Chapter Seven
KATHERINE
After waving goodbye to Joseph and his family, Katherine fished her keys out of her purse as she walked up the driveway. She had them ready by the time she reached the door. It was dark and quiet when she entered. It was after midnight. Her family had obviously gone to bed.
She took off her shoes and tiptoed in the dark. The last thing she wanted was to wake her parents and be forced into a conversation about her walking out on dinner. As quietly as possible, she took the stairs and crept to her room. But the soft whimper of a child coming from one of the guestrooms stopped her in her tracks.
Katherine tried the doorknob, but the door was locked. She dropped to her knees and peered inside. Only, she couldn’t see anything in the dark, so she stood and tiptoed back down the hall. In a cabinet at the end was where they kept a master key to all the rooms. She grabbed the key, quietly returned to the guestroom, stuck the key in the door as quietly as possible, and unlocked it.
She slowly turned the knob.
What Katherine saw when she stepped inside nearly made her heart stop.
“You son of a bitch!” she screamed.
Katherine rushed her father, snatching a lamp from the nightstand along the way, and smashed him over the head before he could jump to his feet. When he hit the floor with a yelp, she snatched her cousin from the bed and ran from the room like a bat out of hell. She carried Maddie into her bedroom and sat her down on the bed.
“You’re okay,” Katherine assured with a whisper. She reached for the phone on her nightstand, lifted the receiver, and dialed 911. “I need the police!”
* * *
“Sorry to have wasted your time, officers,” her mother said as she and her dad escorted the police to the front door.
Katherine was shocked and disgusted. No more than an hour after she called, the police were leaving without having done a thing to punish her father or protect the little girl he’d abused.
Once the door was secure, her mother whipped around, baring her fangs. “How dare you!” she raged.
“How dare me?” Katherine hissed “Are you fucking insane?” She jabbed her finger in her father’s direction. “He is a monster! And so are you!”
“Get out!” her mother shouted. “I will not let you ruin this family’s good name!”
Katherine glared at her mother through narrowed eyes. “So, you’re okay with sleeping next to a pedophile?”
“Watch your mouth!” her father roared.
Evelyn rushed into the room and shushed them all. “Maddie is sleeping,” she scolded.
Katherine looked at her aunt and shook her head. “Why wouldn’t you let Maddie talk to the police?”
Evelyn blew out a harsh breath as if irritated by Katherine. “We keep family issues in the family. What were you thinking about, calling the police?”
Katherine’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe her ears. “You people are insane,” she breathed.
“And you’re no longer welcome in this house,” her mother countered.
Katherine looked her mother in the eye. “I would rather sleep on the street than spend another night in this house. You can all go to hell!” she shouted as she ran up the stairs, finishing with, “There’s a special place in hell for each of you!”
Chapter Eight
JOSEPH
Joseph walked out of his Constitutional Law class, confident he’d passed his last final exam. Next for him was a summer internship at the prestigious law firm of Harvey and Payne, but his plan for the night was beers with his childhood friend, Jack, at their favorite watering hole.
Joseph marched down the hall with the double doors insight, but he slowed his steps when he saw Katherine. He was hoping he’d run into her. Thoughts of her smile, her laughter, and the minty scent of her shampoo kept him up all night.
Joseph walked over, planning to speak until he overheard her talking to her friend, Laverne.
“I’m in a bit of a bind,” she said. “Can I stay with you for a little while?”
