I lean back and close my eyes, letting the tears stream down the sides of my face.
Think, Izzy, think!
Where would she take her?
For the first time since she left, I actually try to remember my childhood. I remember how she used to point her finger at me and tell me I was worthless. How she used to smack me with the back of her hand, or the time she burned me with her cigarette. My hand finds the familiar scar on the top of my left arm and I sigh.
Dave asked me about it one day and I said it was from a vaccine.
I can’t stop crying now. She took my childhood from me, she took my best friend from me, and now she’s taken my little sister. Deep inside me, through the hurt and the trauma and the tears I feel something else inside me.
Anger.
White hot rage.
It starts flowing through me like a never-ending spring, bubbling up from my core and filling my entire body with a buzz and a heat I’ve never felt before.
She killed my best friend. The memory of that day comes back to me and paints itself on my eyelids. Hannah’s parents came over to take me with them. They’d seen the bruises and the scars and had taken steps to start the adoption process. I remember packing my bag - that old green backpack that I took everywhere. It was ready, I’d had a sense of nervous excitement inside me that morning.
When they came to get me she was supposed to be gone. I tried to say I was just going over for a night but she must have sensed my lie. A liar can always tell when someone is lying, after all. She’d grabbed me by the hair and pulled me back. She’d taken a mug and hurled it at the Langleys. Finally I broke free and ran. I ran for my life and jumped into their car.
I remember the instant before the crash. Mrs. Langley hand turned around from her seat in the front of the car. Her eyes were looking at me with such kindness and compassion and love. She had her hand on my knee and I was crying like I’d never let myself cry before.
I used to dream of her eyes in that instant, right before my own mother drove her car into ours and they all died instantly. Cruelly, I survived. For years I wished I’d died but after Vera left and I took care of Jess it gave me something to live for. Now she wants to take that away from me too.
I won’t let her.
I can’t let her!
Just as my anger starts to bubble over and I feel my cheeks flush, I know where she’s taken Jess.
“Of course,” I breathe.
In an instant I’ve pulled the IV out of my arm and I’m swinging my legs off the bed, grabbing the card that Detective Jenkins left on the bedside table. I spot a small plastic bag and see the shreds of the clothing they cut off me. No sign of my wallet or phone or identification, only a bag of unwearable rags. I take out my shoes and slip them on. At least I’ve got those.
I turn towards the man next to me and take a deep breath. He’s still sleeping, snoring just as loudly as he was before they gave me the sedative. I creep over to his bed and see a change of clothes neatly folded on the bedside table. I slip on the oversized jeans and the big hoodie. I’m swimming in his clothing but I don’t care.
His wallet is there and I hesitate before opening it.
“I promise I’ll pay you back,” I say as I grab all his cash. I glance at it quickly - $87. Hopefully it’ll get me to where I need to go. I look at his name: Gene Barkely. “I’ll find you again, Gene. I promise I’ll pay you back.” He keeps snoring and I take it as agreement. It’s not stealing, it’s borrowing, I tell myself.
With another deep breath, I walk towards the door and turn the handle, flipping the hood up and stepping out of my room.
Chapter 42 - Dave
“Just hang a left up here,” Vera says in her raspy voice. I turn the car and she directs me down an old dirt road straight into a wooded area. The isolation and solitude makes my heart beat faster. This doesn’t bode well for my safety.
We’ve driven out of the city, riding in silence when finally she turns to me. I can’t stop seeing Izzy’s features in her face, but they’re distorted and skewed. She smiles, or rather, grimaces at me and I resist the urge to shudder.
We stop in front of a fallen tree, blocking us from driving any further There’s a trail leading off into the heart of the woods.
“No one will find the car here,” she says matter-of-factly.
I shiver as the fear starts to intensify inside me. My eyes sweep around, trying to look for something familiar as we get out of the car. It feels like I’ve been here before and I try to grasp at the distant edges of my memory. Vera comes around the front of the car and waves me forward with the gun.
“This way,” she says.
We start walking towards the forest. The air is crisp and fresh in the early morning, and I can hear the sound of waves . I realise we’re near the ocean. It would be a pleasant walk under different circumstances. We walk for a few minutes until Vera starts talking.
“So how did that idiot Isabelle con you into giving her so much money?” She asks. I tense at the words. I want to bite her head off and spit it out for speaking of Izzy that way.
“We went into business together,” I reply curtly.
Her laugh rings out behind me like a bark. “Business!” She exclaims. “That girl wouldn’t have enough brains to know what the word means. You’ve made a bad investment, I’m afraid.”
“Don’t fucking talk about her like that. You don’t know anything about her,” I spit, spinning around towards me. She takes a step forward and rams the handgun into my stomach. I grunt and fold over slightly as it jabs into me. Her eyes are shining like two black orbs and I immediately regret speaking out. I can feel the barrel of the gun sinking into my gut.
We stay motionless like that for one, two, three seconds and then Vera’s lips curl up in a menacing smile.
“Sounds like someone has some unresolved feelings,” she says slowly, laughing. “Turn around and keep walking.”
We walk through the forest until the sound of the ocean gets louder. A few steps later and we come to a clearing. The trees are forming a small semi-circle around the clearing, with the other edge of the clearing being a steep cliff, straight down to the ocean. I can smell and feel the spray of the waves as they crash against the rock cliffs. The air is damp and cold.
On the far edge of the clearing is a small tent. My heart starts beating faster as we approach. Vera shoves the gun into the small of my back and pushes me forward. I almost stumble but catch my footing on the grassy ground.
When we get to the centre of the clearing and I see the cliffs more clearly, the memories start coming back. Of course! This was my father’s favourite hidden campsite. We’d come here in the summers. I used to run all though these woods with Hannah and Izzy!
“Hurry up,” she says. “Mark!” She calls out towards the tent.
“Over here,” comes a gruff voice from the woods beyond it. A man emerges from the trees carrying an armful of firewood. His greasy grey hair is plastered to his head, and his face is covered in a scraggly beard. He drops the firewood near the tent and walks towards us.
“Who’s this then?” He asks, looking me up and down. “Thought you were going to get your daughter.”
He folds his arms over his protruding belly and I can see a strip of pasty white skin between his shirt and his old faded jeans. He leans his head over and spits on the ground near my feet, then smiles at me. He’s missing two teeth, and the others are mottled brown and yellow. His eyes have a yellow tint to them, interwoven with red veins giving them a sickly bloodshot look.
“This is the money man,” she replies. The man’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Well, well, well, I guess you going back to the house wasn’t such a bad idea after all.”
“I knew he wouldn’t stay away. Fancy black car and everything.”
Vera circles around me, still holding the gun. She waves it towards the tent, guiding me forward. I start walking with the two of them on either si
de of me. My palms are sweaty and my heart is beating but my head feels calm. They need me. It’s obvious they want money and they think they can get more of it. I have something they want, so they won’t kill me. All I need to do is make sure Jess is alright and then I can think of the next step.
I scan my surroundings. I know she has a gun, but does he? I need to assume he does. The small tent is off to the side, and apart from that it’s thick forest all around. The forest is tall skinny pine trees and doesn’t provide much for cover. If I’m going to get away from them it won’t be by just running away and hiding. I’m going to have to be clever about this.
“Now, Mr. Langley. Sit down here,” Vera says, gesturing to a log with her gun. I sit and look up at her.
“Where’s Jess?” I ask in a low growl.
“Manners!” She chides and the two of them laugh. She nods to the man and he turns towards the tent.
“Alright little lady, time to come out here and see what the cat dragged in,” he calls out. He unzips the tent and reaches in. I watch with horror as he drags Jess out roughly by the arm so that she rolls out of the tent onto her stomach. Her arms and legs are bound so she can’t catch herself as he pulls her out. Her face hits the ground and I wince. She has a streak of mud on her cheek and she looks up at me, pleading me for help with her eyes. My fury explodes in my chest and I jump up, heart hammering inside me.
Vera’s gun makes contact with my back and I feel her hand on my shoulder lowering me back down.
“None of that now,” she snarls.
Jess looks at me and I can see the whites of her eyes all around her irises. It’s the look of pure terror. I try to blink at her meaningfully, to nod subtly. I want to tell her everything will be ok, that I’m here to help. I watch helplessly as the man, Mark, drags her up and sits her down across from me on the hard ground. We look at each other and my heart breaks for her. No one should go through this, especially not an eleven year-old girl. I glance up at Vera and realise what Izzy must have been going through all those years ago.
“Now we’re going to have a little chat,” Vera says. “I thought it was going to be with Izzy, but looks like we’ve caught an even bigger fish.”
The two of them laugh and I shudder at the sound. The man grabs a length of rope and starts tying my legs and arms as Vera stands over him holding the gun, pointing it straight at my head. All I can do is look at Jess and nod at her. Everything will be ok. I’m here, I’m telling her with my eyes. I don’t know if that’s true, or how I’ll fix anything, but all I can do is try to believe it myself.
Chapter 43 - Izzy
“Please, just one phone call! I need to call the police.” I plead with the cab driver. He looks at me in the rearview mirror and huffs. It’s barely past 6am and he looks like he’s been up working all night.
“I don’t lend out my phone to clients,” he says. “Been burned too many times. I’m already doing you a favour by bringing you all the way over there.”
I try to suppress the anger that boils over inside me. I need to call the police! I need to tell them to meet me there, I can’t do this alone. Who knows what that woman is capable of!
“Sir, I’m begging you. It’s my sister, she’s in trouble. I need to call the police.”
He stares at me in the rearview mirror and frowns. I look back at him and beg him with my eyes. Finally he sighs and grabs his phone from the centre console, handing it back to me.
“Thank you! Thank you!” I breathe, hands trembling as he hands me the phone. My head is pounding in my head as my heart beats. I can hardly see straight, the numbers on the phone are all blurry as I try to dial. I reach into the pocket of Gene’s old hoodie and pull out the crumpled card. My fingers are shaking as I dial Detective Jenkins’ phone number.
“Jenkins,” comes his gruff voice over the phone.
“Detective, it’s Izzy,” I pant. “I know where she is.”
“Who is this?” He questions, confusion in his voice. I sigh, feeling the frustration cloud my thoughts.
“It’s Izzy! Isabelle Daniels! I know where my sister is, I’m on my way there.”
“You’re WHAT?! You’re supposed to be in the hospital.”
I sigh in frustration. “I left. Aren’t you listening?! You need to come! Caumsett State Park”
“How do you know where she is?”
“There’s no time to explain. I’ll send you the name of the park. I’ll be there in 45 minutes. I know she’s there, there’s nowhere else she’d be. Hurry!”
I hang up the phone before he can protest any more, and then mash the keyboard as I try to type the name of the state park where we’re headed. Caumsett State Park. Even writing the words sends a shiver down my spine. I know that’s where she is. I just know it.
My heart beats faster as I type the words. It’s the park where I met Hannah, the park where our two families would go camping once a year together. The place where that photo at Arthur’s house was taken, the one with Hannah’s arm draped over me and the two of us laughing together. It was the place where our friendship blossomed into sisterhood, and the place that my mother always cursed as the source of my supposed misbehaviour.
Those Langleys have put grand ideas in your head. You’re delusional. You’re worthless. You’ll never amount to anything. I never should have taken you to that park all those years. One day I’ll make up for my mistakes and burn that fucking forest down.
Her words play on repeat in my head, over and over as we head towards the park. I hand the phone back to the cab driver and he glances at me in the mirror again. This time his look has changed from suspicion to curiosity. He frowns but says nothing, turning his gaze back to the road. I glance out the window and try to ignore the thoughts swirling in my head. I don’t know if it’s the emotion or the head wound or both, but I can hardly think straight. The movement of the car is making me feel sick, so I grip my hand on the door and stare out the front windscreen.
I glance at the clock and curse the time. We’re going too slow!
“Can’t you go any faster?” I ask the cab driver. He huffs.
“Lady, look at where we are! I’m going as fast as I can.”
“Just, please…” My voice trails off and I sense his stare in the mirror again. I feel the car accelerate ever so slightly and I thank the taxi driver silently. We have to make it. If I’m wrong, and they aren’t there, I don’t know what I’ll do.
They have to be there. There’s no other place that she would bring Jess. There’s no other place that she’s hated so vehemently her whole life. I don’t even know why she took Jess or what she wants, but I do know that she never lets go of anything. She holds onto her hatred and her anger like a lifeline.
If this is a ploy to get back at me in some way, or to get back at our family, she’ll take Jess there to prove a point. She’ll tear our family apart in the place that she thinks all our troubles originated: the place where my friendship with Hannah Langley began.
My thoughts drift from Hannah to Dave and I glance at the cab driver’s phone again. Would he let me use it? Dave is mad at me. The thought makes my heart break. He’s just lost his grandfather and now I haven’t spoken to him in two days.
I realise I don’t even know his phone number, how would I call him? What would I say? How can I explain this? It would only add to his burdens. He has enough on his plate.
No, I need to focus on Jess. She has always been the most important thing, and now is no exception. If - no, when we get out of this situation I’ll explain everything and hope that he can understand and forgive me for letting him down.
All I can do right now is go to Jess and get her away from the evil woman that gave birth to us both.
Chapter 44 - Dave
Vera and the man have moved away from us so they can talk. They’re on the other side of the clearing and I can hear their voices but can’t make out the words. I glance over at them - their faces are animated. She’s gesturing tow
ards us and he’s shaking his head.
“How did you get here?” Jess’s voice disrupts my thoughts and I look back at her.
“I went to check on Izzy after I left the hospital. She wasn’t answering my calls all day and night while I was there. When I got to your house, Vera was there.” I don’t mention the police station or the questioning or the fact that Izzy is in the hospital with a serious head injury. I can’t bring myself to think of the fact that she’s injured, and that she thinks I’m mad at her.
Jess nods. “Izzy always told me our mother was a bad person, but I never really understood it. Not until now.”
My eyes dart to Jess. She’s staring at her mother and the man. Her face is filled with sadness and a searing pain passes through my chest. I remember her face all day at the circus, how happy she was. There’s no trace of that little girl in her now.
“She said Vera was a bad person?”
“Yeah.” Jess looks back at me. “She used to beat Izzy. I only found out because I found some old therapy notes in a box at the back of the closet. I guess Dad took her to therapy after Mom left.”
My stomach drops. “Beat Izzy? Like…”
Jess nods. “She never told me. I’m not sure she’s told anyone. I asked my dad about it one time and his face got all screwed up and he told me it was in the past.”
She pauses and shifts her weight, struggling against her bindings. I try mine once again but they’re as secure as ever. Jess keeps talking. It sounds like she’s just trying to distract herself.
“I read all the doctor’s reports and therapy notes I could find. Best I can figure out is that she was beating Izzy for years. Izzy tried to escape. There was an adoption, or an accident or something. I don’t know what happened. But after that, Mom left and Dad has been in and out of our life so it’s been just me and Izzy.”
Doctor L Page 14