Part 33 (1/2)
”Why are you tied-”
”Not now, Bobby! Just do what I say. There's a phone in that dresser over there.” She motioned with bound hands at the long dresser against the wall. ”In the top drawer under my socks. I need you to get it for Mommy.”
Bobby glanced over his shoulder into the hall. ”Is Eden running away again?”
”No, Bobby. Eden's just running an errand for me. Now I need you to do something for your mother. Can you do that? I need you to get the phone out of my dresser.”
He stared back, frightened.
”Why are you tied up?”
Eden was moving quickly-she could feel it in her bones. Maybe already at the shed . . . Maybe already coming back!
She couldn't afford to frighten Bobby, not now.
”I'm playing a game, darling. I'm practicing getting free so that I can protect you if anything ever comes to hurt us. You can help me by getting the phone. I need the phone. Hurry!”
His eyes brightened. ”A game?”
”Yes. Yes, a game. Hurry, Bobby, please hurry!”
Now fully engrossed in the notion of a game, Bobby tore for the dresser, grabbed a drawer, and yanked it open.
”Not that one! The next one. Under my socks.”
”This one?” He pulled the end drawer open, and peered inside.
”Yes. Under the socks. Do you see it?”
Bobby reached his hand in, fumbled around for just a moment, then jerked the small black cell out and held it high.
”Got it!”
”Now bring it here.” It was all taking too much time. ”Hurry!”
Bobby rushed over and stuck the phone out. But she didn't think she had the dexterity to operate the phone herself.
”Open it.”
”Me?”
”Yes, you. Open it and push the power b.u.t.ton. Hurry!”
He flipped it open with his stubby fingers and dumbly stared at the keys. He'd never used a cell phone, had he? No. Neither of them had that she knew of.
”Hold the red b.u.t.ton down.”
”This one?” He showed her the phone.
”Yes! Push it. Hurry.”
He did and the phone's small screen came to life. He grinned.
”Got it!”
The doorway was still empty, but Eden would be back. Any moment and she would be back.
”Now push the one b.u.t.ton and then the call b.u.t.ton. The green one at the bottom. Hurry!”
Once again he held the phone up to show her the one b.u.t.ton. ”This one?”
”Yes! And then the green b.u.t.ton.”
With great purpose, he pressed the one and then the green call b.u.t.ton with his forefinger.
”I pushed it.”
”Good! Now set the phone on the pillow.”
He laid it down and she wriggled around so that she could press her ear against the receiver. It was ringing, she could hear that much. She wasn't sure what she was going to say when Zeke answered-the thought of confessing her failure again was as unnerving as having her finger broken, but she knew she had to face her own sin and confess.
”Mother!”
She whipped around to see Eden in the doorway, staring at her.
”I'm helping Mommy get free,” Bobby said tentatively.
Eden's eyes s.h.i.+fted to him, then back at Kathryn, and then back to Bobby again.
She can't see the phone. It slipped off the pillow and my body's blocking her view.
”Go to your room, Bobby,” Eden said.
”I'm helping Mom-”
”Go to your room!”
Bobby stared at his sister, dumbstruck. It was probably the first time he'd ever heard her anger directed at him. She had to stall them.
”No, Bobby,” Kathryn said. ”Stay with me. Stay with your mother.”
He looked between them, confused.
”Bobby, you can't help Kathryn get free. I tied her up because Zeke ordered her to hurt me and she didn't want to disappoint him. She's not thinking straight right now and so we have to leave her tied up until someone can come to help us. Now go to your room and I'll come get you as soon as we're ready to go.”
Kathryn blinked at the stunning rebuke. A small voice in the back of her mind told her that there was some truth to what Eden had just said. But that too was only the voice of temptation. She had to keep Bobby here-Eden wouldn't dare hurt her as long as he was here to watch.
”No, Bobby! You can't listen to Eden right now. She's under punishment. If you leave, she will hurt Mommy.”
His eyes were wide, uncomprehending. ”Eden won't hurt you, Mommy.”