"And, she clearly doesn't want that? For some reason she seems to want to be here—with me."
"Right."
"So, she's pretending to be normal with everyone else."
"What I don't get, is why she wants to stay with me so badly?" Rion didn't mean for it to sound so self-effacing, and luckily the others seemed to understand.
"Maybe she just wants to be with her sister?" Shep tried.
"Maybe she's afraid someone else wouldn't let her do whatever it is she wants to do?" Kerry's eyes grew big as she realized what she said.
Rion swallowed hard. Did that mean Beckett had a plan? For what? The three of them were quiet as they processed the possibilities. When she felt like she was going to throw up, Rion decided to change the subject—no point in imagining the worst-case scenarios and worrying themselves over something they couldn't fathom. They needed to deal with the now. "It's more than just an act," Rion returned to Beckett's behavior. "She's—not a kid. A kid, no matter how traumatized, doesn't suddenly act like a forty-year-old. A mean one at that."
"But," Kerry broke in. "That's not the craziest part."
Shep finished off his rum and coke. "What?" he groaned.
In turns, Kerry and Rion told him about the symbols on the floor and seeing the weird shape in the bedroom.
"And you guys are sure you both saw the same thing?"
"Yes," Rion nodded. "We saw the same thing at the same time."
"And you aren't high?" Shep asked without any real conviction.
"Of course not."
"What exactly do you guys think is going on?"
Rion and Kerry glanced at each other. "I don't want to be the one to say it," Rion finally grumbled.
"I think," Kerry took a deep breath. "Beckett is, like, possessed."
Shep stared at Rion and Kerry like they had grown extra heads. “You guys really are high, aren’t you?”
“No,” Rion hung her head. She felt dumb and ridiculous. She tried to think of a way to explain without sounding worse—but she came up blank.
“I know it sounds crazy,” Kerry tried. “But think about it…how else do you explain this? Beckett’s…she’s not…right.”
“Yeah. She’s mentally ill.” Shep had backed away from the counter, separating himself from the women and their crazy idea.
“Really? That’s all it is?” Rion finally found her voice. “Look, I know this is insane. But, you are religious. How can you be so opposed?”
“Because…possessions…that’s just a Catholic…I don’t know…urban legend?”
“But the legend was probably based on something!” Kerry tossed her hands up.
“Yeah! Ignorance of mental illness. And greed. I’m sure money was involved in there somehow.”
“Shep,” Rion said softly. He sighed and looked at her. “This is something more. When I look at Beckett…the look in her eyes…it’s cold. And old. Way older than her years. It’s too devious.”
“Rion,” Shep pleaded. “She needs professional help. And I’m not talking about an exorcist.”
“I agree that she needs help. But, I don’t think it’s just help that Jennifer can give her. She needs to see someone who understands…I don’t know…paranormal stuff.”
“How can you believe in this Rion? You said yourself, you don’t even really believe in God.”
“I know. And I’m not saying that Beckett is possessed by a demon, or whatever. But, maybe it is something we don’t understand. I don’t know what my dad was into. But, what if he made something happen to Beckett that crosses what science hasn’t discovered yet.”
Shep winced. “You think your good-for-nothing-dad managed to discover something that thousands of scientists for hundreds of years haven’t.”
Rion could feel her face turning red. “What if our dad was a part of some kind of science experiment? And he let people smarter than him test something out on Beckett.” That brought Shep to a halt. “It’s feasible,” she continued. “That he would be dumb enough to do something like that. Especially if they offered him money.”
Shep scratched at his beard. “I don’t know.” But he sounded less convinced than before. “This is just…”
“I know. But, what does it hurt to talk to someone? Someone who might know more about this than we do.”
“Like who?”
“I know a psychic,” Kerry offered.
“Of course you do.”
“What’s that mean?” she asked Shep.
“Sorry!” he held up his hands. “It’s just if any of us would know a psychic, it would be you.”
“OK,” she shrugged. “That’s fair.”
“I don’t think we should just see a psychic,” Rion cautioned. “It couldn’t hurt to also see a priest.” The others nodded. “Can you call whoever it is you know?” she asked Kerry.
“Sure.” She slid from her stool and crossed the room to make the call.
“Are you…OK?” Shep asked Rion.
“No. Not really,” she admitted. “I know this is nuts. I just don’t know what else to do.” Shep rounded the counter and as he stepped closer she stiffened. She knew he noticed, but he didn’t react. He placed his hands on her shoulders and the warmth of his skin through her shirt was comforting. She resisted the urge to pull away.
“Remember, I told you, if I thought you or Beckett were in danger I would stop going along with this. This still stands. If someone tries to perform some kind of exorcism on her, I’m calling the social worker.”
At first, anger flushed through her stomach. But, after a moment, reason kicked in. “That’s fair," she said finally, through tight lips. “But, I don’t have any intention of letting anyone hurt Beckett.”
“Good.” Shep stared into her eyes and she felt naked and fought the urge to look away. “I also am not going to let you get hurt. No matter what is going on with Beckett, it doesn’t do her any good if you are hurt too.”
“I know,” Rion clenched her teeth. She didn’t like Shep talking down to her. Even if she agreed with him. She knew his intentions were good, but she didn’t like that he clearly thought he knew more than her.
“What?” he asked, reading the look on her face.
“Nothing.” She tried to pull away but he held on.
“Talk to me.”
“I get that you think you are helping, but I don’t like being patronized.”
“Shep’s eyes grew wide. “What?! That’s…that’s not what I’m trying to do.” Rion held his eyes steadily. “I’m just…look. I know you’ve never really had anyone there for you.” He took a deep breath. “I-I want to be there for you.”
“Why?” Rion couldn’t stop the bitter tone that sharpened her question.
Shep searched for the words. “You are a good person. You don’t deserve the shit that happened to you. No one does. I just find it…amazing—and impressive—that you have your shit together. And not just that, you—almost without question—took your sister in because she needed you.”
Rion had to look away. She was uncomfortable with Shep’s insight. But only because she knew he was right.
“I’m sorry if I came across as ‘talking down’ to you. I really didn’t intend for that. I just want to help.”
“What if it turns out that I’m crazy? That Beckett is just mentally ill. And Kerry is just prone to hysterics. That I’m doing the wrong thing and making everything worse.”
“Then, like I said, I’m here to help. Think of me as your own personal Jiminy Cricket.”
Rion almost smiled. “So, you’ll let me go off to Pleasure Island just to learn a lesson?” Realizing what she said could be misinterpreted, she felt the color grow in her cheeks.
“Sure,” Shep smiled knowingly.
Fifteen
Over breakfast the next day, Kerry, Shep, and Rion ate at the counter. Beckett had her toast in the bedroom. The three of them moved robotically, lifting food from their plates to their mouths. Rion was surprised they were even able to eat. When Ke
rry brought Beckett’s breakfast to her, she had found the kid in the closet. Her scream of surprise brought Rion and Shep running. Heat radiated from the small room and what little light slipped through the blinds did little to brighten the space.
At first, Rion couldn’t even find Beckett. But, then the kid’s eyes gave her away. They practically glowed in the shadows. They stared straight ahead without seeing any of them. Beckett’s eyes were fixed on something only she could see. But, her eyes weren’t the worst. The most horrifying sight, was the little girl’s mouth stretched wide open so far, she couldn’t believe the kid’s jaw wasn’t broken. It took a few moments for them to realize sounds were coming from Beckett’s throat.
The sounds were repetitive and followed an unrecognizable pattern and Rion was sure they were words, but not in any language she had ever heard before. Low, croaking, and suspiciously male, the words slipped from the kid’s throat. Revulsion slid over Rion’s skin and she gulped for air. She needed to do something, but she had no idea what to do. It was Shep who acted first. He reached the cord to turn on the light without stepping inside the closet. When light flooded the small room, Beckett yelped as if it hurt her and she dropped to the floor. The trance over.
“Get out!” she snarled, shielding her eyes.
They all stared at her for a long moment. “Breakfast?” Kerry croaked.
“What were you doing?” Rion panted. Beckett didn't answer. Instead, she only chuckled. Rion wished for the silent, non-terrifying, kid to return. “What were you doing? How were you making those…words?”
Beckett chuckled and her voice was too deep. It was the laughed of a decades long smoker. “What words?”
“No,” Rion ignored the goading. Did Beckett hear us doubting our sanity?
Beckett climbed to her feet and held out a hand to Kerry with a sly smile. Slowly, the woman held out the plate of toast. The kid snatched it and retreated to the back of the closet.
The three, not knowing what else to do, slowly left the bedroom without turning their backs on the kid happily eating her dry toast.
“Do you believe us now?” Kerry broke the silence.
Shep poked at his cold oatmeal. “I don’t know what the hell that was.”
“But it wasn’t just a mental illness,” Rion added.
“No. No I don’t think it was.” He had the haunted look of someone coming to terms with the unbelievable.
“Well, Esme—a psychic I've seen a few times, called me back. She said she knew someone who could help us. Her name is Maggie. Esme said she would talk to us,” Kerry pushed her bowl away.
“I still can’t believe I’m going along with this,” Shep sighed.
“How are we going to do this?” Rion ignoring his doubts.
“I need to go. Maggie doesn’t like strangers.”
“She won’t come here?” Rion asked.
“Nope. I think she’s agoraphobic.”
“I need to go of course. But, I don’t think anyone should be alone with Beckett.”
Shep gathered their bowls. “I think I’ll be OK here with her. I just won’t go in there. She seems content to stay in the room.”
“What if…what if she’s just waiting to get one of us alone?” Rion asked.
Kerry grimaced. “We could lock her inside?”
“How?” Rion hated herself for considering the idea. Her mom had locked her in her bedroom more than once. One time, forgetting she was there for two days. “The door opens to the inside.”
“I can tie a rope around the handle and the leg of the counter. I’ve got one at my apartment. That way, if need be, I can let her out quick. Just cut the rope.”
“Shit.” Rion sighed. “Fine.”
“OK. I’m going to run home and shower. And call into the bar. I was supposed to work tonight.”
“I’ve already called in,” Shep shrugged.
“Are you going to get into trouble?” Guilt nagged at Rion.
“Probably,” he brushed off her concern. “It’s fine though.”
Rion sighed. “I need to check my email.” She had messaged her boss the night before to let her know there was an emergency with her sister. There was already a reply waiting for her. Understanding as always, she had told Rion to take all the time she needed.
Before Kerry returned, Rion sat at the counter. “I told Kerry this yesterday, but I need to tell you too. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to be involved.”
“And I told you yesterday, I’m here for you.”
“But…”
“But nothing. You are my friend. And, like Kerry said, this could just be the first of other incidents like this to happen. What if I didn’t help? And it just gets worse?”
“I can’t imagine how it could get much worse.”
“Really? What if Beckett flips out? Kills you? Finds a way to…do whatever her dad did? Fuck!” he drew up as if he just had a realization. “What if she was the one who killed her parents?”
Rion’s blood went cold. She hadn’t really considered that possibility. “But…she’s just a kid.”
“She attacked you.”
“But—,” she started again but stopped. “No,” she continued, without conviction. “I just can’t believe that.”
“Really?”
“I-I…don’t want to believe it.”
“But?”
“But, if Frank did something to her and her mom…I guess…I can maybe see it.”
“Self-defense?”
“Or revenge?” Rion admitted.
Sixteen
When Kerry returned she had secured an appointment with Maggie for that afternoon. Rion was silent during the train ride to the suburbs. She felt terrible for thinking that Beckett could have killed their father. But, that’s not Beckett, her inner reason told her. Her stomach rolled. Whatever was happening with her sister, wasn’t her sister’s fault. Even if she had hurt their father. Rion couldn’t fathom how a kid could kill a grown man, but, at the same time, she had no idea how something paranormal could actually be going on with Beckett.
“Are you worried about leaving Shep alone with Beckett?” Kerry asked her.
“No.” Rion shook her head. “Well, I mean yeah. But that’s not what I was thinking about just then.”
“What are you worrying about at the moment?”
“You mean of all the things I could be worrying about?”
“Yeah,” Kerry snorted humorlessly.
“About how Beckett could have possibly killed her dad.”
“It’s possible, right?”
“I-I-who the hell knows?”
“Pretty much anything is possible.”
“At this point—I agree.”
They were silent again for a while. Eventually, Kerry spoke. “So…”
“Huh?” Rion, distracted, turned to her.
“What’s going on with Shep?”
“Oh, lord. You’re really worried about that now?”
“Not worried! Just…curious.”
“I’m…I can’t be distracted by that right now.”
“Sooo,” Kerry grinned. “He’s a distraction.”
“Oh, for fucks sake,” Rion almost laughed.
“Hey! A little distraction might be a good thing.”
“Not really.”
“You know what I mean.”
Rion sighed. “Shep. Shep’s...nice, I guess.”
“He’s very nice. I know bad guys. He’s not one.”
“Trust me, I know bad guys too. And, I know how good they seem at first.”
“Sometimes they really are good guys, Rion.”
Rion scowled at her friend. She didn’t give Kerry enough credit. She was kind. And insightful—when she wanted to be. “Why…why are you so…”
“Wow!” Kerry raised her brows. “Where’s that question going?” She had a small smile on her face, clearly not worried about what Rion was going to ask.
“You are pretty…I don’t know…wild?”
“Ha!�
�� Kerry tossed her head back.
Rion marveled at the woman’s ability to be in such a good mood despite all that was going on. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Kerry shrugged. “I just spent a whole lot of time, most of my childhood being…scared? Unhappy? And taking care of my siblings. Now—now, I’m determined to have as much fun as possible.”
“But, what about the other night?” Rion shuddered remembering the condition Kerry had shown up in. She could still see the traces of yellow and purple against the woman’s pale skin.
“Hey! I didn’t say I was good at it,” she shrugged again. Her gaze drifted far off, seeing something beyond the train. “Sometimes…I just have a hard time with indulgence. I don’t always know when to stop. Partying. Men. My mouth. Any of it.”
“Is it worth it?” Rion whispered.
“Sometimes,” Kerry raised just one shoulder this time.
Rion stopped pressing. She and Kerry were the opposite sides of the same coin. Where Rion shut herself off to hide, Kerry hid behind a performance. Maybe putting herself out there was what made Kerry be able to see everyone so much more than Rion could? Clearly, Rion was the last to realize that Shep had feelings for her. The thought of Shep made her cringe again. She resisted the urge to check in with him. He had planned on trying to do some research on Frank and Lavinia Webster while they were gone. She had to just trust that he and Beckett would be fine.
Rion realized that she had barely been separated from her sister since she had come to live with her. Other than the short time she had spent at school, Rion hadn’t let Beckett out of her sight—so to speak. She suspected that was one of the reasons for her worry about leaving Shep alone with her. Not that she thought Shep would hurt the kid. Of that, Rion was confident. But, she was having a hard time reassuring herself that either her sister or her friend were OK.
“This is us!” Kerry jumped up and led the way from the train.
Rion followed her into a quaint suburb hailing itself as an “art district.” Hidden amongst the small gallery shops was Maggie’s tiny store front. There was no name above the door. The only thing that signified it was a business and not a home was the large display window. The room beyond the glass was hidden by a purple, velvet curtain. But, in the display area, there were lots of candles and crystals.
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