Harvard and Oxford would be a nightmare for her. She wasn’t Danny or Jess. Moving closer to the book shelves, she ran a finger over the books checking the titles Kenny would appreciate.
“Advanced Accounting, Business law and Ethics, Macro Economics,” She read solemnly. It all looked so serious; her finger paused on a title that amused her, “Business Tactics for Idiots.”
Pulling the book out, she smiled wondering what Kenny would say about the title. Opening the book cover, a paper fell out and she watched it flutter down and under the shelf. Shaking her head, she got down on her knees and reached under the shelf to get it. Instead of paper, her searching fingers jammed on something hard and she yelped. Bending under the shelf, she looked under to see a small object mounted on the wood under the shelf. It looked like a button. Pushing it, wondering what it was about, she restrained a gasp when a section of the bookcase swung into the wall to reveal a dark entryway.
*****
“Is everything settled now with Castille Textile?” Julia Harden asked her older sister.
They were strolling through the Beachwood mall carrying shopping bags, each of them holding on to a little hand. The twins were sufficiently awed by the many people and activities they were quite docile.
Gabriella, looking fabulous in a pair of blue slacks and a matching dress shirt that fitted her, let out a sigh and answered.
“Sufficiently settled for now, Danny will take over much of the running the moment he graduates. Meanwhile, all the issues bothering the board of directors on Alexis’s pending projects are solved. Thad is helping when he can. All I need to worry about is the day-to-day running of the company and little Zoe. I can finally spend time with her now.”
“Zoella should not worry you,” Julia said to that, “she’s adapting well here.”
“I’d like to believe that, Julia,” Gabriella said. “She blames me for the neglect since Alexis died. She’s unhappy, and we’re always clashing on her studies.”
“We’ll figure it out.” Julia soothed thinking of the wild child and her knack for music.
Perhaps the problem was that Gabriella was pushing Zoe in the wrong direction. Shrugging, she turned her thoughts to her husband and his business trip due to end on Monday. “I’m worried about Steve.”
“Why?” Gabriella asked wondering why her sister would be worrying about her husband.
He was doing so well in the firm he was working with. He was now senior partner; he deserved the status that came with the position. But—
“He is working too much, Gabby. The trips are getting too many, he barely spends time with the twins anymore,” Julia said, voicing her worries, firmly refusing to add her fear that her husband was no longer interested in her.
She’d never admit that to Gabby. Her older sister had enjoyed such a beautiful marriage with Alexis Castille.
Sighing Julia said, “I don’t know, maybe I’m just paranoid.”
“No, its okay to worry,” Gabriella counseled, “have you talked to him about it?”
“Yes,” Julia said. “He promised to take time off soon. We can go on a vacation.”
“See,” Gabriella smiled, “he’s probably feeling the same. Steve’s a good guy, Julia, and he cares about you and the twins very much. Don’t worry.”
******
How strangely cool, Zoe thought standing at the entrance to the abyss of darkness.
It seemed like a corridor that led somewhere, who would have thought a house in suburbia would have a secret passage. Was it even old enough to have them or had someone commissioned it for fun? Did the parentals know?
Curious beyond belief, she decided to go investigating. Who knew may be she’d discover proof of secret mistresses and loves shared. She’d share the gossip with Kenny. Spice up an already boring life. All she needed was not to get caught in the act.
The corridor wasn’t as long as she’d imagined. In a few minutes, she was standing at what she assumed was an opening to a room. But it was dark so she could barely see anything.
Feeling the wall for a light switch, she was grateful when she found one and turned it on. A bulb came on to reveal a cube-like room fitted with a computer on a desk in the middle of the room. It looked like a surveillance room, there was so much equipment.
On the wall to her right, there was a shelf of neat rows of compact discs each marked with a date. She assumed its user was conducting research. How boring, no love letters or hidden secrets, she thought regretfully. Walking slowly around the desk, she touched the surface of the flat screen monitor and it came to life.
The image on the screen made her frown. It was one of her living area, funny how the couches resembled the ones in her room. Staring at it, the picture changed and her eyes widened. It was her suite of rooms! Her bedroom, her bathroom, was this a prank? Who the hell was doing surveillance on her and for what reason? Thinking that may be she might find other rooms in the system, she reached for the mouse and navigated through the program.
There was no other room in there, just videos and videos of her room. Clicking on one, she stared in horror as her image filled the screen. She was getting ready for her bath. She’d stripped naked and Zoe held back a gasp of horror at what this meant.
Her privacy, so terribly invaded, she thought in anger.
Stopping the video, not wanting to see more, she clamped a hand on her mouth. Panic seized her and it was so acute she started to shake. These things were never good in the movies. Perverts did this kind of thing and the victims always ended up dead. Wasn’t that why there were shows like C.S.I? God!
Turning to the shelf, she realized the CDs were labeled. Pulling one out, she stared at her name on it.
Sweet Maria, she gasped, returning the disk back.
She turned to leave. She needed to get out of here. The owner of this couldn’t know she’d been here. Simply couldn’t. When her mother came home, she’d know what to do. She always did. Her mother was cool like that.
The sound of the door swinging open froze her in her tracks.
Dio! Someone!
She couldn’t be found here by the owner of this madness. Glancing around the room, she spotted a mess of boxes and cords at the corner and hurried for them. She was small enough to hide there. Curling into a ball, she closed her eyes and started to count when she heard soft footsteps. Her heart was beating loudly, but she was determined to remain hidden until this person left, until Mamma came home.
When the steps stopped, she opened her eyes and cursed silently. She’d forgotten the light. The light was still on. Holding her breath, she hoped that the person would assume it had been forgotten on. Her legs cramped and she bit her lip trying to remain still. She simply couldn’t move.
Why? Why was she so curious about everything? She could swear he could hear her heartbeat. It was pounding so loud.
The footsteps moved into the room and she started praying, promising God never to be curious after this. If he just—
“There you are, thought there might be a visitor in here,” her Uncle Steve purred over her head as he grabbed her pony tail and brought her to her feet.
Fear won over her shock that her uncle was the culprit. He’d always made her feel a bit nervous. She could barely stop the short scream she gave as he pushed her into the computer chair.
“How did you find yourself in here?”
“I’m so sorry, Uncle Steve,” she managed gripping the chair arms, her voice shaky as she tried to push away from the face that was closing in on hers. He was a big guy and so strong. How was she to fight him off, she thought in a panic.
“I won’t tell anyone. I promise,” she said thinking to talk out of this.
“I’ve been so very careful to keep this from anyone,” Steve Harden said breathing in her scent, taking in her huge frightened eyes. She was so beautiful and innocent. Bringing a hand up, he ran a finger down her cheek, “so young.”
&nb
sp; Zoe shivered in disgust, wanting to scream, but he was standing over her. She needed to get away; she didn’t like the look in his eyes. It frightened her.
“Please, Uncle Steve,” she pleaded. “Let me go. I’ll forget about—
“No, you won’t,” he said quietly. “You’ll tell your mother. Then Gabriella will lose it and get me in trouble. I can’t have that.”
Think Zoe, she thought, fight through the fear.
He was breathing hard and his eyes were now red-rimmed. Afraid of whatever he was thinking, she tried to get away from him. Moving to dash away, but he pushed her back into the chair and tried to kiss her. His lips moving closer to hers, nausea rose and she knew she’d rather die than let it happen.
Using her knee, she brought it up hard and hit him between his legs. It had always worked with muggers in New York. Like magic, he grunted and she didn’t pause to see what was happening. She took off at a run and headed for the dark corridor. When she reached the end, she felt the panic she was holding at bay rise at the realization that the door was closed.
How did it open?
She wanted to scream as her hands frantically moved over the wall. Kneeling on the ground, she saw a shadow fall in the corridor and she whimpered. Her fingers searching as he came closer. Biting back a sob, her fingers finally found a button just like the one on the shelf.
Pushing it, the door swung open just as he got to her. She scrambled to her feet and took off at a run into the drawing room. Intent on getting to safety, she ran into the hallway and headed for the stairs. Just as she reached them, he caught up with her, grabbing her ponytail hard making her scream but she didn’t stop, couldn’t stop.
He let go of her hair when she kept struggling and lost her footing. She tumbled down the stairs in a very hard fall. Her body crashed against the steps as she went down to the foot of the staircase. It felt like every bone in her body was broken.
Letting out a cry, she remained still for a moment, her body absorbing the pain in her ribcage, her hips, and her arm, still he kept coming.
She had to keep moving. She knew that.
Tears stung her eyes as she got up and stumbled in the direction of the foyer. There was a phone there; maybe she could call for help.
But her speed was not fast enough, he was gaining. Changing direction, she headed for the living room and the phone there. She’d just picked the handset by the door when he caught her. He hit the phone out of her hand and sent it flying to the ground where it slid under the couch. Turning away to run, she screamed when he grabbed her shirt and threw her to the couch. Pressing her to it, he growled,
“No use fighting, it’s going to happen.”
“No.” Zoe sobbed when he reached to pull her shirt up, fighting against his rough hands, using her legs to kick at him; she let out a gasp when he slapped her across the face.
“Stop fighting,” he ordered pressing his knee into her stomach.
God, no, this was not going to happen to her. She was not going to be a statistic. She fought harder and managed to scramble off the couch but he hit her back hard dropping her onto a glass table that gave in and then she was lying on broken glass.
“Look what you’re making me do,” he said as he leaned over her.
Her lip was swollen and her face bruised from his blows. Her shirt was torn and she could feel glass cutting into her back. She couldn’t move, Zoe thought in anguish, she needed to in order to get away, swallowing hard.
“Let me go, someone will be coming soon. Kenny will come looking for me.”
“Kenny,” he said in disgust, “that bastard probably has you doing things to him I’ve dreamed of.”
“You’re sick, Uncle Steve,” Zoe said, trying to turn over, despite the glass, “you need help.”
“Don’t tell me what I need, you’re mine. You belong to me and no one else,” he said angrily.
He was beyond control, Zoe thought in fear as he grabbed her jeans. They fought, she struggled harder, but he won each time.
She screamed and called out for help, as he robbed her off her innocence so very violently. She didn’t think she’d ever stop hurting. She hit at him, she kicked, but he was stronger, and her strength was waning. So, she begged him to stop. But he didn’t stop. Her pleas earned her blows and slaps until she went silent.
The pain numbed her mind; the degradation of it all brought silent tears to her eyes. He stood over her a moment when he was done but she couldn’t move at all. He placed a phone beside her, but who could she call now. She’d called and screamed, still no one came. Who’d come now, she wondered. He left and she thought about her violin, sitting in the study. She should have played it, she thought, and then sank into the beckoning darkness.
******
Two weeks later, Zoe lay staring out the hospital window, holding herself very still to keep the pain to a minimum. Her mind was carefully blank. Thinking was too hard and she could barely stand any of the thoughts that ran in her mind. When the door opened, she closed her eyes and stayed still, her fingers clutching the call button.
“Zoe,” a soft husky voice greeted, “its Kenny. I brought you flowers. They are gardenias, you love them, right?”
Kenny.
She was safe, she thought. He was a friend. She remained still but her eyes opened to see what he was doing. He was arranging flowers in a vase by the window.
“I came across a certain piece of music. Someone told me that it’s very hard to master. I just knew that would challenge you. So, I just put a request in with your doctor to allow you music. I know you’ll like that.”
She didn’t know what to say. She just knew that his voice was familiar and it made her feel safe. Not like everyone else. They talked to her like she was a broken thing, something to be pitied. Apart from the doctor lady with green eyes, Kenny was the only other person she could trust.
Kenny came to sit down beside her and smiled, “It’s called the devil’s trill. I heard that and I thought you might appreciate the title.”
Zoe felt a tear slide down her cheek. Kenny reached over and even though she flinched, he wiped the tears away and said, “It’s great to see you awake.”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t know the difference of time, or how long she’d lain in this bed. It didn’t seem to matter. Nothing seemed to matter. Kenny kept talking, she tried to keep up with what he was saying, but her mind kept wandering away into a blank state.
The door opened again and she closed her eyes fast.
Kenny noted the action as he glanced up to greet Gabriella, Julia and Steve. It was the first time he’d seen any of them in the past two weeks. The inquest into Zoe’s case was currently going on and they were all quite involved in the investigation.
“Grazie, Kenny,” Gabriella said coming to hug him, “for sitting with her. How’s my bambina today?”
“Very well,” Kenny answered.
Zoe was clutching the sheets tightly, her bruised fingers trembling slightly.
Gabriella turned to brush Zoe’s hair away from her face, but she flinched automatically and Gabriella stopped. A wince appeared on Gabriella’s face and Kenny wished she’d just gone ahead and touched Zoe. But, she pulled back and said, “You look much better today, Zoe. I can’t wait to get you home. Everyone is worried about you.”
“Yes, we can’t wait to get you home,” Steve said and Zoe’s trembling increased.
When Gabriella moved to soothe her, she moaned and started pressing on the call button. Tears sliding down into her hair, she moaned in protest as Gabriella said,
“Hush Zoe, you’re perfectly safe sweetie, there is nothing to be afraid of.”
The nurses came in, and Zoe said her voice hoarse from disuse, Gabriella could barely recognize it. “Please, take him away from me, please, help me! Please, help me!”
“Zoe,” Gabriella said in shock, while Julia placed a hand over her mouth in despair. Kenny kept his gaze
firmly on Zoe and a thought came to him.
“Leave us,” he said to Gabriella. “She was fine before.”
“Why,” Gabriella asked worried. “She’s upset, how can I leave her like this?”
The nurses were gently holding Zoe to the bed so that she wouldn’t hurt herself.
“Go on, Mrs. Castille,” Kenny urged moving fast ushering them all out.
He closed the door, and Zoe gasped breathing hard.
“Alright Zoe, alright, there is no one here but the nurses and me. Do you want me to leave too?”
Zoe shook her head and reached for him. She had to talk. She had to tell someone. The words hadn’t been able to come since she’d woken up, but fear lived inside her.
“H-he’s the one,” her voice were shaky; “h-he hurt me. I begged him not to, and still-, still—
She shook her head and the nurses understanding her, ran out to call the detectives in charge, while Kenny hugged her.
****
Present...
Zoe kept her gaze on the bath water and the disappearing soap suds. Her fingers were starting to wrinkle, the water was lukewarm. Robbie sat on a stool beside the tub; she didn’t want to look into his eyes to read his reaction to her past.
She had never told anyone her story before. She had never told anyone what it had been like. Kenny had been there, and Sylvia as well, talking had never been necessary.
“The case was clear, but my family’s high profile made it a circus,” she said, “no one was inclined to believe Steve Harden, the outstanding criminal lawyer, could be a monster.”
Shaking her head, she let out a sigh. “Kenny became my life. He literally forced me to live. He made me eat, he made me walk. He made me breathe…I just wanted to die. Uncle Thad came during the trial, and brought me here to the island soon after. That’s when we met Athena. I was a mess.”
Robbie swallowed hard and asked, “Why did Thad bring you here?”
Turning her wrists, she stared at the white scars that refused to fade away. “At first, no one believed me about Steve. Aunt Julia and Gabriella were sure it was someone else who’d broken in. For a day, it became hell on earth that I would dare accuse the great Steve Harden of such a thing. But then, the police found evidence, and Julia became very angry. Dr. Sylvia thought it would be best if I didn’t stay close to them for a while. That was how the rift between my mother and I began. I couldn’t forgive her for not believing me.”