Or paranoid. And the last thing I want is to set him off.
She lowered her eyes, her heart hammering. She could hear Lester’s labored breathing as long seconds passed. The silence stretched out until she heard him sniff and then say, “No,” in a softer voice. She could hear his breathing finally begin to slow, and when he spoke again, his voice was shaky but subdued.
“They’re safe,” he said, nodding at the house. “Your family. I saw them through the windows. I watched your sister go inside. What happens next is up to you.”
She flinched at his words but held her silence. His breath continued to slow in what seemed like a conscious effort, his gaze never wavering.
“I came to talk. You need to hear what I have to say. You’ll listen to me this time, won’t you, Maria?”
“Yes.”
“The doctors tell me it isn’t real,” he explained. “I tell myself it’s not real. But then I remember the truth. About Cassie and my mom. The police. And what they did. And I know you’re the one who started it. The doctors can tell me it’s not real and that I’m making it up, but I know the truth. So tell me: You’ve been talking about me, haven’t you?”
When she didn’t answer, she watched the muscles begin to tighten in his neck.
“Don’t bother lying. Remember that I already know the answer.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“You’ve talked to the police about me again.”
“Yes,” she said again.
“That’s why the detective came this morning.”
Where is Colin? she wondered. And the police? She wasn’t sure how long she could keep Lester calm —
“Yes.”
He turned away, wincing. “When we first met you, I wanted to believe you when you said you were doing your best, and that Cassie would be safe. I came to understand that to you, Cassie was no one. Just another name, another nobody. But she wasn’t a nobody. She was my sister, and it was your job to protect her. But you didn’t. And then…”
He squeezed his eyes closed. “Cassie used to take care of me when my mom was too sick to get out of bed… She used to make me chicken noodle soup and we’d watch television and she’d read me books. Did you know that? She wasn’t a nobody.” He wiped at his nose with the back of his hand, and when he went on, his voice was almost childlike. “We tried to warn you what was going to happen, but you didn’t listen. When Cassie died, my mom couldn’t stand living anymore. Because of you, she killed herself. Did you know that? Tell the truth.”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“You know all about us, don’t you, Maria? You know all about me.”
“Yes.”
“And you sent the police after me after Cassie died.”
Because you sent the notes. Because you were threatening me. “Yes.”
“And your boyfriend… He is your boyfriend, right? The big guy at the club? I saw how angry he got after I sent over the drink. He wanted to hurt me, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“And then, this morning, you sent the police again.”
Because you slashed my tires! Because you’re stalking me!
“Yes.”
He stood a bit straighter. “That’s what I told the doctors. All of this. But they don’t believe me, of course. No one ever believes me, but at least you’re being honest. I knew, but now I really know… and I can feel the difference in my whole body. You understand, don’t you, Maria?”
No. “Yes.”
“It takes over – fear, I mean. No matter how hard you try to fight it, it takes over, crushing the life out of you. Like right now. I know you’re afraid of me. Maybe like Cassie was afraid after you failed her?” He looked at her for confirmation, waiting.
“Yes.”
She watched him tap the gun against the side of his leg. “Can you imagine how it feels? To lose your sister? And your mom? And watch people like you go after my dad? And then me?”
“I can’t imagine how awful that was.”
“No, you CAN’T!” he shouted suddenly, and in that moment, she heard the faint sound of a police siren in the distance.
Lester snapped to attention, recognition dawning as the sirens grew louder. He refocused on Maria.
“I said no police. I said NO POLICE!” His voice cracked, whipsawing between anger and disbelief as he took a step toward her. “I’m NOT going BACK! Do you HEAR me? I’m NOT going BACK!”
Maria retreated, holding up her hands. “Okay…”
“They HURT ME!” he cried, taking a step in her direction. His cheeks grew mottled as he thrust his face toward her. “They SHOT ELECTRICITY INTO ME! And they put me in the cage with ANIMALS who beat me and they didn’t DO ANYTHING! They ALL laughed at me and to them it was just a game! AND YOU DON’T THINK I KNOW WHO PUT THEM UP TO IT?”
Oh, God… He’s losing it…
“YOU DID!” he screamed, vibrating with rage.
Maria retreated, trying to maintain the distance between them. Her gaze kept flicking to the gun, then back to Lester again. He continued to advance as she backed away, her back almost to the garage door now.
“YOU called the POLICE! You keep coming back, but this time I’m NOT going to let you GET AWAY WITH IT!”
Serena had to have heard him that time, she thought. Or my parents. They’ll open the front door any second now and Lester will turn and fire…
Through the static of her racing thoughts, Maria realized that the first siren had now been joined by another, more distant one, both of them drawing closer. Lester’s jaw clenched and his eyes burned with the anguish of betrayal. His finger began inching toward the gun’s trigger and a single impulse flashed through her body.