Mother Knows Best (Novella): A Psychological Thriller Novella (3 page)

Chapter 4

Cody made Ruby a cup of tea before leaving her in the kitchen.

Instead of heading upstairs to change his shirt, first he went back out the front door and into the garage to the side of the house.

As he entered, his dad jumped off the makeshift bed.

“What the fuck happened to your face? Don’t tell me—she got away.”

“Calm down, Dad. She’s in the kitchen having a cup of tea. I thought you might like to meet her—but leave the foul language out here, please.”

“Why didn’t you stick to the plan? And you still didn’t tell me what happened.”

“Some dick’ead decided to rearrange my face at the pub. But he did me a favour to be honest. Ruby didn’t mind us coming up here afterwards, so she’s none the wiser.”

“Good.”

“There is one problem, though,” Cody said.

“What?” he screwed his eyes up and rubbed his temples.

“She told her mum where she was and who she was with.”

“Fucking hell, lad. How’re we gonna deal with that?”

“Don’t worry, I have a plan. Trust me.”

“Come on then. Let’s get this over and done with.”

They found Ruby sitting at the kitchen table sipping her tea.

“Ruby, this is my dad, Steve, Dad meet Ruby.” Cody watched the older man’s eyes light up.

“I’ll leave you guys chatting while I grab a clean shirt,” Cody said.

Ruby nodded, smiling.

Thudding music sounded out from another part of the house and in response to Ruby’s confused expression his dad said, “My son, Kyle. Sorry, he has awful taste in music.”

“Oh, Kylie?” Ruby asked.

Cody froze half in, half out of the door.

“Yeah, Cody told me about it,” she said.

“Oh did he? Yes, Kylie,” his dad said.

With a sigh, Cody ran up to his bedroom to change, certain the drugs he’d slipped into her tea should start working soon.

Half-way down the stairs, he heard a clatter. Heart racing, he jumped the remaining steps and ran into the kitchen.

Dad sat on the floor piling several baking trays and cake tins that had been strewn across the floor.

“What the ...?” Cody said.

“That bloody brother of yours, that’s what. He’s getting worse. This is the second time today I’ve had the entire contents of a cupboard throw themselves at me.”

Cody turned to Ruby and smiled. “Kyle enjoys playing pranks on Dad. But Dad makes it so easy, wouldn’t you say?”

Ruby smiled as she touched her temple. “I don’t feel well—can you take me home, Cody, please?”

Cody jumped forward and caught Ruby as she slid from the chair.

Chapter 5

Cody’s dad was delightful. Even though he had a good thirty years on his eldest son, they were the image of each other. The same mop of shaggy blond hair—although Steve’s was tinged with grey—and identical deep blue eyes—albeit framed with several clusters of lines. She could have been looking at the same face in a time warp.

He pulled a chair out and sat opposite Ruby. Cody left the room.

“I presume you live in Penderton, Ruby?”

She nodded. “All my life. My mother owns one of the original cottages on Clark Street, off the old road.”

“Ah, yes. I think old Bill used to live in one of them.”

“Mr Grundy?”

“Yeah, old Bill Grundy. Do you know him?”

“I did—he died last year. I used to run errands for him as a kid.”

“What a small world. I worked with him at the steelworks. He was my supervisor and mentor. I owe a lot of my skills to him.”

“He never told me what he did for a living. He had been retired for as far back as I can remember. A lovely man though—always told lots of stories.”

“He did that—he had a tough life—his wife died of lung cancer when his two kiddies were no more than knee high,” he said.

“Really? I never heard about that.”

“I have something here—look at this.” Steve jumped off his chair and opened a cupboard door above the sink. All of a sudden, several trays and tins toppled out and fell to the floor, each one hitting him on the way down.

Ruby wasn’t sure if it was surprise from the noise or delayed shock from the evening’s events, but she came over all woozy.

Cody burst through the door as if ready for a fight—then stopped—relief flooding his face. He said something to Ruby then laughed, but she couldn’t focus. What the hell was wrong with her?

She tried to get to her feet just as the kitchen floor fell away.

***

Her head thudded. She tried to open her eyes, but couldn’t. She couldn’t move at all.

She heard voices, but not the words. Her limbs had a heaviness she’d never experienced before—her eyelids too.

She eventually managed to open her eyes, but the stark white light-bulb above her head blinded her.

After a few moments her eyes adjusted to the light. Still thick-headed and confused, she tried to make sense of the cold whitewashed breezeblocks and the boarded up window. She still couldn’t move, but this time, she realised why. Her hands and feet had been tied.

Sheer terror flooded her system and her screams filled the silence.

Chapter 6

“She’s awake. Have you decided what we’re gonna do?” Cody’s dad said.

“Yes. We need to go back into town in two vehicles.” Cody held up Ruby’s keys and phone. “I’ll sort it.”

“I can’t go out—there’s Kyle to think about and not to mention ...”

“It’s just a car-ride, Dad. You won’t have to do anything else, I promise, and you’ll be back before you know it.”

“But what will you do? Once she’s reported missing your name will be given to the police.”

“I’ll go to Jed’s bar and make sure I’m seen by everyone. Then I’ll go back to my flat—there’s always a load of people there on Friday night, so at least I’ll have an alibi.”

“Don’t come back here until it’s sorted—the last thing we need is for the police to follow you.”

“What do you think I am? An idiot? Course I won’t lead anyone back here, but you’ve got to promise you won’t touch her ‘til I get back. Swear to me, Dad—not one finger, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.”

“And do you swear? She’s mine first—I found her—them’s the rules.”

“Right! Stop fucking moaning.”

Cody gripped the back of his dad’s t-shirt and yanked him back, pushing his arm into the older man’s throat. “I’m serious,” he snarled.

His dad gulped and pushed at Cody’s arm. “Alright, son—knock it off.”

Cody released him. “Anyway, you still didn’t tell me what you think of her?”

His dad nodded, brushing himself down. “Aye—you done good, son.”

“She’s perfect,” Cody said, rubbing at his crotch. He had a good mind to go in there now and give her what for—but he couldn’t—the first time had to be slow, so he could savour every second. No, he’d waited this long, another couple of days wouldn’t make any difference. “Get Kyle to keep an eye on her while we’re gone—I’ll check she’s properly tied—we don’t want her to escape like the last one.”

His father went inside the house and Cody into the garage.

Ruby twisted her whole body as he entered—her eyes reminiscent of a wild animal caught in a trap.

“Cody, help me. What’s happening?”

“Ah, calm yourself, Ruby. Everything’s going to be all right, but you must trust me—you do trust me, don’t you, babe?”

Ruby nodded, although her stricken, terrified eyes told a different story.

“What’s going on? Why am I tied up? Please Cody, let me go.”

“No-can-do, sorry, babe. I’ve got to go away for a little while.”

“No!” she shrieked.

“Shhhh.” Cody sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her silky, brown hair. “I need you to calm down for me. Dad and Kyle will be here to look after you. When I get back, I promise things will be hunky-dory.”

Ruby’s whimpers were beginning to irritate the hell out of him, but he needed to keep his cool. He didn’t want to spoil that pretty little face before he got some use out of her. He bent and kissed her forehead.

“Now, don’t forget. Best behaviour until I get back.”

Ruby stiffened and yanked her arms and legs as she cried. Her pleading eyes never left his face and her screams followed him out the door.

Cody found his dad and Kyle in the kitchen. “Have you told him?” he asked his dad.

“Yes-he-told-me,” Kyle said, every word an effort as usual.

“Don’t go in there, unless there’s an emergency. Dad will be back soon. I need you to be in charge—look after her ‘til I get back and I’ll buy you a new fire truck.”

“Bingo,” Kyle said, holding both thumbs up.

“Good boy.” He ruffled Kyle’s hair before leaving.

Although only two years younger, Kyle had the mental age of a six-year-old. They sometimes left him alone for a short time, but not often. He needed a lot of looking after, one of the reasons their dad gave up work to care for him full-time after their mum vanished.

Kyle had seemed normal for the first year of his life, but when he still couldn’t roll over or sit up unaided by his first birthday, the first warning bells sounded. Not that Cody could remember it, but he’d heard the story over and over.

Tests were done, but they had no explanation. They eventually diagnosed Kyle with an intellectual disability, or mentally retarded as they called it back then.

Kyle took his first step at two and a half years old, developing slowly. When he was eighteen, they were told his mental age wouldn’t develop any further and it hadn’t. But they wouldn’t change him for the world.

Kyle had been a source of delight for Cody and their dad—always happy and playing pranks, although Kyle’s obsession with fire trucks drove him to distraction.

Cody glanced in his rear-view mirror as he pulled over outside a row of shops at the end of Ruby’s street, and climbed over to the passenger seat.

His dad parked his own car and then jumped in behind the wheel of Cody’s.

“Right, where to?”

“It’s down here on the left. I need you to wait until I get inside and switch on the light—then give several belts on the horn as you drive away.”

“Got it,” his dad said, before driving off.

Moments later, they pulled up outside Ruby’s house. Cody turned off the interior lights, not wanting anybody to see him when he opened the door.

“Right, remember, park my car back up and leave the keys in the usual place.”

His dad nodded. “Gotcha.”

“I’m trusting you, Dad. Leave Ruby alone until I get back.”

“I already said so, didn’t I?”

“Right then—wait ‘til I’m inside and the light goes on.”

“Get on with it,” his dad hissed.

Cody took Ruby’s keys from his jacket pocket and picked her shoes up from the foot-well. Then, with a final bracing breath, he got out of the car.

Thanks to the late hour, the street was deserted. Cody opened the door and rushed inside slamming it behind him. Fumbling for a light switch, he was alarmed by something around his ankles. He tripped and fell to the carpet, landing on what he presumed was a cat until it yelped and began to snarl. A high-pitched
rrrrrrrrr
turned into continual yapping. He needed to deal with it, but first he had to find a light.

Back on his feet, Cody located a light switch.

The little brown dog bared his teeth at Cody, just as a series of car horns sounded from outside.

Cody raced to the front window, peeking out. Sure enough—the curtain across the street twitched.

Pleased things were going according to plan, he turned back from the window.

“Now all I need to do is shut this fucking dog up.

Chapter 7

Still drowsy from whatever drugs they’d given her, Ruby felt like she was in a dream. Maybe it was a dream—or a sick joke and her mum would jump out any minute now after teaching her the greatest lesson of her life—always listen to your mother.

But it wasn’t a dream
or
a joke. This was actually happening—every terrifying second of it.

The crunch of car tyres on gravel sounded soon after Cody left and she heard nothing but silence since.

Screaming had achieved nothing but to wear her out within minutes, causing her to drift off again.

She awoke to a scraping sound outside the door.

“Hello? Can anybody hear me? Help—please help,” she called.

Nothing but silence.

Her eyes filled with tears and she shivered, her teeth chattering. Although the weather outside had been warm and muggy, the tiny room felt cold and damp.

Thick black plastic ties dug into her wrists and ankles causing her to wince every time she moved. The ties were threaded through chains anchored somewhere underneath the bed. She knew it would be pointless trying to unfasten them. The only way they were certain to move would be to tighten even more, cutting the blood supply off.

This situation was exactly what her mum had professed would happen—why the hell didn’t she listen to her?

A tightness in her chest made it difficult to breathe and a pathetic whimper came from her throat. How would she escape this? Cody was clearly deranged, but Steve might help her.

“Steve?” she called. “Steve. Please help.”

Nothing.

“Kyle—Kylie. Please.”

Ruby’s heartbeat thudded in her ears as the doorknob turned slowly. The anticipation was enough to kill her there and then. Who was it? She couldn’t breathe—her eyes were trained on the opening door.

After what seemed like forever, a man appeared. His shaggy mop of blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes told her he was related to Cody and Steve.

“Kyle?”

“I’m-not-allowed-in,” he said from the door. His voice sounded slow and slurred, every word ran into the next. He was nothing like Cody had described.

“It’s okay, Kyle. I give you permission to come in—I need your help.”

“Only-an-mergency.”

“Yes, Kyle. This is an emergency.”

“This-is-an-mergency?” Kyle tilted his head to one side, one eye half closed in confusion.

“Yes, I promise. This is an emergency.”

“Okidoke-then.” Kyle stepped into the room. “Do-you-like-my-fire-truck?” He shoved a bright red fire engine towards her.

“That’s beautiful, Kyle.” She didn’t have time for this, but this odd man-child was her only hope of escape.

Kyle nodded as he studied the truck—a simple, sweet smile on his face.

“Kyle?”

Kyle pressed a button on the truck and a siren sounded.

“Kyle, can you help me?”

“Can’t.” Kyle shook his head and stepped backwards, a frightened expression clouded his face.

Ruby panicked. She knew she needed to get this overgrown child on side and fast.

“You know, my uncle is a fireman,” she said, making her voice sound as bright as possible.

Kyle gasped. “A-real-fireman?”

“A real one. He’s the driver,” she said, smiling.

“Did-you-touched-it?”

“The fire engine? Yes, I touched it. I even had a ride in it.”

Kyle’s eyes bulged as Ruby watched the cogs turning in his brain.

“I bet I could get him to take you for a ride too. That is if you want to?”

“I-go-for-a-ride?” His excitement was almost palpable.

“Uh-huh. If you could help me get out of here.”

Kyle’s expression clouded once more. “Can’t.” He shook his head.

“Please, Kyle.” Ruby twisted herself as far around as possible, she wanted to get face to face with him, but a searing pain in her left wrist made her cry out. She examined her wrist. The plastic tie had cut so deep that blood soaked into the sheets and mattress.

“Blood!” Kyle shuddered, his face screwed in disgust. Shaking his head, he put the fire engine underneath his arm and marched from the room, leaving the door open.

“Kyle!” Ruby screamed. “Kyle, please—I need you. It’s an emergency.”

Nothing. Her whole body trembled.

Think—think. There must be some way out. If she’d done what her mum insisted she do, there would probably be a search party arriving any minute. But all she’d told her mum was Cody’s first name and the approximate location of the pub.

Taking another deep breath, she exhaled in a noisy blow and closed her eyes, bracing herself for one last try.

“Kyle?” she called, her voice now quieter—calmer. “I’d love to see your fire engine Kyle.”

She heard the plastic rattle of the fire engine’s wheels. Kyle was close by.

“It’s okay, Kyle. There’s no more blood. Why don’t you come back in and I’ll tell you about my uncle’s fire engine?”

“It’s-called-a-fire-TRUCK,” Kyle said from somewhere outside the door.

“Oh, I’m sorry, buddy. My mistake—fire truck.”

Kyle appeared in the doorway. Inching slowly forward, he held out the plastic red toy to show her.

“Wow! That’s a beauty. Does it have a ladder?”

“Yup.” Kyle’s eyes lit up as he pointed to the ladder on the back of the truck.

“So it does,” Ruby smiled. “And what about a fire hose?”

“Course-it-has-a-fire-hose-look.” Kyle laughed. His blue eyes crinkling at the corners.

“My uncle told me that although they need the fire en ... truck, to put out the fires, a lot of their work is rescuing people from other situations.”

Kyle’s eyebrows furrowed.

“For example, they rescue a lot of cats from up trees.”

“My-cat-climbs-trees.”

“Does he? They also rescue people that are stuck.”

“Up. Trees?”

Ruby laughed. “If someone climbs a tree and gets stuck, then yes, they’d rescue them. They would use the fire truck and cherry picker on top.”

“Ah.”

“But if a fire officer was here right now, he would rescue me by cutting these plastic ties and helping me get out of here.”

Kyle backed up, shaking his head.

“No, Kyle—Kyle, come back, it’s okay.”

“I’ve-got-to-go. My-head-hurts.”

“I’m sorry, Kyle. Just one more thing—do you know the number to call in an emergency?”

“Nine-nine-nine.”

“Well done. Could I ask you to do it for me? Dial nine-nine-nine?”

“Kyle shook his head. “Not-an-mergency.”

“It is. I’m trapped, see?”

Kyle scurried away.

“Kyle.” Her voice was now tinged with hysteria.

The sound of tyres crunching on gravel filled the little room, followed by the slam of a car door and footsteps.

It was too late—she’d missed her opportunity to escape.

Steve kicked the door fully open, a frown on his face. He seemed relieved to see Ruby still tied to the bed. “Has somebody been here?”

Ruby shook her head, her lips tight shut. She didn’t want to get Kyle into trouble.

“Who opened the door then?”

Ruby shrugged, whimpering.

Standing to the side of the bed, Steve checked her out from head to toe. The bulge in the crotch of his stonewashed jeans was unmistakable, even to her innocent eyes.

“Please Steve—I need to get home, Mum will be worrying by now.”

“Oh no, she won’t—Cody’s seen to that.”

“What do you mean?” she cried. The thought that Cody had hurt her mother tore at her insides.

Steve’s laugh had a maniacal quality to it.

Ruby shuddered as she realised he was loony too.

He bent towards her face and inhaled deeply, as though he could smell her fear.

Ruby flinched and tried to twist away from him. Another searing pain in her wrist made her squeal.

“Look what you’ve done to yourself, silly girl,” Steve said as he noticed the blood. He bent a little further and kissed the raw wound.

Ruby gasped for air, certain she was about to pass out if he didn’t get out of her space. He didn’t smell horrible. In fact, all Ruby could smell was polo mints, an aroma she normally loved as she associated it with her dad. But the sudden rush of nostalgia mixed with her current situation threatened to tip her over the edge.

Steve finally pulled back. He slid to his knees beside the bed, and with blood all over his lips and chin, he stroked her hair.

She whimpered. “Please, Steve, please ...”

He leaned forward and his mouth muffled her screams.