Suffer II (4 page)

Grey’s theory that the smaller the town the higher the concentration of churches and liquor stores was proven again in Boudreaux. After checking into his hotel, he set the bottle and a glass on the desk. Before opening the first journal, he took a sip and leaned back in his chair.

In his thirteen-year career with the FBI, Grey had a front-row seat as a witness to the worst things human beings could do to one another. In the blink of an eye, an entire family’s world would be devastated beyond their comprehension. In their time of incredible pain, confusion, and fear, he would show up with a badge and then turn their world inside out.

It was rare that a person became a victim because of a random act of violence. In most of the cases that he had solved, there was an existing relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. It could be as distant as an internet predator, or as close as a scorned lover, but the relationship was there. Finding the connection meant digging deep into an open wound.

Taking a longer sip, Grey knew the connection he needed to find would be more difficult with Emily. She was a high-risk victim. Once he started that digging, experience dictated there would be a long list of suspects.

She could have become a liability or owed money to a dealer or a pimp. She could have been killed by another junkie for the change in her pocket or the drugs in her purse. A client could have gone too far with role-playing or bondage sex. She could be a Jane Doe in the morgue in New Orleans after being found in an alley with a needle sticking out of her arm. They were all plausible explanations based on her lifestyle choices.

He didn’t believe Emily deserved to die, but she was an adult who made decisions that put her at risk. She wasn’t a young girl abducted from the mall by a pedophile. She wasn’t the target of a delusional stalker. She wasn’t attacked on a jogging trail by a serial killer. She wasn’t tied to a chair and killed in front of her mother. She wasn’t Caleb.

There were hundreds of cases across the country where the guilty were set free because of a flawed and weak judicial system. Even more were never caught because the cases didn’t draw enough attention in the media. Cases where victims were truly innocent and had nothing to do with the crimes executed against them. Grey understood the connection between Karla and Kate as mothers, but he didn’t understand why Kate chose Emily over so many others that could use their unique set of skills.

As he sat the empty glass on the desk, he felt his phone vibrate on his hip. He refilled the glass before he answered. “Hey, Evan. How’s it going?”

“
More questions than answers right now.
”

“What are the questions?”

“The glaring one is the complete lack of information about her anywhere. I mean nothing. The last interactions with any friends in social media or emails ended about halfway through her senior year. Even when she went missing, there was no mention on the internet, articles in the papers, or clips on television. It’s as if it never happened.”

“As if
she
never happened,” said Grey.

“Exactly. I was able to hack into a few accounts from so-called friends in high school.”

“So-called?”

“Yep. They turned on her quick. It went from normal online chit-chat to a crucifixion. Looks like the turn started right before Christmas. Earlier postings were all about how pretty, smart, and fun she was. After the holidays, she was a junkie and a slut. They turned their backs on her and warned other friends to do the same.”

“Any mention of why?”

“
Nothing directly. I did find some mentioning of a combination holiday and birthday party after Thanksgiving. Emily’s birthday is in December.”

“That’s interesting,” said Grey. “Emily’s last entry was about a party she was going to with her friend Tyler.”

“
I’m no detective, but my guess is something happened at that party. I’ll widen my search to whoever may have been there.
”

“Were you able to access her school records?”

“
I was.
That’s where we get even more questions. She was a straight A student until after the holidays, then her grades took a nosedive. Shortly after the Christmas break, she was arrested for possession, and she lost an academic scholarship.”

“That must have been when she started using heroin,” said Grey. “It’s usually downhill from there.”

“That’s my point. There was no downhill. She went headfirst over a cliff. This girl was popular in school, squeaky clean, and had a bright future. Then overnight she becomes a junkie and a prostitute? Just doesn’t add up. There has to be more to this.”

“There always is, buddy. Send me everything you have as soon as you can.”

“Will do, boss.”

It was time for Grey to find some of those answers. The time span between the first and last entry in her journals was six years. When she started the first page as a twelve-year-old, Grey was impressed with her writing. It was clear and concise with few errors in spelling or grammar. She was intelligent and articulate with her thoughts.

After thirty minutes of reading, he remembered he had poured another drink and paused to take the first sip. Emily was a happy, well-adjusted, driven twelve-year-old who adored her parents. She had a thirst for learning anything new and focused most of her energy on school.

He remembered Karla saying her daughter would be famous someday because of her singing and acting, but Emily wrote more about her love of nature and science than anything else. She was fascinated with the ecosystem in her own backyard. The only rule she fractured on occasion was following an insect, bird, or small animal too far into the woods.

She wrote about her friends, teachers, and special events in her life, but not with the ferocity and frequency one would expect from a young girl. She was more interested in the social interactions of animals than of her own species. But there was one human who received more attention than most. It wasn’t Tyler, but his older brother, Dawson.

At first, it seemed to be on an intellectual level. He’d accompany her into the woods and assist with catching insects that she could study. He also had an affinity for science where Tyler had an affinity for sports. In the short time Grey had been reading, he could see the gradual transformation into a crush.

According to her words, it didn’t bother her that Dawson didn’t seem as interested in spending more time with her. Even at her young age, it was apparent she understood the value in forging lasting friendships. It didn’t stop her from writing about how cute and smart he was.

All three of their lives took a dramatic turn when the boys’ mother died of cancer. Emily noted the progression of her illness in the journal, but her death was sudden and unexpected. Their families were close and had dinner together at least twice a week.

As Emily was helping her mother with the dishes three days after the funeral, they were startled by someone beating on their front door. It was Tyler yelling for Hank to come quick. Hank told his girls to stay in the house. A short time later he came back with both Tyler and Dawson. The older brother’s right eye was red and swollen, and he had a cut on his lower lip.

She wrote that the boys ended up staying with them for ten days before going back home. After the incident, they spent more time at Emily’s house than their own. Dawson became withdrawn and avoided interacting with the family as much as possible. Tyler never wanted Hank to leave for work and was attached to Karla’s hip when he did. On the rare occasion neither parent was home, he clung to Emily with a white knuckle grip. She wrote that when she’d go to the bathroom he’d be sitting against the wall near the door waiting for her to come out.

Grey needed to know what happened that night to the boys. He reached for his phone. Before he could dial, it vibrated in his hand.  He downed the second drink before answering. “So you can read minds now?”

“
Not all of them, just yours
,” said Kate, laughing. “
What’s going on?
”

“I’ve been reading Emily’s journal. I need you to ask Karla a question.”

“
She’s already in bed, but I’ll ask first thing in the morning. What is it?”

“I need you to ask her what happened to Tyler’s brother a few days after their mother died. I think I know, but Emily may have been kept out of the loop. That is, of course, unless you already know the answer.”

“
I don’t. I swear
.”

“That would be a first.”

“
Okay, I deserved that. Listen to me, Grey. Yes, I talked with Karla before you knew what was going on, but that’s all I did. I just talked to her.”

“I don’t see where you feel the need to keep things from me the way you do. The way you’ve always done.”

“Because I react with my heart and you react with your head. That’s why.”

“I’m going to need more than that, Kate.”

“When I reached out to Karla, I had no idea what she was going to say. I had no expectations of getting involved, except for a gut feeling. That’s all I had. After speaking with her, I knew there was much more going on than what was on the surface. That’s why I need you, Grey. I truly need you. More than you could ever know.”

“Why’s that?”

“You and I make a great team. I have a gut feeling about something, and then you relentlessly pursue it until all the questions are answered. You don’t let your heart get in the way of finding out the truth, no matter how painful that truth may be. I can’t prove anything right now. I need you to do that for me. It’s that simple. It’s always been that simple.”

“There’s nothing simple about you.”

“
You’re not the easiest egg to crack either. I need you to be that way. Everyone else would probably do whatever I asked them to do, just because I asked. They think I’m still frail and damaged. You don’t and I love you for that. You’re not going to blindly follow me. You’re going to know exactly what we’re getting into
.”

“I’m not sure if I should be flattered or pissed.”

“
Flattered. Everyone has turned their back on Karla and has given up on Emily. They look at both of them as weak and incapable of fighting back. We’re going to change that. We’re going be the strength Karla needs and the voice they took from Emily. Right now there are people out there who think they’ve gotten away with murder. We’re going to change that too.”

“And if you’re wrong, Kate? You’re giving Karla hope based on a gut feeling. What if she did just overdose and drown?”

“Then prove me wrong. Either way, I’m not leaving until I find out what happened to Emily.”

Tyler and Dawson’s mother, Anne, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months after they moved to Boudreaux. After Emily rescued the football from her backyard, their families grew close. Barry, the boys’ father, and Hank took the kids fishing and exploring on most weekends. Anne and Karla took care of them the rest of the week while their husbands were at work.

Symptoms of Anne’s illness didn’t present themselves until the advanced stages of the disease. It was difficult masking her dramatic weight loss, nausea, and constant back pain from her boys. They knew she was sick, but their parents told them she’d eventually get better.

Barry and Anne were young when they had Dawson and Tyler. The attractive, outgoing couple was in their early thirties. Hank and Karla had Emily much later in life after trying for years to have a child. They had all but given up hope when Karla started having morning sickness on her thirty-ninth birthday.

Hank and Barry worked for the same oil company, but Hank worked at the corporate headquarters in Houma while Barry worked on a rig in the Gulf. He was away from home two weeks out of the month. During that time, Karla took care of Anne.

She’d cook most of the meals, help her keep house, and take her to radiation and chemotherapy appointments. Anne’s boys went to Karla’s house after school and played with Emily when their homework was finished. Hank took care of the kids when he arrived home from work to give Karla more time with Anne. Barry would take care of everything when he was home and included Emily in all of their activities.

Being young and in otherwise good health, Anne was responding well to her treatments. The days following her therapy were rough on her body, but she always wore a smile and looked forward to spending time with her boys. She was a fighter.

“Looking good today,” said Karla, coming through the front door with a casserole dish.

“Feeling good,” said Anne, accepting the dish and giving her a hug.

“That’ll help you put some more weight on you.”

“I’ve gained five pounds,” said Anne, rubbing her flat belly. “That’s all your fault.”

“Good. I’ll slow down after I put fifteen more on you.”

“I have some news,” said Anne, taking Karla’s hand and leading her to the couch. “My oncologist called me this morning.”

Karla put her hands together over her mouth as if she were praying. Tears were already forming before Anne could speak again. “The tumor is shrinking.”

“Thank you, Lord!” said Karla, diving into a hug through a waterfall. “Thank you! Thank you!”

“I can’t breathe,” said Anne, enjoying the moment with her friend.

“Wait,” said Karla, pulling away from the hug and grabbing Anne’s shoulders. “I need to hear you say what that means. I need to hear those words come out of your mouth.”

“It means we keep fighting until it’s gone.”

“Yes, it does, child. And we will. Doesn’t Barry come home today?”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Anne, smiling wider. “He does.”

“I’ll keep the boys for a little bit longer this evening so you two can do some crying together. Oh, sweetie, he’s going to be so happy to hear the news. So happy.”

“That would be great. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to give him good news. Thank you. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for my family. I don’t know where we’d be without you two. Other than my Barry, Hank’s the sweetest, kindest man I’ve ever met.”

“You don’t have to thank us, honey. Hank adores you, and he and Barry are like two peas in a pod. And those boys of yours, he can’t get enough of them. He absolutely loves having them around. I swear, I think he’s training them to be Emily’s bodyguards when she goes to high school.”

“I love you so much, Ms. Karla,” said Anne, reaching out for her. “More than you will ever know.”

“I love you too,” said Karla, squeezing her tight. “I’m so proud of you. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met in my life.”

Anne died peacefully in her sleep. She lost her two-year battle when the cancer spread to her other organs like wildfire. Her symptoms were mild as the aggressive disease attacked her stomach and liver. Her death was sudden and devastating to both families.

Hank knew Barry was in trouble. Their conversations were short as they prepared for the funeral. He treated him and Karla as if he didn’t know who they were. He started drinking the night of her death and didn’t stop for days. He arrived late to her service and stumbled into the back of the church, reeking of booze. Tyler and Dawson stopped coming to the house. Emily wasn’t allowed to go to theirs without her parents. Three days after they buried Anne, one of her boys did come to the house. He was terrified.

“Come quick, Mr. Hank!” said Tyler, having difficulty pushing the words out of his trembling mouth. “Daddy’s hurting Dawson. He’s hurting him real bad.”

Before Hank could tell him to stay with Karla, he turned and sprinted up the street. Karla and Emily came around the corner from the kitchen when they heard the yelling and banging. He told them to stay inside and then ran after Tyler. Hank’s booming voice from Barry’s front yard stopped the boy in his tracks.

He told Tyler to wait on the porch as he walked through the front door. It was dim and there was an unsettling silence. Hank flipped the light switch in the hall to illuminate the living room. Every lamp that used to be on a table was broken on the floor. Shelves and pictures were ripped off the walls, which had fist-sized holes in all of them. He could see past the room and inside the kitchen where dirty dishes were stacked in the sink and covering the counters. Garbage was overflowing out of the can.

A sense of dread passed through Hank as he made his way to the bedrooms. He had been worried his friend might try to take his own life, but as he walked down the quiet hall, he was worried that he had taken Dawson’s as well. Hank held his breath when he opened the door to the boys’ room.

He exhaled when he saw Barry embracing his son as they both sat on Dawson’s bed. He stood there for a moment and listened to the low sobs. Tears welled in Hank’s eyes as he took a few steps closer to them. Barry was the first to look up at him.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” said Barry, crying. “Look at what I did to my boy, Hank. Look what I did.”

Dawson raised his head. His right eye was starting to swell. A trickle of blood flowed from a cut on his bottom lip. He didn’t say a word as he stared at Hank. Dawson’s arms were limp by his sides while Barry’s were wrapped around him.

“Come here, son,” said Hank, motioning for Dawson to come to him. “Let me take a look at you.” He didn’t move.

“Come on now,” said Hank, stepping closer to them. “On your feet.”

After he stood, Hank tilted Dawson’s head back to get a better view of his nose. He smiled as the young man looked at him. Everything seemed to be in the right place.

“You’re going be fine, son,” said Hank. “I want you to go wait on the front porch with your brother. I’ll come get you in a minute.”

“What are you gonna do to him?” asked Dawson, lowering his head. “He didn’t mean to do it.”

“I’m not going to do anything but talk to him,” said Hank. “I promise you that. Go on, now. Go wait with your brother. I won’t be long.”

“Yes, sir,” said Dawson, walking out of the room.

“You do that to him, and he’s more worried about what I’m going to do to you,” said Hank, stepping closer to Barry. “You need to remember that.”

“I just lost it,” said Barry, lowering his head into his hands.

“What happened?” asked Hank, sitting on the bed next to him.

“I don’t know,” said Barry, raising his head. “I just lost it.”

“Why did you beat on him like that? You need to talk to me.”

“Tyler knocked over one of Anne’s figurines off the coffee table,” said Barry. “I barked at him. Then Dawson told me it was an accident and I shouldn’t be yelling at his brother.”

“Then what happened?” asked Hank, putting his hand on Barry’s shoulder.

“Something inside me took over and I couldn’t stop it. I started screaming at them and breaking everything in the room. When I started pulling the shelves down, Dawson came up behind me. He grabbed me and begged me to stop. I pushed him off of me and started hitting him, Hank. I don’t know why. I’ve never laid a hand on my boys. Never.”

“He’s going to be fine,” said Hank. “But I’m taking them with me tonight.”

“Oh my God, Hank,” said Barry, sobbing. “What’s happening to me?”

“You just lost your wife. You’re scared, confused, and you feel helpless.”

“I don’t think I can live without her,” said Barry. “There’s just too much pain and I can’t ease it. I hurt my boy because of it. Anne is gonna hate me for that.”

“No, she won’t,” said Hank. “But she will if you don’t take care of them and get some help. Those boys lost their mama, and they’re hurting just as bad as you are. You need to be there for them. Even after what happened tonight, you need to be there. I’m not going to let them lose their daddy too.”

“How do I do that?”

“The first thing you’re going to do is stop drinking,” said Hank, standing. “And I mean right now, Barry. I’m not bringing those boys back over here until you’re three days’ sober. If you start getting hammered drunk again, I’m going to take them again. You understand me?”

“I do,” said Barry. “I need to apologize to them.”

“You can do that tomorrow at my place when I get home from work. Don’t go over there before I get home, okay?”

“I won’t.”

“I need you to listen to me right now.”

“I’m listening.”

“I’m going to help you get through this. I promise you that I’ll do everything I can for you and those boys. But if you ever lay a hand on them again, I’m going to put mine on you. I swear to God, Barry, this is never going to happen again. I’ll make sure of that.”

“It won’t. You have my word.”

He left Barry and took the boys to his house. Karla didn’t overreact to Dawson’s face and stayed calm while she cleaned the blood off his chin. She knew what was happening to him as soon as Tyler banged on her door.

She tried to prepare Emily, but her daughter ran to her room after seeing the injuries to Dawson’s face. Hank spoke with Karla for a moment before going upstairs. He found Emily in bed clutching her stuffed animals.

“Hey, Little Bug,” said Hank, sitting on the corner of her bed. “You okay?”

“Why did he do that to him?” asked Emily, wiping away tears. “He’s just a kid like me.”

“This is going to be hard to understand, baby girl, but he didn’t know what he was doing. It was a combination of too much alcohol and a broken heart. He’s angry right now because he lost his wife to something he couldn’t control. He couldn’t stop her from dying. He couldn’t stop all that emotion from bursting out of him and doing something he shouldn’t have done to Dawson.”

“What if mama dies?” asked Emily, pulling the covers up to her face. “Will that happen to you?”

“Oh, baby, no,” said Hank, leaning in and giving her a tight hug. “I promise you that won’t happen. You’re my world, Little Bug. I’d never hurt you and I won’t let anyone else either.”

“Is he going to jail?”

“No, not this time. But he knows if he ever does that again, jail is going to be the least of his worries.”