Halversham (18 page)

After what felt like an eternity later, old man Milton came back in and closed the door. Andy hid in the shadows as he climbed the stairs. The stranger slipped his sunglasses on and walked down the terrace, disappearing from view.

Andy went back to the store room and sat on the dusty floor, dazed. His heart was racing. Who was the man—and why was he selling Mr. Milton foreign girls? It seemed more people than Emily Doyne were wrapped up in whatever sinister scheme was going on in the basement.

***

Three hours later, Andy was done for the day. Although he had barely gone through half the room, the garbage bag was bursting. He washed his hands, picked up his bag, and dragged the bulging trash out. Andy wiped his dusty hands on his pants and took the stairs, dreading the call from his father. Lately, everything was throwing him for a loop.

When he reached the bottom of the hill, he called out to Brutus as usual. Getting down on one knee, he removed a can from his backpack. He had to get home before his father called to speak to his aunt. And he had to talk to Jared about what had just happened at Mr. Milton’s. Andy pulled the ring on the can distractedly and poured the contents into the bowl.

“Brutus, where are you? Come on.” He was impatient.

He looked up, but much to his surprise, Brutus had not emerged from behind the rock.

“Brutus?”

Andy slipped on his backpack again and went around the large rock. The dog was not there either.

Andy stayed for a couple more minutes, searching and calling, but when there was no sign of Brutus, he left the place feeling dejected.

***

Aunt Magda’s back door was wide open and the familiar smell of beef stew greeted Andy at the doorway. His stomach rumbled as he climbed up the steps, but one look at the dinner table and he froze.

Uncle Matt was grinning like a Cheshire cat while dipping a generous piece of bread into a bowl of stew. Bits of meat clung to his beard. Andy’s head felt hot.

“Hello, Andy. How are you?” Uncle Matt asked nonchalantly.

“What are you doing here?” Andy struggled to remain calm, clenching and unclenching his fists.

“It’s my house,” he said, smiling.

Andy took a deep breath as Aunt Magda appeared with another bowl but she didn’t see him standing at the doorway.

“Why don’t you have some more,” Aunt Magda said, refilling Uncle Matt’s bowl as he leaned back to give her space. She, too, was smiling. Andy couldn’t believe it. Was she really happy that he was back? Had she forgotten what happened just days ago?

“That’s enough. Why don’t you give Andy here a bowl as well? He’s been standing there staring like no one’s invited him to dinner.” Aunt Magda glanced up and bit her lip when she saw Andy, and the smile on her face disappeared. Uncle Matt went back to his stew and stuffed another piece of bread into his mouth.

Andy shook his head and swallowed hard. “No, thank you,” he said calmly. “I’m not hungry.”

Andy went to Corrine’s room, but as he suspected, she was not there. So he sat on her bed and stared at the door. It seemed Aunt Magda had forgiven and accepted the monster back into the fold. But why? Was she so blind in love?

The doorknob turned and clicked open as Aunt Magda’s guilt-stricken face appeared through the crack. She entered the room, closed the door behind her, and leaned against it.

“I know what you’re thinking, Andy. I know you want me to get away from him just like your father wants me to. I don’t blame you. Not after what you saw the other day. But I can’t just abandon him or deny him entry to this house. It’s his.”

“You can report his violence to the police, get a divorce, and come live with us with Corrine. You don’t have to put up with him.”

“And then what, Andy?”

“Well, you can do whatever you want. Start a bakery, whatever. Without getting brutalized day after day.”

She smiled and stared at the floor. “Once, years ago, your Uncle Matt beat me up real bad with a metal pipe. I was bleeding and couldn’t stand up. The neighbors found me and hid me in their farmhouse for a couple of days. They made plans for me to run away once I got strong enough. But your Uncle Matt found out. I don’t know how, but he did. He came for me, beat me up again, beat the neighbors up too, and dragged me back home. He threatened to kill me if I ever tried to run away again.”

Aunt Magda looked up at Andy and smiled ruefully again. “I’m not like your father, Andy. He’s educated and familiar with the ways of the world. I’m not. I don’t have the means. I suppose Halversham is where I belong, among the country folks and livestock. I can’t leave this place or your Uncle Matt. And I don’t want to anymore. Once your Uncle Matt and I were madly in love, but now things are different. With a little time, maybe he’ll change again.” She shrugged.

Andy closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Mag!” Uncle Matt boomed from the dining room and Aunt Magda hurried out. Andy sighed and left the room after some time. When he stepped into the hall, the two were in their bedroom, giggling behind closed doors.

Andy’s phone vibrated in his pocket—it was his father.

“Great. Now what will I tell him?” he muttered aloud and answered the call. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hello, son. How’s everything?”

“Things have gotten weird.”

“What do you mean?”

“Uncle Matt is back.”

“Stay close to your Aunt Magda and don’t give him the chance to attack her. Now let me talk to her. In private.”

“Erm… you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“They just went into their bedroom. I can hear them giggling in there.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’m not.”

“That son of a—”

“I think she’s terrified of him. I spoke to Aunt Magda a few minutes ago and she said that he once threatened to kill her if she tried to run away. So she’s not going to leave him or this town. She’s kind of hoping he’ll change.”

“Does she?”

“Yeah. And you know what? She made him his favorite beef stew and he was stuffing his face with it when I came back just now. She really thinks she can change him.” His father took a deep breath, but he didn’t say anything for a long time. “Dad?”

“I’m here. Look, I have a few crucial matters to address here and the contractors are threatening to walk if they’re not resolved in another week. Hold down the fort until then and I’ll fly back as soon as I can.”

A week? It sounded like an eternity. He had been in Halversham for less than two  weeks and already he had seen more than he had in sixteen years.

“I’ll have to talk to her myself,” Paul continued. “But if she decides to stay with him, then we’ll just have to take Corrine with us to the city. And they better agree to it. I don’t want her to be a part of that dysfunctional family any more than she does.”

Andy didn’t know what to say. Was his father finally taking charge and committing to being involved in their lives?

“Alright. I’ll keep an eye on things until you get back.”

“Thanks.” His father paused briefly. “I appreciate what you’re doing there.”

“Sure. Will you…” Andy hesitated.

“What?”

“It’s just, my birthday’s this week.”

“Yeah, I know. Listen, look after your aunt, okay?” Andy sighed and dropped his gaze to his feet. His father probably didn’t even remember the date he was born. “And make that list of where to go. You wouldn’t mind if we brought Corrine along, would you?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Great. Make the list, then.”

“Well, my mind’s kind of set on Crete at the moment,” he said, but his father had already ended the call.

Andy stared at his phone and sighed. Try as he might, he couldn’t fit his father into a specific quadrant anymore. It was easier back in the day, but lately, his father had been sending mixed signals.

Another peal of laughter came from the bedroom and he shook his head. He went to the kitchen and ran out the back door, letting it slam behind him. The sky was turning dark as Andy jogged up to Corrine’s secret place. He had to tell her about her father’s plan. Although Corrine had yet to answer the three questions he had asked her to think about, it didn’t matter. Andy was sure she’d reveal everything now that Paul had agreed to help.

Corrine was drinking water from a cracked soup ladle when Andy stepped in. “What are you doing here?” she asked when she saw him.

“Nothing. Just thought I’d come visit you.”

“Come in then.”

“What do you do here all day?” he asked, sitting on the floor.

“Cook, eat, read. I even stopped killing rabbits because of you.”

“So what do you eat now?”

“Potatoes, corn. Whatever’s cheap.”

“How can you afford them at all?”

“Sometimes I gather them in the forest. Or I take my mom’s money. She knows I do.”

Andy shook his head and watched as she shrugged. “Your father came back today.”

“Is that why you’re here? Because my mom and dad are back together and you’re feeling like a fool?”

“You knew this would happen?”

Corrine snickered. “Of course. It happens all the time. The woman is crazy. They’re probably pounding each other right now.” Andy closed his eyes and rested his head on the wall. “What did you expect, Andy? That she’d run to the police and free herself from him?”

“I just don’t understand why she’d do this.”

Corrine put the ladle away and sat facing him on the floor. “They’re not good people. I told you. So quit trying to help them.”

“Did you think about the things I asked you?”

Corrine dropped her head and stared at her nails. “Yeah. But what’s the point? Your dad will never take me in.”

Andy nodded. “I have something to tell you.”

Corrine’s head shot up. “What?”

“I’ve been talking to my dad about taking you to the city with us.”

“And?”

“Well, he agreed.”

Corrine’s eyes grew wide. “Are you kidding me?”

“Nope,” Andy said, drawing satisfaction from her expression. “He said he’ll talk to your parents and take you with us. He’s coming back in a week, I think. And guess what? Once all this is settled, you, me, and Dad will go on a nice long holiday. Possibly to Europe.”

Corrine’s jaw dropped and she looked like she was about to explode. “Andrew J. Monaghan, you better not be fucking with me,” she said, barely restraining her delight.

“I am not messing with you, Corrine. It’s true,” he said, shrugging.

Andy wasn’t prepared when she let out a long shriek of pure pleasure. She got up and danced around the hut, stomping her foot and laughing until she was out of breath. Andy watched her silly dance and laughed too. Finally, when she was tired of screaming and dancing, she plopped next to him, breathing hard.

“Oh Andy, I knew you’d rescue me from this hell-hole.”

“Not so fast, missy. My father will still want to know the details.”

“No problem. I’ll tell him whatever he wants to know. I’ll tell him everything.”

“And no more being cruel to others. Man or beast.”

“You got it. I promise,” she said solemnly.

“And you’ve got to start talking to people. No more skulking around like a crazy person.”

“Fine. Just not here.”

“Good. Now, what time will you be going home?”

“Around one in the morning.”

“Is that safe?”

“It’s fine. I’ve been doing it for years. Unless you want to walk me home, of course.” Corrine grinned.

“Sure.”

“Really? You’d walk me home in the wee hours of morning? The boy who cried like a baby when I killed a bunny for lunch is going to walk me home in the dark?”

Andy raised an eyebrow and stared at her irritably.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I take it back.” She smiled. “Boy, this is the best day of my life.”

“Yes, I know. Thanks to me. I want to go visit Jared for a bit. Why don’t you come along?”

“Wow, looks like you really have made a friend in town.”

“Do you want to come or not?”

“Nah. I don’t want to see him. He’s trouble. You go ahead.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. Go on.”

“Okay. I’ll be back soon. Wait for me here.”

She nodded and followed Andy to the door. “If you’re not back by one, I’ll leave anyway,” she said.

“I’ll be back,” Andy said.

***

Jared was just sitting down to dinner with his father when Andy knocked on their door at eight.

“Hello, Andy. Why don’t you join us?” Mr. Doyne asked. Andy hesitated, feeling awkward for stepping in at dinnertime. “What’s the matter, boy? You already had your dinner?”

“No.” In fact, he hadn’t eaten anything the whole day and he was starving.

“Come on and have a seat then,” Mr. Doyne said again. “We have plenty to eat.”

“Come on,” Jared said, grabbing a chair from the corner and placing it next to him at the table. He disappeared into the kitchen.