Unforgettable (35 page)

“YOU!
By the time I’m finished with you, you’re going to wish to God you’d died in that fire! But don’t you worry,
babe.
I’m going to let you live. I want you to know…I want you to remember everything! I’d rather hurt you than kill you. I know just how to do it, too,” he snarled, oblivious to the spittle dripping down his chin.

He grabbed Susan roughly by the chin, licked the side of her face in a long, slow sweep of his nasty tongue and grinned maniacally at Breezy. Susan cringed and whimpered as tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

“Someone like you will hurt more if they have to live with loss and pain. Knowing you’re suffering will make me happier than killing you will. And, who knows, I may come back and pay you another little visit in five or ten years,” he cackled evilly.

“Frank, there’s a thousand dollars in my purse right now and all my credit cards. It’s on the table and so are the keys to my new car. Take em! They’re yours! You’d have plenty of money and transportation to get away. Leave the country before anyone realizes you’re gone,” Breezy all but begged.

She was hoping beyond hope that he’d fall for it. She had to get Susan away from him at all costs.

“Oh, you’re gonna pay! Trust me, you’re gonna pay big…with all you hold dear. But I don’t want your money. The time for that has long since passed,” Frank sneered.

He stared vulgarly at Breezy, his eyes sweeping her body and lingering on her crotch as he licked his lips. Just that one look alone made her feel defiled. She looked at Susan and felt so bad and frightened for her forced to be that close to him. Silently crying, she stood with her eyes closed, her hands curled over the arm he had around her throat. Breezy could tell his grip was tight but not enough to strangle her. She silently prayed for the courage, strength and wisdom to get Susan away from him safely. As she prayed, keeping her eyes trained on Frank, she realized he seemed incredibly smug.

It’s because you are both so frightened of him.

The thought came to her out of nowhere, clear as a bell, and it was true! The one thing that made Frank so powerful was his ability to intimidate people so easily, especially women…especially Susan and herself. There was no doubt in Breezy’s mind that Frank could and would kill them both, among other vile things, but why give him more power than he already possessed?

In the background, Adele sang about a fire burning in her heart, bringing her out of the dark, and it gave Breeze a brilliant idea.

“You know…,” Breezy said, moving to lean casually against the kitchen door frame, studying her long, painted fingernails as though they were very interesting, “if you harm one hair on Susan’s head, I promise I will kill you before this day is through.”

Her voice was very calm and nonchalant. She stopped looking at her fingernails and hooked her thumbs through the belt loop of her jeans. Still leaning against the door frame, she looked straight at Frank, grinned and shook her head.

“God! You really are one pathetic excuse for a human being,” she said coolly.

Susan’s eyes flew wide open in surprise at her remark, but not nearly as wide as Frank’s mouth hung open.

Breezy hoped and prayed she sounded as calm and cool as she needed to be. Truth be told, she was scared to death, but something told her this was the right approach to take with him and it was Adele’s song that gave her the courage to do it.

“Excuse me?” Frank said dumbfounded.

“Check this guy out, will ya, Susan? Suddenly he’s developed manners! I guess there’s a first time for everything,” Breezy said sarcastically.

“What the hell is the matter with you? Do you want me to blow her fucking brains out right now?” Frank snarled, shoving the gun roughly against Susan’s temple.

He was confused and stunned more than angry.

“Dear God, Breezy! Stop!” Susan cried.

Hang on Susan, just hang on sweetie,
Breezy pleaded silently.

“Your fight is with me, you stupid jerk-off, not Susan! You’re a pathetic loser and a coward and you always were! Come on loser, be a man for once in your life and fight your own battles one-on-one!” Breezy screamed at him.

She was desperately trying to get him away from her life-long friend. In her heart of hearts, she knew that, if she begged for Susan’s life, he’d blow her head off just for the fun of it.

“You stupid bitch!” Frank shouted.

Using the arm wrapped around Susan’s shoulders, he literally threw her across the room away from him and into the kitchen counter. She hit the counter hard and fell to the floor in pain, tears and terror.

Frank charged towards Breezy intending to pistol whip her in the face, but Breezy was too fast for him. She bent over at the waist just as he swung the pistol and grabbed him around the knees. Straightening unexpectedly, she flung him up over her back and into the living room. Frank landed flat on his back where he lay stunned, the air in his lungs rushing out with a
WHOOSH!”

“Run, Susan! For God’s sake, run!” Breezy screamed over her shoulder.

She moved into the doorway putting herself between Susan in the kitchen and Frank in the living room.

“Breezy, look out!!”
Susan cried.

Breezy turned her attention back to Frank just in time. He was still lying on his back, gasping for air, but he had raised the hand with the gun and it was pointing straight at her head.

She reached down, grabbed his wrist and shoved it towards the living room just as the gun went off, the bullet shattering the living room window. Frank used his other hand to grab Breezy by the ankle. He rolled over and yanked up, sending her flying head first into the corner of the coffee table…everything went black.

“Breezy! Breezy, wake up, honey!”

Breezy could hear Susan’s voice, but it seemed so very far away. She tried to open her eyes, but it was difficult. Her head hurt badly and she felt like she was swimming through a fog as thick as molasses.

“Breezy, are you okay? Oh, please be okay, Breezy! Please,” Susan whimpered.

Something wasn’t right
, Breezy thought through the pain in her head. Susan sounded scared. No, not scared… absolutely petrified. She had to open her eyes for Susan.
Why was Susan so afraid?
she wondered. Then she remembered that Susan was supposed to run…run away, but why?

“
Oh, Breezy, please be okay!
“ Frank mimicked Susan in a whiny voice. “You both make me sick! I hope she’s dead!” he snarled.

Breezy’s eyes flew open. She saw Susan’s tear-streaked, pain-stricken face just before a jolt of pain exploded in her head, forcing her to close her eyes again.

“You think you’re freakin’ cute, don’t ya, bitch? Did you think I would actually let you get away with that?” Frank spat vehemently when he saw she had opened her eyes…

“Damn, is he still here?” Breezy asked, opening one eye to look at Susan.

She didn’t know how it had happened, but Susan was sitting on the sofa and Breezy’s head was in her lap.

“Yes, I’m still fucking here!” Frank yelled.

Grabbing a handful of her hair, he jerked her upright until his face was right in hers. His breath was hot and foul smelling, like rotting flesh.

“I’m about to be you’re worst fucking nightmare ‘cause we have a score to settle,” he growled.

“Oh, you’re a nightmare, all right! Ever hear of a breath mint?” Breezy snickered, looking him right in the eyes.

The stench rolling off his body was more horrendous than his breath, if that was even possible. It was all she could do not to gag. He smelled of feces, urine, and God only knew what else. Her neck felt like it would break where he had her head pulled back so far to look up at him. His eyes were wild and angry, but Breezy couldn’t help feeling some small satisfaction when those eyes widened and his face grew flushed with anger at her words. He let go of her hair and backhanded her so hard across the face that it knocked her back into Susan’s lap.

Susan cried her name but Breezy managed a very painful wink of reassurance for her friend and then sat up on the sofa. Before any of them could speak again, there was a knock at the door and the phone began ringing insistently.

“Not a word from either of you or, so help me, I’ll shoot you both!” Frank whispered nastily.

He pointed the gun at them as he tried to look out the window to see who was at the door.

“Breezy, why are you antagonizing him? It’s only making things worse. If you don’t stop, he’s going to hurt you badly and kill us both,” Susan whispered, her voice filled with desperate pleading.

“It’s throwing him off guard. He can’t think straight ‘cause he’s too freaked out by my words. Just trust me, Susan, and if I tell you to run, you run away as fast as you can. Please, trust me,” Breezy whispered.

Didn’t Susan realize Frank was going to kill them regardless of how they acted? She sure wasn’t going to make it easy on him. No one ever back-talked Frank…no one was crazy enough
not
to fear him. Acting as though she wasn’t afraid, mouthing off to him every chance she got, was keeping him unbalanced. It was making him feel incompetent at terrorizing her for the first time. It was making it difficult for him to decide what to do with them, and it was buying them time.

The phone rang again.

Frank crossed the room, grabbed Breezy by the arm and hauled her roughly towards the door.

“Susan, tell whoever it is to wait a minute, or I’ll shoot her right now,” he said.

“Ju…Just a minute! I’ll be right there,” Susan yelled loudly.

“Because of the fire, everyone knows we’re here at Susan’s. They’ll expect an answer. If they don’t get one, they’ll stop by to check on us…you know it’s true. They’ll know something’s wrong if they don’t get to talk to one of us.” Breezy said as the phone rang for the third time.

“Susan! Come here!” Frank said.

Susan got up off the sofa and walked over to where they stood near the door. She was too terrified for both Breezy and herself not to do as she was told.

“Let the phone ring and get rid of whoever’s at the door. Tell them you have to get the phone. Do it, or I’ll kill her!” Frank said, shoving Breezy at the door and grabbing Susan yet again.

Damn it!
Breezy thought. Susan hadn’t gotten away.
Why didn’t you run when you had the chance, honey?
she asked silently, casting a sidelong, apologetic glance at her as Frank dragged her with him to stand out of sight behind the door.

“Okay, okay! I’ll get rid of them…just stay calm,” Breezy said, straightening her hair and blouse before reaching for the doorknob.

“Remember, no tricks…” Frank warned.

Breezy took a deep breath, hoping to appear calm to Frank and praying to find a way to tell whoever it was at the door to get help. Opening the door, Breezy was not at all prepared for who she saw standing there.

The phone rang again.

“Hi, Bweezy,” Sarah said.

The little girl from down the street and who’d come to the Halloween party in a pink bunny costume smiled up at her. Sarah’s big green eyes and thick red hair were partially hidden by the furry winter coat she was wearing. Although the sun was shining, it was still bitter cold for an early February afternoon. Breezy’s heart sank at the sight of her.

“Hi, sweetheart. What are you doing here?” Breezy asked, bending down to her level.

Not only was there no way she could send a message through this sweet child to get help, but she was now terrified for her safety, too. What if Frank grabbed her and pulled her inside with them?
No, God! Please!
She knew he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her. The man had no boundaries. She had to get rid of Sarah fast, before Frank thought to take her hostage, as well.

The phone rang again.

“Are you okay, Bweezy? You don’ look so dood,” Sarah said, looking at her mussed up hair and the big red spot on her cheek.

“I’m fine, sweetheart. I’m just awfully busy. Was there something you needed?” Breezy asked as patiently as possible.

She was vaguely aware that the phone rang yet again. How many times was that now, 4 or 5? More?
Oh, hang on, whoever you are! I need your help!
she thought.

“I was wonderin’ can I pway wis your puppy dog? She’s awful cute!” Sarah said, her big gap-toothed smile and sparkling eyes beaming away.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. She’s not here right now,” Breezy said, hoping the girl would just say “okay” and go away for her own safety.

“Where is she, den?” she asked, her little face falling in disappointment.

“She’s at the other house I’ve been staying at since my house burned down.” Breezy told her, allowing herself only a split second to remember the sight of Patrick smuggling Heidi into his apartment for her.

The phone rang again and Breezy was frantically trying to hurry the little girl along before she said too much, but she was a curious little thing and needed to have answers to all her questions.

“You mean dat angel man’s house?” she asked.

Breezy cringed inwardly at the mention of Patrick in front of Frank. Sarah had called Patrick “angel man” ever since the Halloween party.

The phone rang again and Frank nudged her on the arm with the barrel of the gun silently telling her to hurry the conversation along. Breezy impatiently waved him off.

“Yes. Honey, my phone is ringing and I really need to go answer it, okay?” she said, hoping the little girl wouldn’t say any more about Patrick, or anything else.

Please, Sarah…just go home, baby girl. I don’t want you to get hurt
, she silently begged.

“Okay,” she said as she turned to leave, but just as she reached the steps, she turned back around to face Breezy in the doorway. “Bweezy?”

“Yes Sarah?”

“Dat man who burnded down your house?” she began.

“What about him, honey?” Breezy asked, holding her breath.

Frank put the gun to her head and pulled the hammer back, warning her to watch her mouth or he’d blow her brains out right in front of the little girl. Breezy got the message loud and clear. There was no doubt in her mind that he wouldn’t hesitate to do it, either.

The phone was blissfully and regretfully silent.