Forever Yours, Casey

by Cassidy K. O'Connor

  “Would you be willing to let us see the footage from that night?”

  “Give me a couple minutes and I’ll pull it up for you.”

  He heads through a door behind the counter. I spin excitedly to Carter who is smiling for the first time today. “This is it. I have a good feeling about this one.”

  “Let’s not get our hopes too high yet. We already know it’s not going to prove she went into the club.”

  My cell phone vibrating in my pocket distracts me. Not recognizing the local number, I excuse myself and step outside.

  “Hello?”

  “Is this Casey Sanders?”

  “Yes it is.” The woman sounds pleasant, at least I know it’s not Dirk with another one of his childish calls.

  “I’m calling from Masterson High School, we have Kacee up in the office. There was a bit of an incident today and she’s pretty shaken up. She asked us to call you since her mom is out of town.”

  Kacee lied to them about her mom, that means she doesn’t want her knowing what happened. Ten bucks this has something to do with douche bag Dirk. “Yes, I am her father. I can be there in twenty minutes.”

  “Sounds good, she’ll be up here with me till you get here.”

  Heading back inside, I get to Carter as the shop owner pops back out, letting us know we can come back.

  “So that was Kacee’s school, apparently there was some kind of incident. I need to go over there and find out what happened. Can you handle this and let me know what you find?”

  “Yeah, I got this, go check out what’s going on over there. Let me know if it has to do with Dirk and I’ll send Officer Freeman over if you need him.”

  “Sounds good, talk to you soon.”

  With only a minor amount of speeding, I’m able to get to the school in fifteen minutes. I find Kacee as soon as I enter the office. Her swollen, bloodshot eyes light a fuse inside me. I don’t know what happened but I instantly want to hurt whoever made her cry. This new feeling gives me pause; I’ve never had an aggressive bone in my body. This parenting stuff is sure harder than I thought it would be.

  She’s out of the chair and crying against my chest before I can introduce myself to the woman behind the desk. I rub her back for a few seconds and let her get the worse of it out. Once she’s calmed down a little, I pull her back so I can see her face.

  “Are you okay? What happened?” The woman behind the desk clears her throat to get our attention.

  “Mr. Sanders, our school resource officer would like to speak with you about the incident.”

  I nod and look back at Kacee, “Do you want to stay out here or come with me?”

  “I’ll go with you, it’s fine.”

  I nod and follow the woman down a hallway to a small office at the end that has a huge window overlooking the school’s main courtyard. The officer behind the desk stands and shakes hands with me before sitting back down.

  “Thanks for coming in. I have to admit, in all my years working here, this is a new one for me. I was patrolling the hallways after lunch when I heard a scream nearby. I found Ms. Celdonio in front of her locker where someone had put quite a few dead rats inside. They weren’t just dead; their throats had been cut, too.”

  Someone is calling her out for ratting them out and I know exactly who is to blame.

  “I plan to investigate this thoroughly but I’ll be honest with you, I know about the case against the Montgomerys and I’m sure this has something to do with it.”

  “Can I ask how you are so familiar with the situation?”

  “I’m on a bowling league with a few of the guys from the precinct. Steve told me about it and asked me to keep an eye on Kacee for a while.”

  I’m relieved Officer Freeman had the forethought to get her looked after but since we still don’t know who we can trust, I’m hesitant to just accept that he is on our side.

  “I was told Dirk is no longer a student here. Any chance he got in the school and did this?”

  “We’re completely locked down during the day. He would have had to check in at the office and get his license scanned. That’s not to say he’s not involved though, his family has friends all over. There are probably fifty kids at this school who would do it if that family asked them to.”

  “If I were to make a rather large donation to the school, do you think the principal would allow you to have a second officer here for a while? I’d like to pick the person but you can run him through your background checks and all I ask is that he always be assigned to the areas where Kacee is.”

  “That is a rather unorthodox request but given the circumstances, I might be able to get that approved. Let me talk with the principal and get back to you.”

  We exchange business cards as the bell rings letting school out. I grab Kacee’s backpack and follow her out to the car.

  “I’m sorry I freaked out, it was a surprise and the blood was everywhere. I know I overreacted.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for and you reacted exactly how most people would in your situation. I have to ask though, why didn’t you want them to call your mom?”

  Kacee buckles her seat belt and drops her head back against the headrest. “She’s in this mess because of me, she doesn’t need any more to worry about.”

  “You know, you’re pretty wise for a teenager. While I’m sure she appreciates the gesture, you know we’re going to have to tell her though, right?”

  “Yep, but at least this way she didn’t have to miss work again. Maybe we should do it after we give her a few glasses of wine. Soften her up a little, you know?”

  “Devious but I like it.” My phone rings over the car speakers interrupting our scheming.

  “Hey, Carter, how did it go at the store?”

  “I actually got a few things to tell you but first, what happened at the school?”

  “It looks like Dirk decided to leave a present in Kacee’s locker for her, he thought some mutilated rats were a good idea.” I glance at Kacee who is biting her nails as she listens to our conversation. “I have a plan I’ll run by you later. So what did you find out?”

  “Well, the good news is the camera’s caught Kacee walking from the parking lot around to the front of the club. An hour later, she appears again, running, and you see her disappear between some cars. Thirty minutes later, Brittany shows up and just as she said, she puts Kacee in the car then heads toward the club then reappears ten minutes later and drives off.”

  I turn excitedly toward Kacee who smiles back, even though I’m sure she doesn’t understand why I’m so happy. “That is perfect! While we can’t prove Kacee was in the club, we have enough to prove reasonable doubt to the other testimonies that she was never there. This is going to be a huge help.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t get too excited yet. I got the call that the venue request was denied. It looks like we’re stuck here.”

  And just like that, it feels like someone punched me right in the gut and knocked all the wind out of my lungs. I pull over and plop my head down on the steering wheel.

  “Casey, you still there?”

  “Yeah, I’m here. Let me think on all this and I’ll call you later to strategize.”

  “Sounds good, talk to you soon.”

  I hit the phone button on the car ending the call. “Excuse me a second.”

  I jump out of the car and slap the door shut as fifty different emotions running through my body has me pacing back and forth. “Shit...damn...shit...fuck...mother puss bucket.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kacee staring wide-eyed at me. I probably look like a lunatic. Clearing my throat, I take a deep breath and climb back in.

  “Sorry about that, let’s go get your brother.”

  “Is that request getting denied really bad for Mom?”

  “I’ll be honest with you, it made everything exponentially worse, but I am damn good at what I do and I’m not going to stop until this is over and your mom is acquitted.”

  “What if I told you I know a way to mak
e Dirk go away for good?”

  Chapter Twenty

  Casey

  “I’m listening.”

  “I already told you a lot of rumors have been going around. Well, a girl came to me and told me the same thing happened to her. She gave me her cell number and told me to call if I wanted to talk.” Her fingers twisting nervously in the braided bracelets on her wrist, I realize how uncomfortable all this is for her and my determination to take down Dirk intensifies a little more. “This got me thinking, what if there are others who have been attacked by him as well? There has always been talk but I’ve never heard names before. Maybe we could get these girls to come testify against him?”

  “So as far as you know, no one has ever reported these crimes?”

  “You really don’t understand how much power this family has. Everyone knows you can’t do anything to stop him.”

  The look of utter hopelessness on her face hardens something deep inside. If my daughter is going to live in this town, someone needs to take out the trash and that starts with stopping Dirk’s reign of terror.

  “Let me run all this by Carter then we’ll decide what our next move is. The last thing I want to do is make these girls have to relive their stories in a courtroom. We need to go about this delicately, especially since they will likely all be minors and who knows if they’ve told their parents. I know it’s a lot to ask but if she talks to you again, keep in mind her story might have a much worse ending than yours and she may need someone she can talk with honestly.”

  “Is it wrong that part of me is afraid to talk to her? I don’t think I want to hear what she has to say.”

  The tears welling in her eyes is heartbreaking. This is too much for any woman to deal with, let alone a teenage girl. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you don’t want to talk to her then you don’t have to.”

  “If it will help Mom then I want to do this. I heard you outside the car, you put on a good show but I can tell you are worried. Please, let me help.”

  The determined look in her eyes makes it clear she wants to do this no matter how tough it may be. “How did I get so lucky to have such an amazing daughter?”

  “Mom would say good genes.” Her laughter breaks the seriousness of the situation.

  “That and being raised right. Now let’s go get your brother and you guys can go swimming at the hotel while I meet with Carter.”

  We get in the car line and I text Carter to meet us poolside in twenty. Austin’s boundless energy infects the car as soon as he climbs in. It takes very little effort on his part to convince me to order some treats before they swim.

  “Kacee, take your brother upstairs and get changed. I’ll be down here with Mr. Jepson catching him up. Snacks will be here when you get back.”

  As soon as they are on the elevator, I order a few different appetizers and sit down with Carter.

  “Here’s a copy of the video, let’s hope there are enough anti-Montgomery people left in this city to get a decent jury.”

  “We may have another angle to go with. It turns out Kacee had a fellow victim reach out to her today and she says there are more. If we can get them to talk, I think we can start a counter suit against Dirk. I think that may be enough pressure to get him to drop his suit.”

  “I should have thought of that, of course there would be more victims. I don’t think you and I should talk to the girls first. What if we get Kacee to quietly spread the word that she is looking for other victims and get them to meet up together? I have a buddy that owns a cafe near the school. He has a private dining room he’ll let us use, that way the girls will have a private place to talk. I think we do need an adult in there, though. Do you think Kacee would be okay having Brittany there with her?”

  “I’ll run it by them but I don’t think either would mind. Do you know any crisis counselors that would attend as well in case any of the girls get emotional? I’ll pay their fees.”

  “Let me ask around and get you a name and number.”

  “Sounds good, I’ll text you after they’ve agreed to the plan. Can you ask your friend to give us the room tomorrow night starting at six o’clock?”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem at all, see you tomorrow.”

  Carter leaves as the kids step off the elevator. They fill up on cheese sticks and flat bread pizza before jumping in the pool. I’m still in shock that I’m actually sitting here watching my daughter. The surrealness of the situation takes my breath away. Why am I sitting here watching when I could be living? Isn’t that what I’ve been doing for the last sixteen years?

  I tell the kids I’ll be right back and after a quick stop in the hotel shop, I buy a bathing suit and get changed. The kids’ faces light up when they see me climbing in the pool. I had no idea this was missing from my life till now.

  Forty-five minutes later, the alarm on my phone buzzes from the table. “Okay guys, time to get out. Why don’t you guys go upstairs and get started on your homework while I run and get your mom. We can order pizza and get through some more of those home movies.”

  I can see the surprise on Kacee’s face. Apparently she did see how upset I got the other night. I have to make sure I control myself better this time.

  “Come on, Austin, let’s go.”

  Austin’s skinny arms wrap around my waist and squeeze tight. “What’s that for?”

  “I’m just happy you played with us.”

  “Swimming with you made me happy, too. Now go with your sister and I’ll be back soon.”

  Once the kids are on the elevator, I change back into my clothes and head to Brittany’s office. It has been an eventful day, let’s hope she’s as excited by the turn of events as I am.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Brittany

  “Don’t think buying me lunch gets you off the hook for not telling me about your baby daddy being in town.”

  I roll my eyes again for probably the hundredth time today. Sharon has been very clear she isn’t happy that I didn’t tell her about Casey before now.

  “All I’m saying is you never told me about her dad, let alone how gorgeous he is. And you have been dodging my questions about him all day.”

  “Like I said at lunch, he is here as my lawyer.” Of course, this is the last thing I had to say before stepping off the elevator and catch sight of Casey casually leaning against his car with wet hair and looking sexy as hell. I’m not sure who is drooling more, me or Sharon. “Let me get through this trial and I promise I will fill you in on every detail.”

  “I’ll let it go for now but you owe me a bottle of wine and all your secrets cuz damn, that boy is fine.”

  Casey catches sight of us and electrifies my senses with his gorgeous smile. God, I’ve missed him.

  “Ladies, how was your day?”

  “Better now that we’ve seen you.”

  I elbow Sharon in the side and shake my head, she is incorrigible.

  “I feel the exact same way. If you are ready, the kids are waiting at home.”

  Sharon’s gasp is barely audible but I hear it easy enough and agree with her completely. I spent many nights imagining him saying those words, I never expected to actually hear them. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Sharon.”

  I climb in the car and try to ignore Sharon’s smiling face watching as Casey closes my door and runs around the car. She is having entirely way too much fun at my expense. I’m going to remember this next time she goes on a date.

  “So the kids and I have already planned out the evening. Once homework is done, we’re going to order pizza and watch the rest of the tapes.”

  “But…”

  He holds his hand up to hold me off. “I know I was an idiot last time, I’m better prepared and promise to handle it better. Now, tell me about your day.”

  “Nothing really to tell, I sat at my desk, answered calls, went to meetings, pretty mundane. What about you, anything new come up with the case?”

  “Well, I have bad news, worse news, good news,
and an idea that you may not like.”

  “Sounds like you’ve had a busy day, how about you go in that order.”

  “Bad news, the trial is staying here, our request was denied. Worse news, someone broke into Kacee’s locker and left some dead rats inside. Good news, we found video of Kacee heading toward the entrance of the club, coming back out, you showing up and heading to and from the front of the club. Now for the idea…”

  “Hang on, take a breath, that was a lot already. I need to process.”

  His look of dejection makes it clear he was trying to brush over the rat incident.

  “First off, I can’t believe the school didn’t call me. Something like that happens and they don’t think it’s important enough to tell her parent? I’m going to call her principal tomorrow and give him a piece of my mind.”

  “Well, technically they did call her parent. Kacee didn’t want to upset you so she had them call me instead. But don’t worry, I had a good talk with the school resource officer and he’s going to try and get approval to let me bring in another guard of my choosing to keep an eye on her.”

  “I can’t believe Dirk did this, why can’t he leave her alone? Is she okay?”

  “She was upset when I first got there but she’s better now. She’s actually the reason behind the idea I want to run by you.”

  “This should be good, let me hear it.”

  I fill her in on everything Kacee told me and the plans that Carter and I made. The longer I talk, the deeper the creases in her forehead become. I can’t tell what emotion they are conveying though.

  “So what do you think, will you go with Kacee and help her do this?”

  “There are so many parts to this plan that I am not happy with but I see the logic in it. I’m warning you now though, we aren’t going to get pushy with these girls. They’ve been through enough. If they aren’t willing to press charges, I won’t get tough with them. I’d rather go to jail than put any of them through any more torture.”

  “I can respect that; keep in mind you might not hear too much from them right away. It’s more important that you tell them what the plan is and what they would need to do. If anyone gets emotional, the counselor will be there to help, but we don’t need them to give any details to you. We’ll need to make their statements official and if they are minors, we’ll need their parents’ involvement, too. I know this is going to be hard but I can’t stress how important this is for you. We need to take this sick fuck down for all the girls in this town, but we also need him to drop the suit. What do you say, can you do this?”