Sue, page 4
Without a word, Melvin spun on his heel and marched to his car, slipping a little on the snow. Sue slammed the door and carried her bags to her room, hands trembling. Why does he make me so angry? He’s a nice guy. Kind of nerdy, but okay. He’s nothing like Zeke. She stopped, packages in hand, as if stunned. That was the problem. He was nothing like Zeke. Zeke was cool. Melvin was not. Zeke had been graced with stunning looks, a muscular lithe body that oozed sex appeal, and electric blue eyes that pierced her soul. Melvin was ordinary with a lanky body and unremarkable brown eyes. Zeke moved like a cat, sure of himself, comfortable in his skin. Melvin had a loping gait, almost awkward. Zeke was smooth, knew exactly what to say; Melvin struggled to make conversation with her.
Sue tossed the new clothes on her bed and dropped down beside them. She put an arm under her head and stared at the ceiling. Zeke would never have tolerated the attitude she displayed toward Melvin. If she’d dared to snap at Zeke that way, he’d have hurt her. Melvin just seemed to absorb the verbal abuse, never struck back. So why did she treat him so badly? She decided to present the question to Dr. Camden at her next appointment.
Feeling better, she sat up. She wanted to check her voice mail to see if Zeke had tried to contact her. As she plugged the phone in to charge, her landline rang and she picked it up.
“Hello.”
“Susan? Will Falstaff here.”
“Oh, hi.”
“Um, I’d like to come by and talk to you, if you’re not busy.”
“No, I’m not busy. What’s this about?” Sue fiddled with her new haircut, suddenly nervous.
“Well, we’ll talk when I get there.” He sounded firm.
“Is it about Zeke?” She held her breath.
“No, no. Nothing like that. I’ll be over in about ten minutes.”
Sue went downstairs and prepared a pot of coffee. She glanced at her watch while waiting for the investigator. It was Saturday and her parents had gone to run some errands, knowing Sue would be with Melvin. She hoped they didn’t return before she found out what Will wanted.
The coffee was done by the time Will arrived. Sue let him in and offered him a cup, which he accepted. Once they were settled, Will took a sip of his drink and then leaned forward.
“Has Melvin said or done something to offend you?” he asked, his eyes curious.
“No. Why?”
“Well, I’m just going to be direct about this, Susan. Melvin’s asked to be taken off the job. He doesn’t want to escort you anymore, but he won’t tell me why, so I’d like you to tell me what the problem is.”
The shock showed on Sue’s face. “He doesn’t want to guard me anymore? Really?”
“Really. Any idea why?”
Sue’s face flushed. “I guess I haven’t exactly been nice to him.”
“I suspected as much. But I don’t understand what you have against him.” Will’s voice was gentle.
“Well, I’m really not sure. I can’t put my finger on it.” Sue jumped to her feet and began pacing, wincing a little. “It’s just something about him, about the whole situation. I mean, look at him! There’s no way he could protect me anyway. Look at those geeky glasses he wears! Plus, he has asthma, for crying out loud, always puffing on that stupid inhaler. He’s weak. A sissy. A puss...pushover.”
Will chewed his lip thoughtfully. “You’re wrong. Melvin’s not a pushover, Sue. He’s a gentleman.” He smiled suddenly. “I bet he didn’t tell you he’s a former Golden Gloves champ, did he?”
“Golden Gloves? No, he didn’t mention it.” Sue frowned, starting to feel foolish.
“Well, he’s a humble sort, not the type to brag. Something else I’ll bet you don’t know about him; it’s not exactly asthma that he has. His lungs were damaged in a house fire when he was a kid. He was out; he was safe. But he ran back inside because his baby brother was still in there. I think Melvin was about seven or eight years old when that happened.”
Sue’s face went pale. “Oh my god. He rescued his brother?”
Will’s expression was strained. “He got him out, but the little guy didn’t make it.”
“That’s awful. I had no idea.” Sue dropped into the easy chair and rubbed her forehead. “I’m an idiot. But wait, how can he box with the lung problem he has?”
“It only affects him when he gets agitated,” Will said. “I’ve seen him in the ring. He doesn’t get rattled there; he’s calm, confident. Pretty cool customer when he’s boxing. I suspect he uses the inhaler for more of a security thing than for medical reasons, but I could be wrong.”
“No kidding.” Sue turned thoughtful, absorbing the information. “Look, I feel really bad about the way I’ve acted. Do you think he’d reconsider being my escort? If I promise to try to get along? If he’s willing, then I guess it’d be okay for him to tag along with me. But not forever. Just for a little while longer.”
“Well, I’ll have a talk with him and see what he thinks. He may not want to return; it’ll be up to him.”
Not long after Will left and Sue’s parents returned, she retired to her room. With trembling hands, she picked up her charged cell phone.
Tears gathered in her eyes as she listened to pleas from her parents that had been left while she was gone. She finally just deleted the remainder without listening past the first few words. There were no messages from Zeke.
She sank to the edge of her bed and tried to calm herself. Why had she hoped to hear from him anyway? She doubted her sanity and was unable to fathom her motivations. Her mind clouded from the cacophony of mixed emotions.
Chapter 8
A week later, Sue was watching TV when her mom came into the house lugging several large bags of groceries. Hopping up, Sue took two of the sacks, set them on the kitchen cabinet, pulled on her coat, and followed her mom back to the vehicle. “Wow, this is a lot of stuff. What are you planning to do? Feed an army?”
Linda laughed as they brought in the last load and set the bags on the counter. “You might say that. You realize this Thursday is Thanksgiving, don’t you?”
Sue’s face blanched. “Oh, no. I forgot.” She plopped into a kitchen chair and lowered her head into her hands. “Mom? Is everyone coming?”
Her mom turned and looked at her daughter. “We thought that maybe this year we’d just have the three of us. We didn’t think you’d be ready for a big gathering. Were we right?”
Sue sprang from her seat and wrapped her arms around her mom’s waist. She kissed her on the cheek. “You were spot on right. I love you.”
“Well, I love you too, honey.”
Sue froze. What did she say?
“Honey?” Her mom asked. “Are you okay?”
“What? Oh. Yes. I’m sorry. I don’t know where I went. Guess I was daydreaming,” Sue babbled, trying to cover up her momentary surprise. “If it’s going to be just us, how come you bought so much?”
“Well, no matter how many are eating we still need the same food. Turkey, ingredients for dressing, potatoes,” she smiled, “you know, all the good stuff.
Sue hung up her coat and returned to help put everything away before escaping to her room. She still felt shocked. She’d have sworn her mom had called her by the pet name Zeke used so often; Bunny. She shivered, remembering how much she’d loved it at the time. And, if she was honest with herself, she still longed to hear the word from his lips. Sue buried her face in her pillow and cried.
The next afternoon Sue’s dad drove her to Dr. Camden’s office. It would be her last appointment until early next week. Settling back in the comfortable chair, Sue stared at the ceiling and spoke slowly. “How can I still miss him so much? He hurt me; he’s a monster. But sometimes I literally ache to feel his touch again. Why?”
The doctor’s face was kindly. “There is a progression involved in unraveling what you feel from what you know. In your mind, you are unable to separate the man who won you over from the man who tried to kill you. But it’s coming, Sue. You’ll get there. Remember, he used some pretty effective brainwashing techniques on you, set up a dichotomy. We’re going to work to merge those two opposing visions.”
She encouraged Sue to open up about the beginning of the relationship, relive the tender and sensual moments, really immerse herself in the recollections. Longing swelled inside her as she revealed the most intimate details to the doctor. Then Dr. Camden asked about the night of Brenda’s murder and Sue felt the soft cloud of romantic memory she’d been floating on vanish in a puff as she was abruptly compelled to confront the real Zeke.
“Oh god.” Sue buried her face in her hands. “It was awful. She screamed and screamed. I can’t stand to think about it.” Tears rolled from her eyes and the doctor handed her the box of tissues. Once the flood was over, Sue sniffed and blew her nose. “I hate breaking down like that. But I have to admit I feel better.”
Before the appointment ended, Dr. Camden recommended Sue start a journal. “Write everything in it. Every feeling, positive or negative. When you come back, we’ll discuss what you’ve written, point by point.”
On the way home, Sue had her father pull into a stationery store where she purchased two leather-bound notebooks and a nice ink pen. She scribbled a few thoughts as they continued home.
Two days later found Sue and her mother surrounded by freshly baked pies, deviled eggs, and stuffed celery. The turkey smelled heavenly, resting on a platter waiting for her dad to carve. The table was covered with delectable dishes: mashed potatoes fluffy and white begging for a coating of turkey gravy, savory dressing, green bean casserole, and hot rolls with browned tops.
Outside, the sky was gray and a chill wind whistled around the corners of the house, a lonely sound that echoed the emptiness Sue felt. She looked away from the window and tried to focus on the warm cozy setting inside.
Sitting at the dining room table, Sue and her parents clasped hands in a circle and silently gave thanks. Sue wondered if Zeke was in town having dinner with his mother. A thrill of fear mixed with excitement rushed through her. She forced away these forbidden thoughts and gave thanks for being in the safety of her home. They all felt the absence of family, aware of the missing jabber of aunts, uncles, and cousins. But still, the meal was enjoyable and even the clean-up went smoothly. Joyce called to wish her a happy Thanksgiving, and they chatted for a short while, staying away from touchy subjects.
Later, Sue had an internal debate with herself. Images of Zeke played through her mind: that million-dollar smile he’d used to such great advantage, the vivid electric blue of his eyes, body so lithe and perfectly-formed that at times she’d physically ached to touch him. Part of her wanted to jump in the car and drive around looking for Zeke. A wiser part issued a silent reprimand for even giving life to the thought. Besides, where would she look? She had no idea where his mom lived. She’d just be wasting time and gas. Instead she slumped in a living room chair and watched a Christmas Special on TV. Christmas. Already. They’d just eaten Thanksgiving dinner and were already dealing with the next holiday. Time flies when you’re having fun, Sue thought wryly and gazed out the frosty windows as another light snow fell.
Chapter 9
Following the holiday, the skies remained overcast and a sense of gloom permeated the days. As snowplows cleared the streets, the temperature plummeted and wind chills hovered around zero.
Feeling restless, Sue turned to her computer. Every free moment was spent on the internet searching for hints as to Zeke’s whereabouts. She was obsessed with finding him. Since Thanksgiving, she’d already amassed a file of grisly news reports, a murder here, an abduction there. But none had really tripped any alarms for her.
She had begun her search close to home, thinking Zeke would have followed her to finish what he’d started, wanting to complete the torture that would culminate in her death. But as the days turned into weeks, Sue decided to direct her search closer to St. Louis, the last place she’d been with Zeke.
Today her heart rate slammed into high gear when she hit what she thought to be the jackpot. Darla Stringe, age nineteen and from a small town sixty miles south of St. Louis, had been reported missing by her parents just days after Zeke’s savage attack on Sue, the one Will had interrupted. Sue printed the article.
She searched and scrolled through a page of homicide reports. There she found an article about the body of a woman that had been found a week later, two hundred miles from the site of Darla Stringe’s disappearance. Her face paled as she read the details. This had to be the work of Zeke. Sue printed this story also.
She grabbed the pages from the printer and hurried down the stairs to her parents’ doorway. Her mom was at work, but her dad was here sleeping.
Just as she reached out to knock, she experienced a flashback so intense she pulled her hand back as if she’d been burned. In her mind, she could hear Zeke’s voice making despicable assertions about Sue’s dad and his inappropriate intentions toward her as a child. Shame flooded through her. Although she knew Zeke had lied, had only been tricking her, she suddenly couldn’t enter the room before her.
Backing away, Sue paced the living room. She had to tell someone. She reached for the phone to call the police department but hesitated. She should take this information to them personally.
Sue bundled up and grabbed her purse, fishing out her car keys on the way to the door. Suddenly she stopped in her tracks. She hadn’t gone anywhere without an escort since her return from St. Louis. Fright tightened her shoulders and made her stomach tense. Breathing deeply, she reminded herself that she had proof in her hand that Zeke was hundreds of miles away. She opened the door and slipped outside.
Stepping off the porch, Sue startled when she saw a shadow flit around the side of the house. She almost scurried back inside but berated herself. Get a grip. You can’t jump at every shadow. Sue ran to her car. Pressing the door release button on the way, she dove inside, jabbed the lock. She stared at the spot where she’d seen something move. Nothing was there. Sue blew a breath upward, moving her short bangs lightly. “See, nothing there. You’re losing it,” she whispered aloud before putting the car in reverse and heading downtown to the red brick building that housed the Cyrus Police Department.
“Miss Cox, you need to calm down a little. I can barely understand what the problem is. Does it involve the papers you are shaking in my face?”
Sue had burst into the police station demanding to speak to a detective. Almost immediately Detective Sanders approached and introduced herself. She escorted Sue into a conference room. After settling in a chair at a table Sue began hyperventilating. She tried to explain what she had found online. Taking a deep breath and a sip of water the officer had placed in front of her, Sue started again.
“Yes. Sorry. As I said, my name is Susan Cox. Do you know who I am?”
Sanders nodded. “I’m familiar with your case.”
“Well, I’ve been looking online, trying to find Zeke. He’s the man who tried to kill me.” Sue looked for confirmation the officer understood.
“Yes. Go on.”
“Well. I found these.” Sue laid the papers in front of herself but facing the detective. “See. This girl disappeared shortly after my attack. I believe Zeke convinced her to go with him, just like he did with me.”
Sanders reached for the papers and Sue reluctantly let her take them. “The second page is about a woman killed not long after the girl Darla went missing. You see, don’t you? It’s just like my case. He convinced Darla to go with him and now he’s made her help him find a woman to kill.” Sue looked expectantly at the woman.
“Okay. I can see where you might get the idea that these cases are similar to your case. But we can’t be sure, can we? Let me make some phone calls and I’ll get with you later. Can I have your phone number?”
“No! No, I can’t leave. I’ll wait. Here. Yes, I’ll wait here while you call. Someone has to stop him while they can.”
Sanders sighed. “Okay. But it might take a while.”
“That’s fine. I’ll wait.” Sue sat firmly in her chair and the detective stood and moved toward the door. Shaking her head, she left the room.
Sue removed her hat, coat, and stuffed her gloves in the pocket while she studied her surroundings. The long conference table dominated the room. Baseboard heaters breathed warmth into the space. A number of wooden plaques decorated the two-toned beige walls, and windows with shades open let in watery gray light. An empty coat rack stood like a sentinel in the corner. Sue toyed with the fringe on her scarf and settled back to wait, trying to quell her excitement over tracking Zeke. She entertained herself by imagining his surprise and dismay when he realized he’d been caught.
Twenty minutes later, Sanders returned. Sue jumped to her feet. “Are the police picking Zeke up? Did they find him?”
“Please sit down, Miss Cox.”
Sue felt her heart drop. She’d heard that tone growing up when her parents didn’t believe something she’d told them. But still, she looked on anxiously as the woman continued.
“You were right about the disappearance of Darla Stringe.”
Sue’s heart soared but plummeted at the next words.
“But if you had gone further into the news reports you would have discovered the girl had a habit of running off with friends only to return a week or so later. That was the case this time. Miss Stringe had gone with friends on a skiing trip and failed to tell anyone she was going.” Sanders looked directly at Sue. “So, lost girl found. Unharmed. Safe.”
“But the body...”
Sanders interrupted Sue. “It took some doing, but I spoke to the detective in charge of the murder up in Calyson. Zeke didn’t do it.”
“How do you know? How do they know? It’s just the kind of thing he’d do. Kill her and take her head.”
“Hold on there. First off, this woman was not missing her head. Besides, they have a suspect in the crime. A disgruntled co-worker. Seems this guy had asked the victim out several times only to be turned down. He got fed up with being rejected and killed her.” Sanders looked sadly at Sue. “I shouldn’t even be giving you this information. But you needed to know this case doesn’t relate in any way to yours. Is that clear?”
