The Three Miss Margarets (12 page)

But on that Saturday morning, Peggy wasn’t thinking about Miss Li’l Bit or anything except getting to the pond. She was wearing a new white bathing suit under her blouse and Bermuda shorts, a suit so cruelly revealing of the least figure flaws that it had been marked down twice at Boots’s and Mama had been able to pick it up for a song. They both knew Peggy had nothing to fear. She’d left her blouse unbuttoned and tied the tails tightly around her waist to emphasize the point.

There were at least fifteen kids in the parking lot when Peggy’s mama dropped her off. Those who had cars would drive together to Miss Li’l Bit’s house, and those who didn’t would wait for Miss Li’l Bit to pick them up in her station wagon. But this morning, instead of cramming themselves into the cars or running into Jenson’s for a last-minute Coke, everyone was over at the far end of the parking lot. Peggy went over to investigate. The object of their attention was a cherry-red Chevy convertible with a white top and white leather seats. No one had ever seen it before. That in itself wasn’t unusual in Charles Valley; the resort drew a well-heeled crowd, and expensive cars were all over the place during tourist season. But this jazzy car was a far cry from the sober sedans the guests usually drove.

Speculation about the car’s owner began to fly. “Tall, dark, and handsome,” one girl offered.

“Blond and built like a brick you-know-what,” one of the boys said. “She’s probably in Jenson’s right now.”

“
He
is.”

Peggy wondered what a resort guest, male
or
female, could be buying in a little local store that stocked staples like Grape Nuts cereal and motor oil.

Then Grady Garrison walked out of the store carrying a carton of beer.

It had been a couple of years since she’d last seen him close up, and he’d changed. The last traces of puppy fat were gone now; he was lean and, even for an area of the country where no skin escaped the rays of the sun, he was richly tanned. There was a swagger to his walk as he made his way to his convertible.

The other kids backed off, embarrassed to be caught slobbering over Grady’s property. But Peggy recognized the hand of Fate reaching down to give her a gift. She moved around the car so Grady couldn’t see her, ducked down, opened her purse, and dumped the contents onto the asphalt. She’d seen a movie in which the girl did that so she could miss her train and stay with her lover who was married. She couldn’t remember if it was Doris Day or Audrey Hepburn who had the lead. She hoped Grady hadn’t seen the same film.

As she bent down to retrieve her belongings—not the most attractive position, but it couldn’t be helped—she saw that Miss Li’l Bit had pulled up in her station wagon. She froze, scared those smart blue eyes might have caught her emptying her bag onto the ground. But she told herself not to be dumb. Miss Li’l Bit probably couldn’t see that far, and even if she could it was none of her business.

Grady was getting closer. She was alone now. The stragglers who didn’t have rides had climbed into the back of Miss Li’l Bit’s station wagon. Peggy busied herself with picking up pennies and dimes. Grady’s shadow fell over her, and she gave a little gasp as if she was startled.

“Goodness,” she said, looking up at him. “You scared me.” She smiled a pouty little smile and ignored her racing heart.

“Sorry.” He was standing between her and the sun. When she looked up at him he was a dark figure outlined against a sky so bright it hurt her eyes. She couldn’t see the expression on his face. For a moment she wanted to run to the safety of Miss Li’l Bit’s car and a day spent learning to save lives in the shallow end of Miss Li’l Bit’s pond. But then the sun glinted off the stone in the ring Grady wore on his right hand. It was his granddaddy’s class ring from Vanderbilt. Grady was his granddaddy’s namesake, and passing down the ring was a proud family tradition. She took a deep breath.

“I was admiring your car and I dropped my bag,” she said, in a voice that sounded unbelievably steady.

He was looking down at her; she still couldn’t see his face.

“I was going swimming over at Miss Li’l Bit’s.” She made a fast decision not to mention the lifesaving lessons because that sounded too young. “Your car is a dream,” she added, a little desperately. He still hadn’t said a word. She wasn’t sure what to do next. The idea of running came back. She’d just leave her new lipstick and mascara and her house keys and all the rest of it scattered on the gravel of the parking lot and go. Then a voice called out from behind them.

“Peggy, we’re ready.” Miss Li’l Bit was leaning out the window of her station wagon, which was now loaded with giggling, squirming adolescents. Grady snapped his head around in the direction of the sound and she could see his profile. She thought he frowned but she couldn’t be sure.

“Come along, Peggy, you don’t want to keep the others waiting.” Miss Li’l Bit’s voice had taken on a sharp edge. Suddenly Grady squatted down and smiled. He had a big smile, lips opening wide to show white perfect teeth. She wondered if he’d ever worn braces. Mama had thanked God and the dentist when he said Peggy wouldn’t need them. Braces were so expensive.

“If you want to go swimming, come to my house,” Grady said softly.

It was the invitation she’d wanted. There was no reason to back off. He straightened up and pulled her to her feet. “Come on,” he urged, and opened the car door. He had a funny accent, harsh and kind of flat; he must have picked it up in those northern schools.

“Peggy!” The edge in Miss Li’l Bit’s voice was sharper. Peggy looked over and saw she was getting out of her station wagon.

“Hurry,” Grady said, with a playful wink. “Before she comes and drags you away from the big bad wolf.”

Afterward she would try to remember if he had pushed her into the car or if she had climbed in on her own. He put the carton on the seat next to her and ran around to the other side to get in. As he leaned across her to lock her door, she thought she smelled beer on his breath.

“Peggy,” Miss Li’l Bit called out.

“My things—” she began, but he was already turning the key in the ignition.

“Too late,” he said, and peeled out. Somewhere under his tires her lipstick and her mascara were ground into the gravel. As they raced toward the parking lot exit, Peggy turned to see Miss Li’l Bit standing next to her station wagon, staring after them.

W
HEN THEY REACHED THE HIGHWAY
, Grady took a beer out of the carton and opened it with a church key he had hanging from his rearview mirror. Peggy started to protest as he took his hands off the wheel to punch holes in the can; the college student who had plowed into her father’s car had been driving with his knees and balancing a bottle of Wild Turkey against the steering wheel, and she never let boys drive her if they had been drinking. Besides, being seen running around town at ten o’clock in the morning with a date who was sucking beer out of a can was low rent, even if he was Grady Garrison. But instinct told her Grady wasn’t just showing off like the other boys. A reprimand wouldn’t stop him, it would probably make him do it even more.

He smacked his lips. “Nice and cold,” he said. “Help yourself.”

“No, thanks,” she said, trying to keep the disapproval out of her voice. He shrugged and drove on in silence. Clearly it was up to her to start a conversation.

“I can’t wait to see your pool,” she said. “I’ve heard so much about it. Well, I guess everyone has. I mean, everybody knows Mr. Roosevelt used to go swimming in it when he was visiting your daddy.”

“Roosevelt’s dead,” he said flatly. He took a swig of beer and floored the gas pedal. The Chevy jolted and roared down the highway at a speed that made Peggy catch her breath. He heard her and laughed.

“You’re not chicken, are you?”

“You’re going kinda fast,” she shouted, over the wind that was whipping her hair into her face. He looked at her for the first time since they’d gotten into the car. Then he smiled and pressed down even harder on the gas pedal. They were flying now, taking curves at a sickening speed. Peggy braced her feet against the floor of the car and forced herself to keep quiet.

Finally they came to the fork in the highway, the tip of the wedge of land where his house was. The mad ride was over. Peggy allowed her legs to relax. But instead of turning up the long winding drive to his home, Grady raced past it and continued down the highway.

Peggy couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “What are you doing?” she yelled, over the sound of the air roaring past them. For an answer he finished his beer, tossed the can out of the car, rammed a fresh one between his knees, and started to fumble with the church key. The car swerved toward the soft shoulder of the road. Peggy stifled a scream. He righted the car and tossed the can of beer at her.

“Open it,” he commanded. With shaking hands she obeyed. It sprayed all over her blouse and her hair and the top of her new suit. Grady laughed.

On the left, Miss Li’l Bit’s house was coming up. For a moment, Peggy thought he was going to let her out, that the whole nightmare ride had been some kind of cruel practical joke. Instead, tires screeching, he turned to the right, onto the dirt road that led into the Nature Preserve.

They bounced over holes and tree roots, skidding off the road more than they were on it. They passed the shack in the depths of the woods where the Merrick family still lived. A rusted pickup was parked in front. Peggy prayed that someone might see the car whizzing by and call the police, but it didn’t look like anyone was home.

They went deeper into the forest until the road petered out to nothing. The car jerked to a halt. Grady reached across her and opened the door.

“Get out,” he said.

“What are we doing here?”

“Do what I tell you.”

“I thought—”

“You thought I was gonna take you to my mother’s house?” The northern boarding-school accent was blurring into pure Georgia. “You thought I was gonna bring home trash like you?”

“I’m not trash—” she began, but he kept on going.

“My mother is sick. She’s probably gonna die.” He turned to look at her with eyes that were wild.

“I didn’t know—” she started, but he was in his own world of hurting and not hearing her.

“They told me last night. Just like that. She’s gonna die.”

She tried again. “I’m sorry—”

“And you thought you were gonna flash those big titties at me, and I was gonna take you into her house.”

It was close enough to the truth that she didn’t know what to say. He got out of the car and came around to her side.

“I told you to get out!”

“Grady, I don’t want to—”

“Don’t you call me by my name! I didn’t give you permission to call me by my name!” He was screaming now. He grabbed her arm and started pulling her out of the car. Instinctively she seized the steering wheel. He reached across and pried her hands loose, bending back her fingers until she cried out and let go. She tried to slide across the seat to get out on the other side. Her head was jerked back viciously. He had her by her hair and was dragging her back. She heard herself begging him to stop, but he kept pulling until she was out of the car and on the ground. She tried to get up, but he pushed her back down into the dirt. She tried to scramble away from him, but he grabbed her legs and held her. She gave up and started to cry. He watched her weeping at his feet. He had stopped screaming at her now. He pulled her up until she was standing.

“Shut up,” he said quietly.

But she couldn’t stop crying. “I want to go home!”

Casually, as if it were no big thing, he drew his hand back. She felt it coming at her face before she saw it; then it connected, and her cheek was alive with pain. Blood was in her mouth, her eyes blurred. The hand came back the other way, this time the stone on his ring cut open a gash above her eye. There was more blood now; it seemed to be pouring down her face and neck. Her new white bathing suit would be ruined.

“I told you to shut up,” he said. She nodded as hard as she could. The pain was making her dizzy. She didn’t want to fight anymore, she wanted to do whatever she had to do to keep the hand from coming at her again.

“Take off your clothes.”

She wasn’t sure she’d heard him.

“Don’t look like that. I’ve heard about you. You run around like a bitch in heat until some poor fool calls you on it; then you act like your pussy’s lined with gold. These hillbillies may let you get away with that shit, but not me.”

The hand was moving back; it would come at her again. She wanted to be brave now, she wanted to fight, but her head was swimming with pain and the blood was still coming down from her eye and she was afraid the hand would break the bones in her face so it would be ugly forever. And then she would have nothing.

She untied the blouse she had put on so carefully that morning. Impatient, he pulled it off and yanked her shorts down. But he couldn’t do the suit.

“Get this fucking thing off!” he shouted. She hesitated, and the hand pulled back to hit. The hand was all now; avoiding it was the only thing that mattered. Obediently, she reached up and pulled down her shoulder straps. Then, as if she were in a terrible unstoppable dream, she peeled her beautiful new suit down her body until it was a fat white sausage at her feet.

After that it was a blur. He pushed her down on the ground. Stones and twigs and dry grass ground into her back. Then he was on top of her. For a second she tried to keep her knees together but the hand pulled back, ready to come at her, and she opened her legs. Her mind went away. Then he pushed inside her, and the ripping and the hurting started. And then everything went black.

W
HEN SHE CAME TO
someone was shaking her, and there were two voices.

“Get up, you little bitch, I didn’t hurt you.” She recognized Grady screaming again.

“Christ Almighty, what’ve you done to her?” That was the new voice.

“She asked for it.”

“You beat the crap outa her.”

“Served her right.” Grady was grabbing her, trying to make her sit up. “Stop playing games, damn you.” Then his hands were on her throat.