The Darkness of Shadows (28 page)

They also say the lightning is what you need to worry about, not the noise after.

Mrs. Guerrero’s slap to Tina’s face traveled at about the same speed as a bolt of lightning, followed by the wail of her youngest daughter. Shock boomeranged from Tina to Val to me, then back to Tina.

She held her cheek. “You hit me!”

Mrs. G stilled herself. “Augustina, I can no longer accept you and your treachery in my life.”

“Mommy, please let me explain.” Tina tried to pull her mother into a hug.

Mrs. G moved away.

Holy shit!

Tina wasn’t sure what was going on. Neither was I. Val grabbed Tina and shoved her toward the kitchen.

“Mommy didn’t mean that!” she said. “Let go of me!”

“Looks like your little oligarchy finally came tumbling down,” Val said.

“Mom will understand when I explain—”

“Listen to me, you self-serving bitch, if you ever come near Mom, Nat, or me again, I—” The rest of Val’s threat was lost behind the slamming of the kitchen door.

Mrs. Guerrero’s shoulders were shaking. I wasn’t sure if it was from anger or sadness.

“Ma’am, would you like some privacy?” I picked up the Kleenex box and magazines.

“Pardon? Oh, no. Please stay with me.”

“Sure thing.”

“I was unaware of how deep the loathing went among my daughters.” The tears were on the periphery of her eyes. “Perhaps it is because I chose not to see it.”

I handed her a tissue.

“Thank you.”

I stayed silent, wishing Val would hurry back to soothe her mom’s broken heart.

“When Miguel died, I lost my husband and best friend,” she said. “He was my world. But Augustina … she was never there for me or her sister. After my parents went home, it was Valerie and you that helped restore my faith.” She shook her head. “I do not know where we went wrong with Augustina.”

“Ma’am, you can tell me to mind my own business if you want …”

“Please continue.” She dabbed a tear away.

“You gave Tina the world, loved her, and taught her right from wrong. She chose a different path. It’s who she is. Neither you nor Lieutenant Guerrero could change that. No matter how hard you hope, sometimes people disappoint you.”

“Oh, Natalie, I am deeply sorry for what Augustina has done.” She hesitated. “And for not being truthful with you. This is my fault as well.”

Uh oh. Was she going to pull out her magic wand and show me the wrath of Rita?

“Outside of Valerie’s hospital room, you said something that unnerved me. You said that you only have Valerie.” She shook her head. “You are incorrect. You have me as well.” She headed for the bathroom. “Excuse me …”

Not expecting that at all, I choked back a sob.

Val came in. Her hair was messed up a little, her sweater was askew, but there were no visible strike marks.

“Where’s Mom?”

I pointed to the bathroom. “You okay?”

“Not sure. This is unreal. Mom and Dad never hit us.” She shook her head. “I guess when it’s your kid you never want to see anything but the good in them.”

M
rs. Guerrero called us into the bedroom.

“Natalie, I must tend to your injuries. There will be no arguments.” Mrs. Guerrero, prosecutor extraordinaire, was back in action. Her eyes were a little red from crying, but no other signs of her daughter’s betrayal showed.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Please sit on the bed with me.”

Mrs. Guerrero had a towel on her lap and placed my broken arm on top of it. She began whispering and running her hands over the encased limb, careful not to touch it. It tingled and began to vibrate. A cracking noise filled the air and my arm was free. We stared at the tiny woman and my arm.

“Can you move your arm, child?”

I was too afraid to try and just as afraid not to. I flexed the fingers, then the wrist, and the rest followed. It didn’t hurt, it just felt strange. I turned the arm over, inspecting it, still not able to believe it didn’t hurt anymore.

“Ma’am, thank you. It’s just weird not having the cast on. And the pain’s gone too. Don’t really understand it.”

“You are welcome. Now, your back.”

“Um, it’s feeling much better.”

“You are not telling me the truth.”

“I … ah … um.”

“I will need to examine you. Please change.” Mrs. Guerrero folded the towel with the remains of the cast.

I went into the bathroom and put my bathrobe on backward.

“How bad is the pain? Is it constant?”

“It hurts more when I lean on it. Other than that, it’s just an ache,” I said.

“May I see please?”

I turned my back to them.

“Oh my God!” Val said.

“Dear Lord!” Mrs. G said. “You must be in agony. We will need to make a poultice to apply to your entire back—we must do it religiously. This will take many sessions to heal. Please sit.”

Val said, “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

I nodded.

“I must put my hands on your shoulders for this,” Mrs. G said. “This will cause you much distress. Are you ready?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

How bad could it be?

Holy shit!
Surges of energy zinged around and through the scars like a pinball and Mrs. Guerrero’s hands were the paddles. The power coursed and settled in the new designs and pulsed furiously. Yeah, I have to tempt the Goddess of Pain and call her a little boy. That’ll teach me.

Things started going gray and I flumped forward.

I awoke lying face down on my bed. Pillows were placed around and under me. It was pretty comfortable, but of course I had to pee. I pushed to one side and sat up, the bathrobe still covering my front. My arm felt good and the rest of me was much better. Something was on my back, bandages I figured. Boy, did I need to brush my teeth. My mouth tasted like yesterday’s news.

“Should we wake her up?” Val said.

“No, she needs to sleep. I fear the poor child has not slept since this all happened. What she has experienced and continues to experience will not let her rest. And to complicate matters more, Walter did not heal her back properly,” Mrs. Guerrero said.

“Why?”

“To cause her pain.”

“If I ever come across that bastard again, I’ll kill him.”

“If he is well enough when I am finished, you may have him.”

“Will she be all right?”

“I am not sure,” Mrs. Guerrero said.

I pitched forward—it felt like I didn’t have my sea legs yet. The cane didn’t do much to steady me. I made it to the bathroom, accomplished what I needed to, and washed up.

Soft footsteps brought the Guerreros’ conversation closer.

“Hey! How are you feeling? You okay?” Val said.

I nodded as I stumbled back to the bed. They both had on different clothes. “How long was I out?”

“Almost twenty-eight hours.” Val’s smile held some worry. “Not that I was counting or anything.”

“Ma’am, how’s my back looking?” I said.

“It will take much attention,” Mrs. Guerrero said. “I fear my skills are not what they used to be.”

“Okay.” The disappointment lay heavy in that single word. “Thank you for doing what you did. The pain’s much better.”

“If I may call Mrs. Carey and a few others, the chances may be better—”

“No thank you.” I didn’t want Nurse Helen or anyone else near me.

“Natalie.”

“I think you should let it go,” Val said.

Mrs. Guerrero raised her hands in protest and thought better of her closing argument.

“If you change your mind, please do not wait too long.”

“Whatever you can do is fine by me,” I said.

“You need to eat something. Do you feel up to going to the kitchen or would you like me to bring you something here?”

“Kitchen please. I just want to change,” I said.

Val stayed with me as I pulled some clean clothes together and got dressed.

“You had me beyond worried,” Val said.

“I’m okay. Physically much better. Mentally … Did your mom talk to you?”

“About Rita, the early college days? Yes. Who would’ve guessed that Mom … Dad in a heartbeat, but not Mom.”

“Everybody has secrets,” I said. And both Val and I knew that wasn’t the only little ditty Mrs. G was hiding.

The doorbell rang.

“That better not be Tina,” Val said.

“I will get it,” Mrs. Guerrero said from the living room.

It was much worse.

“Rita,” my father said. “So good to see you after all these years.”

“L
eave, you son of a virus,” Mrs. Guerrero said.

Wow! That’s the closest I’d come to hearing Mrs. G swear!

“Give me my daughter and I will.”

Val pressed her knuckles to mine. “Wonder Twin powers activate!”

I went to the nightstand, opened the drawer, and pulled out one of the prepaid cells. We went to the window and pushed the curtains aside. The kid from Walter’s shop was in the car. The little bastard smiled and waved at us!

Val flipped him half a peace sign and he disappeared into the seat.

I dialed the number taped to the back of the cell, had a quick conversation, then shut it off. Val took the phone and rendered it useless.

Energy washed over us as we joined Mrs. Guerrero at the front door.

William Gannon stood on the porch. He wasn’t his normal put-together self: there were dark circles under his eyes, bruises dotted the landscape of his face, and a small scar crossed his jugular—my contribution to his attire. His posture was horrible, something he would’ve beaten me silly for.

Walter was sporting a white eye patch, many black and blue bruises, and was doing the hokey pokey on the lawn.

My father took a haughty step toward Mrs. Guerrero and bounced back like a hockey puck off a goalpost.

“Natalie is not a possession, she is a person. And she is
my
daughter.” A fervent hostility pulsated through Mrs. Guerrero’s petite frame. “And Walter, you disgust me.”

Walter looked everywhere but in Mrs. G’s direction.

“Rita, blood is thicker than magic.” My father grinned wider than the expanse of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. “She’ll come to me to save you. It’s what you and Miguel taught her.”

“Natalie is my daughter by love. It is all that matters.”

“Wordplay. You were always a grand master at that.”

“Mrs. Guerrero and Val aren’t the ones that need saving,” I said. “And I’m not going anywhere with you, Billy.”

“How dare you!” He rushed forward only to be rejected by the shield surrounding us. “Dammit!”

“Tough luck,” I said. “Thing is, Billy, some people are on their way here to see you. And they’re
really
interested in meeting you.”

“You called the police?” Anger leached from his breath.

I shifted my weight and regripped the cane. “No, I wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your mind completely.” He held his hand out, as if asking me to dance. “Now come with me.”

I laughed—it was jaded, even for me. “I don’t think so. I called the FBI. Chatted with the serial killer task force—nice group of people. Sent them a package on you a week or so ago.”

“You
what
?”

“And I called them a few minutes ago. They should be here …” I checked my watch. “Val, what do you think?”