The Gift, page 11
part #1 of McKenna Mysteries Series
“Yes. Now talk, or I’ll use my gun. It would be pretty easy to claim self-defense on a child abuser.”
“It was just once, I swear. I had been drinking. I’d never do that if I was sober.” His voice came out in shaky syllables, his arms still pressed flat against the brick wall.
“WHAT DID YOU DO?” Grace was fired up now, she couldn’t stop. All the years of maintaining her composure had taken a toll on her. It was like a dam opening at the edge of a lake, a swell of water came rushing out much like her anger was doing right now.
“Can I sit?” He looked at her with pleading eyes and gestured toward the curb that married the street and the sidewalk.
“Fine.” She kept a grip on his right arm and pressed his head down like she was loading him into the back of a cruiser. She figured he might as well get used to it now.
“But . . . how? How did you know?” He looked at the ground, spitting on the street between his legs. “Is that why you agreed to go on a date with me? To interrogate me?”
“That’s not important. What’s important is what you did and why you did it, and keeping you from ever doing it again.”
“I know what I did was wrong, but it wasn’t like that. I would never intentionally hurt someone. I don’t—I don’t know what happened that night.” He dropped his head in his hands, hiding his face as the shame sunk in. “I mean, I have two daughters of my own. I’m a good dad. Really, I am.”
“I’m not going to ask you again. What did you do?”
“Carrie and I had just gotten home from our monthly date. We were trying hard to work things out between us. We thought that setting up a monthly date would help us with achieving that couple time that our counselor had been urging us to do. We got married young, never had a chance to be kids, I guess. After ten years of marriage, things fizzled. Started going downhill.”
“You’ve got five minutes to tell me what happened. Speed it up.” Grace looked down at her watch.
“Okay, okay. The girls had gone to bed, it was late by the time we got home. Carrie had gotten a little tipsy so I told her to just go upstairs to bed and I’d walk the sitter home.” He let out deep breath, shrill and choppy. “She came on to me first, I swear.” He held up his hands and looked straight ahead. Grace found that hard to believe, but sometimes teenage girls formed crushes on older men, even when they weren’t the easiest on the eyes. Maybe the girl didn’t have a caring father and she was looking for love or seduction in a father-like figure.
“Never an excuse. What happened?”
“I got carried away. I pinned her against the brick wall in the nearest alley. We live on a busy street with lots of little alleys.” He shook his head and sealed his lips together and for a moment Grace thought he was going to get up and run, but instead the words flooded out of him. “I didn’t realize I was being so rough, I thought she wanted it. I really did. I was flattered that this beautiful young girl would even look at me, let alone go in for a kiss. I couldn’t help myself. It’s like someone or something was taking over my body. I’m not like that. I’m really not. And then I noticed that she had been crying. I had been hurting her. Somewhere in the distance I could hear her yelling ‘STOP, STOP,’ but whatever it was inside me blocked it out.”
“So then what happened?” Grace suddenly felt nauseous.
“I threatened her. I told her that if she ever told another soul that I would turn it all around on her.”
“You raped a minor! For God’s sake, how did you expect you could possibly turn it around on her?” Grace cracked her knuckles, her face heating up with rage, warming her body in the cold air.
“She was naïve. I told her I’d tell her father. I knew her father and I knew that she was petrified of him. He is one of those insanely strict parents. I knew she wouldn’t tell.”
“What do you have to say for yourself?” Grace asked, feeling no pity for him as he started sobbing between deep heavy breaths.
“I’m a horrible person. I should go to hell. Just arrest me.”
“Yeah, you’re right about that. But, arrest you? What kind of case do you think I’ll have arresting you for a rape you committed, I don’t know . . . how long ago?”
“It was two years ago. She’s nineteen now. Just finished her first semester of college.”
“Exactly. Unless she can pull up cameras that witnessed the incident happening, then she isn’t going to have evidence that will hold up in court.” Grace looked at her watch. “Do you realize that you have messed with an innocent girl’s life? Do you realize that she will be haunted forever because of your selfishness that probably lasted all of three minutes?”
“You think I don’t hate myself for this every day?” He wiped his nose with the back of his jacket, a cluster of snowflakes landed on his eyelashes and melted almost instantly from the heat of his tears. “I lost everything. My wife. I only get to see my girls every other weekend.”
“Wait a minute. I thought nobody knew about this?”
“Nobody does . . . that I know of. Our marriage was already falling apart and after that things got even worse. I couldn’t live with myself. I didn’t think I deserved my wife. She deserved better than to be with someone like me. And I had trouble facing my girls. God knows what I would do to someone who did that to one of them. The guilt has wrapped itself around me, sucking the life out of any good that I had before. I haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since then and I never will. Something came over me. I’d like to say that it was the booze. I’m not that person, I swear I’m not. And I’m going to be paying for this for the rest of my life. You’re a cop. Don’t you have to arrest me now? You know what I did, you must’ve found out somehow, so you have evidence.” He looked at Grace, his hooded eyes pleading like a toddler asking for candy.
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“But, how did you know?”
***
Grace clutched the steering wheel as she made her way through the tunnels that connected Boston to its outskirts. In most cases she would feel claustrophobic in the enclosed space, the narrow roads making her feel uneasy every time she rode alongside another vehicle. But during snowstorms, the tunnels were a place of shelter from the slippery blanket of white covering the outside roads that would inevitably cause a pileup of cars whose drivers panicked and slid into one another.
A pool of sweat had accumulated on the ridges of the steering wheel, a symptom of the visions. Her body temperature rose in conjunction with the visions, a contrast to the crisp cold air that accompanied the snowflakes to the ground outside. She was torn between what she saw and what she should do. She struggled with the decision to tell Barb. Her nephew was a rapist—a remorseful one, sure, but there was still the possibility that he could do it again. Grace couldn’t rule anything out. If she let him go, forcing herself to forget his story, there was the risk that he could relapse and ruin another girl’s life forever. Did she want to take that chance to prove her own sanity?
The sight of twinkling Christmas lights interrupted her thoughts as she pulled into the dirt drive that led to the cozy house that she called home. For a moment she felt a wave of Christmas spirit sweep through her, warming her heart and bringing memories of her and her mother celebrating the holiday together, just the two of them. She could almost feel the hot chocolate warm her body, an annual treat that she and her mother shared on Christmas Eve every year. They would dance to the sound of Perry Como’s voice belting out Christmas songs as they decorated the freshly cut tree. Her mother barely made enough to support them, but she was dead set on buying the biggest, freshest looking Christmas tree every year. Over the years, they had accumulated enough ornaments to keep up with the growing pine that would take up half of their living room and serve as their own personal air freshener from the day after Thanksgiving until January first.
The lights that hung from her house were messy and uneven, but they still lit up the Christmas spirit within her heart. A smile danced on her lips as she heard the sound of bells crashing against her wooden door. Ellen had taken the liberty of hanging a bell decoration on the doorknob, the long leather belt lined with silver bells rocked side to side as she stepped into the warmth of her home. Brody raised his brows from his flat out position on the floor. It took him a moment before he recognized her standing there, then with all the effort the one hundred and fifty pound dog could muster, he got to his feet, sliding all over the linoleum floor. He hopped left to right, banging the unfinished table that sat flush against the wall.
“Hey, Brody bear. How’s my boy?” She crouched down as he sat and waited patiently for his greeting, his body bracing hers as she leaned into his furry black frame. She scratched in all the places he expected as part of his daily greeting and finally moved out of the way so she could pass by. Grace used a remote to turn on the flat-screen that was hanging above the small fireplace while simultaneously sliding into the chair next to the table where her laptop was permanently charging. The silence was penetrated by the local newscaster’s steady voice rattling off the daily news. Grace had the bad habit of turning the television on the second she entered her home out of loneliness and an attempt at keeping up on accounts that may soon involve her. It was always important to be well informed with what was going on in the area. Brody let out a deep breath as he slid down on the floor by her feet, resting his massive head between two shaggy paws. “You want some takeout, bud?” Grace clicked on her favorites bar and pulled up the Rizzo’s Menu. “What do ya think, pizza or sub tonight?” Brody lifted his head and peered up at her, an acknowledgement to her question.
“I think a steak and cheese sounds good too, buddy.” Grace punched in her memorized credit card info and instantly pulled open another window, launching into the world of Google. The sound of her fingers dancing busily across the keyboard meshed with the sound of the newscaster’s monotone delivery, until a few escalated words pulled her from her Google search. Boston Police department confirms the abusive activity of a local babysitter. The nineteen- year-old suspect was caught on camera holding a two-year-old hostage in her own home. The background of the footage showed a brownstone planted prominently on Beacon Hill, as officers guided the young girl out of the building and into the cruiser. She didn’t look much different than Mackenzie, hiding behind a long, dirty blonde mane and clothed in a neat, reserved cardigan over a pair of slimming jeans.
“What the hell is wrong with today’s youth?” Grace said the words out loud, massaging Brody with her left foot.
Chapter Fourteen
The snow from the night before covered the streets in a soft white blanket. Grace carved out fresh tracks in the light layer that had veiled the ground since the last plow went through. It had dimmed down to a light sprinkle, the snowflakes trickled down in a soft gentle dance. Grace loved the feeling of tranquility after a heavy snow, when the world was still and people were tucked into the comfort of their homes. While the rest of Bridgeton seemed to be still, its residents safely snuggled under the warmth of comforters, the ocean crashed to life. Grace sat at the longest red light in town and watched the waves reach for the seawall, the salty water spraying on her windshield blending with the tiny flakes that had fallen and clung to the glass.
As usual, Barb’s car was parked in the spot that she designated for herself, so close to the front steps of the station that she could practically step onto the brick staircase from the bright red Mustang, tattooed with a license plate that said “RED.” For the first time since Grace had known the woman, she was nervous to see her. She could feel the butterflies dancing in her belly as she tossed her bag across her body and made her way past Barb’s car. She took a quick look into the Mustang and noticed a small photo tucked into the glass shielding the speedometer and gas light. The photo looked like it had been cut, one of the edges slightly frayed and uneven. Two giggling girls looked up at Eric in awe, as he had one eye on them and one on the camera. It was amazing to Grace how people could lead double lives, having the good side of themselves on display for the world to see, and the other side tucked away and hidden.
“Shit, this is gonna be tough,” Grace said under her breath as she pulled the heavy front door open and walked into the station. As expected, Barb was on her like a dog after a bone. Grace had never seen the woman move so fast, as Barb nearly jumped up from her chair and followed her down the hall and into Grace’s office.
“So, how was it? Isn’t he a gem? Gosh, I remember how charming he was as a little boy. I can imagine how he is on a first date.” Barb leaned against the wall, crossing one ankle over the other as Grace busied herself with unloading her bag and flipping through random files.
“It was good. He’s a very nice guy.” She didn’t look up to receive the eye contact that Barb was nearly hurling at her.
“Oh, you little vixen! I knew you two would hit it off! I didn’t think it would be on the first night, but I gotta say . . . I’m proud of ya, Princess. It’s about time you got out there. You’re only young once. So, when’s the next date?” Barb was jumping to conclusions like a frog hopping from one lily pad to the next, not stopping to breathe.
“It’s not like that, Barb. We just had an appetizer and called it a night.” Grace grew brave and looked up to seal eyes with the woman. “I was tired. It was a long day.” She was a terrible liar and Barb knew her well enough to sense it.
“You didn’t like him, did you? Not your type? Ugh, don’t tell me you’re one of those girls who doesn’t like nice guys . . .” Barb slid into the chair that was on the other side of Grace’s desk.
“No, that’s not it. Like I said, I was really tired.” Grace seemed to shrink under Barb’s watchful eye.
“For God’s sake, Grace, you aren’t even forty. You can’t use the tired excuse yet, not to mention you don’t have kids to blame that on.” Barb’s face was starting to break out into little splotches of red. She only called Grace by her name when she was upset, and the shade of red that was now covering her face was a sure sign that she was not happy. Barb had a way of protecting her own, she would defend her friends and family with all she had inside her. She was like a red-haired pit bull. If she only knew what she was up against this time. “Gosh, I at least gave dating a go until I was in my fifties, and here you are giving up because you’re scared of God knows what. What—are you afraid you might find happiness?” Barb’s voice was escalating and Grace could feel anger start to boil within her. Eric seemed to have his aunt, his innocent children and possibly his ex-wife fooled into thinking he was a decent guy. Grace had seen her mother in the quiet moments when she would drift off, surely replaying the night that she had been raped and robbed of her right to her own body. She took a deep breath, but all she could see were the tears in her mother’s eyes as she tried to break away from the grip of a stranger.
Grace was tired. Between the recurring images from Eric and the struggle with piecing together Jenny and Mackenzie’s relationship, she had barely slept, and her blood was beginning to boil as anger and lethargy coursed through her.
“Enough, Barb! Your nephew is a rapist!” The words accelerated out of her mouth, but landed flat in a bed of silence. She looked at Barb, aware of the damage she had done, scolding herself for not just covering for the guy this one time. “He’s a rapist, he raped the girls’ babysitter.” The syllables came out of Grace’s mouth in a low whisper. She saw the way Barb’s face contorted from realization to anger as the words hit her, at first slow and gentle and then nearly knocking her over in absurdity.
“Are you out of your goddamn mind, McKenna? Have you been watching too many of those stupid crime shows? Where in God’s name would you get an idea like that?” Barb asked, her face transformed into a look of disgust as she scanned Grace from head to toe, surely questioning what happened to the woman she had considered a friend. She held up a hand, “Please don’t tell me you’re accusing him of raping you?”
Grace knew she was stuck. She had opened up a can of worms and there was no going back. She couldn’t tell Barb that the vision crept inside her mind when she looked into the man’s eyes, she couldn’t take it back and say she was kidding, all she could do was apologize.
“I’m sorry, I know this is hard for you to grasp, Barb. I’m sorry.” And with Grace’s words, Barb turned and slammed the door so hard, the bulletin board swayed side to side on the wall.
Grace dropped her head into her hands, closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. “Why me, God? Why me?” As if on cue, there was a knock on her office door. “Come in,” Grace said after taking one last deep breath while wiping away the tears that had started to form in the corners of her eyes.
“Hey, Grace. How are you doing?” Chief Welch said as he leaned in the doorway gripping a Dunkin Donuts cup in one hand.
“I’m good. How are you?” Grace looked up and peeled her shoulders back, forcing herself to appear strong and stable.
“So, I just wanted to touch base about the Waterford file. False alarm, huh?” He rubbed what little stubble he had on his chin. “Guess that’s a good thing. Hate to see kids go missing. Seen too many in my day.” He inched his way into her office taking in what little décor she had. “You do a good job around here, Grace.” He used an index finger to lift the top of the Christmas card.
“Thanks.” She stood from her desk, crossing her arms around her chest. She couldn’t help but be flattered by the compliment.
“You should be proud of your accomplishments here.” He took another swig of his coffee. “I’m sure you’ve seen the posting for Sergeant Lieutenant Detective.”
“Yes, I have.” Grace had seen the posting but hadn’t thought too much about it. She assumed that one of the officers with more time in service would be tough to go up against.
“I think you’d be stupid to not put in for it. That’s all I’m saying.” Chief Welch took two backward steps and quietly opened the door. “Just think about it, okay?” he said before allowing a big smile to spread across his face.
