Page 19 of The Bad Man
“Hello, Jimmy,” I say to him, and the sadistic fucker grins. Dr. James Crane is known as Jimmy by his closest friends, including my father.
“Have you missed me?” he asks and then cracks his knuckles.
The nights he beats me, it’s never a fair fight. He has Alton tie me up, and then he takes out all of his anger and frustrations on my flesh. I’ve been his punching bag since the night I caught him and my father assaulting a young woman in our house.
My father always had his predilections for aggressive sex. I witnessed at a very young age just how much pleasure can come from pain. But his childhood best friend was always pushing for more. Jimmy would have a turn with the women, and they would always beg him to stop. It took me a long time to understand that although my father wasn’t participating in the abuse, he certainly wasn’t stopping his best friend. It wasn’t until I saw him give in to those dark desires that I knew I couldn’t stay silent any longer.
My mother was dead by that point, so all I could do was call the cops. That was a joke. Of course, my dad paid off whoever it was that came to investigate, and he made sure I paid dearly for the stunt. He was more careful after that and never brought them to our home. But I never stopped watching him and snooping for information on how he was getting his next victims. That’s when he had me committed. His BFF had all the connections to have me put away in this shithole, and the bonus was that he could beat on me anytime he felt like it. He got off on it. He wanted to feel powerful.
I suspected that after they stopped bringing girls to our home, they brought them here, but I never had hard evidence. Every now and then when Jimmy is euphoric from seeing the bruises and marks he’s left on me, he lets information slip. He also makes Alton stay in the room to witness, which is just another layer to his blackmail. If Alton is witnessing what’s happening and doesn’t stop it, then he’s a part of it too.
“I should have known the new girl would have you a little too worked up,” I say, trying to annoy him.
Dr. Crane shrugs like it’s not a big deal as he reaches to unbuckle the shackles that are hanging on the wooden frame. The one I fucked Mia against.
“It’s probably for the best that you’ve moved your attention to her.” My voice is casual, but I see when Dr. Crane’s hands pause. “Especially now that Mia has rejected you.”
“She didn’t reject me.” Dr. Crane narrows his eyes. This is when Jimmy likes to come out and play. This guy wants to say I’m psycho, but he’s the one with a split personality.
“She didn’t? That’s odd then.” I pretend to think it over as I frown and tuck my hands in my pockets. “It’s strange because I could have sworn when I fucked her in the linen closet it was my name she was screaming.”
“What did you say?”he hisses as his fingers tighten on the shackles.
“Jamison.” Alton says my name as a warning from behind me.
Ignoring him, I grin at Dr. Crane. “I said I fucked her in the linen closet. But that wasn’t the first time.” I nod toward the wooden rack. “I fucked her virgin cunt right there too.”
The rage that comes over Dr. Crane’s face is like a curtain, and he screams in anger as he rushes toward me. Before he can make contact, I take the long braided rope out of my pocket and catch him around the neck with it.
It all happens so fast, and before he knows what’s happening, I’ve got him down on his knees and I’m behind him, choking him with the rainbow ribbons from Mia’s hair. Every time I took one from her, I saved them inside the book she gave me. She cut out a hollow space in the back, and that’s where they’ve stayed hidden. Once I had enough, I braided them all together, and now I’m using it to end this fucker’s life.
“Jamison!” Alton shouts as Dr. Crane claws at his neck where the braid is choking him. “Let him go.”
“Why?” I ask, and Alton blinks for a second. “With him dead, all of your problems go away.” Dr. Crane fights harder but his gurgling sounds are getting quieter. “All you have to do is let it happen. Then it will be over.”
Alton hesitates, and then he looks down at Dr. Crane. I pull the ribbons tighter, and it feels good. His hands are weak, and eventually they fall to his side. I keep squeezing even long past when he last moved, but I want to be sure.
The whole time I do this, Alton doesn’t move an inch closer. I think he knew exactly what I did. This was only ever going to end with one of us dead.
Just then the door to the room swings open, and Alton spins around to see who it is. As the figure walks into the room, I smile. The police sirens are right outside the building, and I can hear them shouting from above. The figure steps closer, and that’s when I let Dr. Crane’s dead body fall to the floor.
“Glad you could join us,” I say to my father as he looks at me with hate-filled eyes.
Chapter Fifteen
MIA
There is no way I can stand here and not do something. I have no idea what that something is, but I do know that I won’t stand by and let anyone hurt Jamison. Not again. As he left, he told me to stop, but that word never deterred him. In fact, it only served to motivate him further.
I slip out when no one is paying attention. The last thing I need is for someone to notify Dr. Crane. I stop by the nurses’ locker room and grab my phone. If necessary, I could use my phone to snap pictures or call for help. If we could get some evidence of what's happening, maybe we could do something about it. He’s not alone any longer. I will fight with him and for him.
When I peek out of the locker room to make sure the coast is clear, my stomach drops. The sounds of sirens fill the hallway, and a second later police are rushing in with their guns drawn.
“Stay back,” one barks at me as he runs past. A sense of dread is overwhelming as I realize where they are all headed.
Ignoring the orders from the officer, I try to follow, but a hand grabs my elbow, and I stop.
“You heard them.” I glance up to see Rourk, the new doctor.