by Patricia Fry
“Maybe he does it only when no one’s looking,” Adam persisted.
Michael patronized his son. “Yeah, that’s probably it.” He then asked, “So where’s the shed, Marissa?”
She scrunched down and pointed. “You can barely see it now. It’s on the other side of those bushes.”
When Adam noticed Rags squirming in Michael’s arms, he said, “I think he wants down, Dad.”
“Maybe he needs to use the litter box,” Craig suggested.
Michael placed the cat on the ground. “Yeah, maybe.”
Adam giggled. “Litter box—out here?” He then warned, “Hold on, Dad. I think he wants us to go over there.”
“What? Away from the shed?” Craig asked. “What’s over that way, Marissa?”
“Um…let’s see…some houses, I guess. I don’t go that way much. Once Errie and I found an old—really old—house where no one has lived for a long time. We went inside. It was way cool. But Errie made me promise I’d never go there again without her. It was kind of creepy, if you know what I mean.”
“Did it have ghosts?” Adam asked.
“I don’t know about that. It’s just really old and creaky and it has lots of cobwebs. There was even some furniture and dishes in there. Errie said rats live there now and probably bats.” She looked down at Rags. “I don’t know why he’d want to go there.”
“Well, let’s find out why,” Craig suggested. He stopped. “Do you kids see any footprints around here?”
“I see our footprints,” Adam said.
“Look in front of us, not behind us, Son,” Michael suggested.
“Over there,” Marissa said, pointing.
As the two children ran to where Marissa indicated, Craig hissed, “Don’t walk all over those tracks. Let me take a look. Yeah, I see a child or several children’s prints and that could be a dog print there.”
“Do you think it’s the same dog that left its prints on Marissa’s porch?” Michael asked.
“Could be,” Craig agreed. “What do you think? You’re the animal expert.”
After taking a look, Michael nodded. “Might be. Can’t be sure, though. It could actually be any dog and any child.”
Craig grimaced. “True.” He looked at Rags. “So what does your cat say?”
“He’s still pulling in that direction. Shall we follow him?”
“I’d say we should. Definitely.”
The two men and the children walked the equivalent of another few blocks through trees and clusters of large shrubs until they came upon a clearing.
“There it is,” Marissa whispered. “See how crazy creepy that place is?”
“Rags sure wants to go there,” Michael said. He glanced around. “It’s desolate out here, isn’t it? I thought you said there were some houses.”
“Yeah, on the other side of the road.” Marissa pointed. “See that old road?”
“Rags,” Michael scolded, “slow down.” He turned to Craig. “Want to go check it out?”
“Sure do. If Rags wants to go there, so do I.”
“Wow, what’s holding this place up?” Michael asked as they approached the long-forgotten structure. He picked up the cat and stepped gingerly toward the door. He pushed on it with one foot and it opened.
Marissa shivered. “Hear that squeaky hinge? See what I mean about spooky?”
“Yeah,” Adam said, blinking.
“Hello,” Craig called once he’d stepped inside. He looked around. “Anyone here?” When he didn’t hear anything, he said, “Put him down, will you, Michael?”
“Okay, but he may just want to chase a mouse.” However, when Michael placed Rags on the floor in what had once been the living room or the abandoned home, the cat sat still, his eyes wide, and his ears twisting from side to side like antennae.
“What’s that?” Adam asked.
“I don’t know,” Michael whispered, “but Rags sure heard it.”
Everyone looked at the cat, who sat straight up, his ears forward. He took a few steps and cocked his head as if listening. He then took a few more steps toward a dark, dank hallway.
“Do we really want to go in there, Dad?” Adam asked.
Marissa grabbed Adam’s arm and bellowed in an attempt to startle him. When they heard a clattering sound toward the end of the hall, she gasped and held tightly to Adam.
“What was that, Dad?” Adam asked quietly.
“I don’t know. Shall we go see?” he suggested.
“Um…”
“You two kids can stay here if you want to. I’ll go with Craig and Rags.”
“Um, I think we’d better stick together,” Adam said. “That’s the Boy Scout motto, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, something like that,” Michael said, walking slowly after Rags toward the sound. But before they got much farther, they heard another sound.”
“I think someone just slammed a door,” Marissa whispered.
“Hello!” Craig shouted. “Come out, we’re here to help!”
When they heard nothing more, they continued down the hallway. Suddenly something flew at them, barely skimming the top of Michael’s knit cap. “Holy moly!” he exclaimed, ducking. “What was that?”
“A bird, I think,” Marissa said, staring behind them. “Looked like a pigeon, maybe.”
“Or a bat,” Adam said. He then shrieked, “Look out!”
Everyone cringed, and Rags even retreated toward Michael.
“Oh, it’s just an old possum,” Marissa said. “Hey, where’d he go?”
“Through that hole in the floor,” Craig said. “Watch where you step.”
“Because of animal poop?” Adam asked.
“Well that too, maybe,” Craig said, chuckling. “I meant because of holes in the floor.”
Michael pointed to a door ahead of them. “Rags wants to go in there.”
Before Craig could respond, they heard a loud chirping sound and everyone froze. Michael laughed nervously. “It’s my phone.” He removed it from his pocket. “A text from Savannah. She wants to know how it’s going.”
“What are you going to tell her, Dad?” Adam whispered.
“Nothing, yet,” he said, putting the phone back into his pocket. He pushed on the door in front of him, it opened, and he and Rags stepped inside. As Rags pulled on the leash, Michael reluctantly followed. “In there,” he said, pointing to another closed door.
“Let me see,” Craig suggested, walking in front of Michael. He pushed on the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He tried the rusty doorknob. “Stuck. Anyone in there?” Craig called.
“Wait, did you hear that?” Adam asked. “Sounds like a dog crying in there.”
“I didn’t hear it,” Marissa said.
“Listen,” Adam instructed.
Michael looked the door over. “I think we can force it open. Let’s give it a try.” He handed Rags’s leash to Adam.
After a few failed attempts to kick the door open, Michael broke out a panel and reached his hand in. “Locked from the inside,” he said quietly. He easily opened the door, then motioned for the children to stay put with the cat. “It’s dark in here,” Michael said. He turned and asked, “Adam, do you still have that little flashlight I gave you?”
“Yeah,” the boy said, edging it from his pocket. “What do you see, Dad?” he whispered.
“Nothing, yet.” Michael took the light and began shining it around the room.
“There’s no one in here,” Craig confirmed.
Michael scratched his head. “Then how did the door get locked from the inside?” He continued to shine the light around. “There are no windows.”
“That is strange, isn’t it?” Craig poked his head into the area where the children waited. “Adam, let me have the cat, will you?”
“Yes. He’s pulling my arm off,” Adam complained.
“Oh, of course,” Craig whispered when he watched Rags run to a corner of the small room and be
gin pawing at the floor.
Michael stepped up and handed Craig the light. He then kneeled down and felt around until he found an indentation where he could lift an edge of the floorboard, revealing an opening below.
“Must be where they hid their valuables,” Craig whispered.
Michael motioned for Craig to shine the light into the opening. After a moment, Michael sat back on his haunches, caught Craig’s eye, and motioned toward the space. He took the cat from him and backed out of Craig’s way.
“Marissa,” Craig hissed, signaling for her to join him, “what’s the little girl’s name?”
“Tori,” she whispered.
“Tori,” Craig called into the opening, “we’re here to help you. Your friend Marissa is with us. She wants you and your dog to come out so we can help you.” When there was no response, he said, “We know you must have a reason for running away, but Tori, this is not the answer. You’re only going to harm yourself and your dog. Your family misses you, Tori. They want you to be safe with them.”
This time when Craig paused, he heard what sounded like whimpering. He motioned again to Marissa. “Talk to her.”
Marissa moved closer. “Tori, it’s Marissa. It’s true, your mother and your sister are so sad and worried about you. They want you home. Please come out and let my friends help you.”
That’s when they heard a small voice. “But he’ll hurt me again.”
Craig looked at Michael, then Marissa. He asked, “Who, honey? Who are you afraid of?”
After a measured silence, the child said, “Marvin. He doesn’t like me and when Mom’s at work, he…he…” she started to sob.
Craig winced and asked Marissa quietly, “Who’s Marvin?”
She frowned and whispered, “Her stepfather. He’s real mean. I’ve seen how he is in front of Tori and Helen when their mom’s not there. He’s a mean, mean man.”
“Marissa, have you told anyone about this?”
She lowered her head. “Helen told me I shouldn’t, because he would just get madder at them.”
“Okay, well, that’s not going to happen on my watch,” Craig assured her. “Tori, honey, please come out. We will protect you and your sister.”
“Will I have to tell on him?” she asked, sniffling.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. You and your sister both will have to tell about what’s been going on.” When Tori became silent again, Craig asked Marissa quietly, “Have you actually seen him harm the children?”
She shook her head. “He only talks mean to them when I’m there, but Helen has told me a couple of things.”
Craig thought for a moment, then asked, “Tori, is there anyone who has seen Marvin hurt you or your sister?”
“No, not really.”
He let out a sigh of frustration, then said again, “Come out, will you? Please.”
Just then the child moved out of the shadows with her dog, who looked at the strangers suspiciously. When he began to growl, Tori said, “No, Rusty. It’s okay. They’re friends.”
“Hi, Rusty,” Marissa said.
Soon the Australian shepherd relaxed, jumped up to where the others stood, and walked to Marissa. She petted the wooly dog and he sat down at her feet, watching as Craig helped Tori climb out of the space. Marissa moved toward the child and embraced her, then introduced her to the others.
“Where’s your coat?” Craig asked when he noticed her clutching a wool blanket around her small frame.
She lowered her head. “It got dirty—from some kind of animal, I think. I’m glad I brought this blanket.”
Craig took off his jacket and put it over the little girl’s shoulders.
“Thank you,” she said, letting the blanket drop and holding the jacket tightly around her.
Just then something scurried across the floor in front of Adam. He let out a yelp and hid behind his dad.
“No, Rags,” Michael said, pulling him back. “You can’t chase that mouse.”
“It was a rat,” Tori said quietly.
“Hey, let’s take this outside, shall we?” Craig suggested. Once they were all out of the abandoned house, he asked Tori, “Are you hungry?”
She nodded. “I took a package of cookies and some grapes from our kitchen, but I’ll probably be punished for that.”
“There’s a banana and a cinnamon roll in my jacket pocket there,” he said. “Help yourself.”
When Tori seemed to be struggling to find the pocket in the oversized jacket, Marissa helped her. “What do you want first,” she asked, “the banana or the cinnamon bun?”
Tori grinned. “Both. I’m starved.”
Once the child had eaten the banana and most of the roll, Craig asked, “Tori, what did you mean by ‘not really’ when I asked you about a witness? Is there someone who has seen the way your stepfather treats you?” When she looked down at her feet, he asked, “Does your mother know what’s going on?”
“Oh no. She’s never there when he…” She took a deep breath and spoke more quietly. “He says he’ll hurt her if we tell on him.” She spoke faster and more loudly, saying, “And we know he will. Sometimes we hear them fighting and I’m sure he’s hurting her.” She started to cry. “I put my pillow over my ears.”
“So who else knows about this, can you tell me?” Craig asked.
She lowered her head. “Jason was at our house playing one day when Marvin was punishing me for getting a Popsicle without permission. He didn’t know Jason was there. When he saw Jason, he chased him out of the house with a knife and told him if he said anything he’d cut him in a million pieces.”
Marissa put her arms around the little girl. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I had no idea.”
“No one does,” Tori sobbed. “And no one understands.”
“Oh, I understand,” Marissa said. “I once lived with a lot of abuse myself—in a rotten home—actually more than one of them.”
Tori pulled back. “No way. You’re so happy and, well, I just can’t believe you were ever punished like that.”
“Yes, I was. But I’m in the most happy place ever now, with lots of love from a lot of people and I’m glad I’ll never have to go back there again. That’s going to happen for you, too, if you’re brave enough to trust Detective Craig. He can help you.”
As Tori thought about what Marissa had said, she looked around at Michael, Adam, and Craig. When she noticed Rags, who was on his leash, walking along next to Michael, she asked, “What’s he doing here? Is that one of the orchard cats?”
Marissa shook her head. “That’s Rags. He found you.”
“Huh? A cat?”
Marissa picked up Rags. “He’s not just any cat; he’s a very special cat. He’s a movie star and everything.”
Tori simply stared at Rags, not really understanding what Marissa had just said. When the child finished eating the roll, Michael produced a bottle of water and handed it to her. He looked at the dog. “You might want to share that with Rusty.”
Craig said, “Yeah, but he probably isn’t hungry, is he? It appears that he ate with the orchard cats last night.”
Tori squinted up at him. “How’d you know?”
Craig simply grinned at her. He squeezed her to him by one shoulder for a moment.
They were about halfway to the Roberts’s home when Michael noticed Tori staring at Rags. He asked, “Would you like to hold his leash?”
“Yes, I’ve never met a movie star cat and I’ve never known a cat who could find people.” She reached for the leash and laughed when Rags pulled her off to the side, presumably so he could explore a scent on a shrub.
“He’s strong,” she said, giggling as she tried to keep up with Rags.
“Let me know when you’re tired of him,” Michael said.
“Oh, this is fun. Can I pet him?”
“Sure, he likes to be petted.”
“Come here Rags, I want to pet you,” Tori said, laughing as he continued to walk ahea
d of her. Finally she stopped and pulled the leash toward her until she could reach out and pet him. “He’s pretty,” she said. Just then Rusty rushed up to her and began pushing his nose against her arm. She giggled again. “I don’t think he wants me to pet Rags.” She spoke to the dog, “It’s okay, Rusty. I have two hands. I can pet you both.”
Meanwhile, Craig used his phone to arrange for a police unit to meet them at the Roberts’s home, along with Tori’s mother and sister. He lagged behind the others enough so as not to be heard telling the officer about Tori’s allegations. An officer would speak to Tori’s sister, Helen; the girls’ friend, Jason, and probably arrest Marvin Wray.
The group reached the Roberts’s home just as two police officers pulled up. Tori’s mother, Blanche, arrived a few minutes later, frantic to see her child. Per Craig’s suggestion, she had brought Tori a warm change of clothes and helped her get cleaned up. In the meantime, Savannah, Erin, and Mabel made hot chocolate for everyone; Iris and Margaret had baked a batch of muffins to serve, and Rags got a bowl of warm broth.
By the time the children had warmed their hands and toes and they each had a cup of cocoa in their hands, Tori’s older sister and Jason had arrived with another police officer. “Let me get you something to drink,” Erin offered.
After Erin had served the cocoa to Helen and Jason, Craig suggested that those who were not involved leave the room, including Adam and Marissa. “If we have any questions for you two, we’ll let you know.” He looked across the room at those who remained. He noticed that Tori snuggled against her mother on the sofa. Helen sat on the other side of their mother. Two of the officers perched on chairs to the right of the trio; the third one stood off to the side.
“Jason, would you sit here, please?” Craig said, pointing out a chair left of the sofa.
The boy looked terrified.
Craig addressed the officer who had accompanied the two older children. “Did they talk to you?”
The officer nodded.
Just then there was a heavy knock on the front door and Craig answered it.
“I understand my boy is being questioned,” a large man bellowed. When he peered into the room and saw the officers, he burst in. “Not without my presence.”