Between the Cracks She Fell

by Lisa de Nikolits

  Here’s what’s going to happen, Emma, I said. Ash is going to pack some of his things, and then he and I are going to leave. We’re going to collect my stuff, so there’s nothing left there. Then we’re going to leave town. I’ll phone Serena and tell her all about Rob here. The rest is up to her. But we are not going to take one thing that isn’t ours, not one thing, except the cash. And, to be honest, none of us should have any of that. I mean, if anyone is entitled to it, it’s Ash. He should take it all. You should be very grateful to him for giving you anything.

  I don’t get it, Emma said, looking around. Well, whatever. But I can’t leave, she added. I need a ride into town.

  Fine, Ash said. He sounded exhausted. I’ll go and pack. I won’t be long, Joss.

  I waited for him, and while I did, I watched Emma finish the wine and put another couple of bottles into her oversized purse. Since I didn’t comment, she moved towards an ornamental statue on a small table.

  Emma, I said warningly, and she raised her hands in mock surrender.

  Fine, fine, she said, and we sat in uneasy silence with Emma eyeing all the objects in the room.

  Ash came downstairs with a small suitcase.

  Let’s get going, I said, before Tammy-happy-hands here starts loading up Sam’s little wagon. Hey, I said to Emma. What about Sam?

  What about him? Emma was airy.

  Aren’t you taking him?

  Nope, he can stay here.

  Here? There is no here. I thought he was the love of your life?

  Yeah, well, it’s time for me to look out for me. I’m headed for the big time, and I can’t have a dog holding me back. One day, you’ll see my name in lights, I’m telling you!

  Newspaper headlines maybe, lights not so much, Ashley muttered.

  I can’t believe you, I said to Emma. Fine, I’ll take Sammy then.

  Good idea, Emma said. He likes you, so that’s a good plan.

  I went to get Sam who looked up at me trustingly.

  Ash tossed his luggage into the trunk, then the four of us piled into the Mini with Sam resting his head on my lap, and Emma up in the front.

  We dropped her off at the red car.

  See you never, I said to her, and Ashley spun the little Mini away as fast as he could.

  49. GENESIS

  ASHLEY DROVE US BACK TO THE SCHOOL. I phoned Serena on the way and got her voice mail. It was just after two a.m; no wonder she was not answering. I left her a message about Rob and hung up.

  I wonder if Rob will still be there by the time she gets the message, I said to Ashley. The drugs may well have worn off and he may just disappear.

  He nodded. It wouldn’t surprise me. He’s got stamina like you wouldn’t believe. He looked at the phone in my hand.

  We should get rid of that soon, he said.

  I’ll keep it to call Serena about Kitty, I told him. We’ll ditch it as soon as we leave the school and are on our way.

  Emma, or Tammy, or whoever, is going to go back and clean out the place, isn’t she? Ash asked. She’s going to steal all my treasures while Rob’s asleep?

  I nodded.

  He shrugged. Well, nothing we can do about that, I suppose.

  We got to the school and it suddenly seemed like a place I had already left. It felt strange even being there. Ash turned off the car, and when the headlights fell, the night felt dark and close. The school looked unfriendly and unwelcoming in the shadows of the moonlit night. I wished I was returning during the day to collect my stuff, but we could not wait that long.

  I can’t believe you stayed in there, Ash said, looking over at the admin building. This place looks like something out of a horror movie. Do you want me to come in with you? He made the offer, but it sounded like it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do so I shook my head, although in truth, I would have liked his company.

  Thanks, but I’ll be fine, I said. I’ll be as quick as I can.

  Take your time, he said. I need to think about what happened anyway. It’s a lot to take in. My whole life has changed in a matter of hours.

  I know what you mean, I said. Will you keep Sammy with you?

  Ash nodded. We’re locking ourselves in the car. He peered around at the flanking darkness, and he turned and looked at me. I’ve changed my mind, he said. Be as fast as you can. Those trees make a seriously scary noise, like evil ghosts trying to kill each other or something.

  Ghosts can’t kill each other, I teased him and got out the car. I dug out my flashlight and walked into the admin building, thinking that Ash was right, it did look creepy.

  I went inside and unlocked my door, and I positioned my flashlight carefully so I could see what I was doing. Then I grabbed my backpack and packed quickly and efficiently, taking Imran’s diary and The Satanic Verses with me.

  I thought about all the things that had happened over the summer, most of them bizarre and strange. And yet, it felt like there was a resolution, and there was catharsis, although it had not been anything like I had imagined it would be.

  I was still me. I was strong. I was standing, albeit on battered feet. And I would move forward and make a good, decent, happy, clean life for myself. A life that hopefully included a shower and a bathtub and all the hot water my heart desired.

  I was almost finished packing. All that was left was my sleeping bag. I leaned down to start rolling it up when a shadow fell into the room.

  Ash, I said. You braved the night and came to see my humble abode. Not much I know, but it served me well. Now, why is it you can never get a sleeping bag back into the little baggie thing? It comes out easily enough but getting it back in…

  He did not reply. I turned to him and although I could not see who it was at first, it was definitely not Ashley. My first thought was that Rob had somehow found me and was going to make me pay for destroying his life. But surely that was impossible?

  I looked up and the angle of the flashlight held the figure in darkness, but he moved forward into the light, and I saw that it was Lenny. A very drunk, very stoned Lenny.

  I told you I knew where you lived, he said. He leaned unsteadily on the wall and the light cast ghastly shadows under his eyes, making him look macabre.

  Yes, I said quietly, and I straightened up. You did. How did you find me?

  I saw you one day. I came to visit Kitty’s grave and you were sitting under that big tree outside, and you were talking to some guy with dark hair. Sounded like you were talking about religion. Then you came in here and I followed you, but you disappeared. I waited, but I never saw you come out. I’ve been waiting ever since. And I saw you come in now, and here I am. He grinned, his teeth yellow.

  Yes, I said. Here you are.

  I dearly wished I had locked my door while I was packing. I had been so careful all along, but I had slipped up this time. But I told myself that he would have been outside when I opened it, there would have been no escaping him. How glad I was that he had not been able to find me the day I met Imran. And it was a relief to hear that Imran was real. I had not imagined him after all.

  I also realized something else. Lenny could not have known where I lived the day he threatened me at the laundromat. He had been lying then.

  Nice room. Lenny said. You’ve been here the whole time?

  All summer, I said.

  Wish I’d known sooner. You leaving now?

  I nodded. Summer’s over. Time to find the rest of my real life.

  I wasn’t your real life?

  You were a part of something, I said. You were a part of something for sure.

  So it was you? he asked.

  It was me what?

  It was you in here that night? The night we brought Kitty in, and there was that weird noise and shit?

  Yes, that was me. At least you buried Kitty in the ground. It would have been barbaric to leave her
on the rooftop to be crapped on and rained on.

  He shrugged. Same difference really. She’s dead either way.

  He pushed himself away from the wall with some difficulty.

  I won’t let you leave, he said, and he came towards me. He hugged me and he hung onto me, nuzzling his face into my neck. He smelled filthy and unwashed. It was hard to believe I had ever felt any kind of attraction to him.

  We’re done, Lenny, I said. We’re finished, you and me.

  He tightened his grip and shook his head. It was as if we were tangled in a horrible slow dance, and my room suddenly felt very far away from all things safe.

  Don’t leave me, Allie. Don’t go.

  Stop it Lenny, stop it. Enough. Come on now, let me go. You’re very drunk, and you don’t know what you’re doing. We’re friends, you and me. Now, let me go.

  No, he said, and he tightened his grip. No. You are mine. Since I first saw you. And on the beach? You remember what happened on the beach? You and me, we belong together.

  His body was hard and wiry and his cock was hard through his jeans. He caressed my hair, and I saw that he was wearing his bracelet, and that it was still covered with Kitty’s blood.

  I love you, he said. There, I said it. I love you.

  We can’t be together Lenny, I said, and I tried to be gentle. I know you haven’t had an easy life but—

  How do you know? You don’t know anything about me. He put his hand between my legs and gripped me hard.

  I do know, I said. We are the same kind of people, you and me. We see what others don’t. But that doesn’t mean we are going to be together. Come on Lenny, let me go.

  I tried to move away by pushing at his chest, but with that, I felt his mood change. All goodwill vanished. Suddenly, he was nothing but damage, anger, and pathos, all it wanting to hurt me as much as he was hurting.

  Mine, he growled. Before I knew it, he had me pinned down on the mattress and was pressing hard onto me.

  You are mine, he said. You are mine. You’re not leaving. You’re mine.

  He reached up under my T-shirt, pushed my bra aside, and grabbed hold of my breast. He squeezed hard, and I cried out even though I didn’t want to show him how much he was hurting me.

  He looked at me, and his strange radioactive green eyes glinted. He grinned and rubbed my breast even harder. Then he pinched my nipple so hard that tears sprang into my eyes.

  Yeah, he said softly. You want me so bad. Allie my alley cat, Joss the boss, my boss, mine, mine, mine.

  He reached down and undid his belt with one hand, holding me down with the other. I tried not to panic.

  I let my body go limp but I stretched my arm out as far as I could. And yes, thankfully, my backpack was just within reach. My fingers fumbled to grab it and drag it closer to me and I was worried Lenny would notice what I was doing. But he was fumbling drunkenly with his fly.

  I inched the backpack towards me and turned it. My fingers searched for the side pouch.

  Lenny tugged his pants down and released his hot angry cock, and then he pulled at the drawstring tie of my cotton trousers and undid my zipper.

  I lay as still as I could, so as not to alert him that I had managed to unzip the pocket of the backpack and was closing my fingers over the can of pepper spray.

  Lenny had pulled my trousers down, and my panties, and he was kissing my belly and licking me. I could not let him go any further. I had to act. But I did not know how I was going to pepper spray him without getting the spray all over me too.

  My right hand held the can at the ready, and I managed to get my other arm free from under him and I snaked my left hand around the back of his head. I grabbed hold of his cornrow braids, and I yanked his head back hard, sprayed him at the same time.

  He shot back screaming and holding his hands to his face. It was hard for him to breathe, while I, prepared for this, had held my breath as I released the spray.

  I rolled over and quickly pulled up my pants, still holding my breath. I grabbed my backpack and the flashlight and ran out of there, I ran on my poor tortured feet, not stopping until I reached the Mini.

  I pounded at the door and Ash, his eyes huge and frightened, scrambled to lean over and unlock the door.

  You nearly gave me a heart attack, he said.

  I nearly just had one myself, I said.

  Joss? Are you okay? What happened? You smell weird.

  I’m fine, I said, out of breath. But let’s go. Come on, let’s just go. It’s time to go and then some.

  I sank into the front seat. I was shaking. I pulled out my phone and called Serena. Much to my surprise, she answered.

  Joscelyn here, I said. You’re awake?

  Awake and arresting Frances Weston. He, by the way, is not awake. What did you give him?

  Four tabs of 7.5 mg zopliclone. I paused. It won’t kill him?

  No, you’d need seven to fourteen pills for that, with alcohol. What happened?

  He’s jealous and dangerous and violent, and he found us visiting his boyfriend and would have killed him after we left. Seriously, he would have.

  The boyfriend is Ashley Gordon?

  How did you know?

  Serena laughed. Caller I.D. You’re using his phone.

  So much for my cop aptitude. Rob, I mean Frances, put Ash in hospital before. And I’m not exaggerating. He would have killed him after we all left. We had to do something to keep Ash safe.

  I’d like to ask if you would both come in to the station but I’m guessing that you’re leaving?

  Yes, it’s time to go. But I need to tell you a few other things first. You know the old abandoned school across the bridge? If you look in the woody area outside the admin building, the one near the road, there’s a birch tree and a big bush with red berries, about, I don’t know, ten metres in a direct line from the front door. You’ll find Barbara Jane’s body there. She’s that girl who hung out with Lenny.

  I know who she is, Serena said. Kitty Cat. We were aware she’s missing.

  Lenny killed Kitty in the library on the schoolgrounds. He was the one who killed her but the rest of the gang beat her up after the fact. Two of the guys involved were Alek and Morgan. I don’t know the names of the others. If you check the library, you’ll find all the evidence you need to prove they murdered Kitty.

  I spoke in a rush, wanting to get it all out. And I just pepper-sprayed Lenny in the admin building because he tried to rape me. He may still be there now. He is drunk and stoned. He’s wearing a thick silver bracelet with his name on it, and it’s covered in Kitty’s blood. And Serena, that girl deserves a real burial with a proper gravestone. If no one will pay, I will. You’ve got my email address.

  I came to a stop.

  And you know all this how? Serena asked.

  I was living in the admin building this summer, in the storage room. I didn’t have anywhere else to go. And can I ask you something? Can you bury Kitty Cat with her dog? He’s in the grave with her.

  I’ll do my best, Serena said. I’ll let you know what happens.

  What about Imran? I asked.

  We’ve got eyes on him twenty-four-seven. So far, he has done nothing suspicious. He sticks to himself, likes the ladies of the night, drinks a lot, and tips big. But it may just be early days. We’re on him and we’re not letting up.

  Maybe I got it all wrong, I said but I doubted that was true. So, that’s it from me, and I’m leaving town now, I said and I was about to hang up when Serena cut in.

  Guess who we caught filling her car with Frances Weston’s stolen property?

  I laughed. Emma also known as Tammy. I’ve got her dog in case you’re wondering.

  She’s spitting mad, Serena sounded amused. Let’s just say that I’ll see that justice is fully served. You take care and I’ll email you.

  I thanked her, hung u
p, then opened the car window and threw the phone out with all my might.

  You’re quite the Nancy Drew, Ash commented with a grin and I smiled.

  Yes. The summer of solving everybody’s crimes, which was not my intention, I said. I just wanted to escape from my own life.

  Ashley laughed. They caught Emma?

  They did. Are you okay, Ash?

  No, but I will be.

  I closed my eyes for a moment.

  Hey, Ash, have you ever read The Satanic Verses?

  No, I can’t say that book has ever interested me.

  It’s wonderful. But anyway, here are the last lines from it, and yes, I do know them well enough to quote:

  Let’s get the hell out of here.

  Let’s get the hell out of here, indeed, Ash echoed. Where to? he asked. Any ideas?

  To where it all began, I replied, as Sammy leaned forward and licked my ear.

  And that would be?

  Jerusalem.

  We both started laughing and it was like we would never stop.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Huge thanks as always to my wonderful editor and publisher, Luciana Ricciutelli, who is not only my partner on all my writing journeys, but also my guardian angel and guide. Thanks also to everyone at the Inanna family.

  To Bradford Dunlop and all my family, near and far, close and extended, for their love, support and encouragement.

  To all the early supporters of the book: Catherine Graham, M. H. Callway, Sonia di Placido, Terri Favro, Shirley and Barry McDaniel, and Jacqueline Valencia. Thanks to James Wallen for his suggestions and encouragement. To Samia Akhtar and Patrick Limgenco for helping me understand a younger generation and culture. To Bianca Marais and Danila Botha for their support and camaraderie. To Brendan Fisher, for being my muse, and catalyst for the idea for this book.

  Thanks to the Crime Writers of Canada, the Sisters in Crime (Toronto Chapter) and the Mesdames of Mayhem.

  And a big thanks to my many dear friends here in Canada and around the world, I would love to list all of you here but that would fill another novel! And to all the readers of my books, I am humbled and grateful — you are the reason I strive daily to bring something of value to this world.