The Advocate (The Advocate Series) (31 page)

“Just some stuff I thought we’d need, like some water, your cell phone . . . .”

“My phone?” Sabre said, pulling the pack off her back. “You have my phone? Why didn’t you tell me?” She sat down right where she stood, opened the backpack, and dug out the phone.

“I forgot,” Alexis whispered.

“It’s okay,” Sabre said, elated. She could just call the police, and they’d be rescued. She snapped the phone open and started pushing buttons, but nothing happened.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s dead. The battery’s dead.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Sabre, I thought it would help us.”

“Sweetie, you were so smart to think to bring it. Don’t worry. We’ll get out of here just fine. Let’s see what else you stuck in this bag,” Sabre said, going through the backpack. “A flashlight – that could come in real handy, but we better not use it right now because it could draw attention to us. Two water bottles – good – muffins, a roll of toilet paper, and what’s this?” Sabre pulled out a small tin box.

“A first-aid kit. We could clean up your face, Ms. Sabre. You’re bleeding.”

Sabre had been too cold and scared to think about her face. Besides, it didn’t hurt as much as her ankles and wrists. “You’re right. We should clean it up so it doesn’t get infected.”

Sabre placed the kit and the flashlight deeply into the backpack and turned on the flashlight, propping it so the light wouldn’t show. She reached into the backpack and poured a little peroxide onto a cotton ball. Dabbing it on her face, she felt the peroxide fizzle and sting. Sabre flinched. She removed another cotton ball from the kit and dabbed it on her face again. She wiped the dried blood off the best she could without a mirror. Before she closed it up, she looked through the kit. Besides the usual supplies, band aids, cotton balls, an ace bandage, and the peroxide, she saw some matches and a compass. She pulled the compass out, gave Alexis a great big hug, and said, “You’re a genius!”

“What is it?”

“It’s a compass. It’ll keep us from going in circles, and as long as we go west we’ll be headed for the ocean and not deeper into the mountains.” They each took a small drink of water. Sabre repacked the bag. “Here, hold the backpack so I can shine the light inside on the compass.” Sabre peeked inside. “It looks like we’ve been going south. We’ll make a turn and go west.”

Sabre carried the flashlight in her hand, even though she didn’t dare turn it on; the flashlight and compass gave her a sense of power. She had a plan.

They continued on their journey, mostly in silence, stopping occasionally to check the compass. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little cold, and it’s kind of spooky out here,” Alexis replied.

Sabre felt her anxiety. She wanted to stop and hold her and keep her warm, but she didn’t dare. They had to keep moving. Murdock could be anywhere, looking for them in the woods. Sabre didn’t know what else might be out there waiting to hurt them. She had to take their minds off the dark, frightening woods. “Alexis, why did you decide to help me escape?”

“I heard you and Father talking today. He wasn’t going to keep his promise to me, was he?”

“No, I don’t think he was. That’s when you decided to help?”

“Yes. I didn’t want him to hurt you.”

“When did you put the things in the backpack?”

“When I was in the kitchen helping with dinner, I set the muffins and the water bottles aside. When I put the games away, I picked up the flashlight, the first aid kit, and the toilet paper. I’ve been camping with my father lots of times, and you always need toilet paper in the woods,” she digressed. “My father tucked me in on the sofa and then he went to the bathroom before he went to bed. That’s when I took your phone out of your bag, put the things in the backpack, and lay back on the sofa. He came out after he used the restroom and kissed me goodnight, but I pretended to be asleep.”

“You are the bravest little girl I’ve ever met. Thank you.”

They stopped and checked the direction on the compass. They were off course, heading north. Sabre made the adjustment, and again went due west. The night was silent again, except for the noises from the forest, the occasional owl hoot, or a coyote howl in the distance, but every noise took their breaths away.

Although it had been only a few hours, it seemed like they had walked for days and still saw no signs of civilization. Sabre wondered what time it was. Just then she saw a light in the distance. She couldn’t tell what the light came from. Inching their way forward, they kept low to the ground and behind trees as much as they could. She heard a car engine. Through a small clearing, Sabre could see the road and a car creeping north along the highway with a light shining outside the window and into the trees. It must be Murdock.

Sabre’s heart pounded as she quietly turned Alexis around and headed deeper into the woods. When Sabre thought they were far enough away from the light, they turned and went south, trying to stay parallel with the road without getting too close. Sabre felt a little relief. Murdock continued to search for them, but from his car and headed in the opposite direction, not on foot in the woods. For now, their biggest concern was the wild animals, the thought squelching any relief she had felt.

They continued along in the quiet winter air. “They killed Honey,” Alexis blurted. The words echoed in Sabre’s ears, making her shudder. “They shouldn’t have killed her. They didn’t need to, you know.”

Alexis spoke quickly, as if she needed to say it all before she changed her mind. “It was the night we left for California. Father said we were going to go anyway, but I don’t think so. He had never mentioned it before. Honey was visiting us. I loved it when she came to visit. We would play with our Barbies. She had more than me, and she had lots of clothes for them. Adelle liked to sew and she made her lots of Barbie clothes.” Alexis paused for a moment. “It’s my fault, you know.”

“What’s your fault?”

“That she’s dead. She wouldn’t be dead if it wasn’t for me. I’m the one who should be dead. I’m the one who heard them. She didn’t hear them. She couldn’t hear them. She was deaf.”

“Alexis, I’m sure it’s not your fault Honey is dead. You didn’t kill her. Tell me what happened, what you heard?”

“We were playing with our Barbies on the back porch. Honey had just put the mink coat on one of her Barbies, a coat Adelle made. It wasn’t real mink or anything, but it was real pretty. I got tired of playing with the dolls and wanted to play school. I wanted to teach Honey her ABCs. I had learned how to sign each one of them. I had to get real good at it so I could teach her. Anyway, Honey lined up her dolls, like in a classroom, and ran inside to get the blackboard. I followed her, but she ran into the room first.

“I heard a man yelling at my father and he sounded real angry, so I stopped. I could see inside the room. The man said something about killing a cop and that my father would go to prison. He spotted Honey and I saw him charge at her. I tried to scream, but nothing came out.”

Alexis talked faster, her voice cracking, tears running down her cheeks. “He picked her up with one arm and grabbed her by the neck with the other and just twisted.” Alexis spoke lower, breathing heavy and sobbing. “Her head just flopped over . . . like a d-d-dead b-bird. Then he j-just . . . .” Alexis sobbed, “d-dropped her and she lay there on the floor real still.”

Alexis started to cry hysterically. Sabre sat down, pulled Alexis close to her, and wrapped her arms around her for comfort and warmth. Alexis pressed her head against Sabre’s bosom and sobbed. Sabre couldn’t think of any words to comfort her. Although concerned Alexis might be heard, she couldn’t interrupt her mourning. She held and rocked the scared, sad, little girl while she wailed in the quiet forest.

Alexis sat up, still whimpering, but quieter. Sabre reached in the backpack and pulled out some toilet paper for Alexis to blow her nose. “You’re right,” Sabre said. “The toilet paper did come in handy in the woods.”

Alexis responded with a quick smile. “Thanks.” She wiped her nose, turned to Sabre, and said. “We better get going, huh?”

“Yup, we better. Are you okay to go?”

“Yeah.” She stood up. Sabre marveled at Alexis’ strength, as she took her by the hand and they walked on.

They had only taken a few steps when Alexis spoke again. “I was so scared. I wanted to go help Honey, but I was too scared. I just wanted to get away before they saw me.”

“So what did you do?”

“I sneaked back to my bedroom and crawled in bed and pretended to be asleep. A little while later, Father came in the room and gave me a kiss on the cheek and went back out. I think the men had left by then.”

“The men? Was there more than one?”

“Yes, I saw two of them, but I only recognized one. There may have been more, but I don’t think so. That’s all I saw, anyway.”

“You recognized one of them? You mean you had seen him before?”

“Yes, a long time ago when I was little, but I know it was the same man. He was real big and had tattoos and was the scariest person I ever met. I could never forget his face.”

Sabre knew, too. He fit the description from Ruby. “Alexis, was he the man who kidnapped your mother?”

Alexis stopped. She tugged at Sabre’s hand and said with surprise, “You know about my mother?”

“I know two bad guys took you and dropped you off at your grandma’s house.”

“I never told anybody, not even Father. I don’t even think I remembered it myself, until Honey . . . .” Maybe it made it too real when Alexis said it out loud. “Then, I began to remember a lot of things.” Alexis paused. “Do you know what they did with my mother? Did they k-kill her too?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart.” Sabre squeezed her hand. “I don’t know.”

They were silent for a moment. Alexis continued. “I lay in bed for a while, trying to go to sleep, but Father and Peggy kept yelling at each other. Then it got quiet and I heard Peggy drive off. I know it was Peggy because my father came into the room and told me to get up and start packing for a trip. I didn’t ask any questions. I just got up and started to take my things out of my drawers. He came back a few minutes later with two cardboard boxes, and he told me I could take whatever I wanted as long as it fit in those boxes. I mostly put in clothes and my Barbies, and I made sure I had room for the album my mother made for me. I carried Dogwog, so he didn’t have to go in the box. He’s my stuffed animal I sleep with. My mother gave him to me when I was real little. I couldn’t have him at Jordan because too many things disappear around there, and I didn’t want to lose him. I sure miss him, though,” Alexis said, slipping off track with her story as she so often did.

“Tell me about the album your mother made you. What does it look like?”

“It’s bright pink and it has my pictures in it from ever since I was born. It even has one of me in her stomach. She put in all my awards, and every year she put in a picture of me on my birthday. My favorites are the ones with her. On the outside it says . . . .”

“My Pride and Joy.”

“You’ve seen it?”

“Yes, I have. It’s a lovely keepsake. Your mother must love you very much. I saw a photo of her. She’s a beautiful woman, and you look a lot like her. I noticed the album had pictures and awards for the later years, too. Did your father keep the album up for you?”

“No, I did. I just thought about what my mother would have put in there, and then I did it. I think she’d like it if I kept it up.”

“I’m sure she would.” Silence followed. Sabre stopped, put the flashlight inside the backpack, and checked her direction. They were headed southwest, primarily downhill. Every so often she would lead them west, close enough to see the highway, and then they would turn back into the woods, trying to stay on course along the road. The road twisted and turned so much that sometimes they ended up a long way from it. It had been awhile since she had checked her mark, so she lined up her compass and they went west again.

They came to a little clearing. She could see some headlights in the distance, on the other side of a huge ravine. Sabre and Alexis were a good distance from the highway. They’d either have to backtrack or cross over the ravine and climb back up the mountain. Sabre, tired, cold, and her feet blistered, knew Alexis must feel the same. In addition, she feared at any moment they would come face to face with a coyote or a mountain lion or something she couldn’t even name. They kept walking, aware of the increased danger from animals the further they walked from the highway and the danger from Murdock if they got too close.

Exhausted, Sabre wanted to lie down and sleep, but she didn’t have that option. Still holding hands, they started down the mountain toward the road. Sabre determined it was less risky to cross the ravine than to go back the way they had come. Most of the time the trees blocked their view, but every once in a while they could see a light on the highway.

“You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” Alexis answered.

“You’re such a trooper. I couldn’t ask for a better traveling companion.” Sabre, amazed at Alexis’ stamina and strong will, never heard her whine or complain. “Most adults wouldn’t do as well.”

Alexis squeezed her hand. She seemed to be pleased with Sabre’s praise. “Mother would be brave. I want to be brave like her.”

Sabre squeezed back.

They kept walking down the mountain. Sabre dreaded the thought of climbing back up. She wondered how long they had before daylight, estimating a few more hours. She wanted to be close to the road when day broke. There would be more animals coming out in the early morning, so they trudged on.