Nine Minutes (9 page)

Chapter Fifteen

But they
didn’t notice. They weren’t looking for a kidnapping victim. They were looking
for drugs or some other type of connection to
Grizz’s
illicit dealings. I wasn’t even on their radar.

     
The next morning
Blue told me he would take me back to the motel before he went to work. It was
clear. The police were gone.

     
Jan made a
counter offer. “You know, Kit, you’re welcome to spend the day with us. I mean,
Blue has to work, but the boys and I are home by
ourselves
.
We could hang out and lay by the pool while Timmy and Kevin play. Just have
some girlfriend time, if you want.”

     
I looked over at
Blue to get his approval. Before he could say a word, Timmy started jumping up
and down and yelling, “Kit! Kit can stay with us. Kit can swim in the pool and
be here and be friends with mommy!”

     
 
Timmy looked like a miniature version of
Blue. I glanced at the youngest, Kevin. I imagined this was how Grunt looked at
his age. I could definitely see a family resemblance.

     
I smiled down at
them. Grunt never told me he had two adorable nephews. As an only child myself,
I was anxious to accept Jan’s offer. But it would be up to Blue.

     
Blue seemed
hesitant at first, but then said, “Sure. I can bring you back tonight or send
someone to get you. Just don’t leave the house, okay? We’ve had enough drama.”

     
He kissed Jan on
the lips, then bent down and kissed each child on the head. He then ruffled
their hair and went out the door. I didn’t hear the motorcycle start, and I
walked over to the front window.

     
“Surprised, aren’t
you?” Jan asked. She must have been reading my mind. “It’s not all about the
gang, you know. A lot of them have families, like Blue. It’s not always about
the motorcycles, either.”

     
She nodded at
something out the window, and I noticed
Blue
driving
away in a small gold pickup truck. I hadn’t noticed it when we pulled in
yesterday.

     
She smiled at me
then and said, “Want to help me get these monsters fed? I have a couple of
things to do around the house, and then we can spend the rest of the day out
back by the pool.”

     
I was only too
eager to help, and before I knew it, we had fed the boys and cleaned up the
kitchen. She told me to watch TV or relax while she did some chores. She took
the children in the family room and went to a closet.

     
“Okay, boys,
special toy time,” she said as she pulled what looked like a large laundry bag
out of the closet. She proceeded to dump a huge pile of blocks on the floor. Timmy
and Kevin were excited. They obviously loved playing with these blocks, and
they jumped up and down and clapped. Jan smiled at me. “It’s amazing how just
keeping back a little something from them makes it more special. They will spend
hours stacking these blocks, knocking them down and then starting all over
again.”

     
I decided I
really liked Jan. I asked her if I could help do anything. I’d seen enough TV.
I wanted to start some girlfriend time. We spent the morning chatting. We
alternated between small chores and spending time with the kids. I would fold
laundry while she ironed a couple of Blue’s shirts. I swept the kitchen floor
while she emptied the dishwasher. I watered her houseplants while she stripped
down the boys’ beds. It was an amicable and comfortable morning. She shared
some things with me I should have known but never really gave much thought to.

     
For instance, I
hadn’t paid much attention to the comings and goings of the gang. I was under
the assumption almost all of them lived at the motel and their job was whatever
gang activities they participated in. I was wrong. The only full-time residents
of the motel were
Grizz
, Grunt, Moe and Chowder.

     
I interrupted
her. “What about Willow? The first night I was there she said something to
Grizz
about waiting for him in their room.” Jan explained
that Willow didn’t live at the motel full-time, but had use of the empty rooms
whenever she wanted. They all did.

     
Chowder was a
quiet, unassuming part of the gang. I’d not given him much thought. I’m not
sure I ever even heard him speak. No, I wasn’t worried about his tongue. I’m
pretty sure he was just a quiet guy. He was a master carpenter by trade, and he
was the one responsible for remodeling
Grizz’s
units.
He was the motel handyman and maintenance person. He took care of the yard and
anything else that needed fixing—clogged toilets, broken windows, fuse
boxes. He even made sure the light bulbs were replaced when they blew out. Of
course, it was a rundown old motel, and there was only so much fixing he could
do. It wasn’t necessary for him to concern himself with things like the
playground equipment, the old gas pumps or the empty, cement pool.

     
Jan couldn’t tell
me a whole lot about Moe. I tried to fish around for information on why she lost
her tongue. I wasn’t going to outright ask so I tried dropping subtle hints about
my curiosity. Either she didn’t take the bait, didn’t know or decided she
wouldn’t be the one to tell me. She breezed over Moe and went right to her
favorite of the group: her brother-in-law, Grunt.

     
Jan was really
fond of Grunt. She told me how he had always been welcome to live with her and
Blue, but had decided not to. He’d been so young when Blue had brought him to
the motel. Blue used to live there then. Grunt was only there a year when Blue
met Jan and moved out.

     
“Wasn’t he
worried about leaving his little brother with
Grizz
?”

     
“No, never,” Jan
said, her pretty brown eyes thoughtful. “
Grizz
was
always good and fair to Grunt. I don’t think
Grizz
has any family, and just like that kitten of yours he rescued, he watched over
Grunt when Blue wasn’t around. Yeah, I heard what happened with the kitten,”
she said as I gave her a curious look.

     
She continued, “Grunt
has always been an old soul. I think he’d been disillusioned with domestic life
from his home experience and then foster care. I really believe he likes being
on his own. But he’s always welcome here. I’ve loved him dearly from the
beginning.”

     
From the little I
knew about Grunt, I had to agree with her.
An old soul?
Delia once told me I was an old soul. I’d never heard anyone else ever called
that before.

     
The chores were
finally done and the little ones went down easily for their nap. Jan told me
they were only thirteen months apart. They sure were cuties. She took me in the
master bedroom and opened a dresser drawer and started pulling out bathing
suits. “Let’s find you something to wear,” she said. “Pick out anything you
like and try it on. I’ve got my favorite drying over the shower rod. I’ll be
out in a few.”

     
She went into the
bathroom and shut the door. I looked through the pile of suits and settled on a
yellow bikini that tied at the hips. It was adjustable so it should fit. Jan
was tall and slender. I was short and slender, but maybe just a little curvier.
I put the bathing suit on. I was tying the straps at my left hip when she came
out.

     
Jan stopped and
looked at me. “How old are you again?”

     
“Fifteen, why?” I
was starting to feel a little self-conscious.

     
“You don’t look
fifteen.”

     
I turned and looked
at myself in the mirror over their dresser. I could see what she meant. The
bikini bottom fit me perfectly. The top; however, was a little too small. I
guess I had a bigger chest than she did and my breasts looked like they were
struggling to break free of the yellow fabric.

     
“You look better
in that than I do. You can keep it.”

     
I thanked her as
we got some towels and headed for the backyard. We laid in the sun the rest of
the afternoon. Jan left the boy’s bedroom window cracked, and when we heard
Timmy and Kevin waking from their nap we went in and made them some lunch. Then
we changed them into their swimming trunks and brought them out back. They were
too small to go in the built-in pool by themselves, so they played in a little
blow-up pool in the grass next to the concrete. When Jan and I wanted to cool
off, we each took one in the pool with us.

     
I really enjoyed
myself and was sorry when Blue got home. I guess Jan hadn’t realized the time, because
she kept apologizing, saying she was sorry she didn’t think to fix me some
dinner before I had to go back to the motel. I told her it was no problem. I
had plenty to eat back there. She told Blue she would have dinner ready after
he got back from returning me to the motel.

     
I went into the
guest room to change. I was packing my bag when Jan knocked lightly and walked
in. I smiled at her and told her I thought I’d gotten everything, but if I
forgot something, maybe we could spend another day together and I could get it
then. I was smiling at her and waiting for her to say something.

     
But Jan just
stood there in her bathing suit, the towel wrapped tightly around her.

     
“Blue told me he
sees Grunt watching you.” An icy look matched the tone in her voice. “You
better not be leading him on. If you do anything, I mean anything, to make
Grizz
think there is anything between you and Grunt, and he
hurts Grunt in any way, I will personally see to it that you suffer.”

     
I was so shocked
by her change in personality, I couldn’t even respond.

     
She continued, “I
know what you think. I’ve seen your kind. You think because you’re with that
hulking ape you can get away with anything. Well, just know things don’t last.
It won’t be long before Blue is running that show and your ass will be grass
then. And if you’re even thinking about telling
Grizz
we had this conversation? Well, let’s just say, Kit”—she practically spat
my name—“that accidents happen all the time. You understand? You know now
who you’re dealing with?”

     
Yeah, I knew
who
I was dealing with. Psycho woman of the century, that’s
who.

     
I’d had enough drama
for one month. I picked my bag up and slung it over one shoulder. Then I looked
her right in the eyes and with a tone that said she was nothing more than an
ant to be stepped on, I said, “Fuck you, Jan.”

     
I walked past her,
and as I headed down the hallway toward the front door I couldn’t resist one
last parting shot.

     
“You know, Jan,”
I said in as sweet a voice as I could muster. “If Blue’s late for supper, I’m
sure it’s because he’s getting one of those fantastic blow jobs
Chicky
is famous for.”

     
And with that, I
picked my helmet up off the bench by the front door and walked out.

Chapter Sixteen

Blue was
revving his bike in the driveway. I put my helmet on and jumped on the back. We
sped off. I didn’t look back.

     
It took us almost
thirty minutes to get back to the motel, and I battled my inner demons the
whole way. Who was that girl who’d spouted profanities at Jan? Did Jan deserve
them? Absolutely. Was I the type to deliver them? No way. I didn’t even
think
curse words. That was not who I
was.

     
As far as the
Chicky
comment was concerned, I had no idea of her
specialties in or out of the bedroom. I made that up. If being with
Grizz
for one month had this kind of effect on me, what was
being with him forever—as he had indicated more than once—going to
do to me?

     
It didn’t matter.
I’d had a lapse in judgment brought on by the shock of her sudden change in
personality. I certainly was no mental health expert, but it was obvious that
she had problems. Poor Timmy and Kevin. Poor Blue. The irony that I was feeling
sorry for a man who’d killed his sister and her husband without a second
thought wasn’t lost on me.

     
But then again,
maybe Jan didn’t suffer from any mental illness. Maybe she was just a witch.
Well, she picked the wrong girl to victimize with her maliciousness and
threats. I was no victim. Never had been. Never would be.

     
I’m certain
someone would look at my situation and disagree. I had two major indiscretions
in my past. One was letting Johnny Tillman in the front door. The other was
climbing on the back of Monster’s bike. But each time, I’d known the risk and
made a conscious choice. Both times, my brain had calculated the odds of
something bad happening as a result of my choice. I’m not saying they were the
right choices or smart ones. But I’m saying I knew the risks I was taking at
the time. The odds ended up not being in my favor. I accept that.

     
I was also not
the naïve virgin someone might think. I was sexually inexperienced by choice,
yes. But I was definitely educated about the most intimate details of a sexual
relationship. Remember, I’d lived with Delia. I had been at Woodstock. I’d seen
things there that would make even
Grizz
blush.

     
Delia had encouraged
me long before
Grizz
came along to explore my
sexuality. She thought I should have a lover. She insisted I go on the pill.
Yes, the birth control pill really did help with cramps, but that wasn’t Delia’s
motive. I think what she really wanted was for me to be out of the house. The
sooner I had a guy in my life, the sooner I wouldn’t be her problem. Well, I
guess she got that wish.

     
Something else
occurred to me as Blue and I barreled along Flamingo Road back toward the motel.
I wondered if
Grizz
swooped in and took me when he
did not because of Matthew, but because of Delia? Did he realize how flighty
she was and that my virginity may have been in peril?

     
Well, I knew it
wasn’t in peril. You might be surprised to know I’d planned on waiting until I
was married. I wanted a life completely opposite of the one I had with Delia.

     
I was also a
Christian. No thanks to Delia there, either. I first started going to church
with a neighborhood friend, Cathy, when I was in the second grade. Delia loved
it because that gave her and Vince Sunday mornings to stay in bed, get high,
make love and do whatever else they wanted. Don’t get me wrong, they did that
when I was there, too, but maybe she just liked the freedom of Sunday mornings.
My absence caused her to forget for a few hours that I was her responsibility.

     
After a few
years, Cathy moved away. I started riding my bike to the closest church in the
neighborhood, Sacred Heart. It was a large, impressive Catholic church near my
elementary school. I attended Mass every Sunday by myself until the day Monster
took me.

     
No, I wasn’t the
type of girl who’d lash out at someone’s crazy wife. Yet I had.

     
I snapped back
into the present as Blue rolled into the motel. I looked for
Grizz’s
bike. It was still gone.
It’s only Tuesday night. I guess he’ll be back tomorrow like he
originally said.
I think I was actually disappointed that he didn’t return
sooner.

     
Blue let me off
the bike first. He got off, too, and was walking me toward number four when he
stopped.

     
“Aw, shit.” He
was looking down at his pager.

     
I kept walking.
He followed me into number four and to the phone, dialing a number. I could
hear his side of the conversation as I went to the bedroom and started to
unpack my things.

     
“Calm down, Jan.
No, she didn’t say anything to me. What did you say to her? Shut the fuck up
and tell me what you said.” A pause. “Because I have no doubt that you opened
your fucking mouth first.”
Another longer pause.
“No,
Chicky
is
not
going to blow me.”

     
I moved so I was
standing in the bedroom doorway facing him. He glanced over at me as he talked;
I couldn’t tell if he was angry with his wife or with me. I didn’t care. I
walked past him and into the small living room and started picking up the
remnants of my dinner, which I had left on the coffee table less than twenty-four
hours ago.

     
After some more
yelling, Blue hung up. I felt him watching me.

     
“You
wanna
tell me?” is all he said.

     
“Yeah.” I set my
bowl on the kitchen counter. “I’ll tell you.”

     
And I did. I told
him everything that was said, word for word. I apologized for the
Chicky
comment, because I felt some guilt at involving her
without her knowledge.

     
Blue sighed and
ran his hand through his hair. “Well, I guess you know the real reason Grunt
doesn’t live with us.”

     
I didn’t respond.

     
“You
gonna
tell
Grizz
?”

     
“Why wouldn’t I?
Sounds to me like with all the precautions this group takes to remain
anonymous, your wife is the biggest threat to that.”

     
“Well, you wouldn’t
be telling him something he doesn’t already know.”

     
This surprised
me.

     
Just then, Moe
knocked and walked in. She was holding
Gwinny
, and
Damien and Lucifer were behind her. She motioned to me that she’d already fed
them. I thanked her and took
Gwinny
from her. She
left as quickly as she had come in, and the two dogs went with her.

     
Damien and
Lucifer loved Moe. She always brought them in her room and spoiled them with
treats. They would even sleep with her sometimes. She let them lay on the bed
with her, and they loved that.

     
After Moe left, I
turned back to Blue. I couldn’t tell where I stood with him. And as I looked at
him, I decided that, quite frankly, I didn’t care.

     
I excused myself
to go get a shower, and I heard him leave as I went into the bedroom. The
shower was long and hot, and I tried to luxuriate in it, doing my best to erase
the memories of the past few days: the loss of my virginity, Grunt’s attack on
the fence guy, Blue’s psychotic wife.

     
When the hot
water ran out, I reluctantly got out of the shower. I dried off and put my hair
up in a towel. I wrapped another towel around me as I went into the bedroom.

     
And I stopped
short.

     
Grizz
was there. He was sitting on the bed. He was leaned
up against the back of it, watching me, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. As a
matter of fact, I was certain he wasn’t wearing anything. The white bed sheet was
pulled up just enough, and barely covered his hips.

     
I took in his
physique. He was so big and muscular, and his chest and arms were covered in
different tattoos. He had a smattering of light blonde hair across his chest.
His skin was tanned. Light from the bedside lamp glinted off the gold hoop
earring in his left ear. He had the same expression from the first time I met
him: He didn’t smile. He didn’t frown. He just looked at me with those green
eyes.

     
“Kit, it’s time.
Come here.”

     
With a lump in my
throat, I replied in barely a whisper, “No.”