As good as it would have felt, Tori knew that it wouldn’t be worth it. Susy was alive; that was all that mattered. And before long, Jimmy’s entire world would come crashing down on him. The bottom line – the little bastard would get his.
Composing herself once more, she calmly managed to get the words out.
“Where’s your momma?”
“She ain’t here, and I ain’t telling. I ain’t gonna let you go somewhere and hurt my momma.”
Tori knew he had to be lying. He certainly wouldn’t have come to visit Susy by himself. Ava had to be somewhere in that hospital. But then, she figured, it really didn’t matter, anyway. She had everything she needed.
“That’s all right, kid. Have it your way.”
“I ain’t gonna let you hurt my momma,” Jimmy screamed.
“Your mom’s done a good job of that – all by herself.”
Disgusted, Tori turned away from him. She took a final look back at Susy. Hope sprang eternal at her doing so. It gave her confidence. It gave her back her spirit. She had things to do. She returned her gaze to Jimmy. He had put on an expression, which made him look like the most innocent child who had ever lived.
Everything was okay, Tori was able to console herself. That little punk wouldn’t wreck her plans. She didn’t have time to be going to jail for beating his selfish, porky ass. No, she had better things to do, such as going to see Henry Edwards. And then, things would start to do a little changing around the Edwards household. Tori could sense it – the tide was turning.
She gave Jimmy a ferocious scowl, and then she left the room. As she walked on past Jimmy and the orderly, she wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard another giggle. But it was okay. Giggle away, brat, she thought furiously.
Let’s see how much you’re giggling in a few hours.
Chapter Forty-Six
Before leaving the hospital, Tori had called her daddy, just to make sure he was at home. She had been sure that he would
be, considering how he had been spending his days since Susy’s attack. Plus, he would have been off work by now, anyway. But she had called just to be sure, not wanting to make a trip there for nothing.
The taxicab pulled up into the Edwards’ driveway. Tori had decided that she would no longer need the cab’s service. If necessary, she would call a friend to pick her up from there and take her home. Tori departed the cab. The driver helped her get her suitcase from the trunk. She paid him, and then he left.
Tori made her way down the walkway, with her purse thrown across her shoulder. She pulled the suitcase with her other arm. She arrived at the steps and went on up. She realized now that maybe she had sent the cab off too quickly. Her daddy hadn’t been eager to hear what she had to tell him. She started to think that maybe he wouldn’t let her inside the house. The two had not had friendly words over the phone. He had hardly let her get a word in edgewise, until she had told him that she now had the so-called infamous disk. Henry had gone silent for a few seconds. He had then agreed to let her come. However, he still had responded with skepticism, which hadn’t surprised Tori. She knew just how terribly blinded he was by Ava. He had made it clear to her, that he knew the disk wasn’t going to be authentic. Still, he had agreed to see it, and that was all Tori needed.
And it also turned out that her fears were unfounded. The door came open almost as soon as she arrived at the top of the step. Tori frowned upon seeing Henry. He had changed a lot since last week. He looked weak and frail. He had lost some weight. His face looked tired. It was worn. His eyes were puffy and baggy. They were bloodshot. His hair was disheveled. Tori was surprised to see the small beard, which was also dirty and wet. He definitely looked like a man who had been drinking too much. He had a beer can in his hand at that moment. He wore blue jeans and a dirty T-shirt.
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