Coming Home (Norris Lake Series) (23 page)

Chapter 21

"The Romulans have to be stopped, Number One.  Mr. Data, engage." Picard’s voice echoed against the wood hewn walls.  The television provided a comforting background sound to keep her company in the huge empty house. 

"Brrrrrinnnnng.  Brrrrrinnnnng,"  the phone hummed insistently waking her from a shallow sleep.  She rubbed her eyes as she reached for the phone on the end table next to her.  Pulling the comforter around her shoulders, she snuggled deeper into the Lazy boy. 

"Hello?" she said stifling a yawn.  "Mom, hi how are you doing," she paused grateful to hear a caring voice.  "Yes, everything is fine.  I am okay." She paused and listened to her mother update her on her sister’s latest activities.  Her sister, Lynn Marie, and her husband, John, owned a thriving furniture business in a little town in West Tennessee.  They were doing well and Caitlyn liked to hear about their latest exploits as new parents.  They had a precocious two year old named Shelby, but could have just as easily been named "Speedy".  Looking away for a split second was enough time for that toddler to be into all kinds of trouble. 

Once Caitlyn had babysitting duty and had left Shelby to get a diet coke out of the refrigerator, only to find Shelby, who supposedly couldn’t walk yet, standing on two legs opening the door of her china cabinet.  Caitlyn had babysat for her sister and brother-in-law on two occasions after that and breathed a sigh of relief when her sister appeared to collect Shelby.  She adored the child but was worn out and held a whole new respect for anyone that had the energy to be a parent. 

“Dom is looking for you, honey,” her mother explained.

"He is?  Well don’t give him my number mom.  You know how he can be." she warned her mother. 

"Yes, I’ll keep my eyes open for her.  Tell her to call me if she gets lost looking for the house.  And mom, I love you too,” she said as she hung up the phone.  "Well, Pattydog, Lynn Marie’s coming to visit us on her way to the furniture market in North Carolina.  Isn’t that good news?" she said talking to the dog as if she could understand every word.  Pattycake watched her hang up the phone cocking her head from one side to the other, brown eyes intense, as Caitlyn rambled on "She also said that Dominic was looking for us and is pretty angry that we left.  That’s a surprise isn’t it." she continued as tears welled up threatening to erupt in a river of unchecked emotion.  "He’s so horrible.  I hate him!"  her hand on the phone she was tempted to call Dominic’s number just to hear his voice.  "No I won’t call him....I won’t.  Don’t do it Caitlyn.  You’ll regret it."  she admonished herself.  Anyway, she knew that Dominic had caller id and would know it was her if she called his number. 

She wouldn’t be sucked into that old trick again.  Caitlyn knew that Dominic was smarter than anyone thought.  When it suited his needs, he could be the good ole boy  

"Come on let’s go outside for a walk," she whispered intent to get away from the phone and temptation to call the man she thought had loved her.  Pulling on a faded jean jacket, she and Patty walked out the door, down the steps and down towards the lake.  As she walked towards the water she realized that there was no sound, no sound at all.  No crickets.  No birds.  No frogs. Just silence as the world slept.  A bright glow from a nearby cabin spread a faint light over the water.  The waxing moon shone brightly through the clouds painting a white stripe on the black ripples pushed along by the wind.  A cool breeze touched her cheeks stilling the tears and reminding her that her world was just beginning. 

"Hey little lady," a masculine voice called from the porch of the cabin.  "Chilly out here isn’t it?" 

She started in surprise.  "Yes, it is." backing away from the cabin towards the safety of the lake house. 

"Don’t be scared.  I am only an old man and no threat to anyone anymore," the voice said.  Holding one hand over her brow, she peered through the darkness towards the cabin blinded briefly by the motion sensor lights. 

"My name is George, but my friends call me Jo-Jo.  I saw you staying in Bob Hill’s lake house, your godfather.  He called me and told me to keep an eye on you.  Bob and I spent many a weekend up here on this lake just passing the time.  Hell, I taught Bob how to fish.  That city slicker didn’t know a thing before he met me.  Tried fishing with some four-pound yellow floating frog first time I saw him. It was funny as could be.  You should have seen it," he chuckled.  "Come on. Get up here and let me look at you."  She paused a moment and then walked toward the cabin.  Behind the light she saw the figure of a stooped old man.  He had a white beard and piercing blue eyes filled with the wisdom only age can bring.  "Want some coffee?" the old man asked. 

"Please, it is kind of chilly." 

He appeared in a moment carrying a steaming cup. 

"Thank you,” she said as she sat next to him on a matching white plastic lawn chair. 

"And who is this?" he asked as the little dog put her forelegs on the old man’s knees. 

"That is Pattycake.  She is my best friend." 

"I can understand that.  I used to have an old cat.  That danged mangy old animal used to come and meow at me all the time nagging me to keep her bowl filled.  Boy, am I glad she’s gone.  Died one Christmas morning she did."  He paused shaking his head.  "Hated that old cat I did.  Sure do miss her though."

Patty jumped into his lap, turned around twice and lay down.  

"My name is Caitlyn and I am glad to know one of my neighbors,” she said. 

"I hear that you left your husband at least that is what Bob says," the old man continued.

"That’s true,” she agreed quietly twisting Patty’s leash in her hands. 

"Nothing to be ashamed of child.  I knowed your momma too at one time.  She brung you up good, I am sure of it.  I am also sure that the Lord didn’t mean you to live with a man who treats you less than what any human being deserves." 

"Thank you, George." 

"You come by again.  Don’t you be bothering me too early.  I sleep late you know, now that I ain’t working any more. But you come by all the same and make sure I know that you are doing okay,” he said running his rough hands across the little dogs head.  He set Pattycake on the ground. 

"You keep out of trouble and Caitlyn," he said as he watched her walk away, "stay away from the caves around the lake they can be really dangerous these days, with all the blasting going on". 

“Goodnight," she called over her shoulder as she made her way back towards to the lake house. 

Tap.  Tap.  Tap.  Large, heavy rain drops pummeled the glass panes of the French doors as if knocking to come in.  A blaze of light crossed the sky creating a blue arch from the sky to the ground.  Seven seconds later a loud crack of thunder exploded and rumbled across the valley and echoed off the hills. 

"Rrrrr. Arfff.  Rrrrrr. Arf."  Patty growled backing away from the edge of the bed and up onto Caitlyn’s pillow.  She scurried between Caitlyn’s head and the heavy wooden headboard shivering in fear.  There was another flash of lightning.  One.  two.  three..four..five...six and again the thunder reverberated against the low hanging blanket of clouds.  Caitlyn rolled her head over towards Patty and blearily opened her eyes trying to focus in the darkness. 

"Patty?  What is it?" she sighed with full intensions to return to the sweet escape of sleep.  Patty stood up and licked Caitlyn’s forehead, her little rough tongue making a cold wet spot on Caitlyn’s skin. 

"Oh. Okay.  I am awake," Caitlyn said, a note of irritation growing in her voice. 

“Rrrrrr.  Rrrrrrr.  Bark.  Bark. Bark,”  Patty barked furiously at the closet door which stood slightly ajar. 

"What are you barking at you silly dog?" Caitlyn scoffed as she threw the covers off and swung her sock-covered feet over the edge of the bed.  Her feet didn’t reach the bare wood floor.  Sitting up she rubbed her eyes and was tempted to lay right down and go right back to sleep.  A weariness pulled her eyelids down and she took a couple of deep breaths weighing the need to go to the bathroom and the desire to sleep. 

“Bark.  Bark. Bark,”  Patty insisted her front legs stiff with agitation. 

"Ok. Ok.  I will get up and go shut the door.  When Caitlyn was little she had always felt some inner need to close the closet door.  Her imagination had always conjured up horrible monsters waiting just inside.  Monsters waiting for the sun to go down so they could leap from the closet and devour her.  Those and the ghosts that lived at the bottom of the stairs had never left her and probably never would. 

“I will go to the bathroom and then we’ll both go back to sleep,” she said scratching behind Patty’s ears.  Dropping on to the floor, she stumbled the few short steps toward the closet reaching for the doorknob. 

"Bark.  Rrrrrr...Bark."  Patty’s staccato barks shouted out a warning.  The door suddenly swung outward with enough force to knock Caitlyn away.  She tripped over her feet fighting to maintain her balance and shuffled backward, falling heavily on her butt.  She gathered her wits surprised by the sudden movement and looked back towards the opening of the closet.

"What are you doing here?" she said in alarm.   She started backing up towards the edge of the bed involuntarily. 

"Bark. Bark.  Bark"  Patty cried. 

"Shhhhh!!!!   Patty.  Come here."  Caitlyn grabbed the little dog and shoved her under the bed.  "Stay, Patty. Stay". 

He took a step towards her menacingly holding one hand above her head.  "You stupid, tight-assed bitch!  You caused all of this.  This is all your fault!  You shouldn’t have run.  You knew what would happen if you left.  It is your fault that all of this is happening.  You shouldn’t have made me mad, you stupid whore.  It’s your fault that I have to do this.  You should have known your place.  Now I will have to make you pay!" 

A dark figure loomed above her.  She couldn’t see his face.  Who was it?

Her fear overwhelmed her and she cowered next to the bed trying to crawl beneath it with Patty.  "Nooooo!  I didn’t do anything!  Just let me go.   Just let me go."  Caitlyn pleaded.  "Please, it’s not my fault.  Just leave me alone." 

He strode towards her angrily and stooped to grab the front of her pajamas.  The one piece gray outfit tore slightly on one shoulder as he picked her up to her feet.  "Let me go!  Don’t hurt me please".  

"You stupid cunt.  If you hadn’t opened your big mouth and had learned to keep it shut this never would have happened,” he yelled, his voice loud and angry.  "If you hadn’t been such a stupid whore this never would have happened.  There is no way you can get away from me." 

She backed up against the wall, her body stiff as if holding herself waiting for something to happen.  “I’ll show you ..."he screamed shaking his finger in her face.  She cringed away from him. 

"Stop it,” he said. "Don’t back away from me.  

She held one arm over her head waiting for the blow and backed herself away against the wall looking at the ground. 

"Answer me!  Why do you do this, you bitch?"  She shook her head imperceptibly and edged her way towards the bedroom door.  Another flash filled the night followed by a low-pitched thunderclap.  The figure turned to look through the French doors his attention drawn by the lightning. His face was still unintelligible.

Caitlyn took the chance and sprinted towards the door.  Racing around the doorjamb she rushed down the stairs intent on the front door. 

"Caitlyn!" a cry came from upstairs as she heard the thumping of him stomping down the steps after her.  "Come back here."  Caitlyn ran out into the night and across the gravel driveway towards the woods beyond.  Her hair was plastered against her head almost instantly as the rain poured from the heavens. Her feet began to numb in the cold wet night.  The figure ran down the front steps of the lake house after her.  Caitlyn scrambled down the hill towards the black silent water beyond. 

She ran blindly through the woods, the brush grabbing at her pajama bottoms.  Her socks soaking wet.  Her feet and fingers numb with cold.  Hot tears coursed down her cheeks, though she couldn’t feel them fall.  Her heart pounded against her chest threatening to burst through her chest in a pulpy mass of red tissue and blood.  Her feet sightlessly pounded one in front of another sliding and slipping on the blanket of leaves and pine needles. 

Her breath came in small clouds of white.  “Crash. Crash. Crash.” She could hear the sound of footsteps crushing through the wet leaves behind her.  The cold rain poured through the tree branches running down her hair dripping down the neck of her pajamas.  She wanted to turn around and see how close he was getting, but knew couldn’t face him even if she did.  There was a steep hill in front of her.