Katie shook her head.
“I’m serious, Katie. My birthday would be in February, making me twenty-five. You just turned twenty-seven. In a year or so, when no one would suspect, you could leave, get out of Savannah. With this stuff,” she pointed to the papers, “you could create a whole new life—one without Jack.”
Katie was still shaking her head.
Cassie lowered her head. “I’ve got a week, maybe two. I don’t think I can stand the idea of me slipping away and you living with Asshole Jack the rest of your life.”
“I can’t do it, Cass. I wouldn’t even know how. No one can ever be you, but you.”
“You can do this. You have to believe. I could go on living through you.”
Katie picked up the papers, looking at each one. “We have the same middle name, Anne. That’s nice, isn’t it?”
Cassie said nothing, unwilling to give in to Katie’s misdirection.
“What’s in here?” Katie held out the envelope.
“The pictures I took of your ribs, my testimony, and,” Cassie paused, “nine-hundred and sixty-seven dollars.”
Katie shot to her feet. “I can’t take your money. Are you crazy? How’d you get nine-hundred dollars anyway?”
Cassie puffed herself up, making Katie smile. “I have money--social security, but still, it's my money.”
Katie’s eyes widened. “Oh.Wow. I didn't think about that.”
“I give the money to my mom and dad to pay expenses, but once or twice a year, I cash a check, keep out the cash. That way, I can buy my own things when we're out, or take Mom and Dad to dinner once in awhile. It makes me feel human--less of a burden. Anyway,"she held out the bills, "this is what's left."
Katie tapped the envelope on her leg. She latched onto the driver’s license lying on the bed. “Seriously? How’d you get one of these? I know you didn’t pass the driving test.”
Cassie snatched it away. “If you look at it, smart ass, you’d see it’s a state ID. I made my mom take me to get it when I turned twenty-one. I wanted to go to a damn bar and have a damn drink without my parents.”
“How’d that go?”
“I got thoroughly sloshed and barely remembered a thing!”
“Did you get lucky?” Katie asked.
“I have no idea.” Both women giggled.
“At least you didn’t have to worry about drinking and driving.”
“Ok, that’s it!” Cassie grabbed the papers. “You can’t have these. I was gonna give them to someone nice. I thought it was you, but nope. It’s not.”
Snickering, Katie snatched them back. “Stop it, brat! I need to think about it.”
“There’s no time, Katie. What if something happens to me?”
Katie took Cassie’s hands in hers and gazed long and hard into her eyes. Seconds ticked by until Katie gave a slow nod.
Cassie squeezed Katie’s hands in return. “You’ve got to hide them and start making a plan.” She put the papers back in the folder. “There’s some doctor reports, in here too--evaluations after the coma, and therapy sessions. I figure you’re going to need a real driver’s license, and those documents will help explain." Cassie's face crumbled. "You can tell the license bureau you’ve had a miracle.”
Katie clenched Cassie’s hand. “I did. I met you.”
“Then you’ll give some real thought to leaving?”
“I will, but for now, let’s get you back in the bed.”
“No way, it’s wet as hell!”
They both laughed, and Katie experienced a feeling she’d not had in years. Hope.
Chapter 18
The folder was a red beacon; pulsating, and full of danger. Katie wracked her brain the whole way home, trying to think of where to hide the papers. Jack always inspected her bag and car. The same with the bureau and desk in their den. She needed a place he wouldn’t look--someplace in plain sight.
She stood in their closet, evaluating possibilities. Jack went through her clothing, shoes, and accessories regularly, looking for anything new or out of place. I bet he doesn’t do that with his clothes. Katie began to push the documents into the sleeve of one of Jack’s summer suits when other papers fluttered to the floor
Katie frowned as she picked up three receipts with “Kane Brothers” in the heading. ‘Refund for unused materials’ was written on each one. They totaled eight thousand dollars paid to Jack—precisely the amount she and Jack had paid Kane Brothers Construction for the kitchen remodel earlier in the year. It was news to her. The project had emptied their savings, and they’d cut out all extra expenses to rebuild their account.
Dots started to connect: Jack’s job at the city zoning board, his responsibility in setting up bids for new construction. Enough money to buy a diamond necklace. “Is he taking bribes?” Katie clamped a hand over her mouth. She glanced at the ceiling. Has he added cameras in here?
Seeing no evidence of added surveillance, she put the receipts back in order and carefully replaced them in the suit jacket sleeve. “I’ll figure it out later.” Jack would be home soon, and she was out of time.
Desperate, she pulled a boot box down, lifted the tissue paper from beneath the shoes, slid in Cassie’s documents. Katie replaced the box precisely as it had been on the shelf. It would have to do for now. She hurried downstairs to start dinner.
Ten minutes later, Jack walked in the door, pulled her into a hug, and wiggled his fingers down her pants. Katie concentrated on not slapping at his intrusive hands.
Katie spent the following day doing what appeared to be mundane tasks. She started a load of laundry, wiped off counters and worked her way toward their office. In that room, the cameras faced the desk, making the computer screen invisible.
She sat down at the computer and started a search for Kane Brothers Construction. Several stories popped, listing their latest endeavors. There were coincidences that Katie couldn’t ignore. She wished she could print the data to share with Cassie. Too many pages, Katie told herself. Jack would notice them in her tote. Can’t email them either. There’s no way Jack isn’t tracking my mail.
She committed the site name to memory and went to fold a load of laundry before going back to the office. When Jack reviewed the footage later—and she knew he would—he’d see Katie playing on the computer in between chores.
Carting the laundry upstairs, she hurried toward their closet. She exited with her purse after tucking the Kane Brothers receipts inside.
Standing by the copier, Katie took papers out of her messy tote; the joke book, comic strips, and a newspaper clipping. She always carried such things for her clients. Mixing in the Kane Brothers receipts, she made copies and crumbled the whole mess down inside her tote.
She erased her search history, then realized a blank computer log would make Jack suspicious. She quickly accessed a few sites on Alzheimer’s, as though she’d been researching for Mr. Parker. Seeing a link for the Traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial, Katie clicked on that as well. Macy’s had an enticing ad, so she opened it, scrolling through several items.
She glanced at the clock and, finalizing her act for Jack, jumped up from the chair. “Crap. I’ve wasted an hour!” She snagged her purse and headed upstairs, carefully replacing the receipts in Jack’s suit
After dinner, Jack rummaged through Katie’s bag. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He pushed the papers aside, more intent on checking the zippered compartments. Katie released the breath she’d been holding. Jack went to the office, and she smiled when he called out, “You were on the computer a lot today, weren’t you?”
The next morning, Katie performed for the cameras again. As she was heading out the door, she gawked at her shoes. “These don’t even match!” Taking off the shoes, she jogged upstairs and headed straight to the closet. With little time to spare, she removed the papers from the boot box, shoved them in her tote, and put on matching black shoes. She stopped in front of the full-length mirror in their room and fluffed her hair. “Much better.” She
ran out the door before she gave anything away.
Once at the Morrisons, Katie went straight to Cassie's room. "Hey girl. How you feeling?"
Cassie's response was immediate and animated, "I'm doing pretty good today!"
Katie wondered briefly if it was the morphine talking or Cassies' last rally. Not liking either answer, she said nothing.
Cassie didn't notice and launched into conversation, “So, have you thought about what we discussed?”
“A little. I don’t know where to go.”
“Why not Atlanta?”
“Jack would look there immediately.”
“So, what are you thinking?”
“I can’t go far, not enough money, remember? Although,” Katie paused for effect, “thanks to you and the money in my savings account, I’ve now got over forty-four-hundred dollars. So, I do have a little nest egg going.” Katie winked at Cassie. “If this works, I want to find a small tourist town with steady business. You and I are going to open a bookstore called Inklings. It’ll be stocked with local artists’ work, and paperbacks for tourists.”
Both women sat picturing the scene.
“Oh my God, how could I forget?” Katie ran for her purse. “I need to show you something. You won’t believe what I found.”
Katie pushed Cassie towards the desk where she could access the computer and typed words into the search engine. “I found papers Jack was hiding.” Katie pushed Cassie closer to the keyboard and pointed. “Click on that link.”
Cassie frowned at the news story, Kane Brothers Leads the Way.
Katie yanked out the copies of the receipts from her purse, waving them in front of Cassie. “Look at these! Kane Brothers Construction paid eight-thousand-dollars to Jack.”
“I don’t get it.”
“We paid eight-thousand to have our kitchen remodeled.” Katie shook the receipts at Cassie, “They pay the money back to Jack, and then get a county job. I think Jack’s taking bribes. Look at the dates.”
“March of this year. So, what?”
“Wait.” Katie scrolled through the online news story. “Here it is. In April, the Kane Brothers were awarded a four-million-dollar job at the library. See? Jack gets money in March, and The Kane Brothers get a job in April. Jack’s had more money to spend lately.” She fingered her gold necklace. “That could land him in jail, right?”
“It’d be hard to prove, but you have information that might keep him away.” Cassie printed out the Kane Brothers' information. “Kind of reverse blackmail. Good thinking.”
Katie grabbed the stack of papers from the printer. “I’ve got to get all these documents somewhere else.”
“Safe deposit box?”
“No way. How would I explain a bank key?”
“How about a post office box?”
“I’d still have a key to explain.”
“Tell Jack my parents need you to pick up the mail.” Cassie tilted her head, considering the idea further. “Yep, that’s the answer. Nobody here has a mailbox. It’s some city ordinance thing. We have to go to the post office to pick up the mail. So, you get a post office box here and tell Jack it’s ours. It's even a reasonable story--my parents need you to pick up the mail because they're afraid to leave--which is hardly a lie.”
Katie pursed her lips. That might work.”
“Cool. We have a plan starting here.” She squeezed Katie’s leg and stuffed the printed pages, receipts, and identification papers into a large padded envelope.
“Wonder what a post office box cost?” Katie asked.
Cassie picked up her phone and typed in “Fleming Post Office.” When the website popped up, Cassie pushed the phone number, waited for a connection, and started asking questions. “How much does it cost to rent a Post office box? Forty-eight dollars? And that’s good for how long?” She winked at Katie. “A year. Okay. Good.”
Katie dug in her tote. “Shit. I’ve only got six-dollars and sixty cents."
Cassie opened the manila envelope and pulled out fifty dollars. “See? I’m helping already. Done.”
They high-fived—conspirators against Asshole Jack.
Katie left early and hurried toward the local post office in Fleming. There, she rented a post box and locked the papers away. Threading the new key onto her existing key ring, she acknowledged Jack would find it, but also knew better than to keep it hidden.
She barely beat Jack home. He came in, right on time, automatically reaching for her breasts first, and then pulling her into a kiss. She pretended to play, slapping his hands away. “Stop, you’re going to make me burn dinner!”
Jack opened her purse and pawed through the contents. “What the hell is this?”
Feigning disinterest, Katie glanced over her shoulder. “What?”
“This key?” He held it up where it glinted in the kitchen light.
Katie swallowed once. “It’s for the Morrison’s post office box.” Katie filled in the fake story. “They gave me their extra key today.”
“Why a post office box? Don’t they have a mailbox?”
“I guess no one in Fleming does. Some city ordinance thing.”
Jack whipped out his phone, typing furiously.
“What are you doing?” Katie asked, as her heartbeat increased.
“We’ll see, won’t we?” He googled information and found Katie’s story to be true. Next, he entered the stamped number from the key into the search engine. The USPS website listed a phone number, an address to return the key, and not much else. Jack put the keys back in Katie’s purse, digging in the bottom once again, in case there was anything else he’d missed.
Chapter 19
Katie talked nonstop through breakfast. “…and I’m not even close to being done with our Christmas shopping.”
“Keep it in budget.” Jack raised his eyebrows, waiting for Katie to agree. At her subtle nod, Jack changed the topic, “Where are you headed today?”
“Gertie’s. Poor thing, I haven’t been to see her in weeks due to the extra visits to the Morrisons. I’ll check on Cassie afterward.” Katie loaded her tote and headed out the door.
Gertrude Taylor’s rheumatoid arthritis was so crippling, she could only manage the simplest of tasks. At Katie’s knock, she opened the door immediately. “Katie! Come in!”
“Oh, my!” Katie laughed and patted Gertrude's snarled hair. “Let's see what we can do here.” She tugged at knots and teased it into the old-fashioned style Gertrude still wore. Katie started a joke, “So, these two ladies are havin’ lunch together.”
Gertie giggled too early. “And what happened?”
“One pointed across the room at two old women and said, ‘That’ll be us in ten years.’ Her friend says, ‘You idiot! That’s a mirror!’”
Gertie howled. “You always make me laugh, Katie.”
Katie helped Gertie with grocery shopping, errands, and cleaning. Three hours disappeared quickly. Afterward, Gertie pointed toward a stack of mail. “Look at all of these Christmas cards I’ve received. I can’t write anymore, or I'd send a few myself.”
“Oh, Gertie, I never thought of that.” Katie plopped down in a kitchen chair. “Get out your address book. I’ll help you. I'm going to the post office anyway.”
An hour later, cards in hand, Katie hugged Gertie. “Merry Christmas!”
Katie drove toward Fleming, unsure of what she’d find. Bob and Julie were unusually quiet. Katie hugged them and headed toward Cassie's room.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Cassie, looking small and vulnerable, offered a small smile.
Katie walked towards the bed, already opening a jar of cream. “I’ve got to go back to the post office,” Katie chatted as she massaged Cassie’s calves. “There’s no postage on the envelope I put in the box, and I’m afraid a post office employee will remove it. Then what?”
Cassie shook her head. “You’ve got bigger problems than that, I’m afraid.”
“What do you mean?”
Cassie pulled herself i
nto a sitting position. “I was thinking things through last night. There’s no way you can get a driver’s license once I’m dead.”
Katie grimaced.
“I am dying, Katie.” Cassie let out a sigh of regret, but continued, “I looked it up on the internet. Once the death certificate is filed, my social security number will be frozen for a minimum of six to nine months. I’ve never had any credit history, so it seems like closer to the six-month mark. It’s all about identity theft. Anyway, you won’t be able to use the social security number for a while. Do you understand?”
Katie slumped on the bed. “So, this isn’t going to work?”
“It can, but you’ve got to go get the driver’s license soon. This week.”
“This week? Can’t it wait until I make my move?”
“Nope. You can’t take the chance. A driver’s license is critical. You’ll need it for everything: rent, bank accounts, job.”
Katie popped off the bed to pace. “How am I supposed to
do that? I can’t go to the DMV. Jack will know.”
“You’ve got to use a different car. One Jack can’t track.”
Katie shook her head, trying to think. “I know. But how?” She did another lap around the room, then stopped abruptly. “Mr. Parker. I could use Mr. Parker’s car. His niece, Nina, likes me to drive it once in a while anyway.”
“Ok. Good. It’s something Jack’s accustomed to, right?”
“Yeah. She likes me to use it once a month or so.” Katie frowned, “Why would I need to take Mr. Parker's car to the DMV? Jack tracks my phone, too. He’ll know where I am.”
Cassie frowned. “Try this, his niece needs to renew the license plates, but she’s out of time. Holidays. Work. Whatever. Anyway, Nina needs you to do this favor for her. Got it?” Cassie kept talking. “You take his car to the license place…”
“And Mr. Parker. He has to go too.”
“Fine. You and Mr. Parker take his car to the license bureau. Jack will see that your car’s parked at Mr. Parker’s house. He’ll then see you’re at the DMV, by your phone’s location.”
There Was a Crooked Man: A Psychological Thriller Page 9