Retribution

by K. A. Robinson

  “Can I ask your opinion on something?” I blurted.

  Without a doubt, I knew that she would be honest with me. It was just how she was.

  “Of course. And I promise it won’t leave this desk.” She smiled.

  “What if you cared about someone you shouldn’t? And what if that person was tied to someone who had hurt you? Could you leave the person behind for your own safety?”

  She looked thoughtful for a moment. “I think it depends on how deeply you care for that person. If I loved someone, I would fight to keep him, no matter what.”

  “What if fighting meant you would be a part of the other person’s life, too, and you desperately needed to escape?”

  “Claire, if there’s a will, there’s a way. The fact that you’re asking me this tells me that you love this person very much.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. Every sensible part of my brain is screaming for me to run as far away as I can, but the insensible part is demanding that I stay and fight for him.”

  “No one ever said love was sensible. Duh,” she joked.

  I laughed. “No, I guess not. I thought I was in love…before. Now that I’ve found the real thing, I can’t believe what a fool I was.”

  “You’re young, and I know Robert can be very appealing when he tries. It’s not totally your fault.” She paused. “But I do want to give you one piece of advice. Whatever is going on between you and this mystery man needs to stop until you’re free of Robert. If he finds out, he’ll turn it against you, making it seem like you’re the bad guy. You don’t want that, Claire. You have to be smart about this, or it will come back to bite you in the ass. Robert is a smart and conniving individual. You just have to be smarter.”

  “You’re right,” I said. “I didn’t mean for this to happen at all, but that’s no excuse. I have to protect myself from Robert, and I also have to protect him.”

  “See? I knew you were a smart girl.” She smiled. “Now, why don’t you take your little bum downstairs to catch up on some filing? I would hate to have to write you up for laziness.”

  I grinned and mock saluted her before standing. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I could hear her laughing as I walked away.

  As I made my way downstairs to the basement, I thought about what Becky had said. I hated how much sense she’d made. Regardless, she was definitely right about one thing. Until all this was settled, I needed to stop what was happening between Cooper and me. I had to protect him.

  I spent all morning and part of the afternoon catching up on filing. I made sure to keep my mind on only the task at hand and not the millions of things that were trying to overwhelm me. Thankfully, it’d worked. At least, it’d worked until it was time to head home for the day. Suddenly, my nerves were back in full force.

  I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants as I walked into the house. Ellie was in the kitchen, bent over, as she pulled a casserole from the oven. I leaned against the doorframe and waited for her to put the casserole down and close the oven door. I didn’t want to startle her and end up with casserole all over the kitchen floor.

  “Hey, Ellie,” I said once it was safe.

  Just as I had feared, she jumped in surprise and spun around to face me.

  She clutched her chest. “Good Lord, Claire. You scared the daylights out of me.”

  I grinned. “Sorry. At least I waited until dinner was safe before I decided to scare you.”

  She laughed. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

  I walked over and sat down at the kitchen table as she started pulling apart a head of lettuce to make a salad.

  “How was your day?”

  “Boring as always. Becky had me filing again. How was yours?”

  “The same as usual. I did the laundry today. All your clothes are hanging up in Robert’s closet. There were a few that wouldn’t fit, so I hung them up in your old room. You were low on shampoo, too, so I went out and grabbed some for you.”

  “Thanks, Ellie. What would I do without you?”

  “Most of the time, you’d probably wear wrinkled clothes and a hat to hide your horribly unclean hair.”

  I laughed. “Probably, but I’m sure I’d fare better than Robert and Cooper. Those two are used to being babied. I had to take care of myself before coming here. You’ll be proud to know that I have the ability to start the washer and dryer on my own.”

  She shook her head. “That’s very impressive. Next, you’ll tell me that you know how to buy toiletries, too.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. Imagine how embarrassed I’d be if I had to buy my own tampons.” I mock shuddered.

  She chuckled. “You’re something else, Claire. I just love you to pieces. I hope you know that.”

  Warmth filled me. “I know, Ellie, and I love you, too. You’re a part of this family to me.”

  Silence filled the room as Ellie worked away at making the salad, and I watched from my chair. I loved spending time with Ellie. She was always so calm and collected. She also had no desire to fill a room with endless chatter. That was much appreciated.

  The silence of the room was shattered by the ringing of the doorbell.

  Ellie looked over at me. “I wonder who that could be,” she said.

  “I’ll see who it is.” I stood and walked out of the room.

  The doorbell rang again before I could reach the entryway.

  “Hold your horses,” I mumbled as I hurried into the room. I stopped in front of the door and opened it without peeking through the peephole to see who it was. The moment the door swung open, I wished I had.

  Sandra Buckhannon stood only a few inches away from me. As soon as she saw me, she eyed me with distaste. The feeling was mutual. Sandra had publicly humiliated me the one and only time we’d met. I’d later learned that she had been cheating on her husband with Robert. From what Cooper had told me, she’d thought that Robert planned to marry her. A tiny bit of smug satisfaction filled me as I looked at her. She’d thought she was the queen, only to be tossed aside for someone better—me.

  “Sandra,” I said, keeping my tone icy, “what brings you by?”

  “I’m looking for Robert,” she bit out. Animosity rolled off of her in waves. “I didn’t realize that you would be here.”

  “Where else would I be? This is my home after all,” I pointed out.

  She started to move past me, but I raised my arm and rested it on the doorframe.

  “I need to speak to Robert. Move.” She was openly glaring at me now.

  That made me smile outright.

  “He isn’t home yet, but I’d be glad to relay a message to him, if you like.”

  “I don’t think so.” She turned to leave. “I’ll just stop by his office.”

  My smug mood left me as I watched her walking down the steps. Who did this woman think she was? She’d cheated on her husband with his best friend. That was as low class as you could get.

  Suddenly, I realized that Sandra would be the perfect outlet for the anger I’d been harboring for weeks. I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind me before following Sandra to her car.

  “Sandra!” I called when she started to open her door.

  She looked up just as I reached her. “What?”

  “You know, I’ve met a lot of horrible people in my life, but you might just take the cake. I mean, what kind of low-class white-trash whore cheats on her husband with his best friend?”

  Her eyes widened in shock.

  “What? You didn’t think I knew that you let Robert fuck you? He tells me everything.” Lie. “He told me just how willing you were to climb into bed with him. He even told me just how bad you were. I think you might have made him ill after a few times.”

  She stepped closer until there was only an inch of space between us. “You little bitch!”

  “It’s ironic that you tried to turn everyone against me for being low class when you’re the low-class whore. You really thought he was going to marry you, didn’t you? That’s so
sad. When Robert told me that, I nearly cried from laughing so hard.”

  Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. I took a moment to enjoy my victory before tearing into her again.

  “Then, you come here tonight to find him. It’s pathetic. You’re pathetic. Robert doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore.” I paused for a moment. When I spoke again, my voice had lost its humor and had transformed into pure ice, “If I were you, Mrs. Buckhannon, I wouldn’t come back here again. Actually, I wouldn’t show my face anywhere near Robert or me. If you do, I’ll make sure that everyone knows what a slut you are.”

  I turned and walked away from Sandra. I didn’t once turn around and look at her. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Yes, Sandra had belittled me in front of everyone, but in the end, I had won. I’d finally put her in her place. The calculating cold bitch deserved nothing less.

  When I reached the front door, I heard her car start. A second later, I heard the sound of tires screeching as she left burnout marks on the blacktop of the driveway. I smiled.

  “Who was that?” Ellie asked when I returned to the kitchen.

  I waved her off. “No one important. I got rid of her.”

  She gave me a quizzical look but didn’t question me further. I wasn’t sure I could tell her what I’d just done. Part of me felt empowered from tearing down someone like Sandra, but the other part—the one that had told me to keep my mouth shut—felt embarrassed because I’d lowered myself to Sandra’s level. I didn’t want Ellie to think badly of me, and I feared that she would if she knew.

  “Are you staying for dinner tonight?” I asked Ellie, desperate to relieve the suddenly uncomfortable silence.

  She shook her head. “I can’t. I have to buy my own groceries tonight. I keep this place stocked up, but then I go home and realize that my own cabinets are empty.”

  I tsk-tsked at her. “You have to take care of yourself, Ellie. What would happen if you got sick? I’ll tell you, this place would fall apart.”

  “Don’t I know it? I dread the week after I come back from vacation every year. It’s like a cyclone has gone through this house. I’ve named it Cyclone Cooper. I swear, that boy could make a mess out of air.” She paused. “Well, he used to anyway.”

  “Cooper?” I asked, surprised. “I’ve seen his room. It’s spotless.”

  “It is. When he was younger, it most definitely wasn’t. After Marie died, that changed. I don’t know why though. Cooper became so contained after that, even physically. When he was sixteen, his underwear could be found on his bedroom floor more often than they were in his drawers or the hamper. Now, his room is probably the cleanest part of this house.”

  “Well, at least you don’t have to worry about cleaning in there very often. This house is so big. I don’t know how you manage to keep every room spotless.”

  I froze as I realized what I’d just said. Ellie kept every room clean, including Robert’s office. She saw everything that went on in this house. Maybe she’d noticed something suspicious in Robert’s office. I bit my lip as I debated on the best way to bring it up to her. I didn’t want to make her suspicious, but I didn’t see how I could ask without telling her exactly what I was looking for.

  “Ellie, can I ask you a question?” I finally said after a moment’s hesitation.

  “Sure, sweetie.” She smiled.

  “What I’m about to ask can never leave this room, okay?”

  Her smile faltered a bit. “Okay.”

  “You’re in every nook and cranny of this house almost daily, right? Even Robert’s office?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  I took a deep breath before blurting out my question, “Have you ever noticed anything suspicious in his office? Like around the time when Marie died, was there anything that made you look twice?”

  “Like what?” she asked, obviously confused.

  “I don’t know. Anything that seemed strange. Maybe he had an old case file out on his desk? A case where his client was being tried for a violent crime?”

  She shook her head. “No, Claire, I can’t think of anything. Why do you ask?”

  I glanced down at my hands. “No reason. I was just curious I suppose.”

  Silence hung in the air as I felt her gazing over at me.

  Finally, she spoke again, “You…you think he had something to do with Marie’s death, don’t you?” Her voice shook.

  I looked back up at her. “I can’t answer that, Ellie. I’m sorry.”

  She involuntarily took a step back. “Dear God, you do. What do you know, Claire? What makes you believe that he hurt her?”

  “Ellie, please don’t ask me anything. I don’t want you involved in this.”

  I watched as tears filled her eyes.

  “He did kill her, didn’t he? You don’t just have a hunch. You know for certain. You just need proof.” She wiped the tears away before they could slide down her cheeks. “Poor sweet Marie. I can’t even begin to understand why he would do something like that to her.”

  “Stop! Just…stop. Don’t go down that road, Ellie. It’ll only lead you to the same place where I am, and it’s not a place you want to be. You have to forget this conversation. Please.”

  Her whole body shook as she looked at me.

  Suddenly, she was moving. She walked past me and headed for the door. “I need to go, Claire. I’m sorry. I can’t…I can’t be in this house right now. I can’t be here when he comes home.”

  With that, she disappeared. I stared at the empty doorway for a few minutes, lost in thought. I felt like the vilest creature imaginable. I’d just shattered Ellie’s world with a single question. The family she had taken care of for years had betrayed her in the worst way possible—no, not the family. Robert was the one who had shattered their world. Even before Marie’s death, he had made her life miserable. Now, Ellie was just another kind soul who had been touched by his evil.

  As if my thoughts could conjure him, Robert appeared in the kitchen doorway only a few minutes after Ellie had left. The sight of him startled me, but I quickly put a smile on my face. It was time to pretend again. I hoped that it would be one of the last.

  I stood and crossed the room to where he was standing. Without either of us saying anything at all, I wrapped my arms around him and tightly hugged him. As my body pressed against his, all I could think of was the photo Cooper had shown me of Robert with another woman while he had been away.

  “It’s good to have you home.” Lie. That was the second one I’d told tonight. I was sure that more would follow before this night was over.

  “It’s good to be home. Did you miss me?” Robert asked as he pulled away.

  “Of course.” I smiled up at him.

  “I’m surprised that you didn’t call or even text me then,” Robert said. His voice was carefree, but it masked an underlying tension in his body.

  “I-I didn’t want to bother you,” I stuttered. “I know how you are when you’re working hard.”

  He smiled down at me, but it was empty. Goose bumps rose on my skin as every part of me demanded that I flee from him. I mentally shook myself. I couldn’t let my fear overtake me. Cooper would be home soon, and I knew Robert would never hurt me with Coop around.

  “Why don’t you head upstairs and change into something more comfortable before dinner?” His gaze found the still steaming casserole on the stove. “I’ll serve dinner while I wait for you. Hopefully, Cooper will be here by then as well.”

  “Are you sure? I can get dinner served if you want.”

  He shook his head. “No, I’ll handle it.”

  The feeling that something wasn’t right only intensified. Instead of running away though, I simply nodded and slowly walked out of the kitchen. I kept my gaze down as I reached the stairs and climbed them. When I reached the room I shared with Robert, I closed the door behind me and locked it before stripping out of my work clothes and tossing them into the hamper. I found an old band T-shirt of mine and a pair of sweatpants in o
ne of the dresser drawers. After pulling both of them on, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. I needed a moment, and I knew this would be my only chance to take it.

  Something was wrong with Robert. He was always contained around me but never cold. He was certainly cold tonight. Terror flooded me as I wondered if he knew about my trip to the lawyer’s office in Virginia—or worse, if he somehow knew about my relationship with Cooper.

  Even if Robert did, there was nothing I could do at the moment. I still had to walk back downstairs and pretend that everything was fine. Hopefully, Cooper would be home in the next few minutes. I didn’t want to be alone in this house with Robert. Hell, I didn’t even want to be in the same city as him.

  I stayed pressed against the wall for a few more minutes before opening my eyes again. It was time to put my game face back on and pretend that our lives were absolutely perfect. I pushed off the wall and walked back to the bedroom door. After unlocking it, I opened the door and peeked out into the hallway. It was empty. I sighed in relief. Part of me had expected Robert to be outside the door, waiting for his moment to attack. It seemed paranoia was slowly taking over.

  I closed the bedroom door behind me and walked back downstairs. As I reached the doorway into the kitchen, I let out a sigh of relief. I could hear Cooper speaking from inside. For now, it seemed that I was safe.

  I forced a smile on my face as I stepped into the kitchen. I saw Cooper casually leaning against the counter. He looked up when he noticed me. I looked away before Robert noticed me looking at Cooper. I didn’t want to give him any reason to question me about Cooper.

  Robert was standing next to the kitchen table with his eyes on me. Behind him, I saw the casserole served out onto three plates.

  “Now that you’re here, let’s sit down and eat,” Robert said as he sat in his normal chair.

  Cooper and I joined him, one of us on each side of him. I glanced up at Cooper to see him studying his father carefully. His body was at ease, but his eyes were not. They were puzzled. Obviously, he’d noticed Robert’s behavior as well.