Affliction Read online

  I look into Kendra’s teary eyes and see the purity of her soul. No wonder she was Dani’s friend.

  “What about law enforcement? Maybe Billy can get some answers.”

  “Maybe,” Kendra says, but looks away.

  Hmm, what’s that about?

  Chapter Fourteen

  Billy tools up on his bike a few minutes later. Little Aaron’s face lights up and he dashes into his uncle’s arms. Billy puts him on his shoulders and walks over to us.

  “How did it go?” Kendra says.

  “Okay,” Billy says. “Gotta do a few more things at the Vets’ Center and then I’m good to go.”

  Kendra’s brows shoot up. “What things?”

  He waves a hand. “Just this and that.”

  “Like what?” she persists.

  Billy ignores his sister and turns to me. “Sorry I didn’t make it to the service. Need a lift home?”

  Before I can open my mouth, Kendra says, “It’s too cold on that damn bike. She’s riding with me. In a car.”

  Billy, looking preoccupied, helps load the kids into Kendra’s van. He gives me a hug and murmurs, “See ya tonight.”

  As we pull out of the cemetery, Kendra says, “You in a hurry to get back?”

  “Not really. I’ve got a couple of hours before my shift starts.”

  She glances at the kids in the back seat. “If I drive around for a while, they’ll fall asleep and we can talk.”

  Within five minutes, both kids conk out. Kendra says, “I hear you and Billy are getting pretty cozy.”

  Embarrassed, I can’t look at her. “Yeah, I guess you could say we’re cozy.”

  Kendra snickers, turns onto a side street and parks. When I glance at her face, I see the laughter has stopped and the concern in her eyes.

  “It’s Billy,” she says. “Ever since he got back from Afghanistan, he’s different. He saw a lot of bad shit over there. Fire fights. Guys getting blown up by roadside bombs.” She shakes her head. “Too much bad stuff. Have you noticed anything?”

  I tell her about his reaction when Connie pounded on the door

  “You heard what he said about the Vet Center…right?”

  I nod.

  “When I asked him about it, he gave me a non answer. I think Billy has PTSD. And, I think 3 Peaks P.D. wants to make sure he’s okay before they hire him as a detective and hand him a gun.”

  I think about what she said and my first instinct is to defend him. But how can I? I didn’t know him before. “You think they’re making him go for counseling?”

  Kendra stays silent for a few moments and then pounds a fist on the steering wheel. “Dammit, why won’t he talk to me? I’m his sister and I love the big jerk.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, he hasn’t said anything to me either.”

  Kendra heaves a huge sigh and suddenly, her mood changes again. She flashes a mischievous grin. “Maybe he’ll open up after you guys, uh, get it on. A little pillow talk.”

  Flames lick at my cheeks. I mumble, “Maybe.”

  “Okay,” Kendra says. “I’ve got something else to tell you. It’s kind of about Billy but not exactly.”

  I give her a questioning look.

  “Don’t get mad, but Dani told me about you. That you can read souls.”

  I flinch in surprise and, despite Kendra’s warning, feel angry and betrayed. “I can’t believe Dani told you. It was our secret.”

  “Dani and I were close, like sisters. When she found out you were coming to 3 Peaks, she said maybe you could read Billy’s soul and figure out what’s wrong with him.”

  “I’ve read his soul. Guess what I see? Me. My own face. That’s never happened before.”

  Kendra’s forehead wrinkles in confusion. “That’s weird. Anything else?”

  “I saw fire and smoke a couple of times, but it happened when we were about to get, um, cozy. I figured it was reflecting our feelings.”

  Kendra thinks for a moment. “Maybe not. Maybe the smoke and fire has something to do with his deployment.”

  “I guess it’s possible.”

  “So, you think you can talk to him about it?”

  I can’t meet her eyes. “Actually we don’t do a whole lot of talking. But, I’ll try.”

  Kendra tries, unsuccessfully, to hide a smile behind an uplifted hand. “Good enough,” she says. “Okay, enough about Billy. What are we going to do about Destiny?”

  “Go to the cops?”

  “And say what? That the Rockwells call her Addison instead of Destiny? That they kidnapped her? Eddie would jump in and call us liars.”

  “Is there anybody in the 3 Peaks P.D. Billy can talk to? Ask about the Rockwells?”

  Kendra says, “Yeah, he’s got a buddy there. Helped him get his job interview.”

  “Good,” I say. “Plus, I’d like to know what’s up with the Russian girls. Aida and Larissa. Both pregnant. Both say they never had a boyfriend.”

  “Oh, please. Do you believe that crap?”

  I gnaw on my lower lip before I answer. Kendra knows I’m a soul reader. But I’m so conditioned to guard my secret, I can barely form the words. Still, I look around before I lean toward Kendra and whisper, “She’s not lying. I looked into her soul. It’s absolutely beautiful. Pure as the driven snow, so to speak. I’m sure she’s not lying.”

  Kendra perks up. “How do you do it? It sounds kinda fun.”

  I shake my head. “Not fun. Too much information.”

  “What do you see?”

  “Basically, I see colors, or color combinations. It started after my twin sister, Hope, was killed. I was six at the time. I had no idea what the colors meant. Over the years, I’ve figured it out.”

  Kendra takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Dani said you and your sister were really close. You say this soul reading thing didn’t start until after she died?”

  I swallow the lump in my throat. “Right.”

  “So maybe this is Hope’s way of staying connected to you. Maybe she’s guiding you. Protecting you from bad people.”

  The very same notion floats through my mind every now and again, but thinking about Hope is so painful, I suppress it. Even now, it makes me uncomfortable. “Maybe.”

  I turn away from Kendra and stare out the window. If Hope is guiding me, wouldn’t I feel her presence? I’ve had a hole in my heart ever since her death. My mother sent me for counseling, but I refused to talk. Basically, I buried my grief until it morphed into anger and came out in inappropriate behavior. Maybe it’s time to re-think the soul-reading thing and ask Hope to help me. Brand new concept.

  Kendra interrupts my thoughts. “So, maybe you can talk to this Russian chick, Aida. See what you can find out.”

  “She’s scared to death. I don’t want to get her in trouble.”

  “I have a friend who’s in a hot yoga class with Nina Rockwell. She says the Missus is at her fitness club every morning for hours. After yoga, she works out with a personal trainer.”

  “Do you know where the Rockwells live?”

  “No, but we’ll put Billy on it. He’ll know.”

  The kids in the back seat begin to stir and fuss. Kendra glances over her shoulder. “Gotta get these guys home.”

  We exchange cell phone numbers and Kendra drops me off in front of Number Twelve. Before she pulls away, she opens the window and calls, “Remember, pillow talk. Catch him when he’s weak.”

  I grin and wave.

  ****

  I look for Billy all evening, but he doesn’t show. Back in my comfy little room, I shed my work clothes, brush my teeth and flop down on the bed. So what if he’s not here. You got along just fine without him before. Don’t be a clingy wimp.

  I’d just drifted off to sleep when a rap on the door jolts me awake. “Minnie, it’s me. Open up.” His tone is urgent.

  Clad in sleep shirt and panties, I fling the door open. “What?”

  Billy’s face is drawn and pale. He steps through the door and locks it behind
him. “Aw, dammit Minnie,” he says, raking a hand through his hair. “I am so fucked up.”

  He looms over me, clenching and unclenching his fists. His face is in shadow, all sharp edges and angles. A stab of fear knifes through me and I take an involuntary step back. He steps into the light, closes the distance between us and grabs my shoulders. I stiffen; place my hands flat against his chest and push. “I don’t know what’s up with you, Billy, but I won’t let you hurt me.”

  He gazes down at me, breathing hard, struggling for control. I look into his eyes, hoping his soul will reveal what he’s unable to express. The inferno in his soul is so intense, so violent, I can’t bear to look.

  His hands are shaking as he loosens his grip on my shoulders and cups my face in his palms. He tilts my head back. “Look at me, Minnie. I won’t hurt you. I need you. Tell me to stop if I get too rough. I promise I will.”

  Reluctantly, I look into his soul, expecting to see shooting flames but the fire has burned down to glowing embers. I know his violence is barely under control and I should be scared. But the honesty in his voice and the heat in his eyes ignite an answering spark deep within me. It roars to life, burning bright and hot. Fear vanishes; replaced by a need I didn’t know I had. My arms soften; slip around him and I press his hardness against my body, hungry for his touch.

  He lifts me in his arms and strides to the bed, kicking a chair over in his haste. I land on my back with Billy beside me. His eyes are wild and hot with desire.

  For a brief moment, sanity prevails and fleeting thoughts scurry through my mind. Is this the same guy I’ve been having sex with? The gentle, solicitous Billy who takes great care not to crush me under his muscular body? The Billy who makes sure I climax before he does? The Billy who always asks, “Are you okay?’

  No, it isn’t the same Billy, but his fierceness excites me. He grips the back of my neck with one hand and uses the other to unbutton his Levis. He kicks his jeans away and strips off my clothes.

  Once again, he sweeps me up in his arms. Two steps and I’m pressed against the wall. He drops to his knees, his hands gripping my hips. His mouth is hot, wet and heavy against me. I take hold of his head, pulling him closer. Lost in sea of sensation, I no longer care which Billy I’m with. I throw my head back, gasping with pleasure. Now, his mouth is moving, touching every sensitive part of my body. I feel his teeth on my neck, nipping at the tender skin. I claw at his shoulders, urging him on with little yips of encouragement. He lifts me off my feet, pinning me against the wall with his body. My legs part. He slams into me and I scream.

  “Sorry, sorry,” he says, his lips moving against my neck.

  “It’s okay,” I murmur. I wrap my legs around him and we move together. Then, I lose all track of time. Adrift in a world of rough-around-the-edges pleasure, I hold on tight, my excitement building as wave after wave of ecstasy washes over me.

  Later, when the thinking part of my brain kicks in, I realize we’re on the floor. How did that happen? We climb onto the bed, both breathing hard. Both exhausted. Billy cradles me against his body. Again, he says, “Sorry, Minnie.”

  I breathe into his chest and assure him I’m okay. After a long silence, I say, “It’s pretty obvious you were in a bad place when you knocked on my door. Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

  I feel his body tense. He says, “I have some stuff to take care of before I get my badge.”

  “Like what?”

  He props himself up on one elbow and stares down at me. The wildness is gone from his eyes, but the flames are still burning in his soul.

  “About my time in Afghanistan.”

  Looks like Kendra was right about the smoke and fire reflected in Billy’s soul.

  “You want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. What is it you have to do?”

  “3 Peaks P.D. wants me to get counseling at the Vet Center.”

  Neither of us has uttered the PTSD word, but its presence hangs over us like a ticking time bomb.

  I pat his chest. “Counseling could be a good thing. You need to talk to somebody who understands.”

  When I utter the words, I realize I sound exactly like my mother.

  He jerks away from me. “Jesus, Minnie, I don’t want to talk about it. Okay?”

  I think about what I went through when Hope died and totally understand where he’s coming from. It’s not my place to judge him. “Yeah, it’s okay, Billy. Just do what you have to do.”

  He stares at the ceiling for a while, then gets dressed, sets Dani’s letter and pictures on the table and leaves without another word. Looks like I flunked Pillow Talk 101.

  Chapter Fifteen

  My cell phone wakes me shortly before nine a.m.

  “Mel?” It’s a woman and her voice is tinged with panic. Because she pronounces my name, “Meal,” I know it belongs to Aida.

  I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. “Aida? Something wrong?”

  What follows is a burst of rapid-fire broken English. I catch only a few words. One of them is Larissa. And, I can’t ignore the urgency in her voice.

  “What?” I say, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Has something happened to Larissa?”

  “Larissa’s gone,” she says. “You come to house. Missus not here.”

  Even though I’m exhausted, I write down the directions to the Rockwell’s house and promise Aida I’ll get there somehow.

  I’m pretty sure the bus doesn’t go to Broken Top, the most exclusive neighborhood in 3 Peaks. Then, I remember the bike I saw at the thrift shop. I get dressed, grab my backpack and head out.

  It’s a boy’s bike, on the smallish side, but fits me just fine. Adorned with shooting orange flames and knobby tires, the bike sports the name, Blazing Saddles. After some dickering with the clerk, I get a twenty-five percent frequent shopper discount and Blazing Saddles is mine for twenty-four dollars and ninety-nine cents.

  I soon discover why Broken Top is an exclusive neighborhood. It’s situated on view property, aka, a big friggin’ hill. By the time I peddle up to the impressive house set well back from the street, my legs have turned to jelly. The lawn is manicured, the flowerbeds weed free and the long, curving driveway lined with massive trees and perfectly shaped round shrubs. It is the house in Dani’s picture. I stash Blazing Saddles behind a bushy, flowering shrub, in case the gardener spots it, and assumes it belongs in the trash.

  As I approach the house, the door flies open. Aida flaps her hands at me. “In, in,” she says as I hobble up to the front porch. We step onto the gleaming marble floor of a foyer far bigger than my humble home. Silently, Aida grabs my arm and marches me into a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Deschutes River. Beyond the river, I see a stretch of emerald green fairway dotted with an occasional golf cart. Apparently, this is how the rich and powerful live.

  While I catch my breath, Aida tells me the baby is sleeping, pours me a glass of water and leads me to a stool parked next to an expansive, curved breakfast bar. She settles in next to me, her hands cradling the bulge in her belly. Her eyes are red-rimmed and swollen.

  She waits until I drain the glass before she pulls a photo from her apron pocket. “This is me and my sister. For three days now, I call and call but no Larissa. I have bad feeling. Larissa’s time is now. For baby, I mean.”

  I study the photo of the two girls. Both natural blonds. Both beautiful. Heads together, smiling into the camera. Both wearing identical silver charm bracelets. “And she always answered before?”

  Aida nods. “Yes, always. We have system. I call, let it ring three times then hang up. She calls back. Maybe not right then, but soon.”

  “And you say her baby is due now?”

  “Yes, little boy. Larissa very happy for little boy.”

  I chew on my lower lip, trying to figure out how to politely ask for an explanation of the obvious. “Aida,” I begin. “Please don’t take offense, bu
t you say you and your sister were never with a man and yet, you’re both pregnant. How can that be?”

  A flush rises in Aida’s cheeks. “Our parents very strict. No boyfriends. Big man comes to Kazakhstan from U.S. Gives money to parents. Says Larissa will have good job in your country. Parents take money, say okay. Few months later, same big man comes back for me.”

  Apparently Aida gathers from my shocked expression I don’t approve, because she lifts a hand and insists, “No, no. Parents good people. Just poor.”

  I bite back the words, Yeah, real good people who sell their daughters to strangers.

  “Larissa and I talk about this.” She points at her belly. “Only one way it could happen.”

  Actually, I can think of a couple of ways, but I give her an encouraging nod. “How?”

  “Both of us are taken to doctor when we arrive here. Big man tells us we very lucky to get free health care. Doctor give us exam. For one part—you know the part—where he look between our legs, he give us pill to relax. Says he don’t want to hurt us. I go to sleep. Wake up a little later. Very next month, no bleeding.”

  I feel fury building inside my brain and hope my skull won’t explode into a bajillion little angry bone bullets. I want to scream, Shit, shit, shit! Obviously the girls had been artificially inseminated. This is even more evil than I imagined. I pull Dani’s pictures from my pocket and hand them to Aida. She studies them carefully and then points at the photo of the medical clinic. “Yes, that is where we see doctor.”

  “You said you’ve only been with the Rockwells for a little while. Where were you before you came here?”

  Aida shrugs. “With Larissa at another big house. Another Mister and Missus. I help with cooking and clean the house.”

  “When they found out you and Larissa were pregnant, what did they say?”

  Aida’s eyes spark with anger. “They make us feel shame. Say they will do us favor and take care of us.”

  “Did you ask to go home? Back to Kazakhstan?”

  Aida flinches. “No, no, can’t go home. Would shame parents.”

  “Did they give you money? Pay you?”