Part 37 (1/2)

He led us toward the bas.e.m.e.nt, then flipped on the light at the top of the stairs. His eyes s.h.i.+fted to the left and right. ”Ever notice how creepy this place is? Gives me the w.i.l.l.i.e.s. Tripped and almost broke my neck last time I came down here.”

He motioned for us to proceed ahead of him. We started down and the stairs creaked, louder than usual. Something skittered across the floor.

”What was that?” he said, stopping.

I glanced back at him.

”Did you see that?” he said.

”No.” I looked aside at Linda.

”Yeah, you saw it. f.u.c.kin' rats. Probably got a nest down here.”

”We don't have rats.”

”Sure. Like I'm seeing things.”

He jabbed me between the shoulder blades, indicating we should continue down.

I shrugged. ”Could be Kelly. Maybe she wants to know what you're doing down here with us.”

”What the f.u.c.k you talking about?”

”You don't know? She still lives here-in the house. You telling me you can't feel it?” I gazed up at the rafters. ”That cold sensation running up your backbone? Like you know somebody's watching? You said it yourself. The house gives you the creeps.”

”Quit messing with me and shut the f.u.c.k up.”

He followed us across the bas.e.m.e.nt. I heard the switchblade click into life.

I glanced back at him-at the knife.

”Oh, you worried about this?” he said. ”It's just insurance. So I don't have to ask you twice. Stand aside.”

We were directly in front of my father's tool cabinet. It stood seven feet tall, four feet wide. The doors were open, the tools exposed.

”So, you know about this?” he asked.

”Know about what?” I said.

He tugged hard on the right side of it and it moved. He reached in behind, fooled around with something, then swung the cabinet out. I realized it was on hinges. Behind the cabinet, on the wall, was a door.

”There used to be a padlock on this,” he said. ”It took some work, but I finally got it sawed off. Could have used that key you found.”

He opened the door and turned on a light.

”So what do you think?” he asked. ”Take a look.”

The room was narrow and long, maybe five feet by twelve, the walls cement block, no windows. The escaping air felt dank and smelled of mold and rotting insect corpses, reminding me of a tomb. To the far left was a floor safe. To the far right, two file cabinets set side by side.

Now I finally understood where the strange noises had come from while my father was still alive. We weren't supposed to know about his secret room.

”Get in there and sit on the floor,” Craig said. ”Put your hands behind your backs.” He shoved us toward the file cabinets.

Linda looked at me, eyes wide with terror.

Craig turned toward the safe, and I nodded over my shoulder at Linda, calling her attention to the screwdriver I'd shoved down the back of my pants. I eased the tool out, sat on it. Craig held up the note I'd given him and examined it. He set the knife atop the safe.

”How did you find this room?” I asked. ”In all this time I never knew it was here.”

He ignored me and continued to study the note.

”I'm just curious how you were able to figure it out.”

”Shut up.”

”I'm just wondering, that's all. I mean, in all these years, I-”

”Okay, just to shut you up, I'll tell you. Look, this is a partial bas.e.m.e.nt, but if you understand construction, you'd know that even with a partial bas.e.m.e.nt, at least one wall follows the foundation. I noticed while I was searching around down here that the last bas.e.m.e.nt window up there is a foot away from the wall. Outside, the same window is six feet away. I figured there could be something built between.”

He reached behind the safe and drew out a roll of duct tape.

”And you thought you might find more boxes in here,” I said. ”But then you found the safe.”

”Yeah, sure.”

”But you needed the combination. And now I've given it to you. Why didn't you get a locksmith to help you open the safe? You must have known someone.”

”Enough with the twenty questions.” He picked up the knife and came toward us with the tape.

”Craig, don't ... please,” I said. ”You don't have to do this. I promise I won't cause more trouble. I know you're innocent. Just let me help you.”

”Then do what I say.”

I watched as he slit the tape with the knife, ready to bind Linda's wrists. He knelt down, his back to me. I slowly reached beneath me for the screwdriver. The moment he set the knife beside him, I sprang up and plunged the screwdriver down-but his arm shot up and flipped it from my hand.

Blood spread down his shoulder. I'd slashed him, but not deeply.

”s.h.i.+t,” he yelled, his hand flying up to the wound. ”You crazy b.i.t.c.h. You f.u.c.king crazy b.i.t.c.h.” He reached over and grabbed me by the throat, crus.h.i.+ng my larynx. I fought for air, fought to loosen his grip.

”Promise you won't cause more trouble, huh? You just wanna help me. Think I'll let you join your f.u.c.king dead sister. First-watch this one die.” He released me and brought the knife to Linda's neck. A line of crimson droplets appeared.

”No,” I choked out. ”You need her. She's ... the only one ... who knows-”

”Knows what?”

”The combination ... the real one. That one ... won't work. Try it. Just try it.”