cup, since we don’t have any glasses?”
“If I’d wanted a cup, I’d have gotten it myself.” A flush of pink flooded her cheeks. “Thanks for the offer though.”
“No problem. You need anything else?”
“Yes. I need to know what the heck is going on around here.”
Tommy slouched farther down in the chair, lifting his chained leg to rest atop the opposite knee. He ran both hands through his short hair, scrubbing at it so hard, it stood on end.
“I’ve been asking myself that question from the minute I woke up here. Your uncle Steven won’t tell me why he took me.” His hands played with the silver links running from the manacle, letting the slack play through his hands, back and forth.
“I had a flat tire on the way home from my job. Started walking back toward New Orleans, going to find a filling station and get it fixed. Steven stopped and offered me a lift. I said, sure, why not? He was a friend, does work for my folks all the time.”
“But why are you here, like this?” Becca was actually listening to him this time, with interest.
“Don’t know. Steven said he needed to stop off at home then he’d take me to get the tire fixed. When we got to his house, he invited me in to have something to drink. Next thing I remember, I’m waking up in my new home away from home.” Tommy gestured toward the four walls encompassing them. “I can’t get a straight answer out of him. For days, he barely spoke to me. Just brought food on those lousy paper plates and crappy paper cups.”
“He was supposed to be fixing this place up for me, my own refuge for when I got out of rehab. Nobody else was supposed to be here. Heck, nobody else was even supposed to know I was here.”
“See, that’s what’s so strange. He never said a word about you. Just showed up with you bundled in those blankets, carried you in and laid you down on the bed. Threatened me, ordered me not to touch you, or he’d kill me. Hell, I didn’t even know who you were. My first thought was that he’d kidnapped somebody else and they’d be stuck here like me.”
“Well, we are both stuck here in our own way, aren’t we? Neither one of us has our freedom.” Becca’s voice held a hint of sadness.
“I remember hearing about you being hurt a while back. What exactly happened, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Becca glanced down at her lap, at her useless legs, before returning his stare.
“Long story made short, my parents and I were in a car accident six months ago. They were the lucky ones.” Her voice cracked slightly. “They were both killed immediately. I was in a coma for a while. When I finally woke up, Uncle Steven was there. The nurses told me he’d been there every day, from the first day I was brought in.”
“So he’s taken responsibility for you?”
“Pretty much. That’s why I can’t believe he did something like this. Why kidnap you?”
Tommy stood, the chain making a jangling noise as it hit the cement floor.
“If you figure it out, let me know, ’cause I’ve racked my brain and I can’t come up with any logical reason. I mean, my God, who in their right mind chains somebody up in their garage? You ask me, he’s just friggin’ crazy.”
He walked across the room, as far away from Becca as he could get, leaned back against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. Pulling his knees up, he rested his elbows on them and placed his hands over his eyes, effectively shutting her out.
Softly, so softly he almost didn’t hear, Becca whispered, “That’s what I’m afraid of. That he really is crazy.”
***
Max walked the few blocks back to his office, his mind replaying the things Remy had said. He didn’t want to hurt Theresa. Now he understood how traumatic this psychic ability of hers could be, the physical toll it took on her. He wanted her out.
Worse though were those final words before he left her place. I never want to see you again. Those simple words were like a knife stabbing
“If I’d wanted a cup, I’d have gotten it myself.” A flush of pink flooded her cheeks. “Thanks for the offer though.”
“No problem. You need anything else?”
“Yes. I need to know what the heck is going on around here.”
Tommy slouched farther down in the chair, lifting his chained leg to rest atop the opposite knee. He ran both hands through his short hair, scrubbing at it so hard, it stood on end.
“I’ve been asking myself that question from the minute I woke up here. Your uncle Steven won’t tell me why he took me.” His hands played with the silver links running from the manacle, letting the slack play through his hands, back and forth.
“I had a flat tire on the way home from my job. Started walking back toward New Orleans, going to find a filling station and get it fixed. Steven stopped and offered me a lift. I said, sure, why not? He was a friend, does work for my folks all the time.”
“But why are you here, like this?” Becca was actually listening to him this time, with interest.
“Don’t know. Steven said he needed to stop off at home then he’d take me to get the tire fixed. When we got to his house, he invited me in to have something to drink. Next thing I remember, I’m waking up in my new home away from home.” Tommy gestured toward the four walls encompassing them. “I can’t get a straight answer out of him. For days, he barely spoke to me. Just brought food on those lousy paper plates and crappy paper cups.”
“He was supposed to be fixing this place up for me, my own refuge for when I got out of rehab. Nobody else was supposed to be here. Heck, nobody else was even supposed to know I was here.”
“See, that’s what’s so strange. He never said a word about you. Just showed up with you bundled in those blankets, carried you in and laid you down on the bed. Threatened me, ordered me not to touch you, or he’d kill me. Hell, I didn’t even know who you were. My first thought was that he’d kidnapped somebody else and they’d be stuck here like me.”
“Well, we are both stuck here in our own way, aren’t we? Neither one of us has our freedom.” Becca’s voice held a hint of sadness.
“I remember hearing about you being hurt a while back. What exactly happened, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Becca glanced down at her lap, at her useless legs, before returning his stare.
“Long story made short, my parents and I were in a car accident six months ago. They were the lucky ones.” Her voice cracked slightly. “They were both killed immediately. I was in a coma for a while. When I finally woke up, Uncle Steven was there. The nurses told me he’d been there every day, from the first day I was brought in.”
“So he’s taken responsibility for you?”
“Pretty much. That’s why I can’t believe he did something like this. Why kidnap you?”
Tommy stood, the chain making a jangling noise as it hit the cement floor.
“If you figure it out, let me know, ’cause I’ve racked my brain and I can’t come up with any logical reason. I mean, my God, who in their right mind chains somebody up in their garage? You ask me, he’s just friggin’ crazy.”
He walked across the room, as far away from Becca as he could get, leaned back against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. Pulling his knees up, he rested his elbows on them and placed his hands over his eyes, effectively shutting her out.
Softly, so softly he almost didn’t hear, Becca whispered, “That’s what I’m afraid of. That he really is crazy.”
***
Max walked the few blocks back to his office, his mind replaying the things Remy had said. He didn’t want to hurt Theresa. Now he understood how traumatic this psychic ability of hers could be, the physical toll it took on her. He wanted her out.
Worse though were those final words before he left her place. I never want to see you again. Those simple words were like a knife stabbing
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