22

Twenty-Two Years Ago

April

Boyett Farm

Good Hollow Road, Fayetteville, 11:38 a.m.

Paralyzed, Vera stood in the doorway, staring at Sheree, who was obviously dead. She hugged the baby tighter to her chest.

What the hell happened here?

It wasn t my fault, Vee, Eve urged. You have to believe me. I was in bed, sick.

Vera turned her head to look at her sister. She was still wearing her pajamas. She was soaked to the bone.

Why is Luna naked? she demanded. The baby s little body shook with sobs but at least the wailing had stopped.

Of all the things that came to mind to ask, that seemed the least important, yet it was easier than asking how the hell their stepmother had ended up on the floor . . . dead .

Eve took a long, deep breath as if needing to steady herself. I was asleep. Luna screaming woke me up. She gestured to her bedroom door. I got up and came out here to see what was going on. Her face turned an even whiter shade. Sheree was . . . giving the baby a bath. I . . . I thought, but as I watched, I realized she was trying . . . to drown her.

What? The idea took horrifying shape in Vera s head. Are you sure?

Eve s head popped up and down so fast it was a miracle it didn t break her neck.

What did you do? Vera s stomach tied into knots. Luna wailed again. Vera bounced her up and down and made shushing sounds in her ear. Her heart thundered in time with the baby s. This couldn t be real. Please let it be a dream.

Her gaze landed on Sheree again. But it was real. The wicked witch was dead . . . but how did they explain this to Daddy? She glared at Eve. Tell me what you did, she growled as quietly as her temper would allow.

I ran to the bathtub and started trying to take Luna away from her. We struggled, and she fell backward and . . . Her voice trailed off, and her gaze settled on the scene in the bathroom. She hit her head. Real hard. I tried to pull her up, but she just lay there. She blinked a few times and then . . . she just stopped.

Okay. Vera nodded. Took a breath. We . . . we should call Daddy.

No! Eve rushed to her side. Luna whimpered. You know he ll blame me. Sheree has him believing I m always doing things to make her unhappy. Everything that happens around here is my fault.

Studiously bouncing the baby and smoothing a hand up and down her back, Vera tried to think. Her sister was right. They would be blamed for this-no matter that Vera hadn t even been home. Her heart twisted. Eve was the only family she had left. Their daddy had a new family since Mama died. He would probably be happy if they were sent away to reform school or some sort of prison.

Okay, Vera said, then she took a deep breath. We have to make it look like this didn t happen.

Hope welled in her sister s eyes. You ll help me?

Of course, dummy. I m your sister. She held Luna tighter. She was baby Luna s too. First, we have to . . . Her gaze drifted back to the floor, where water had sloshed from the tub . . . and where Sheree s body lay motionless, her eyes open. We have to get rid of . . . her.

Eve nodded, her head doing that wild up and down motion again. But where will we put her?

Had to be someplace no one would find her. Vera s mind raced over the possibilities.

The cave, they said in unison.

Vera s gaze locked with Eve s. We re getting too old to play there anyway.

Eve nodded. Daddy will never think to look there, because we re not supposed to be in there.

No one will look there, Vera agreed. No one even knows about it.

Mama knew.

Her sister s voice sounded so small and pitiful, it made tears well in Vera s eyes. Mama would think it s the best plan too.

Eve looked at Sheree. How do we do this?

We ll need the baby carrier so I can strap Luna to my back.

We re taking the baby with us? Eve made a face. That s crazy.

Vera sent a look that warned her sister that she better shut up. I m not leaving her here alone.

Eve shrugged. Whatever.

Better than half an hour was lost to strapping the baby onto Vera s back and dragging Sheree into the hall and onto a bed sheet. As they rolled her up, Vera was surprised her body didn t feel stiff like she d expected. Maybe that happened later. Then it took even more time to clean up the bathroom just in case their daddy came home before they got back.

Okay. Vera picked up the end of the sheet at Sheree s feet. Grab that end, she said to Eve, and lift.

Eve knotted both hands in the other end of the sheet and pulled. Oh my God, she weighs a ton.

They lowered her back to the floor.

Vera had not expected her to be so heavy. I guess we ll just . . . have to drag her.

The plan worked pretty well until they reached the stairs. The first time her head bumped against a tread, Vera flinched.

Jesus! This might not work either, Eve fretted.

Let s just get this done, Vera urged. The tremor in her voice gave away her own uncertainty. It s not like she feels it.

Oh yeah. Eve pulled on the sheet again, dragging her down a couple more steps.

Sheree s head bumped along with a hollow thump-thump like a watermelon rolling down an uneven path.

Vera gritted her teeth against the panic that threatened and grabbed the sheet once more. Together she and Eve pulled the body down the stairs and along the hall to the kitchen. Now all they had to do was get her outside. Vera would get the four-wheeler with the utility trailer. They could drive to the cave. The real trouble would be in getting Sheree through that little opening.

Gotta do it.

By the time they reached the cave, Vera was sweating. Luna had fallen asleep in the carrier draped on her back. Vera was thankful. Though she doubted Luna would remember any of this, still it felt wrong for her to see it.

Eve climbed off the four-wheeler, where she d sat nestled against Luna and Vera. What now?

Vera climbed off next. We get her in there somehow.

Eve nodded. Okay.

The fact that her little sister didn t argue was proof of how exhausted they both were. The movies made carrying a body look so easy, but it was not.

Dragging Sheree across the ground ripped the sheet in a couple of places, but there was nothing they could do about that. Getting her into the cave was like trying to push and then pull a ball of wax through a keyhole. Once inside, they collapsed on the rocky ground. When they caught their breath, Eve went back to the four-wheeler for the flashlight Vera had remembered to bring. It was dark as pitch in that cave, even in the middle of the day.

We ll put her on that. Eve roved the beam of light over the rock ledge on the far wall. Cover her up with rocks.

Worked for Vera.

They lifted Sheree onto the ledge. Eve posed her arms the way the folks they d seen in caskets were done. Then they covered her with rocks. Eve gathered flowers to put on top. Vera decided to go back to the house and get Sheree s purse and a suitcase with some of her stuff packed in it. Once those things were in place, they were done.

We should pray or something, right? Eve asked, her gaze glued to the mound of rocks. Even with nothing more than the beam of the flashlight, she looked pitiful in her dirty pajamas and with her frazzled hair.

Vera started to say no, but if it made Eve feel better . . . Sure.

Dear Lord, Eve said, head bowed, eyes closed.

Vera closed her eyes as well.

Please take this woman into your loving arms. Eve paused. I don t know what to say next, she whispered in that voice that was never a real whisper.

Vera rolled her eyes. Yes, Lord, take this woman in your loving arms and . . . and send her straight to hell where she belongs.

Eve looked at her for a moment. Vera worried that she d upset her, but then her sister said, Amen.

As they scrambled out of the cave, Vera told her sister, We ll have to burn this sheet and wash our clothes.

Eve said nothing as they got to their feet and started forward. Then she stalled and stared back at the cave.

Eve, Vera urged. We have to go.

Reluctantly she turned to look at Vera, then nodded. Kay.

Even as they walked away, Eve kept looking back.

What re you looking at? Vera demanded. She felt ready to drop . . . like an elephant had been strapped to her back and she d run ten miles.

Nothing. Eve hurried forward, as if she d snapped out of whatever trance she d fallen into.

Climbing onto the four-wheeler, Vera hoped her sister wasn t suffering some crazy trauma like PTSD. Eve settled behind her, careful not to crowd Luna. Now, Vera was the one staring at the cave . . . hesitating.

What had they done?

Her heart started to thunder again.

Vee?

Vera kicked aside the worry. Didn t matter. All that mattered right now was not letting their daddy find out what happened.

It had to be their secret . . . forever.