His features softened. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, you’re a girl and I’m a guy. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you,” he added hastily.
Cain almost smiled at this because she could have knocked Kyle out with one lazy kick.
“Thanks, Kyle. I really appreciate that. So, I saw on the local news the FBI was on the case. Damn, that’s not something you see every day. Were they here, too?”
Kyle came forward, his features now full of excitement. “Yeah, they were. It was like being in the middle of a cop TV show. They were asking about some girl. And about the people who used to live here before us. I forget their names. Anyway, I remembered this place. And I was the one who showed them,” he added proudly. “My dad talked to the cops and it seems like they were keeping a girl out here. I guess they were weird-ass people. I mean, she was like a prisoner or something.” He frowned. “Totally sick stuff.”
“Totally. Somebody I know said she saw a picture of the girl on the news.”
“That’s right. It was on a tape. You see that camera there?”
“Yeah.”
Kyle frowned as he looked at the camera pointing the other way now. “Hey, somebody moved it. Maybe it was the cops. Anyway, the asshole who used to live here had a cable that ran all the way back to our house. I found it. And there was one of those old VCR things under the floor. And there was a tape in it. We played it and that picture was on it.” He shone his light on the door. “That girl they made live in there busted out.”
“Wow, no way,” said Cain.
“Oh, yeah. And that’s not all. The dude who owned the house? He got killed. My dad said the girl might’ve done it and that the jerk deserved it.”
Cain felt something like a molten lava rock in her stomach. “Did they say how he died?”
“Not that I remember.”
“And was there anyone else involved?”
“The dude’s wife. She disappeared. They don’t know what happened to her. Or the girl.”
“But I guess the cops are looking for her, the girl, I mean.”’
“Yeah, I guess so. I mean, if she killed that guy, she should get a medal, least I think so. But I guess if she killed him she broke the law, too. Probably why they want to find her.” He looked up at her appraisingly. “Man, you are tall. Like that FBI lady.”
“FBI lady?”
“The one who was here asking about everything. But you’re taller.”
“Yeah, I’m taller than most girls, unless they play basketball. Again, I’m sorry I trespassed, Kyle. I don’t want to get into trouble.”
Kyle waved this off. “No problem. I won’t tell anybody. Hey, you want me to show you around in there?”
“No. It looks way too creepy.”
Kyle nodded. “I know. When me and my brother found it, we thought it was creepy, too, but it was a cool place just to hang out. That’s why we didn’t tell our parents. But when we found out some little kid was being held in there? They must’ve been really, I don’t know, screwed in the head. That’s what Dad said, anyway.”
“I think your dad’s probably right about that.”
“When we were watching the video and the girl busted out of that door?” Kyle grinned. “I don’t know. I mean, it was scary, but now that I know why she did it? It was so dope. I was like rooting for her to get away.”
“Yeah, you’d think most people would think that. But then again, the law can be funny.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“What are you doing out here so late?” she asked.
He pulled a camera out of his jacket pocket. “I’m putting together a little video about all this for my Instagram account. I’m going to call it Flight to Freedom, or something like that.”
“Right. Okay, that sounds cool. Well, thanks, Kyle, it was nice meeting you.”
“Same to you, Donna.”
Cain turned and walked quickly off. She made her way back to her car and sat there for a couple minutes as she steadily processed all she had just learned.
The FBI was looking for her. They probably thought she had killed Joe, and possibly Atkins. Maybe it would be justified and maybe it wouldn’t be. To Cain’s mind, she had done nothing wrong. But she had had enough experience with the law to know that they saw things in a different way. And that way of thinking could land her right behind bars. She’d already been in a prison once, for committing no crime at all. She didn’t intend to ever go back again.
She drove toward town and took a room at a motel.
She stripped down to her underwear and lay on the bed. She closed her eyes and immediately all she saw was the interior of that cell in the woods. Every detail was seared into her mind. She had been gone for nearly two decades now, but after being back there, it was like she had never left.
She remembered asking Desiree why they were treating her this way.
You’re a wicked girl and you must be punished, Desiree had said.
But what wicked things have I done? Cain had asked right back.
I’m not going to waste my breath going into them. You don’t deserve that, you little evil creature. You just keep in mind that you are being punished and you deserve every bit of it. And for good measure she had added a slap to Cain’s face.
Once, when the lady Wanda had come by, Cain had asked her the same question.
Wanda had patted her hand and said, There are wicked people in the world, Becky.
So am I wicked, then? Cain had wanted to know. Like Desiree says?
I’m not talking about you, dear. I’m talking about others.
Cain had remembered asking Wanda for help, to get away, but the woman had just burst into tears and said she couldn’t. Something about her son, not wanting to get Joe in trouble. So she had just let Cain rot there.
She didn’t blame Wanda, not really. She could understand why she did what she did. It was all about survival. What more to life was there, really?
She reached over to the nightstand and snagged her old doll. She pressed the mildewed toy against her chest. “You were my only real friend, Sally. And maybe you still are.”
CHAPTER
23