Lost in Flight (24 page)

From what came from a distance, Mandy informed her that Shanwick was “crazy at the moment” and listened as her friends outlined the rumors in circulation about her.  Some of the more elaborate ones were:  she was supposed to have killed Riley in a murder-suicide pact that had gone wrong.  They belonged to a cult and she was the high priestess who’d performed some ritual, human sacrifice.  Her personal favorite:  aliens had abducted Riley. 

The X-Files had been really big for people of their generation, and if aliens were involved, she spitefully hoped Riley was being probed vigorously.  She wasn’t surprised by the rumors and gossip, just that she’d never realized the amount of creative imagination that existed in Shanwick.  All that potential – wasted. 

It didn’t take long for the open hostility to turn into action.  About a week after the police interviewed her for the first time, the shop got vandalized.  The menacing looks by groups of people in town were accompanied by insults. 

“Bitch”, “whore”, “freak”, “slut”, and “Satan” were the most common.  “Psycho-killer”, “Elvira”, and “Darth Martin”, less so, but employed in creative ways.  People would come into the shop and faux order Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”, and leave laughing.  For the most part, she could handle it, but when the windows on their family home were smashed and Dad’s car covered in graffiti, she’d had enough. 

As time wore on, she got anonymous hate mail and weird, icky, marriage proposals.  There were offers to be her next ritual sacrifice and freaky, pornographic pictures.  Unbeknownst to Christina, most of the really, really, weird stuff she received came from Mason Glenn. 

Bonnie, Mandy, Dad, and Johnny were her only key supporters in the whole place.  Dave, Mandy’s partner, was Riley’s oldest friend and even he avoided Christina like she was contagious.  Christina found out years later that Dave never thought she’d killed Riley.  He was furious that Riley had gone because of her. 

The climax of the whole experience was when Christina was attacked by three guys in town she used to go to school with.  Christina had closed up the shop for the day and was walking home when the abuse started.  She tried to ignore them and kept walking, but they followed.

“Hey slut,” Jason King yelled.  “Where’s your husband?” 

“Come on bitch,” Carl Beaumont jeered.  “What did you do with him?” 

“I heard you cut his heart out,” Shane Palmer laughed at her.  “You always were a weird, stupid, pig-ugly whore – thinking your own shit don’t stink - but you’re
nothing –
nothing, but a psycho-killer.”

They cornered Christina not far from Apron Park when things escalated from words to physical actions.  The insults – she could ignore, but it only took one, in her case, Jason King, to take it too far.  He pushed her and she pushed him back.  She blocked Shane Palmer’s punch, but not the one from Carl Beaumont, which hit her in the stomach.  It was hard enough to hurt and knock the wind out of her. 

After the initial attack, Jason King hung back, letting his attack dogs do the work and then he grabbed her, throwing her to the ground with force.  She landed on her shoulder, jarring her neck and head.  Suddenly it was all connecting arms, legs, and elbows.  Christina got a few hits in, but took a smack to the mouth and she tasted blood. 

When Jason King started grabbing at her private parts, her blood went cold.  Oh my god.  She would take a beating, but not that –
not that
. 

She kicked out with her foot and hit King in the knee, but Beaumont responded by kicking her in the ribs.  She saw dots in front of her eyes and thought she was going to pass out.  Christina was struggling to keep conscious because god only knew what they would do if she passed out. 

Just as she thought she was history she heard, “GET AWAY FROM THAT GIRL!”  Eddie Robinson, Mandy’s 6’4 ex-Marine, Muhammad Ali fanatic, man-mountain of a father, stood there with his fists clenched and eyes bulging.  He hit Carl Beaumont in the head, knocking him to the ground where he landed with an audible “Ooof.”  Jason King went to pick him up and Eddie kicked him fair in the ass, making him fall forward, skinning his hands. 

Eddie spun and advanced toward Shane Palmer, who put his hands up, pleading with Eddie.  “Wait, wait.”

“Wait?”  Eddie growled, “Wait?  Only thing you’re waiting for is to meet your maker.  You come near this girl again,” Eddie Robinson menaced, clenching his fist and snarling, “I’m coming looking for you and don’t worry about the hospital – cause you’ll be going straight to the morgue.  Now get.”  The young men ran as fast as they could.

Eddie picked her up and when she heard him say.  “Come on baby girl.  I got you,” Christina burst into tears.  It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had a parent, or anyone, that took care of her.  With her mother’s death, she felt like she’d lost both parents and she was the sole adult in the house.  And Riley?  His absence and silence spoke volumes.

Gently, Eddie put her in his car and drove her home, murmuring in a soothing tone:  “Everything’s going to be all-right, Dina.  I’m here.  We’re here.  We’re going to take care of you.”  He followed her into the house and waited for her father. 

Her father had not been in a good way since their mother died and Christina tried to put Eddie off, but he insisted.  “JACK,” he bellowed.  “JACK!  I need to talk to you.” 

Dad appeared looking disheveled and his eyes were unfocussed.  Christina was used to it, but Eddie’s mouth opened and he stared at Jack’s appearance in shock.  Clearing his throat, Eddie said quietly.  “Dina got attacked in town, Jack.  She’s hurt and it’s not safe for her here.  I want you to get her out of town.” 

Jack’s eyes moved from Eddie to Christina and he blinked, trying to clear the fog.  Eddie shook his head.  “You need to get yourself together, Jack.  Do you know what’s going on here?  Your daughter isn’t safe and you don’t have the luxury to spend it wallowing around the house.”

Her Dad gulped.  “I’ll get a gun,” but Eddie interrupted him. 

“Don’t be a damn fool, Jack.  You’re just as likely to shoot your own foot off the way you are right now.  Gun?  Sweet lord, Jack – you can’t even use a gun.”

Christina looked at her father and he was broken.  She said quietly to Eddie.  “I can’t leave town.  The police won’t let me.” 

Eddie grimaced.  “You get her a lawyer, Jack.  You hear me?  You get her the best one you can and if you haven’t got the money – you come talk to me.”

He towered over her father and Dad had to look up at him.  If it weren’t so tragic, it would have been comical.  Jack blinked like a child and the look on Eddie’s face was one of sorrow for his friend.  Eddie placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder. 

“Dina’s going to come stay with me and Asha now.  Asha can look after the shop for you until the new owners take it over.  Dina is not going there alone anymore - okay?  I’ll take care of her and if anyone comes at her – until this mess is cleared up – they’ll be sorry.  But you need to get it together.” 

Eddie leaned over and said gently to Jack in a voice full of emotion.  “You’ve got
kids
and they need you.  Ella would die defending her kids.  You have do that for them now.”

Jack’s eyes filled with tears and he nodded.  Ella would die defending the kids.  Eddie squeezed his shoulder and told Christina to get her things.  Christina packed a bag and left with Eddie Robinson.  Eddie, as always, was good to his word.  He and Asha Robinson protected her like she was a bear cub, and stood against anyone that tried to hurt her. 

********************

Two weeks after Riley disappeared, the police told Christina she was no longer a person of interest.  Riley had contacted his parents to say he was alive, but he was doing a road trip and wouldn’t be back any time soon.  It stopped the hate mail, window smashing, and graffiti, but it didn’t stop the hostile stares in town.  Mrs. Gustafson would glare at her and mutter just audibly, “Get behind me, Satan.”  Christina could not wait to leave.

She made another appointment to see the lawyer in Wenatchee to see how she could progress the divorce with a missing person.  Christina was told that it was impossible to divorce a missing person and they should just wait for Riley to return, taking a “wait and see approach.” 

Years later, when Christina started her law degree she found out she’d been given bad advice.  It was difficult to divorce a missing person, but not impossible.  She guessed she wasn’t important enough for the lawyer to spend his precious time on and she was young, a barely out of her teens, Emo/grunge girl, and not rich enough for his attention.

Riley had won this round.  Actually, he’d seriously kicked her ass and it made her furious.  He’d put her through all this drama to be spiteful.  She could do little, but accept her circumstances and wait for another time to strike.  After going through all the scenarios, the only conclusion she could reach is that this was her punishment.  Christina swore to herself from here on in she would never trust him again and if she got the opportunity to divorce him, she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Chapter Fourteen – In flight Safety

Christina, Seattle, The Present, Monday 8 October 2012

“Oh that’s so sad and tragic and how embarrassing!” 

Christina met her sister’s sympathetic eyes and offered a wan smile.  Jed made his presence felt at the door and Christina gave him a smile.  Smoothing Gabby’s hair down she said, “I’ve gotta go.” 

Gabby cried.  “Hey, but you haven’t finished yet?” 

Christina gave her a grin.  “I think I’ve spoken enough about this today.”  It was late afternoon and Christina needed to grab something to eat.  She’d stolen a bit of Gabby’s food when it came, but she really did need something more substantial.

As she was leaving, Gabby called out.  “Dina – just to clarify - so you didn’t really want to divorce him?  You wanted to shock him – is that right?” 

Christina scrunched her face up.  “The first time?  I wanted to shock him, but I think we could have worked it out.  Maybe just a break until I got myself together?  But the second,” Christina grinned, “I really wanted to divorce him then.  It was so
over
.” 

Jed had taken up residence in his usual spot by the doorway and as she passed he said, “Christina, I won’t be home tonight.  I’ve got someone to look after Gabby, so I’m taking the night off.”  

Christina nodded and smiled.  “I don’t know if we say it enough Jed, but thank you for everything you’ve done.” 

Jed looked surprised and pleased saying with mock formality, “Just my job, Ma’am, just doing my job.” 

“Will it be better when Gabby is home?” 

He shrugged and lowered his voice.  “Maybe, but when the court case starts, I expect things will heat up again.”  

The mention of the court case gave Christina a serious attack of the guilty conscience.  In the last few days, she’d been remiss in her duties and needed to rectify that situation immediately.  Waving goodbye to Gabby and Jed, she sped out of the hospital, negotiating her way carefully, albeit nervously, in Bonnie’s car back to the townhouse. 

She quite liked this place even if it was a bit modern and sterile for her taste.  The townhouse was all white, and industrial with chrome features and flat surfaces.  Christina used one of the upstairs bedrooms when she was staying so she didn’t have to share a bathroom with Jed or Johnny, or Dad.  It was an unspoken agreement between all of them: she was a girl and she didn’t want to share a bathroom with men, even her closest relations. 

As Jed wasn’t coming home tonight, Christina decided she could work well into the night without fear of disturbing anyone.  She walked to the local Thai restaurant to grab some food and was about to text Bonnie to join her, when she realized her cell-phone was dead.  She ambled back to the townhouse and hesitated on entry. 

Strangely, the place smelled of Riley’s aftershave and she looked around the house to see if he was hiding in there.  When she was satisfied the coast was clear, she decided he and Jed must use the same aftershave.  Shaking her head at her paranoia, she opened her laptop and got to work. 

She groaned when 120 emails appeared in her inbox, but was relieved to find some were just Facebook notifications that she could delete.  The majority, however, were from Andy James and Debbie Bindman about Gabby’s case.  Settling in for the long haul, Christina got to it. 

By the time she’d caught up with work, it was about 11:00 p.m. so she closed her laptop and headed for bed.  She got into her pajamas, which Bonnie had declared: “disgusting,” but Christina liked them.  They were one of her few expressions of rebellion and levity in a life founded on long working hours, and sacrifice.

The ‘jamas were comfortable and she was in a competition with her roommate in D.C., Marie, to see who could handle the worst pajamas for the longest length of time.  Sure it was silly, but it was harmless and everyone needed some form of amusement.  Also, currently she was winning and Christina liked a competition. 

Christina opened her bag and got out her sleeping pills.  In the last six months, she’d begun to rely on them to ensure she got a goodnight’s sleep.  She stared at the bottle:  should she or shouldn’t she? 

She debated for a whole five minutes and then took one.  She promised to throw them out when she got back to D.C., but not tonight.  She needed them.  Christina crashed out into oblivion and slept until the next morning.

********************

Riley, Seattle, The Present, Monday 8 October 2012

Riley’s day went better after he’d left the hospital and got away from Christina’s presence.  He went to see Mason Glenn to go over some new prospects for Mason’s company.  Mason was going “legit” in his business – something he was struggling with, and to be frank, hated.  Mason might be a lot of things, but he was a genius and his business deals had made Riley a lot of money. 

Mason’s enthusiasm and all-round crazy got Riley out of his funk.  With his over-grown black hair and silver-gray eyes, Mason spoke to Riley in a staccato fashion – like a machine gun giving him the run down on anything he could think of.  Before Riley knew it, he’d promised to go out with Mason for a drink, which was code for wild partying.