Beautifully Broken (19 page)

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked me.
“I need to know the truth, are you my father or not and
why did my mom kill herself?” I asked him. It was the first
time in my life where I didn’t fear him. There was nothing
left he could do to me. I was so broken I had nothing left to
give him.

“No I am not your father but you will never know the
truth,” he screamed at me.

“You tell me what I want to know or I’m going to the police
and I am telling them everything you have done to us,” I
screamed at him.

“You won’t make it out of this house alive,” he said to me.
He was sweating and shaking and for the first time I saw a
bit of fear in his eyes.

“So you’re going to kill me and you think you will get
away with that too do you?” I screamed at him, I stood up
and grabbed a letter opener off his desk and I backed up
away from him.

“I have killed before and never got caught,” he said as he
smiled at me. He walked over to me and I screamed and
stabbed him in the neck with the letter opener. I ran out of
his office and down the stairs but he was right behind me. I
still had my mom’s journal in my hand. He got close
enough to me and he pushed me down the stairs. When I
opened my eyes he was standing over top of me. He
ripped the book from my hands and threw it into the fire
place. The journal and all of its secrets were consumed by
the flames. He walked over to the fire place, picked up a
poker and walked back over to me. I didn’t think I had
anything left in me, but a strength came over me, an over
whelming urge to live and the will to fight. I got enough
strength. I kicked my father hard enough that he fell back
and landed on the whole rack of pokers. They pierced his
body. I heard him moan in pain and I crawled over to him
and held his hand. I know it doesn’t make any sense but I
loved him in some sick and twisted way; he was all I ever
knew. The tortured life I lived was all I knew.

“Daddy, tell me the truth please” I begged him.

“Veronica the truth is worse than you could ever imagine.
Remember us the way you do now,” he said as he touched
my face and tears rolled down his cheek. He looked up at
me and spoke his final words; “I’m glad it was you”.

“I stood up and looked at his lifeless body. I was frozen
with fear. I didn’t want the whole world to know what he did
to us in that house. I don’t believe people could
understand. So I ran. I packed up my things and I was just
about to leave when my sisters came home. I told them
what I had done and they told me to go and they would
handle everything. I have never been so selfish in my
whole life. In one day I went from being tortured and
raped, too pregnant by my father, to a murderer. I didn’t
know who I was. I still don’t know who I am,” Cali said.
James was staring at her intently, with tears in his eyes. He
grabbed her gently, wrapped his arms around her and
held her really tight. He didn’t let her go and he didn’t say
anything, he just held on to her. Cali slowly stopped
crying and she turned and looked into James’s eyes as she
touched his face. She hugged him really tightly and took a
deep breath.

“How do you still look at me that way, how do you not
think I am a monster?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

“Because you are innocent Cali, nothing you have done or
been through in your life has been your fault,” James
whispered touching her face ever so gently. “You are still
a good person in spite of everything you have been
through; it is really amazing how strong you are.”

“Yes well I am still going to jail someday,” Cali said
looking away from him.

“Cali you can fight this with a good lawyer. You were a
victim your whole life and what happened was selfdefence,” James said lifting her head up so he could look
into her eyes.

“Yes it was self-defence but how can I prove that now? I
ran, that proves I am guilty.” Cali said with sad eyes. “But
one thing I really don’t understand is why the FBI is after
me. I am not a serial killer. I don’t know what else I did; I
don’t even know who I am. I feel like my whole life has been
a lie. I wish I knew what my dad was talking about.”

“Why don’t we find out?” James asked.
“What do you mean? Cali replied confused. “James I have
to turn myself in, if the FBI is looking for me my sisters
could be in big trouble.”

“Don’t you want to know who you are and why the FBI is
looking for you? Don’t you want to know the truth?” James
asked. He was completely serious, he would do anything
for her, even put himself at risk.

“James I can’t ask you to help me anymore, I shouldn’t
even be here. I don’t want to cause any trouble for you
and your family. I have to turn myself in that’s the right
thing to do,” Cali said looking into his eyes.

“Cali please let me help you, I have money and amazing
lawyers that can help us, I own a computer company, I
know guys that can hack into the system and find out why
you are wanted by the FBI,” James begged her to let him
help her he didn’t want to lose her.

“James no, this is my decision and even though I want to
know the truth I can’t do this to you and I have to do the
right thing for my sisters,” Cali said. He wrapped his arms
around her and they lay back in the reclining chair and
watched the fire together.

Chapter 20

Cali woke up early feeling overwhelmed with fear of the
unknown. She rolled over expecting to see James asleep
beside her but she was all alone in his bed. She got out of
bed and went down stairs, she could hear that the TV was
on and she heard whispering. Cali walked down the hall to
where she could see James and Carl arguing. Cali gasped
with fear when she saw a picture of Veronica on the TV
screen with the words
WantedCriminal
highlighted. They
weren’t giving any information other than she was wanted
by the FBI and that she was extremely dangerous. Cali hid
in the hallway so they didn’t know she was there. She
wanted to know what they were talking about.

“That’s Cali,” Carl said raising his voice. He was standing
over James who was sitting on the couch.

“That girl doesn’t even look like Cali and her name is
Veronica. You’re crazy to think my girlfriend is a
criminal.”

“James, cut the shit either you don’t know what she did or
you’re helping her,” Carl snapped.
The news lady started talking again and they both turned
their attention back to the TV.

“Police tracked Veronica’s licence plate to a car that was
found at the home of Joe Montgomery. This is what Joe had
to say.” Cali watched the young man talk about her and
she knew she was in trouble.

“Ya, I met the girl in a small town called Pity a few weeks
ago. She looked different; her hair was shorter and a bit
darker. She said her name was Casey, or something like
that. I thought it was weird that she wanted to trade me
cars but I really liked the Porsche, so I agreed. She wasn’t
acting strange, but she did have really sad eyes. I drove
off and I never seen her again,” Joe said.

“Well there you have it; Veronica Burns is still on the run.
The FBI is not giving much information other than that she
is wanted for murder,” said the news lady. “We also know
that Veronica was last seen leaving a dinner in Pity with a
young man. We now believe she is not traveling alone. The
police don’t know who the man is but if you have any
information about this girl or her where abouts please call
the number at the bottom of the screen.”

Carl looked back at James, shook his head and walked into
the kitchen. He grabbed the cordless phone and walked
back into the living room, stopping in front of James.

“Either you tell me the truth or I am turning your girlfriend
in,” Carl said with the phone in his hand.
“Ok Carl yes I am helping her, it’s not as bad as it looks on
TV,” James said, staring Carl in the eyes.

“She is wanted for murder, how is that not bad?” Carl
asked. “Let me guess she told you she was innocent and
you believed her.”

“No actually she told me the truth. I know what she did and
yes she killed a man, but it was self-defence. Cali has been
through more than anyone should ever have to go
through and I want to help her, but she won’t let me. She
wants to turn herself in. So please Carl don’t make that
phone call. Let me have one more day with her,” James
pleaded with his brother.

“Oh James you always fall for the damaged girls that you
can’t save,” Carl said in a sad voice. “I hope you know
what you’re doing.” Carl put the phone down on the coffee
table.

“I love her,” James sighed.

“I know, that’s why I am so mad right now because I don’t
think this is going to end well,” Carl said walking away. “If
she changes her mind and she lets you help her, use the
family’s privative lawyer and not work lawyers.”

“Thanks Carl,” James smiled like that meant a lot to him.
“Please don’t tell Marie.”

“Are you crazy? Of course I won’t tell her,” Carl hissed
and shook his head.
Cali was shaking the whole time she was watching the TV
and listening to them argue. When Marie came up behind
her Cali jumped.

“Oh Cali I didn’t mean to scare you,” Marie said laughing.

 

“Sorry I haven’t had my coffee yet this morning,” Cali said.
It was the first thing that came to mind.

“Well neither have I so let’s go get us a cup,” Marie said as
she grabbed Cali’s arm and they walk past the boys in the
living room to the kitchen. Cali watched as James quickly
shut off the TV so Marie wouldn’t see the news. The guys
joined them in the kitchen.

“What were you boys watching?” Marie asked as she made
herself coffee.

“Oh just the news, some killer is on the loose,” Carl
snapped looking right at Cali; she kept her head down and
tried really hard not to cry.

“Oh that’s scary,” Marie said shaking her head. “I don’t
know how anyone could kill another person,” Marie
looked up at James. “Oh James I am so sorry I didn’t mean
it like that, I guess every situation is different.”

“People kill for all different reasons,” Cali spoke up and
looked right at Carl. “I am not saying that killing is right
but sometime people aren’t always bad,” Cali had tears in
her eyes and she looked away.
“Well before this turns in to a debate, Carl we should get
going,” Marie said finishing her coffee.

Carl went and put their bags in the car and James and Cali
walked them to the door and gave them hugs good bye.

 

“Good bye Cali, it was so nice to meet you,” Marie said
hugging her.

 

“Thank you Marie for being so nice to me,” Cali smiled and
tried to hold back her tears.

Carl leaned in to give Cali a hug and it caught her off
guard when he whispered in her ear; “Let James help you,
he can’t handle loosing you, he has lost too many people,
his heart is fragile. If you two get into more trouble than
you two can handle you better call me.” All Cali could do
was nod her head in agreement.

Carl hugged James good bye.

 

“I love you little brother, take care of yourself,” Carl said
as he squeezed James’ shoulder.

 

“I love you too. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine”.

Cali and James waved good bye from the doorway. As
soon as the car was out of sight they turned to each other
and broke down in tears.

Cali was on her way upstairs to get dressed when she
heard her cell phone ring. She knew something had to be
very wrong; her sisters hadn’t called her since she left.
Cali took a deep breath and answered the phone.

“Hello,” she whispered.

 

“Veronica, Oh it’s so good to hear your voice. How are
you?” Natasha asked.

 

Something wasn’t right.

“I’m doing ok. I made friends and I’m hiding out right now. I
miss you all so much. How are all of you, what’s going
on?” Cali asked. She wanted to skip the small talk.

“The police know everything Veronica. They found the
torture room and we all confessed. They have brought the
FBI here,” Natasha cried on the phone.

“Why is the FBI after me?” Cali asked.

“I don’t know a lot of information other than Harold Burns
was a murderer. But they are going to try and use us as a
way to find you. Mr. Boorish is now our lawyer and he
thinks he can get us off.”

“I’ll turn myself in, I don’t want you all to pay for my sins,”
Cali said as tears fell down her face.

“Veronica, why did you run?” Natasha asked. “You could
have turned yourself in from the very beginning, but you
didn’t. There has to be a reason. Something happened to
you that changed you and made you want to fight, what
happened?”
“Dad was going to kill me, he told me that I wasn’t his
daughter and he told me he had killed before. A part of me
wants to find out who I am, so I found this will inside me to
fight. I didn’t mean to kill him I swear I just didn’t want to
die,” Cali said crying on the phone to her sister.

“Don’t turn yourself in until you find what you need to
know. I can take care of us here. I have everything under
control. I love you,” Natasha whispered even though Cali
knew Natasha was just trying to protect her.

“Ok, but call me if you need me and I’ll come home,” Cali
said as tears fell down her face. “I love you.”

Cali hung up the phone and James walked into the room.
She wasn’t even fully dressed yet; she was standing there
in her bra.

“Sorry the door was open and you had been up here a
while, I didn’t mean to catch you dressing,” James said as
he turn around. “Are you alright?”

“It’s ok you can turn around. I have nothing left to hide
from you, this is me all broken and weak,” Cali cried.

James turned around and looked at her. He didn’t see her
the way she saw herself. To him she was perfect. He saw
past the scars and he just saw her. They both stood there
looking at each other.
“That was my sister on the phone,” Cali said as she threw
her phone on the bed. “Do you still want to help me figure
out who I am and why the FBI is after me?”