What The Cat Dragged In Ch. 08

"The parable of the Good Shepherd?"

He smiled and nodded. There wasn't much that Stan liked better than having someone to lead around."And I can only imagine how terrified that lost lamb was. I'm sure that my Kelly is just as frightened."

"This is a national broadcast. Is there anything you'd like to say to her, if she's watching?"

"That her mother and I love her, and she can rest assured that wherever she is I'll find her. I'm sure she knows coming home will be best for everyone."

"You've set up a toll-free number for information leading to the return of your daughter, haven't you?"

"Yes, it's-"

"We'll put it on the screen along with a photo as we go to commercial." The camera pulled back."When Humanity In Focus returns, Mr. Wilton will give us more specifics about his plan."

A photo of an emaciated girl appeared. Her dark, lank hair was held back in a ponytail. She wasn't looking at the camera, but she was trying to force a smile. It took Kelly a moment to realize that she was looking at a picture of herself. This time she couldn't suppress the wave of nausea. She dropped her knitting and ran into the tiny downstairs bathroom. Vaguely, she was aware that Victor was following. She slammed the door behind herself anyway.

FUCK!He was going to kill that son of a bitch. Him and everyone else associated with him. Everyone who even thought of putting his frail through this kind of hell.

He stood there, listening to her retch. He could smell the stink of puke and fear through the closed door. His hand was on the knob, his head rested against the door frame. He fought to control his anger. She didn't need it, she had her own. He could tell that much by watching her face. It was more tightly controlled than his, but he would have bet it was every bit as intense. She wouldn't be able to act on it like he could. She didn't have the experience or the skill. He did, and he couldn't think of a job he wanted to do more.

He listened for a moment more, then went upstairs. He'd seen enough people puke.

Kelly sat with her back against the wall, her knees drawn up. Her empty stomach still churned, but there was nothing else to come up. Stan would never stop. She'd known it before, now she had proof. She tried to grab onto at least one of her racing thoughts, and found all of them too elusive. She guessed it was shock. The label made as much sense as any.

The sound of the door opening filtered through. She turned her head.

"You sit on the floor too fuckin' much." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet and then out into the hall.

"Victor-"

"What? You smell like puke."

Kelly focused and heard water running in the large tub upstairs. He was probably right. She sighed and let him lead her upstairs. He put her in the bathroom and closed the door. The steaming water did look good to her. She turned off the faucets first, then got undressed and brushed her teeth. She stepped into the hot water and allowed it to envelop her. Just as she was getting settled in the water, the jets came on. She glanced up at the door, he was already undressed. She moved forward when he stepped in. She settled back against his chest.

His arms rested along the edge of the tub. Kelly felt surrounded by him. That helped ease her tension.

"Did I really look like that? When you first found me I mean?" It wasn't the biggest issue on her mind, but it was the only one she had words for at that moment.

"Fuck no. You looked worse."

Kelly looked over her shoulder. His eyes were closed, his face perfectly serious. Her short laugh sounded strange. "Why did you bother?"

He shrugged. "Cat in me has curiosity issues. You would've rather I left you there?"

She sighed and closed her eyes again. "The first night I was so scared I didn't know what to think. After that, I never thought about it again."

"I don't scare you anymore?" She could hear the little smile in his voice.

She smiled a little. "I didn't say that. It's different though, I can't describe how, but it is." She relaxed into him.

"You don't look like that anymore. You're still too damn skinny, but you've got a little flesh on you now. Few more months, you'll have even more. I didn't think Stan was anywhere near a national level anything."

"He wasn't. The only thing I can think of is that he knew the right things about the right people, and threatened to share that information."

He snorted. "Doesn't look that smart."

"That's why people tell him things. He gives the impression of being so caring and concerned. Everyone opens up eventually, and when they do-"

"He's got something to bargain with."

She nodded. "I have to go back."

"Are you fucking insane?"

"Not to stay. I just need to get Cody out of there. The way Stan said it would be better for everyone-"

He groaned. "And just how do you plan to do that?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I don't even know what to do after. I want to take care of him, but I can't be his mother. He believes all the CoH crap, I don't know how to change his thinking other than to tell him to stop being an idiot and that isn't going to work."

"You got relatives you trust?"

"My father's parents. I lost contact with them soon after my mother married Stan, though." Kelly turned, so that she was resting more on her hip.

"They still in the same place?"

"I don't know. I tried calling them once last year, but the number had been disconnected. Stan came in before I could try again."

"You didn't try again when I was away?" He sounded surprised.

She shrugged. "I was afraid to upset you by using the phone, then you took it back, so-"

"You'll find 'em. After I get back, I'll see about helping you get the kid to wherever they are." He sounded profoundly annoyed by the whole idea.

"If you could-"

"And don't start all that sentimental shit."