Night without Stars (Supergirls Book 2) Read online

  You’ll regret this.

  What Simon needed to do was drive down to Colorado City and confess to the Bishop.

  He said, “And that would go down real well, wouldn’t?”

  The scene had played over a hundred times in mind tonight. What would he say? Simon paused in the hallway and lifted both his Bible and whiskey bottle in the air. “Forgive me, father. Smugglers have been trafficking sex slaves through Our Lady of Victory’s basement for the past five years, and I’ve been taking money for it.”

  He swallowed a gulp of whiskey and continued, “I didn’t know about the sex slaves, I honestly thought it was just cocaine. Does that make it okay?” Simon giggled and then said, “I swear I would have given all that money to the church, but I couldn’t figure out how to get away with it.

  “Oh, and, by the way, I have a prostitute living in my uncle’s cabin. But don’t worry! No, no, no—don’t you lose one lovely night’s sweet rest, father.” He waved the whiskey bottle in the air. “I’m not sleeping with her.” Jenn’s vision popped into his head, her pitch-black hair, bright eyes and full breasts. He said, “I’m not sleeping with her…yet.”

  He took another swig. “But given the chance. God Almighty.”

  Gah! Simon wanted to hit something, throw something. He went to toss the Bible—You’ll regret this.—but brought it to his heart instead.

  He raised his whiskey bottle to pitch it, but last minute, he said, “Shit! Fuck! Damn!” and took another long chug. Then, he crossed his heart again, and prayed the Lord to forgive his cursing.

  “I’ve been sober for a whole thirty days, Father, but I found the guns this morning. The ones from the school shooting last week, and I…I…”

  You’ll regret this.

  “I don’t want that anymore. Don’t you see? I can’t handle this church, your church, harboring those weapons, those children murdering machines. I threw them in the river. And now they know. They are coming for me, Father.” This was his shining moment to be strong, to be a man. Sober. And what had he done? Drowned himself in regret and memory.

  You’ll regret this.

  There was a sudden brisk knock on his door. “Father! Father, help us!” It was Jenn’s voice.

  Simon’s heart sank, and his hands turned cold.

  “Father, please, oh, please, open the door!”

  He dropped the Bible and the whiskey simultaneously and sprinted to the door. There was nothing more sobering than seeing Tina’s limp body in Jenn’s arms.

  He felt faint. “Is she—” he began to ask, but Jenn, not hearing him, talked over his whisper. “She’s hurt, Father. Please, can you help?”

  He stepped aside to let Jenn in. Tony had his arms latched around Jenn’s waist, which made moving through the narrow frame difficult, if not impossible.

  Simon held his hand out to Tony, but the boy only glared at him with his huge blue eyes, as if Simon were a monster instead of man of God.

  Jenn said, “Tony, will you—gah!”

  “Here, allow me.” Father Wraith swept Tina out of Jenn’s arms, leaving Jenn to care for Tony.

  Jenn closed the door behind them and locked it while Father Wraith carried Tina to the couch.

  His heart broke when he observed the dried blood on the child’s hair. She felt limp and broken in his arms.

  You’ll regret this.

  Jenn sat next to the priest on the floor, and they both examined Tina. Tony sat by Jenn’s side, watching the priest like a guard dog. Simon had the eerie feeling that the boy would bite like one, too.

  He was about to ask what had happened, but Jenn was already speaking.

  15

  Blood of the Lamb

  Jenn stroked Tina’s hair, her fingers catching in the dried bloody knots. Tina’s face was turned away from both her and Father Wraith. Tina didn’t cry nor did she ask for comfort. She just lay on the couch, staring off into space. “This isn’t like her. Something’s wrong, Father.” Jenn continued stroking her hair as the priest looked the girl over.

  He flashed a light in Tina’s eyes and checked her reflexes. “I think she has a slight concussion.”

  “Oh God,” said Jenn, brushing away another onslaught of tears.

  Tony asked, “Does that mean she’s going to die?”

  The father said, “No, no, it just means she hit her head very, very hard, but she’s going to be okay. But, Tony, sometimes when one has a concussion they can behave—”

  “Like weirdos?” He gave the priest a look that said he thought the father was a weirdo.

  Father Wraith smiled a little, before saying, “Tina may not act like herself for a while. Could be a few hours, could be a few days—”

  “Or forever?” said Tony.

  Father Wraith didn’t reply.

  Tina closed her eyes.

  Jenn reached over and patted the little boy’s back. Tony had always been one to see the cup half full—his pessimism surprised her. “I’m sure Tina will be back before we know it.”

  Tony nodded and squeezed Tina’s hand.

  Jenn turned back to the priest. “You won’t believe what happened tonight, Father. I don’t understand any of it.”

  “Please, Jenn, call me Simon.” His eyes were kind, sad. And there was something else. Guilt?

  She nodded and wiped her eyes. “Right. I always forget.”

  “I know,” he said gently and handed her a tissue. “I want you to tell me everything.”

  Jenn said, “The kids and I were outside, watching the stars. You know how we like to do that?”

  He nodded and motioned for her to continue.

  She said, “A car drove up after it was dark. I thought it was you. He even knew your special knock. But, when I opened the door it was a man in a mask.”

  “A wolf mask!” said Tony. “And he had a huge knife.”

  Father Wraith put his hand on Jenn’s shoulder. It was warm and comforting. She continued, “He was also holding a rope. May told me to run away, but I couldn’t run away, not with the kids there. I fought back. I went for the knife, but he was too fast. He didn’t stab me with it, just knocked me out cold.” She sniffed and wiped at the fresh stream of tears.

  Father Wraith’s face turned pale and grave. He shook his head. “He wasn’t after you, Jenn. Nor the kids.”

  Tony chimed in. “You’re a liar.”

  Jenn touched the boy’s shoulder again. “Tony, please, don’t call the Father a liar.”

  “But, Aunt Jenn, the wolf man wanted us all right. I know it cuz he said it. He said he was going to tie us up and—and—” Tony swallowed hard. “But Tina got ‘im. Got him real good, didn’t you, Tina?”

  All three of them turned to the girl on the couch. Her eyes were open again. She moved her face away from the couch cushion and stared at the ceiling. Jenn saw her lips part, and they all waited for her voice.

  It came.

  “I’m not Tina.”

  Tony exclaimed before Jenn could stop him. “Of course you are. I can see you right now. You’re Tina.”

  “Tony, hush.” Jenn pulled his small body into her lap. “Let’s let your sister talk.”

  Tina turned her head again and looked Jenn straight in the eye. “You gotta believe me, Aunt Jenn. When I was down in the belly of the monster—”

  “The hole, you mean?” asked Tony.

  Tina nodded and continued speaking, “I saw Aunt May and—”

  Jenn’s face paled. “You what?”

  Tina nodded her head. “It’s true. You’ve got to believe me. I saw Aunt May. She told me my name was Henrietta now. She said, ‘To survive, you must become.’”

  Jenn and Father Wraith exchanged glances.

  Jenn said, “But you did survive. You’re safe now. You’re with your family.” She glanced at Father Wraith from the corner of her eye as she said this. “The Father and I will protect you, you don’t need to worry about that anymore.”

  “Me, too. I’ll protect you too, Tina,” said Tony. He traced the palm o
f her hand.

  Tina’s face held no emotion. “That’s what you said right before the wolf man came. You said you’d never let anyone hurt me again. You said to trust you.”

  Jenn looked away, unable to meet Tina’s eye. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing would come.

  Tina said, “And the wolf man came. He was going to kill me, Aunt Jenn, but I killed him first.”

  Jenn swallowed hard and hung her head. Why? She asked May. Why?

  Then May was standing behind her; her hand rested on Jenn’s shoulder. Jenn leaned forward to Tina, and Tony scooted off her lap. “I’m so sorry, honey. I’m so sorry. I tried to... to...” Jenn couldn’t finish. She bit her lip as the tears poured, and pet Tina’s bruised cheekbone. Smoothed her bloody hair away from her face.

  “It’s not your fault, Aunt Jenn. May says so. She says you need to understand, I’m Henrietta now.”

  Jenn felt another squeeze on her shoulder, and she looked at May. May was crying, too. She nodded her head towards Tina and mouthed the word, Henrietta.

  Jenn nodded back, turned to the girl who used to be Tina and kissed the girl’s forehead, her teardrops splattering on Henrietta’s blank face and smooth skin.

  Father Wraith put his left hand on Jenn’s shoulder, over top of May’s, then put his right hand on the other side of Tina’s cheek. He spoke gently, “Then your name is Henrietta. May God be with you.”

  “God is dead,” said Henrietta.

  Jenn gasped and drew back. The priest withdrew his hands and folded them neatly behind his back.

  Jenn looked to him, hoping for him to say something.

  His mouth opened, closed. And then opened. “Excuse me.”

  He turned, and walked out of the living room. Jenn watched him, then turned to May.

  May shrugged and put her hands in a Don’t look at me gesture.

  Jenn turned back to Henrietta. She tried to keep her voice gentle, but couldn’t help the sternness that spilled out of her mouth. “How could you say that to him. He’s only helped us. He’s helped you.”

  Henrietta stared back, her blue eyes dark. “Wake up, Aunt Jenn. How do you think we came to be in the church basement? He knew they were trafficking drugs, kids, and who knows what else. Maybe he even has a healthy taste himself. Can’t you smell the booze in here?”

  “Stop it!” Jenn drew back and stood. “What’s wrong with you?”

  Although, Jenn did admit Henrietta had a point. When Father Wraith had given her the children, he hadn’t told her much, just that they were in danger, needed a home, and no one could ever know about them. Was he involved in human trafficking?

  No, surely he couldn’t be. He was such a good man. The priest had taken care of her when she was psychotic and homeless, on the brink of suicide. He had her his uncle’s old cabin. Surely, if he’d been the shady sort, he’d have taken advantage of her when she first came to him.

  Tony stood, nodded. “I believe you, Rietta.”

  Jenn bit her lip. Glanced back at the hall, the priest had disappeared, and then glared at Tony.

  He put his hands in his pocket, and then gave her puppy dog eyes. “I’m sorry, Auntie Jenn. I’ll be good. I promise.”

  Jenn nodded and turned back to Henrietta.

  Henrietta sat up on the couch, once more looking like her kid-like self. Jenn could see the blue steal back into her eyes though they remained void of warmth. She touched the back of her head. “I can feel it now. It hurts, Aunt Jenn.”

  Her words were empty and hollow, and Jenn got the feeling Henrietta said it to give Jenn something to fuss over. It would be something May would have pulled back in the day if she wanted to distract Jenn from something else that was terribly amiss.

  And there was something amiss with Henrietta. It could be the concussion, but Jenn thought it went deeper than that.

  She patted Henrietta’s knee, then called out, “Father Wraith? Do you have Advil?”

  He came back with two glasses of water, Advil, and some bandages. “I’ve got the tub filling. We’ll get her wrist wrapped up, and then you can wash her hair in the tub. The warm water will be good for her.”

  Jenn and Henrietta both took Advil and downed the water.

  He asked Jenn, “How is your head feeling?”

  Jenn shrugged and felt her forehead. It ached, but nothing compared to the scab at the back of her skull. She said, “I hit the floor hard. Is there much blood?” But, even as she asked, her fingers found dried clumps in her hair.

  He gently touched her hair. “If you can manage, you may want to rinse it out.” She nodded.

  He turned to the girl. “Henrietta? Would you like a mug of hot cocoa?”

  She nodded. “Yes, please." Henrietta glanced at Jenn and managed a smile at the priest. It was as desolate as her eyes. “You can call me Rietta. And I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

  The priest sat on his knees and gently took her arm. It had swollen and should have been painful to the touch, but Henrietta didn’t flinch. He began to wrap it. “Rietta it is. And I completely understand.”

  “You do?” she tilted her head to the side, eyeing him cautiously.

  He nodded. “More than you can know.” Father Wraith finished up and turned to Tony. “Would you like some hot cocoa as well?”

  Tony pressed his lips together and glared at the priest.

  Father Wraith said, “I know you’re angry with me, Tony. And that’s okay.”

  Tony simply turned away and sat down next to Henrietta. He crossed his arms.

  Father Wraith frowned.

  Jenn said, “Father, can we stay here tonight? We’ve nowhere else to go.” She noticed sweat bubbling up on his forehead. Was he getting sick? Or was it something worse.

  He nodded but didn’t reply.

  Jenn helped Tina stand and walked her to the bathroom. She felt the tub water and switched off the faucet. She glanced back at Tony before quietly closing the door and helped Henrietta undress.

  Jenn and Henrietta emerged a half hour later, both with scrubbed skin and clean clothes. Henrietta was dressed in an extra large Seahawks sweatshirt and sweatpants. The sweatshirt sleeves fit easily over her wrist bandaging.

  Since Jenn had only grabbed the basics for herself when leaving the cabin, Father Wraith had gone to scrounge around in the clothes donation bin. He’d found Henrietta the sweats (since Tony had grabbed only socks, underwear, and swimming shorts), and found Jenn a black pair of skinny jeans and a tight red tee shirt that said CHAIN ME—FREE ME—LOVE ME in three neat lines down her chest. (which May readily approved of. She mouthed the word, Supergirl!) With the tight clothes and boots, Jenn felt a little like a superhero in a Justice League comic book.

  Kinda hokey, but also kind of cool.

  Jenn watched Henrietta walk to the couch and sit down beside Tony. Her long dirty blonde hair was free of debris and blood. She looked a normal pre-teen. Tony had immediately clutched onto her as if she would float away. She didn’t hug him back or even touch him. She tilted her head and stared at the ceiling, once again her face was devoid of the warm personality Jenn had come to know.

  Father Wraith entered the living room with several mugs of hot chocolate, and a duffel bag slung over his back.

  His mouth fell open a little when he saw Jenn, his eyes dropping to her breasts, she assumed to read her shirt. His face reddened as he handed her a mug. “I thought it was plain. I didn’t see—”

  She laughed. “It’s okay. I like it.” She took the hot chocolate, their fingers brushing. She felt an electrical zip go straight to her head. "Thank you, Father.”

  “Simon.”

  “Uh, right. Thank you, Simon.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She met his eyes, and he stared at her intensely. She felt her cheeks go a hot red, possibly the color of her shirt, and she adjusted her attention to her coffee mug, taking a sip of the chocolaty goodness.

  The priest set the duffel bag by the coffee table, and then moved on to
Henrietta and Tony. Henrietta accepted a mug and blew on it before sipping, but Tony wouldn’t so much as look at the coffee cup or the Father. He kept a protective arm around his sister.

  Father Wraith set Tony’s mug on the coffee table, his eyes resting on the duffel bag.

  Jenn found herself wondering what was in it. At first, she thought it emergency supplies or more clothes for the kids, but he didn’t move to unzip, it and Jenn didn’t bother to ask.

  It was an uncomfortable moment of silence, tension thick enough to slice with a knife—or a Bowie.

  The phone rang in the kitchen. Startled, Father Wraith sprinted from the room. “Excuse me, I’ve got to get this.”

  Jenn frowned while watching him. She got a feeling that something was wrong. The night had been a horrible disaster. What was going on?

  At least they were with Father Wraith and safe for now. They could rest before deciding what to do next.

  The father’s voice boomed excitedly from the kitchen. "What is that supposed to mean? I regret nothing. Nothing."

  Both kids grew wide-eyed.

  Jenn turned away from them and tiptoed to the hall, leaning in to listen.

  “Stay away from me. Stay away from them. Do you understand? I’ll call the police.”

  Jenn bit her lip. Whatever it was about, it didn’t sound good. She heard him slam the phone down, and she ran back to the living room with the children. Tony jumped from the couch and put his arms around her. She closed her eyes and squeezed him back. When she opened her eyes, May sat on the couch next to Henrietta. She was stroking the girl’s long hair. She turned and gazed at Jenn long and hard. Jenn knew what the look meant: It was time to split town.

  Father Wraith entered the living room holding his worn Bible. He ran his hand through his dark hair, loosened the buttons on his clerical shirt, and removed the collar. He set it down on the coffee table. He traced the golden letters of the Holy Bible and stared at the book.