Stepford USA

by Lada Ray

  “You know,” I said. “I want to confess something, too.”

  “You – confess? What could you possibly have to confess?” Peter sounded astonished.

  “See,” I said, “when I first met you and your former buddies at the Blue Peacock, the four of you were busy talking in hushed tones. Later, when I connected the dots, I thought you were discussing Jason's return from jail.”

  “You are right, we were talking about Jason. I just happened to stumble upon the guys and we all went to lunch. Then, Nick joined us. I did think at the time it was rather odd the way they lowered their voices and had worried looks on their faces. But I just dismissed that thought. I had too much on my mind: Sheila, business, how to get out of the rut...”

  “I see,” I said. “But I should probably tell you that for a while you were my number one suspect.”

  “Me?” said Peter incredulously. “But why?”

  “Well, I learned early on that you had a crush on Rebbecca back in high school. Then I discovered that you continued visiting her, along with your buddies. I didn't know at the time that you broke your leg and weren't present when the rape occurred.”

  “I did have a crush on her,” said Peter. “In fact, she was the first love of my life. Unrequited whatsoever, unfortunately. That's why I came to visit her at least once every month, brought her flowers and sweets. I felt awfully sorry for her and for my unfulfilled love. Then, I married Sheila, but still went to see Rebbecca, although not as often. When I met Marina, the old feeling for Rebbecca had gone away, but I still felt terrible for her and so, still kept visiting her once in a while. But I had no idea Marc and Jack went, too.”

  “Now I know,” I nodded. “Sorry I ever suspected you.”

  “That's okay,” he waived away my apology. “I can see why you would. But you have to know something. Yes, I broke my leg back then. But broken leg or not, I could've never hurt Rebbecca or anyone else for that matter. I may be guilty of being stuck in a rut, but that's all I'm guilty of!”

  Marina looked at her lover with pride and slipped her hand into his. "But now, baby,” she said, kissing him on the cheek, “we will correct that situation, right?”

  “So, are you two...”

  “Yes, we are getting married as soon as the divorce is finalized,” said Peter brightly.

  “Congratulations,” I said sincerely. “From the bottom of my heart. It's nice to see some happiness around here.”

  “Yes, I am selling the bank and most of the proceeds will go to repay my debt to Sheila, but Marina and I don't care, do we, darling?” He looked at her tenderly, and she nodded, smiling. “Of course, I am also selling the house.”

  “Yes,” said Marina enthusiastically. “And I am selling my photo studio. That should give us enough money. Right, baby?”

  “Right.”

  “So, you'll be moving out of here then?” I asked.

  “Yes, we've decided to travel. Marina and I,” he hugged her around the shoulders, “we want to see the world and feel free.”

  “Good for you!” I said.

  “First, we're planning on visiting Marina's relatives in Poland. And after that, where do you suggest we should go? I was told you are an expert on travel.”

  “Well, what do you want to see?”

  “Everything!” said Peter with a passion I never knew he possessed.

  I laughed. “I admire your enthusiasm. If you want to see everything, I suggest you start in the Mediterranean, often referred to as the cradle of Western civilization. Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and perhaps, Turkey. Ancient ruins, turquoise sea, warm sun, wonderful cuisine. Just make sure you stay away from riots in Greece, unless you want some extra excitement, of course. Then you can continue on to Asia. Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and of course, China. If you feel so inclined, you could also travel to Tibet. There is so much to see in this big, wide world! Wherever you decide to go, I am wishing you an unforgettably delightful adventure.”

  “Oh, this sounds wonderful!” Marina's eyes shone.

  “Yes, this will be unforgettable, all right,” said Peter dreamily. “Just what the doctor ordered.”

  “Good luck,” I said, shaking their hands.

  And they walked away, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. My eyes followed them, until they disappeared around the corner. A happy ending for these two anyway. I approved of happy endings!

  Chapter 30

  “Do you have champagne glasses?” asked Maria standing at my front door. The entire knitting club, a bunch of smiley faces, bags of goodies and bottles in their hands, was with her.

  “We decided to surprise you,” announced Shawna, stepping into the foyer and handing me a large bouquet of roses.

  “Thanks,” I said. “They are beautiful. But what's the occasion?”

  “Your farewell party, of course,” said Anne.

  They all filed in: Maria, Beth, Shawna, Karen and Anne. No, not all... Adelaide wasn't with us any more. My heart clenched, but a brief moment later, it went on beating, just like it always did. I couldn't be sad now, not when all these wonderful women came to celebrate with me. I put on a smile.

  But wait, we were still one person short. Cathy was missing.

  “Hey, where's Cathy?”

  “The women looked away uncomfortably. “Um...,” said Beth. “Unfortunately, Cathy wasn't able... um... to make it. She sends her regrets.”

  “I am sorry to hear that,” I said. “I hope she's all right.”

  “She's fine, just in one of her moods,” said Karen, cringing dismissively.

  “Did something happen?” I was still concerned.

  “No, everything's fine, let's just celebrate!” Maria attempted to change the topic.

  I looked at Beth inquiringly.

  “Oh, you know how she is,” she snapped impatiently, shrugging her shoulders. “She's mad at you.”

  “Why, what have I done?”

  “Oh, the usual,” said Shawna. “Outed her precious Chief Nordini. And now she blames you for his suicide.”

  “I see,” I said, frowning.

  “Don't take it to heart,” shook her head Beth. “She isn't rational right now. She's had a crush on him since forever. She'll get over it eventually.”

  I looked at my guests. “I hope no one else feels this way?”

  “Of course, not,” answered Maria for everyone. “Don't be silly. Why do you think we are all here?”

  “And why are we all standing in the entry hall?” said Anne. “Forget all that silliness. Let's go inside and celebrate!”

  We all filed into the dining room. Within fifteen minutes there was champagne and orange juice - for those who can't drink - on the table, homemade salmon and chicken salads, a variety of cheeses and vegetables, orange almond cookies, as well as peaches and grapes. Maria brought her specialty, crème brule, and I pulled out of the fridge the last of my cranberry cakes.

  “Have you heard the latest?” asked Karen, well informed, as always.

  “What is it?” Shawna stopped eating her crème brule and sat up, all ears.

  “Well,” said Karen, smacking her lips deliciously, terribly pleased she was the one with the scoop. “First, they are re-opening a full investigation into Rebbecca's case. And Jason, of course, has been fully exonerated. And secondly...” Pause for dramatic effect. “Marc Catcham was caught in Texas yesterday, trying to cross Mexican border!”

  “No way!” exclaimed Shawna.

  “Really?” said Maria.

  “Really!” said Karen triumphantly. “My husband just learned today. The whole courthouse has been buzzing since this morning. They are bringing him back here for trial.”

  “Good,” said Beth with conviction. “He deserves it!”

  “But what about your job?” I asked. “Sorry, you had to lose your employer in such a way.”

  “Don't be,” Beth waved away my concerns. “I'll be fine. The most important thing is that justice prevails. I personally always suspected he was a crook.”
>
  “Did you now?” asked Anne, raising her eyebrows.

  “Absolutely,” nodded Beth briskly. “And Jack, and Chief Nordini. I always thought there was something fishy about them, too! And you know something else? I'm so happy for Jason. He'll be able to start a new life now. I always liked him!”

  Anne gave me an apologetic look and shrugged her shoulders, as if to say: “What are you gonna do with them?”

  I smiled back at her and shook my head. “Don't worry,” was my silent message, “I'm not going to point out the obvious. Let them be.”

  “I am so with you,” said Shawna passionately. “I personally never liked Chief Nordini. I always knew there was something suspicious about how quickly he got promoted. And Catcham, I would've never voted for him! He always gave me the willies.”

  “So true,” Karen hurried to add her own five cents. “I've been telling my husband for a while now that I didn't trust Nordini a bit. And you know what they say: a woman's intuition. I always knew he'd end badly. Don't even get me started on Catcham. What a jerk! I always suspected he and Jack were the rapists.”

  Maria silently hugged me around the shoulders and squeezed my left hand, as if apologizing for her buddies. It occurred to me that it was so nice to just sit like this, the six of us together, chatting quietly, almost like the original knitting club - almost like the good old days... Funny, the good old days I was referring to were only a few weeks ago, but it seemed like an eternity has elapsed since then.

  I gave her fingers a return squeeze. Not to worry, my gesture said, I wasn't going to ruin my last knitting club memory by pointing out that a mere couple of weeks ago our dear friends Shawna, Karen and Beth were totally against Jason and firmly in the Catcham/Nordini fan club. Why spoil the party? They were essentially good people and fun in their own way. Maria, Anne and I exchanged a glance. We understood each other perfectly.

  “I heard from my mom that Rebbecca would now be at a clinic in Westchester. Is that true?” Shawna gave me an inquiring look.

  “Yes,” I said. “My friend Rachel specializes in cases like Rebbecca's. She's been lucky to secure a bed for her at her mentor's clinic. It's extremely difficult to get a spot there, but Professor Strauss is interested in this case, so Rachel will be here in a few days with the transfer paperwork. They've had great success with her type of cases and they expect improvement within a few months or even weeks.”

  “A few weeks! This is incredible!” said Maria. “She's been here for thirteen years and has never spoken a word. No offense to your mother, Shawna.”

  “None taken,” said Shawna magnanimously.

  “Well,” I said. “I do want to get the record straight. It is suspected that Rebbecca was afraid of Maloof, Catcham and Nordini's visits, which contributed to her condition. So, when the constant “irritant” of their visits is eliminated, she is expected to improve quickly and dramatically.”

  “Oh, I see,” nodded Shawna. “She kept to herself because she was afraid of them. Perhaps, they even went there on purpose to reinforce that fear, because remember what I told you all a couple of weeks ago? They kept coming to see her even when no one else did.”

  “Right,” I nodded. Smart girl, Shawna. “That's exactly what happened.”

  I gave her a smile of approval. She glowed.

  What I didn't tell her was that a high profile commission from the American Psychiatric Association was on its way to the Berkshire Hope Clinic to investigate whether Catcham, Nordini and Maloof had any inside help. It could have been any of the nurses, and I hoped with all my heart that Shawna's mom was innocent. My money was actually on chief psychiatrist, Dr. Gray, the one I met at the Rotary Club in Marc's company. He either looked the other way, or worse, helped the conspirators by either advice, or even drugs. Their combined efforts kept the poor girl petrified and paralyzed for years. Now, it was in the hands of pros to find out what had happened at the clinic.

  But I didn't tell them any of this. The Gossip Central was bound to find out soon enough anyway. Until then, why spoil the party?

  “Jade,” said Maria quietly. “Can you tell us what really happened at Hidden Lake thirteen years ago?”

  I peered at my knitting buddies attentively. For the first time since we've met, I found myself in the role of a storyteller, while they were respectful listeners. Five pairs of eyes gazed back at me with great anticipation. The room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

  “All right,” I agreed. “I reconstructed the picture of the crime based on my visions, on what I felt from Rebbecca and what Chief Nordini told me. The rest is based on logic and intuition.”

  I closed my eyes. This time, the vision came willingly, with no pain or shortness of breath and with full clarity. My eyes still shut, I started the story.

  “Jason and Rebbecca drove into the Lovers' Clearing. They were a little drunk, just enough to act silly, but not excessively. After all, it was the night after their graduation. They started kissing, then Jason got carried away and tried to have his way with Rebbecca. She told him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. After asking him nicely a few times, she started to struggle and scratched him on the cheek. It was painful, with lots of blood, and he slapped her in the face. But when he saw that she was bleeding, he withdrew and apologized. However, it was late for a mere apology. She was furious at him for betraying her trust, hurt, that he slapped her and too drunk to think clearly. She ran out of the car. By the time he scrambled out, she disappeared into the darkness.

  “Jason was drunk enough to feel a little disoriented in the dark, so he didn't notice which way Rebbecca ran. He called after her, then searched around briefly, to make sure. If he simply stood still, instead of making all that noise, and listened, he might have heard the sound of her running in the direction of the Maloof estate. He might have even heard voices coming from that direction - the voices of Jack, Nick and Marc. Instead, he blundered around, called Rebbecca's name and then, assuming she ran back home, drove away and went to bed, planning to apologize to her properly in the morning.

  “Meanwhile, Rebbecca, also disoriented because of drink and darkness, ran towards the group of her classmates. She was glad to see them and decided that she would be safe with them. After all, one of them was the chief's son. She told them that she needed protection from Jason, who was trying to take advantage of her and they invited her to join the group. She accepted and they offered her a drink, then another, and another. Shaken by her experience, she drank with them and soon, everyone was pretty drunk. At that point, Nick went some distance away for a nature break. The rest of them stayed. Something triggered an argument between Marc and Jack. Marc’s favorite pastime was teasing Jack that he was too timid with girls. Marc pointed out that here was Rebbecca, who Jack was secretly enamored with, yet he was too afraid to kiss her. Jack got more and more agitated and Marc dared him to kiss Rebbecca, saying that Jason wasn't afraid, that's why the girls liked him.

  “So, Jack grabbed Rebbecca, who attempted to fight him off. Then, Marc held her down, so that Jack could kiss her. When he did, Rebbecca, who was now scared out of her mind, bit him and kicked him between his legs. Jack got so furious that he started beating her up, while Marc continued to hold her down. Then Marc said that now Jack had to go all the way and have sex with her. Otherwise, everyone would be laughing at him. Jack started raping Rebbecca and that's when Nick returned.

  “I believe, Nick tried to protest, but was told to shut up and stay out of it, or else. Marc probably threatened him that if he interfered, his father, who was just promoted to chief, would lose his position. Marc and Jack's fathers -the big shots - were behind Frank Nordini's promotion. Nick, who was as prideful and ambitious as his father, didn't dare interfere and just stood there in shock, as the poor girl was repeatedly raped by both Jack and Marc. And every time she tried to resist, they beat her mercilessly, until she was unconscious.

  “When they had enough, Jack and Marc dragged Rebbecca's lifeless body and hid it behind the bushes.
Nick, who was scared to death, cleaned up as best he could all traces of the crime and ran to his father. He woke up Chief Nordini and told him the whole story. When the dawn came, Frank Nordini went back to the shore and together with his son, cleaned up the remaining traces of the crime. They returned home and as if nothing happened, Chief Nordini went to work.

  “When Rebbecca's parents reported her disappearance early in the morning, Frank immediately started investigation. He didn't wait, as is customary, for twenty four hours, because he thought it would be safer to control the investigation from the very beginning. They started the search right away, because he wanted to be the one to find the body. By then, he was sure, the girl would be dead.

  “Rebbecca's story about Jason trying to take advantage of her was very convenient, as it pointed a finger in his direction. Witnesses confirmed that Rebbecca was last seen in Jason's company and blood was found in his car. Meanwhile, the search party was organized and dogs were called in. Rebbecca, unbelievably, was found still breathing and rushed to the hospital. Whenever Chief Nordini questioned her, she got extremely scared and eventually, just stopped talking altogether. And for a very good reason. She felt she was in danger, that it was like father, like son. She's been through so much that her fragile psyche assumed that she was surrounded by enemies. She didn't want to suffer any more. Out of self-preservation, she retrieved behind the veil of apathy and silence. Meanwhile, Nordini's position allowed him to comb the shore to make sure no evidence against his son and his buddies was left behind, while pretending to look for evidence that would exonerate Jason.

  “When semen samples, taken from Rebbecca after the rape, were sent to the lab, Nordini let them go. He knew full well what the results of the lab analysis would be: Jason isn't the rapist and Rebbecca was raped by more than one person. He needed to prevent that from coming out. He secretly visited the lab, after which, samples mysteriously disappeared. The lab's sloppiness in reporting the disappearance only confused things further. As a result, Jason went to jail, Rebbecca languished in her inner and outer prison, while the criminals – Chief Nordini, his son Nick, Marc Catcham and Jack Maloof – went free. Until now.”