by L M Lacee
Charlie realized as the woman spoke that it did not seem wrong to the couple, they believed the children were just a commodity. The Fredsons found and exploited a gap in the market and worked hard to fill it. Also as Mr Fredson told her quite passionately. In fact he waxed on for many minutes about how they were taking the children from bad homes and giving them a better life. Charlie felt sick as she listened to the garbage they spoke.
Especially when with a little more persuasion she found out that the children the Fredsons received, all came from parents that died, usually violently. She did not push it, but she was sure the violence occurred when the young were being stolen. To be honest, she was angered so much she did not want to know.
What she did want to know was who obtained the children for them. She shot Mr Fredson again to persuade Mrs Fredson to give her the information about the man they hired, who apparently liked to kill. Charlie got his name as well as all the other people they used. As well as they their phones and told her where their computers were. They were quite helpful when it came to their passwords which she diligently put in her phone.
Charlie ended up using six bullets on the Fredsons to get all the information she felt she needed. When they had no more to tell her she put a bullet between their eyes. Gagged and then tied their feet together. When she was finished, she closed the lounge doors and did a quick look around until she found a very nicely appointed downstairs bathroom. Which had every kind of amenity she could ever possibly want and didn’t know she wanted.
She used everything in the bathroom then she dressed in her spare clothes. Why she had spare clothes in her bag was another story and one she did not like telling. A gift from her mother helped to remove all her DNA from the bathroom. She stood at the door and flicked her fingers several times, while she chanted a small spell cleaning the room of her presence. She had done the same in the lounge. She then walked up the beautifully carpeted stairs and received the second shock of the night.
Bracing herself she knew this was not going to be pleasant, she unlocked the door to the room they both said the girl was in. Except they had lied, there was not one little girl but four!
Terrified little girls huddled in a corner, naked and covered in bruisers and filth. They stared at her from wide frightened eyes and pale faces. Not for a second would Charlie have thought she would find four very young girls in a barren room. Revulsion fought for space in her mind but she bottled up the feeling and locked it behind a mental door along with the rage and sorrow she felt.
There was not one stick of furniture in the room, or blankets, not one thing to keep them, covered or warm. The walls were papered as were the windows in newspapers. She could see the bars on the inside of the window had huge padlocks a constant reminder that there was no hope for help or escape.
The girls made no movements just sat and watched her from haunted eyes. Charlie eased the door open wider and sat cross-legged on the floor in the hallway. She could not bring herself to enter that room. Closing her eyes, she softly started to hum an old lullaby from her past. One she and her sister used to sing to each other, whenever they found themselves alone and in the dark.
Slowly she heard shuffling and just stopped herself from gagging on the smell, as first one then another came to her. When a little body crawled right into her lap she hummed one or two lines more. Then opened her eyes and saw the littlest girl was the one to have crawled onto her. She saw girls who had been abused and starved. They were dirty and smelt of old faeces and urine. Charlie reined her anger back in, or she was sure she would have gone downstairs and killed the couple all over again. Obviously, she thought, she may have been a little too quick to pull the trigger. She smiled and held her voice to a soft tone as she said. “Well, hello little ones, my name is Charlie Easton and I think we need to find you a bath and then some clothes. What do you say?”
Apparently nothing! They just sat there, eyes all opened wide and stared at her. Charlie recognized the symptoms of what her trainer had called shell-shock. He had explained the technical names for the symptoms of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. The psychiatrists told them about, but he had said it all boiled down to shell-shock. And shell- shock Charlie thought was as good as any for what ailed these little girls.
She slowly rose with the little one in her arms waiting for the others to follow suit and when they did, she led them into the hall. Humming softly as they moved along looking for a bathroom. She finally found one in what was obviously, the master suite. And what an enormous luxurious bedroom it was. The first thing to grab her attention were the large windows overlooking a well maintained back yard.
Everything in the room was decorated in black and silver. The carpet was a deep plush pile, white of course as were the walls. There seemed to be two walk in dressing rooms as well as a floor to ceiling doubled door walk-in-closet. Which made no sense to Charlie. Seriously how many did they need?
She strode towards a black and gold bathroom. A deep black round spa bath took up half the room. A huge glassed-in shower was easily quarter of the remaining space. There were matching large black glass bowls as sinks with gold taps and gold toilet and bidet.
A wall of shelves held products and appliances, some she had no idea what they were used for. There were two robes on hangers and several pairs of slippers which looked like they had never been worn. Along with the softest, fluffiest towels, she had ever seen or felt. Charlie was astounded at the couple all over again. She wondered how they ever slept at night in this luxury. Knowing that the children they professed to be helping were forced to stay in that room. But as she looked around at the opulent surroundings, she realized they probably slept very well. It must be nice she thought. Not to be blessed with a soul!
CHAPTER TWO:
S he stood the little girl on the thick fluffy mat and ran warm water in the bath, adding bubble bath that she found on a ledge. It looked very expensive she emptied the whole bottle in. As the steam rose the scent on the ocean filled the room, the girls little noses started twitching.
She grabbed towels and layered them on the heated racks for when the girl’s baths were finished. When she judged there to be enough water, she picked each girl up and placed them in the warm water. It took some time to clean each little body and truthfully there was no real hurry if she had to guess she figured the Fredsons never received visitors. So she felt safe in thinking she had plenty of time and to come up with a plan. The girls remained silent except for the occasional sigh as she washed them.
Eventually, she managed to get them all clean from head to toes. Their hair took the longest as filthy as it was. Charlie found expensive shampoo and conditioner and used both liberally. All the time she kept up a steady stream of words and when she couldn’t think of anything else to say. She hummed and thought of her sister when they had been this age. The memories were bittersweet and why this experience or these little girls would bring her sister to the forefront of her memory after so long she could not explain.
With only one change of water and a shower each, all four girls were now dried and wrapped up in warmed towels sitting on the master bed. Where she had told them to stay, not that they seemed to want to move. Instead, they watched her from exhausted eyes as she searched systematically through the room for clothes. Hitting pay dirt in the large walk in dressing room that obviously belonged to Mrs Fredson.
Stripping out of her wet smelly tee shirt she pushed it into her bag and put on a black one she found. Then she turned her mind to the closet shelves that were fill of children and baby clothes, guessing at sizes she grabbed what she thought would fit.
She dressed the toddler in a fluffy pink top and a pair of small jeans with cute white socks and adorable pink high tops. She found similar outfits for the older girls, except their high tops were in blues and greens. She helped them all to dress, then tucked them under the covers in the queen sized bed.
Warm and clean for the first time in two weeks if the Fredsons were telling the truth a
bout that. And hopefully, because they felt safe with her, they fell asleep. Charlie was positive they would sleep for a while but she watched them for a few minutes to make sure. Then she took a much deserved breath and stretched out muscles that wanted to rip something apart. Closing her eyes, she once more swallowed her anger and decided to search the house. Turning from the vulnerable little ones she decided to start on the lower level.
She marched herself back down the stairs and entered a kitchen right out of a chefs dream with beautiful black granite counters and an eight gas burner stove. On one wall was a super-large fridge/freezer and a door way to a butler’s pantry, it was all gorgeous. On the chopping board a half cut carrot and several greens indicated a salad was in the process of being prepared. There was no evidence of food being cooked anywhere for the girls!
Anger pulsed within her, again she counted to ten releasing the rage within her heart. Then she systematically went through all the cupboards and fridge and found of all things baby bottles. She was puzzled as to why they needed baby bottles. Did they steal babies?
That was just so wrong it was all wrong, but babies! Charlie counted to ten, twice over before she brought her temper back under control, this whole situation made her skin crawl. Shrugging of the feelings she filled a dozen of the bottles with milk and juice that she found in the fridge. Not sure when she would next stop for supplies. Not that she had a plan yet but as she was guided here, she assumed one would come to her. She also found bread and the ingredients to make several ham and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Reasoning, even the littlest girl should be able to eat a sandwich. Plus she got a bag of chocolate cookies, everyone loved chocolate. She read that they were a French brand which made sense, what else would people have that wanted to impress rich clients but rich chocolate. She thought about making coffee but a niggling sense of urgency was creeping over her.
Once finished with the food and drinks she searched the study and found that the desk computer was on. So she took out a flash drive from her bag plugged it in and downloaded the computers contents. While that happened, she looked through the desks drawers finding a small file drawer. Deciding that it would take too long to search each file, she took the whole lot and placed them along with a laptop and a tablet in her bag. When the download completed, she pulled it free making sure the computer was still accessible. Picked her bag up and with the food and drinks from the kitchen went back upstairs. She figured to give the girls the food to keep them occupied, then she could search the upstairs.
All that changed as she was about to enter the bedroom, when she heard a small weak whimper like a kitten would make. And it did not come from the girls. Placing everything on the floor just inside the bedroom. She silently slipped along the hall sniffing at each closed door she came too. Then trying the handle when a door opened she took a quick look inside the room which were thankfully empty of furniture and children.
That was until she came to the last door at the far end of the hall. Charlie sniffed at the join between the door and wall and scented the air. The smell was very much like the room the girls had been in, she tried the door and found it locked. Praying she was wrong she held her hands over the lock and with a little push of power. The door popped open to reveal a room that was about the size of a small stud. With wooden blinds covering the windows causing the room to be quite dim. There was a crib in the middle of the otherwise empty room.
Charlie stood still just inside the door berating herself for a full minute or two, for not checking upstairs first. Taking a deep breath to fortify her senses, she closed her eyes saying a quick prayer to the Goddess that she was wrong. Moving slow and silently, she did not want to scare the child if there was one in there. She came to the end of the crib and looked down in horror at the small figure of a very small naked baby boy. He lay on his back in the middle of a bare dirty mattress. No blankets or sheets covering him and he looked underfed and his hands and feet were light blue with cold. He was so little that Charlie could not judge how old he would be. It annoyed her she could not tell. Why that mattered? She did not understand nor could she shake the feeling it was important. It just seemed to fuel the need to tear this house down brick by brick. Maybe thinking of how old this tiny baby was kept the killing rage that vibrated through her body and mind from escaping.
Yeah, that was it!
She moved around to the side of the crib. The baby listlessly turned his head to watch her with lavender colored eyes. A color she had never seen before it was so unusual she was sure she would have remembered. Oh Goddess he was so thin! She wondered how he was still alive then she tried to understand how he could have the energy. To make enough noise or at least a loud enough noise for her to have heard him.
A puzzle for another time! Softly, barely making a sound she said. “Well hello sweet baby boy, my name is Charlie and I am here to take you from this nightmare.”
Lowering the cribs side and slowly making sure to keep her movements slow and steady so as not to frighten the little boy. She reached in with trembling hands, almost afraid to touch him in case she hurt his delicate looking skin. Taking a breath, she slid both hands under the small body and lifted him towards her. He weighed less than her laptop.
Charlie held him close to her body, he was so cold his lips were a pale blue and she knew that was not a good sign. Covering his eyes with one hand, scared she would blind the baby with the sudden light. When she took him into the hallway, she had no way of knowing how long he had been in the dim room, she almost ran from the room. Quietly she entered the bedroom thankfully the girls were still sleeping. Slipping noiselessly past them into the bathroom she dimmed the lights, snagged more towels from the pile on the shelf and placed them on the heated towel racks. Thanking the Fredson’s egos for the over-large sinks, she filled both with warm water thinking she may need both to clean him completely.
Very carefully she lowered the baby into the water and started the process of washing him with the antibacterial soap she had used on the girls. Except she washed him with her hands, too scared to use a cloth on his soft skin. As luck would have it, the baby’s golden fuzz of hair was easier to clean than the girls longer hair had been. By the time she was finished, Charlie had refilled each sink twice. Amazingly enough his little lavender eyes remained wide open and on her face the whole time. Not once did he make a sound, a few times she was positive he went too, only to subside with a soft puff of expelled air.
On the plus side his lips hands and feet were no longer as blue although as she finished the last rinse. She felt his exhaustion when he started to shiver. She carefully dabbed him dry then wrapped him in a warm fluffy towel, cuddling him close to the warmth of her body. She went into the bedroom and straight into the dressing room where she pulled baby clothes and diapers from the shelves, she also found baby blankets.
Turning towards the bed she found all the girls awake. “Look what I found.” She placed the baby on the bed instantly the girls crowded around him softly touching and petting his small body. Charlie quickly dressed him and wrapped him in blankets. Then realized she had forgotten to adjust the lights but he seemed to be handling them alright.
Next she handed out the sandwiches to the girls. Taking the top off of three of the baby bottles with juice in them and handing them to the older girls. She gave the little girl a bottle with the nipple still on.
Watched by all four girls, she took one of the milk filled bottles. Returned to the bathroom filled a glass vase she found with hot water and stood the bottle in it. Hoping that it would warm up enough for the baby to be able to drink.
Carrying the vase back in with her, she placed it on the shiny black dresser made sure the girls were eating. Then picked up the baby and cuddled him close to her beating heart until she felt the bottle was warm enough. She then tried to feed him. He weakly sucked on the nipple, all the girls stopped eating and watched him. Like Charlie they knew he needed to eat, she whispered. “Come on baby boy. Just a little more, it w
ill warm your tummy. Come on baby. Do it for Charlie.”
Charlie kissed his head as she softly encouraged him to drink. Then each of the girls shuffled over until they could all place kisses on his head like she had. It seemed to work as the baby responded by sucking for a little longer before letting the nipple slip from his mouth. For a first feed, Charlie, while not satisfied at least was pleased. She felt that if he was wrapped up in the blankets and with some warm milk in his belly she would be able to take him from the house.
The girls sat close to her as she placed the baby to her shoulder rubbing his back while they finished their food. It was not until the older girl. With worry in her eyes touched her cheek that she realized tears were running down her face.
“Oh, baby girl don’t you worry, I am fine. I am just real sad that people could hurt little ones like you.” She could not tell her the tears were from the bone-deep anger that swilled around her gut. She kissed the tip of the finger that held her tear and the girl looked surprised at the gesture, no more surprised than Charlie. First tears and then kisses, what is wrong with me?
She brushed her tears away and tried the baby again with the bottle and was glad he took some more. She then placed him in the middle of the bed beside the toddler who was quietly sucking her bottle. And smiled as the other girls finished with their food surrounded them both, snuggling into the warmth of the bed. Assuring herself they were alright, Charlie went looking in the closets and found in Mr Fredsons a large black backpack, which she discovered under a pile of unopened shirts. From inside the backpack she pulled out four small various shades of pink backpacks, hopefully the girls.