Baby Doll Read online

  Almost as if Missy were reading his mind, Rick’s cell phone buzzed. He didn’t even need to look at the display to know that his wife was calling. He sighed but answered anyway.

  “Babe,” Missy whined predictably, her voice filling the car through his Bluetooth speakers. “It’s almost three in the morning. You said you’d be back early.”

  “I know, Miss. But I got into the writing zone and didn’t realize it was so late. I’m gassing up the car now. Please tell me you’re warming up the bed?”

  “It’s already so late and we both have to work…”

  “Are you kidding me, babe? You better be wearing something sexy or I’ll be very disappointed.”

  “Love you, Ricky,” she whispered breathlessly and hung up.

  He could already see her pouring her third glass of Merlot, smiling as she planned her “seduction.” God, she was so boring and predictable, and he hated when she called him Ricky. He’d told her that over and over again, but Missy never listened. Rick could feel his whiskey buzz wearing off and the beginnings of a headache forming at the base of his temples. Manipulating Missy was easy but terribly exhausting.

  He entertained the idea of a divorce at least once a week. The prospect of getting rid of Missy, the idea of telling her uptight prick father to shove his money up his ass, was tempting. He’d spent many planning periods online searching for a bachelor pad, a place where he could indulge in all the things that made him happy. But it was too risky, having her out there, asking questions, following him around. Knowing her, she’d probably hire a PI, someone she’d seen on one of those inane talk shows she liked so much. No, the only way he’d ever be free of Missy was if she were dead. For now that wasn’t practical, so he tolerated her.

  Rick continued driving, drumming on the steering wheel as Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” began to play.

  Damn, this is a good tune, Rick thought. His phone buzzed again. He glanced down at the console and saw Missy’s sex kitten pose.

  Goddamn it! He felt annoyed already missing Lily. And then it hit him. Rick realized he hadn’t bolted the lock at the cabin. He slammed on the gas and began searching for the next turnaround. He was so focused on getting back to the cabin that he missed the cop car patiently waiting on the side of the road. A siren began to wail and Rick looked up to see the flashing police lights. He fought the urge to slam his hand down on the steering wheel. There was no need to panic. He’d had close calls before. Surprise visitors, like his basketball buddies dropping by the cabin for a drink and news about his progress on the great American novel he was supposedly writing. There was that extended vacation to Hawaii with his in-laws that had made seeing his girls impossible. Or Missy’s surprise visit where he’d barely gotten upstairs in time. He’d made it through all of those bumps in the road without a problem. This was some piece-of-shit local cop, and he was Rick Hanson.

  Rick eased on the brake and pulled onto the side of the road. He reached into the console, took two pieces of gum, tore off the paper, and shoved them both into his mouth. He chewed quickly, hoping the spearmint would mask the smell of whiskey on his breath. He was well over the legal limit. If he got a DUI, the entire town would know. Missy would be all over him. His boss would be pissed. He could even lose his driving privileges. He still couldn’t believe this was happening. If it weren’t for Missy, he’d still be with the girls. It was all her fault. The stupid cunt.

  Forget her, he told himself. Focus, Rick. Focus!

  He rolled down his window and watched in the rearview mirror as the highway patrolman—a townie, from the looks of him, with his ruddy face and portly waistline—ambled over.

  “License and registration, sir.”

  Rick gave an obedient nod and handed over his identification and vehicle information. The cop shined his flashlight on the documents, then shined it back at Rick, the bright glare forcing him to squint uncomfortably.

  Fucking prick, Rick thought, but he kept his expression neutral.

  “What’s the trouble, Officer?” Rick asked.

  “You know how fast you were going, sir?”

  “Not sure. But from the looks of things, I’d say it was too fast.”

  The cop frowned, apparently not appreciating Rick’s attempt at levity.

  “You realize traveling at a speed of eighty-five miles per hour in these weather conditions is a disaster waiting to happen?”

  Rick knew people. He studied them, understood their psychology, how to earn their trust. This was a no-brainer.

  “I’m very sorry, Officer. You’re totally right. It’s just that my wife is waiting up for me and I guess I got careless.”

  Rick held up his phone, displaying the photo and Missy’s impressive attributes. The cop paused for a moment, then his demeanor changed entirely. A smile spread across his wide, fat face.

  “Shit, I’d break every speed limit in the state to get to her.”

  “I was a little overeager. But I understand you have a job to do.”

  The officer shook his head and handed back Rick’s documents. “You’re one lucky son of a bitch. I hope you know that?”

  “Yes sir, I do. I’m a very lucky man.”

  “Be careful out there. We wouldn’t want something to happen to you and upset the missus, would we?”

  “No, Officer, we would not.”

  The cop smiled, shook hands with Rick, and headed back to his squad car. Rick wanted to do a victory lap. But he couldn’t take all the credit. For once in her life, Missy was actually useful.

  Rick slowly pulled away. If the cop weren’t still parked back there, waiting on his next victim, Rick would have driven back to the cabin immediately and secured the lock. Not because he didn’t trust Lily, but because his own carelessness bothered him. He had to maintain his routines, or everything he’d built could come crashing down. But he’d head to the cabin at lunch and check on the girls. Right now Missy was waiting for him, and he had class in the morning. Besides, there wasn’t a chance in hell that Lily would ever disobey him. Rick cranked up the music even louder. Maybe he’d buy Missy something nice after work tomorrow. Hell, while he was shopping, he’d buy Lily something too. Both his girls deserved a reward for being on their best behavior.

  CHAPTER THREE

  LILY

  Lily’s lungs were burning, her thighs and calves on fire. Her arms felt like they might give out any second, and Sky was growing more and more restless, whimpering and moaning, “I want Daddy. Please, let’s go home.”

  But Lily kept moving. They ran past the playground where she had spent endless hours with Abby. The colorful swing set, monkey bars, and merry-go-round were abandoned and covered in snow. But Lily could almost see Abby beside her, identical twins, the two of them in their matching pink snowsuits, running hand in hand, so in sync they almost appeared to be one person. Abby. All these years Lily had never stopped missing Abby. Her twin sister.

  During the day, Lily forced herself not to think about Abby. She had plenty to keep them occupied. They did their lesson plans and their chores, cleaning everything they could to try to keep out critters and bugs. They’d spent the end of each day prepping for Rick’s visits, never knowing when he’d arrive but knowing they had to be ready. Lily had to make sure they were properly dressed and in good spirits. It was only late at night, when Rick was gone, when Sky was asleep, that Lily allowed herself to think of Abby. Seeing the playground again, everything came rushing back. Her sister’s smile. Her laugh. The bond they shared. Abby was no longer just a memory that Lily conjured up to get her through one of those endless nights. Soon Abby would be real.

  Lost in thought, Lily’s foot struck the edge of a rock and she stumbled forward. She caught Sky seconds before she hit the ground. They had been running for at least an hour, and Lily’s arms were on fire. But she had to be more careful.

  “I’m sorry, Chicken. I’ve got you. I won’t let go.”

  Sky clutched Lily’s neck even tighter. “Mommy, we’re gonna get into trouble. Please… let’s go back to Daddy Rick’s.”

  Lily kissed her daughter’s forehead.

  “Just be Mommy’s brave girl for a little bit longer.”

  Lily turned the corner and saw the house—her house—at the end of the cul-de-sac. The sky blue shutters were faded with age. The old maple tree she’d spent hours lying under reading Harry Potter and To Kill a Mockingbird was gone. Snow covered the garden Dad had endlessly labored over in the spring, but otherwise, the house looked exactly as she’d left it. Eight years since she’d last seen her home, and it was as if no time had passed at all. Lily closed her eyes. She could almost hear the laughter of the neighborhood children. She remembered their endless snowball fights, the time Abby had helped her soundly defeat both their parents. She could picture herself lying on a blanket in the front yard with Wes, her first love, her only love, the summer sun beating down on them, his arm draped around her waist. She remembered him whispering, “I love you.” The first boy who’d ever said those words, a promise of so much more.

  Lily stood in the middle of the road gazing at the house, when suddenly a car horn honked, startling her from her reverie.

  She froze.

  It was Rick. It had to be.

  She thought about running, but her legs were finished. No chance they would hold up long enough to get away. Her throat tightened and tears welled up. If he were this close, escape was impossible.

  Slowly, she turned, savoring her last few moments of freedom. But all she saw was a gray-haired retiree, waving at her from the driver’s seat of his faded Toyota. Concern was etched on his face and she knew he must be wondering what they were doing, wearing such little clothing in these freezing temperatures.

  “You okay, Miss? It’s awfully late and the little one looks
cold.”

  Lily tried to speak, but her voice failed her. She cleared her throat and tried again, forcing herself to sound calm and collected. “We’re fine, sir. Just going home.”

  Before he could say anything else, Lily spun around and strode purposefully up the sidewalk as if she always walked around clad in her pajamas and blankets in the dead of winter. Go away, she thought. Leave us alone. A moment later, she heard the truck speed off. Lily put Sky down, then knelt beside her so they were eye to eye.

  “I know you’re scared, Chicken. But I need you to be brave for a little bit longer. Okay?”

  “Okay, Mommy,” Sky whispered softly.

  Lily was constantly amazed by how sweet and obedient this child was. She hugged Sky tightly and stood up. Lily instinctively reached for the doorknob. She wanted the door to open. She wanted to be sixteen all over again, rushing in, sweaty and out of breath from her early-morning run. Abby would breeze past her, hollering, “Shotgun shower.” Lily would act annoyed, but secretly, she loved having one-on-one time with her father before he rushed off to the hospital for his morning rounds. But that was wishful thinking. In real life, the door was always locked.

  Lily knocked softly at first. There was a chance her family didn’t even live here. They could have moved years ago, started over without her. Lily knew it was a possibility, but deep down, she didn’t think that would ever happen. If the situation were reversed, Lily would never leave their home, not without Abby. She continued knocking, harder and harder until her hands ached.

  “Jesus Christ, hold your darn horses.”

  The voice was so familiar that Lily’s tears began to fall instantly. A moment later the porch light flipped on and the door swung open. There was an endless pause as the older woman gaped at Lily. Mouth open, eyes wide, she was staring at Lily as if she were a ghost. Lily realized that until that very moment, that’s exactly what she was.

  Crying was unacceptable. That’s what Rick always said. But in that moment, Lily forgot everything he’d beaten into her, all the lies he’d told her. In that moment, the broken girl in the basement ceased to exist. With tears streaming down her face, Lily thrust herself into her mother’s arms.

  “Mom, it’s me. I’m home.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  EVE

  Eve was trying to process what was happening. It wasn’t possible that this young, pajama-clad girl, with her sunken features and hollow eyes, was crying and calling her Mom. Was it? Could this really be her Lily?

  Maybe it’s a dream, Eve thought. She dreamt every night. Some nights the dreams were an endless loop of horrific images: Lily’s body, bloody, battered, and bruised, her eyes hollowed out, skeletal hands reaching for Eve. “Help me, Mommy! Save me. Please!”

  Sometimes Eve’s baby girl visited with hopeful eyes and kind words. “Mommy, I love you. I miss you. I’m okay.” Those nights were the worst. The nights that Eve woke feeling hopeful, believing in the impossible, that her Lily might actually be alive. Maybe that’s all this was, she told herself as she stared at this girl. Maybe it’s one of those wishful-thinking dreams.

  But the girl was still clutching Eve, holding on to her so tightly and weeping. Eve could feel the girl’s sharp edges. She was flesh and blood and calling Eve Mom.

  Eve wrenched herself away. She needed to get a better look, needed to make sure this wasn’t some sicko’s twisted ploy. There were cruel people out there, people who had, in the past, attempted to exploit Eve’s weakness and vulnerability. People that sent letters, asking for money, promising answers that never came. She’d believed them before. This time she wouldn’t allow herself to be duped.

  She gazed into the girl’s eyes—deep pools of green—and Eve was transported to the delivery room, the moment she met her two identical twin daughters. There was no denying it now. Those were Lily’s eyes. A mother never forgets her child’s eyes.

  It was Lily. She was home. Lily was home.

  For eight years Eve had waited for answers. Days passed. Weeks. Months. Endless years. Back in the early days, when Eve was still a sheep who believed in a higher power, she’d prayed for closure, begging God to bring her Lily back to her. Even a body was better than the emptiness or those ghastly images her subconscious conjured up. But this was real. Eve was standing here, on her porch, staring back at her long-lost child.

  Eve heard a whimper. She’d been so focused on Lily that she hadn’t noticed the child standing beside her. Maybe three or four years old, she was pale with bright green eyes and a matching expression of pure terror. God, the resemblance to Lily was uncanny. Lily was a mother? She’d had a daughter? Where had they been all these years? What in God’s name had kept them away for so long? There were so many questions surging through Eve’s brain she didn’t even know where to begin. She opened her mouth but no sound came out.

  “Mom, can we come in? Please?” Lily whispered.

  Shame coursed through Eve as she realized how cold it was and what little clothing they were both wearing. What was wrong with her? She ushered them inside. As Eve closed the door, she whirled around. She had squandered that first hug but she wouldn’t waste this one. She pulled Lily to her, holding on tightly.

  In her dreams, when Lily returned, Eve was unbreakable. She said and did all the right things. But this was not a dream. Lily was alive. No, it was safe to say that Eve didn’t keep it together. She didn’t keep it together at all.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  LILY

  Lily had expected that her mother would know what to do. Cool, calm, and collected, Lily’s mother was the one everyone turned to in a crisis. “Even-keeled Eve,” her father called her. Dad used to tell the story about Mom working her entire shift at the hospital, a full eleven hours, before telling anyone she was in labor. No matter what happened, Mom had always been unshakable. But that person wasn’t standing in front of Lily. She didn’t know who this was. Her mother was weeping, her body practically disappearing into her old blue robe. Her thin, veined hands kept pushing up dishwater-blond hair, as if by pushing up her hair she could make sense of the senseless. This was unacceptable. They needed help, but her mother was acting helpless.

  She glanced out the large bay windows. It would be daylight soon. Rick would realize what he’d done. He’d discover they’d escaped and he’d come looking for them. Lily grabbed Sky’s hand. “Follow me, okay?”

  Sky obeyed, keeping pace with Lily as she moved through the house. Lily could hear Mom trailing her but she didn’t look back. She flipped on the light switch and brightness flooded the living room. Lily took in the pretty pastel decor, the colorful throw pillows, the cozy sofa she’d spent hours curled up on, reading or watching TV with Abby. For a moment Lily tried to convince herself that she was safe. But then she remembered his warning, his constant warning. I will never let you go.

  Lily turned back to Mom.

  “Are the other doors locked? The windows? Are they all locked?” Lily asked.

  “Yes, they’re locked. We always keep them locked.”

  Lily didn’t believe her. Mom’s lack of awareness when it came to home security had always driven Dad crazy.

  “Bad things happen when you least expect them,” he used to say. The irony wasn’t lost on Lily. She would never make that mistake again. Never trust anyone again. She had to test them herself. Once Lily finished securing the downstairs, she stopped and looked around.

  She was home. Lily was finally home.

  The familiarity assaulted her. Lining the walls were dozens of photos of her and Abby, gap-toothed and grinning up at the camera, awkward phases, bad perms and baby fat on display. Lily searched the walls for new photos, hoping to catch a glimpse of her father and Abby—a glimpse of the future she’d been denied—but time had apparently stopped at Crested Glen. She wanted to see the rest of her family. Needed to see them. She knew that her father was probably at the hospital, but her sister, she had to see her sister.

  “Where’s Abby? Where is she?”

  “She’s at her place. Her house… it isn’t far, maybe twenty minutes.”

  “Call the police. Make sure she’s safe. Make sure she’s safe, and tell them to come here.”