Island of Lost Girls - Jennifer McMahon [58]
Aggies worried, huh? Isnt that sweet? Isnt it great that she can come to you with this shit? Youre such a fuck of a good guy, arent you? There was silence for a few seconds and then a sudden smacking soundRhonda knew Daniel was slapping the work bench with his open palm, a classic Daniel-in-a-rage move.
Arentyou? Daniels voice was raised now, angry. You stay away from my wife! Dont think I dont know whats going on!
I wont talk to you when youre like this, Clems voice was calm, patient, low.
Stay the fuck away from her!
Good night, Daniel. Well talk in the morning.
There was the sound of metal hitting the concrete floor of the shed. Daniel had thrown something, some tool.
Get the fuck off my property! he shouted after Clem, his voice flaming with rage, the echo of metal hitting concrete still in the air.
The light went out and the door to the garage slammed. Rhonda lay still, breathing pine. Peter got out of his coffin and pulled the lid off of Rhondas.
You okay? he asked, giving her a hand and pulling her up.
Rhonda nodded. You? she asked.
Peter didnt answer. He just led her out of the workshop in silence. She never got to ask what the creepiest part of Daniel building his own coffin was.
JUNE 16, 2006
HAD LIZZY REALLYcome back? Was it possible? Why would Peter keep something like that a secret? And the dark-haired little girl at the motel it couldnt be Ernie, could it?
Every question Rhonda asked led to new questions, and she felt she was spinning her wheels in sand.
Maybe, Rhonda thought, shed been focusing on the disappearance of the wrong girl. Somehow or other, Lizzy was tied into it, and in order to understand what happened to Ernie, maybe Rhonda needed to start with Lizzy.
Safely ensconced in her apartment, Sadie on her lap and an open bottle of beer on the coffee table, Rhonda picked up the remote for the VCR and pressedPLAY .
The camera scanned the crowd before the opening act. There were Clem and Justine. Laura Lee in her silver gown. Daniel next to her, dressed in jeans and a red T-shirt, no bags packed be side him, no bus ticket sticking out of his pocket. And there was Aggie, tumbler of gin in one hand, cigarette in the other. Everyone looked young and healthy and like theyd be around forever.
Then Rhonda and the OShea boys were on the stage, tucked into their tiny beds, when outside the window, the audience heard a crow. There he wasPeter Pan lighting down on the window, crawling through like a cat burglar, a thief of children, a fairy king. He moved like water. He was that graceful. His body all elastic energy. Peter at fourteen. Rhonda leaned forward for a better look, wanting so badly to crawl into that scene, to be back on the stage, to remember what it was like.
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning, she found herself mumbling. How many times had she caught herself mouthing these words as if it were some magic incantation?
The pounding on the door made her jump. She pushedPAUSE , held Sadie in her arms, and went to see who it was.
I told you to stay away from my mother, Tock stormed into the apartment, her gray eyes nearly black. Who the fuck do you think you are? What the hell do you get out of harassing some sick old lady? What is it you think shes going to tell you?
Nothing I
Do you seriously think she could haveanything to do with what happened to Ernie?
Rhonda took a step back.
Do you?
No, but she might know something
Know what? What might she know, Ronnie? The perfect sangria recipe?
Sometimes, Rhonda said, people have clues that they dont even know are clues.
Oh, thats very fucking profound. Heres a clue that its time you picked up on: if you dont stay the fuck away from my mother, Ill have the cops arrest you for harassment. Everyone wants to give poor little Rhonda a pass because shes so fragile, so innocent. Im over it, Rhonda. You