Evidence of Darkness Page 5

  After sleeping fretfully for a few hours, she woke up to the sun blazing through the car windows. She was freezing and very hungry. She started the car so she could get warm, and began the daunting task of counting the change in the coffee tin. The dried blood on the side of the can brought back the image of Bryan lying on the floor with blood gushing out of his head. She assumed since he was swearing at her when she left the house, he was probably still alive. She immediately forced the thought out of her mind.

  After meticulously counting the change in the tin, she was pleased that there was $32.14. She went into the grocery store and used the bathroom, then purchased a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and some bananas. She bought a bottle of water she could refill it in the bathroom when it was empty, then grabbed some plastic silverware from the deli, and returned to the car.

  After she ate a peanut butter sandwich and a banana, she reentered the store and went to a payphone. Her fingers were shaking as she inserted a coin into the slot and dialed her mother’s number. She knew if Bryan answered the phone, she would hang up and would probably never have the courage to call again.

  A wave of relief flooded Reesa when she heard her mother’s voice answer, “Hello.”

  “It’s me, Mom, don’t say a – ”

  She interrupted her, screaming into the phone, “Where are you? Bring my car back – NOW! I mean it. Don’t think I won’t call the police!”

  The sound of her mother’s voice yelling at her through the receiver felt like daggers, piercing through the very core of her being. Consumed with anger, she shouted into the phone, “Really, Mom? Here’s the deal. I’m never coming home, and I’m not bringing your car back. You are not going to call the police to report that your car is missing. You are going to leave me alone! I want nothing more to do with you, or your lame boyfriend. I want to be left alone. If you so much as think about trying to find me, or trying to get your car back, I’ll go straight to Officer Porter. I’ll tell her you let Bryan come back home. I’ll proceed with the rape charges. I’ll tell them he raped me again and that’s how he got the gash on his head. SO HELP ME GOD, MOM, IF YOU DARE TRY TO INTERFERE IN MY LIFE, I’LL MAKE SURE YOU BOTH ROT IN HELL!”

  Reesa slammed the phone down, then slowly turned around to see people staring at her as if she were a lunatic. Her face was beet red and she was shaking as she stormed past them and out of the store to the car where she sat for hours, numb.

  A few hours later, fiery and willpower filled her emotional void, and she studied in the car all afternoon, more determined than ever to graduate top of her class.

  She drove back to Connersville on Monday morning to attend school. Just in case her mother had decided to report her stolen vehicle to the police, she parked in an alley behind an old abandoned church so no one could spot the car. Then she walked half a mile to school.

  She acted as if nothing was wrong and told no one, not even Madeline, that she was living in her mother’s car.

  She lived in constant fear that her mother would show up at school and try to drag her home. While attending classes, she kept an eye on every door and window, waiting and watching for anything unusual. Every evening, she would drive to a different private location and study, eventually falling asleep in the car.

  After two weeks, she was almost out of money. She had hardly been eating, trying to conserve what little money she had for gas.

  She briefly considered calling her father and asking for money, but she hadn’t seen or heard from him in over ten years, so she didn’t see the point in contacting him.

  She thought about calling her Aunt Wanda, but didn’t want to ask her for money since she would be staying with her for the entire summer.

  With only $3.25 left, she went into a small convenience store in a nearby town that had a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window and got a job as a cashier. She worked every day after school and on the weekends.

  Even Madeline was illusive to her lifestyle, or that anything was wrong. Reesa thought she might know something was different, but knew her mother wouldn’t let her stay with them, so she kept quiet.

  After living in her car for over two months, she was ecstatic but emotionally and physically exhausted when she attended her final day of high school. She graduated with high honors, but had no plans to attend the graduation ceremony. She couldn’t afford a cap and gown and knew there would be no one in the audience to share in her accomplishment.

  As the doors of Connersville High School closed behind her, she hoped her struggles were over and she could finally begin to live a normal life. She climbed in the car without looking back, and drove straight to Bloomington.

  She wanted to return home and get Milo, but felt frail and knew she wasn’t up to a confrontation with Bryan, or her mother.

  Reesa was weary but optimistic on that beautiful summer day as she pulled into the gravel driveway of Wanda’s small, two-bedroom house on the outskirts of Bloomington. Before she could even get out of the car, Wanda rushed out to her, arms open wide. Reesa exited the car and walked straight into Wanda’s embrace.

  She hadn’t seen her aunt in almost ten years, but her hazel-colored eyes were just as bright and jolly as she had remembered them. Wanda had gained some weight, which for her small stature made her appear quite plump; and, her dark hair now had thick wisps of gray tracing threw it. She had always been especially fond of her aunt. It had broken Reesa’s heart when her mother declared, shortly after her father had left, that all of his relatives were dead to them.

  When Wanda finally released her, she exclaimed, “I’m so glad you’re finally here! I’ve been so excited to see you. Let’s get your things inside. I can’t wait to catch up.”

  They unloaded the car, then Wanda fixed dinner while Reesa unpacked. After they had eaten, they sat in the small living room and talked. Reesa felt so comfortable, she almost confided in her about all she had been through the last three months, but she just couldn’t bring herself to talk about it. The pain was still etched too deeply into her heart, and she didn’t want to ruin the first pleasant moment she’d had in months.

  She was relieved to discover that her father had given Wanda enough money to cover tuition costs and books for her first semester of college. She suspected her aunt had talked with her brother and urged him to take some financial responsibility since he had left Reesa at such a young age.

  That night when she went to sleep in Wanda’s tiny guest bedroom, she felt safe and content for the first time in months.

  She still missed Milo cuddling up to her when she went to bed, so several weeks later, she finally summoned the courage to call her mother and ask if she could return home to get him. Her mother informed her curtly that he had passed away. Reesa’s heart was broken and she cried for days wondering if Bryan had killed him. She knew she would regret not having the strength to return home for him the rest of her life.

  Present, New York City

  After Reesa reflected back on the paths she had chosen after she had been raped, she came to the realization that she, too, had chosen herself. She had made the choice to graduate, to attend college, to make something of herself. Just like LeeAnn, she had chosen her life, her future, over an emotionally draining attempt to avenge her rapist.

  She was still smiling at 4 p.m. when her assistant escorted her new client into her office. The meeting went well, and when it was over, she began looking forward to her evening with Jade and felt relieved that her dark mood had finally lifted.

  She had just finished some last minute paperwork when Mike entered her office with his hands behind his back, grinning ear to ear. She smiled at him and chuckled. “You look rather proud of yourself. I take it you were successful.”

  “Absolutely. I think you’ll be pleased. Were you able to reach LeeAnn?”

  Reesa smiled. “Yes. It went exceptionally well. She’s receptive to meeting with us, but we’ll have to go to her. Check your calendar and see if you’re free to take a short trip to St. Louis the first
Thursday and Friday after the first of the year.”

  “Will do. I’m anxious to hear about the call, but we have something more important to resolve first.”

  She motioned with her hand for him to come over to her. “Okay, let’s see what you’ve got.”

  “I want you to have an open mind about this, okay? I know how much you love your daughter. That said, this gift might entice her to choose a college close to home, perhaps help her be more responsible, and it might even prompt her to spend a little more time at home. The benefits are endless!”

  Reesa was giggling at him. “Okay, I can’t stand the suspense. Let me see what you bought.”

  Mike walked over to Reesa and handed her his heavy wool hat. Just as she took it from him, a kitten’s head popped out and looked at her. It was a caramel-colored cat with a splash of white radiating from it’s tiny pink nose.

  Reesa stared at the kitten in shock. It looked exactly like Milo had looked when her father gave him to her when she was only six years old, just a month before he had left. Unable to fight back overwhelming urge to cry, she quickly swiveled her chair around so Mike couldn’t see her face. She held the kitten to her chest and whispered softly, “Milo.”

  Mike could see her body trembling as she sobbed. He quickly walked over and squatted down by her chair, looking at her tenderly. “Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just a kitten. I can take it back if you want me to. Really, I don’t mind at all.”

  Reesa shook her head but couldn’t stop crying, clutching the kitten to her heart as if she would never let it go.

  Mike reached up to wipe a tear from her face and she flinched. He was trying to digest what was happening, but he couldn’t. He had never seen her cry. Having always viewed her as having a bulletproof demeanor, he was unsure what to do. He quickly grabbed a tissue from the box sitting on her desk, and handed it to her. She took it and started drying her tears.

  “I’m sorry, Mike. This just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

  “It’s okay. Did something happen in your four o’clock meeting that upset you?”

  “No, it actually went very well.”

  “Are you going to tell me what has you so upset?”

  She glanced at the kitten’s face again. She felt unable to talk as tears continued falling down her cheeks.

  Mike remained squatted on the floor, looking at her. “Ah, the kitten is a male. They had some females if you want to exchange him. This was just the cutest one and I didn’t think it really mattered.” He paused a moment, then tried to lighten the mood. “If you can’t think of a name for him, you could consider calling him Mike, or Mikey, just a suggestion of course.”

  Reesa started laughing through her tears. “I think I’ll let Jade name him, but I’ll pass along the suggestions to her.” She paused a second, then felt she owed him an explanation. “I’m sorry about my reaction. It’s just…it’s just that I had a cat when I was young. His name was Milo. He looked very similar to this little guy. He was very special to me.”

  “He must have been.” Then he stood up abruptly. “Oh, I got something else! I’ll be right back.”

  Reesa continued to cuddle the kitten, suddenly very anxious to get home and present him to Jade.

  Mike returned to her office holding a pretty box with a bow on it. He walked up to her and opened the box. “I also purchased a diamond and sapphire necklace with matching earrings.”

  Reesa glanced in the box, still holding the kitten. “They’re beautiful, Mike. You exceeded my expectations once again.” She paused a second. “But wait, why did you buy the kitten and the jewelry?”

  Mike chuckled. “I bought the necklace and earrings first. As I was walking back to the office, the pet store on the corner had the kittens in the window. He was free. Well, almost anyway. I had to donate fifty dollars to the Humane Society. I also had to sign a document stating that you’ll get him neutered.” He smiled proudly and teased, “But I can probably get out of that contract if you’re opposed to doing that.”

  Reesa laughed. “Oh, I’m sure you could! Thanks again. I’m sure Jade is going to love this little guy. I can’t wait to give him to her…and the jewelry of course.”

  Reesa couldn’t take her eyes off the kitten. “How much do I owe you?”

  “Fourteen hundred. I assumed that money wasn’t really an issue.”

  “You assumed correctly.”

  “Well, we can settle up later. I’m sure you need to get going, and I need to get busy on my closing argument. Wish Jade a happy birthday for me. We can meet sometime tomorrow and discuss the trip to St. Louis.”

  As Mike walked down the corridor to his office, he was perplexed – yet another irrational response from Reesa to a somewhat normal situation. His concern for her was growing. He not only admired her as a superb lawyer, but as a woman. He knew he had to figure out what was going on with her before it negatively impacted the Castillo case.

  Immediately after Mike left her office, Reesa placed the kitten, and the small box containing the diamond and sapphire necklace and earrings, in a Bankers Box and left the office. She was dying to get home and present the gifts to Jade. Knowing she had wanted a cat for years, Reesa was anxious to see her expression when she opened the box and saw the kitten hiding inside. He would need some food, a litter box, and some other items, but she anticipated Jade would want to pick out his supplies herself. She thought shopping for his necessities would be a fun excursion for them just before their dinner reservation.

  She was about to burst with excitement as she unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside. After quietly placing the Bankers Box on the dining room table, she slung her coat over a chair. When she started walking to the living room, she saw Jade skipping cheerfully down the hallway toward her.

  She gave Reesa a big hug. “Where is it? Where’s my present?” she asked inquisitively, grinning from ear to ear unable to contain her excitement. “Do I get it now or after dinner?”

  Reesa was beaming. “When would you like to get it?” she teased.

  “Duh, now please. Where is it, Mom?”

  “It’s on the dining room table.”

  Jade immediately ran to the dining room with Reesa at her heels, trying to keep up with her.

  Once they were standing by the dining room table, Jade looked at the Bankers Box and pointed. “Is it in there?”

  Just as Reesa nodded her head, the box wiggled and they heard a faint whining noise. Jade walked up to the box, ripped the lid off, and looked inside. She raised her hand to her mouth in astonishment when she saw the kitten peering up at her. She swiftly picked up the kitten, cuddling him as he rubbed his head softly against her chin. Then she held him up to her face. “Hi, kitty, I love you.” After gently kissing his head, she turned to Reesa. “Thanks, Mom! It’s so cute!” After embracing her, she took the kitten to the living room and sat down on the sofa, admiring him.

  Reesa grabbed the small box containing the jewelry out of the large box and put it in her purse, then sat down beside Jade on the couch, pleased that the kitten was such a huge success.

  After a few moments, Jade looked up at Reesa with a puzzled look on her face. “Hey, Mom, I’ve been asking for a kitten for years. Why do I suddenly get one now? You were always adamant, ‘no cats.’ What made you change your mind?”

  Reesa smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age.”

  Jade giggled. “You’re hardly what I’d call old. You’re only thirty five. You’re goofy sometimes.”

  After she finally separated Jade from the kitten, they left the apartment and stopped by a pet store to shop for kitten supplies prior to arriving at a five-star restaurant for dinner.

  While they were waiting for their meals, Reesa presented Jade with the diamond and sapphire necklace and matching earrings. Although Jade liked the jewelry, she couldn’t stop talking about the kitten during dinner, trying to come up with an appropriate name for him.

  Reesa couldn’t help but t
hink of Mike throughout dinner. She wasn’t sure she liked what she was feeling. It seemed unfamiliar – something she had never felt before, and it scared her. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind and continued to listen to Jade ramble on about the kitten and the events of her day. She felt happy as she watched her talk. She loved her so very much and couldn’t imagine her life without her. Although she knew she wasn’t a perfect mother, she knew without a doubt that Jade knew she loved her very much.

  After Jade went to bed that night, Reesa worked a few hours from her den. When she was too exhausted to work any longer, she turned off the light and headed down the hallway toward her bedroom. As she passed Jade’s bedroom, she peeked into the room and watched as she slept peacefully with the kitten snuggled up beside her. Tears started trickling down her cheeks when she thought that Jade might never have even been born.

  Bloomington, Indiana – 1999

  Wanda’s husband had died a few years before, so her only income was a small social security check and her meager earnings from a part-time job at a local winery.

  Reesa was determined to carry her own weight financially, so after she had settled in, she found a part-time job at a small family-owned bakery a few blocks from campus. The early morning work hours fit her class schedule perfectly.

  On her third day of work, she walked into the shop and inhaled the overwhelming scent of pastry dough, and immediately felt sick to her stomach. On the two previous days she had worked, she loved the enticing aroma of the fresh breads, donuts, and pastries baking in the oven when she entered the store. After she put her apron on and began to work, a wave of nausea consumed her and she immediately fled to the restroom.

  After she vomited, she cleaned herself up and remained in the restroom, waiting for another round of nausea to envelop her. When it didn’t, she returned to the kitchen and resumed her duties, determined to earn some money to support herself.