Chapter 9 #3
More things seemed to click into place as I understood the true meaning behind his words.
I began to wonder if Tracey had been behind his death.
She seemed angry enough. I also wondered why the police hadn’t been more skeptical.
Most of the time, the spouse or significant other of the victim is a suspect until all foul play is ruled out.
I wanted to question Drake, but seeing the look in his eyes, there was no need.
I pondered how long he had questioned whether his mother had been behind it.
My mind should have been more blown by the fact that my brothers, Patrick, and Anna had pulled us into this dream memory. However, my concern for Drake superseded this bizarre event. I had plenty of time later to question my family and friends.
I flinched when I heard glass shatter upstairs. Drake stiffened and seemed to gather himself. I could see him mentally shore himself up before pulling me toward the stairs.
“Dad never liked fighting in front of us,” Drake told me as we followed Patrick and Kade up the steps.
“But Tracey always seemed to be itching for a fight. Sometimes late at night, when they thought we were asleep, I could hear him fight back with her, but most of the time he walked away when she was raring to go.”
“Why did he stay with her?” I couldn’t help but blurt out.
“She always threatened to take us away if he left,” Drake grimaced.
“With her connections, he was afraid she would win. Plus, back then, our state was a women’s state.
Most mothers were given placement or full custody.
Even if Dad mainly raised us, Mom would have taken us to hurt him, even if babysitters and daycares would have us most of the time. ”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered softly to him before going on my tiptoes and kissing his cheek.
“Thanks,” he said, kissing my forehead. “As hard as this is, I’m glad you’re by my side. However, you’re more than welcome to sit out if you want. I don’t think this would be pretty.”
“I’m here for you,” I insisted.
We reached the top of the landing and turned left. Looking down the hall, I could see Damon throwing items into a suitcase. It took me a moment to realize he was packing little girls’ clothing into a big, pink, bedazzled suitcase.
“Where is it?” Tracey screeched at the top of her lungs.
“Your dad was building evidence against your mom’s abuse,” Anna said, wide-eyed.
“He’s been recording conversations. He has emails showing your mother forgot to pick you up.
He also has written statements from teachers, neighbors, and other witnesses describing your mother’s treatment of Jemmy and her neglect of you both. ”
Drake nodded. “A month or so before Dad died, Tracey became more hateful and neglectful. She was more engaged with me, but always indifferent toward Jem. She was never fully hands-on, yet something caused her to change, even toward me. She had always been critical of Jem and passive-aggressively attacked her. Until that last month, she was no longer doling out backhanded compliments. Something made her more vocal, more unbearable.”
“Dad had noticed. He was a smart man. He knew the only way he could get us away from her was if he had enough evidence against her. Something was already stressing her out, but if he threatened to leave her, it might have pushed her over the edge completely.”
“Enough for her to kill him?” Anna asked, her eyes widening. “I’m sorry, Drake, that was callous.”
Drake shook his head. “It’s a hard subject, but I can’t shy away from it. I think deep down I was always suspicious of her. When she told us Dad had killed himself, she didn’t even seem to care, but at his funeral, she was weeping and wailing theatrically. Subconsciously, I realized she was acting.
“I think a part of me wanted to hang on to the mother who had love-bombed me from time to time when it was convenient for her. My young mind wanted to cling to the woman she had been before things started deteriorating in our household. She wasn’t the greatest mom, but in her own way, I knew she had loved me at one point. ”
I knew now she was a narcissist, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had additional personality disorders. She wasn’t a woman to be trusted. I needed to know the truth so we could get Jemmy back.
“Hopefully, Neville locates her soon,” Anna sympathetically said.
Drake nodded his head before merely saying. “Yeah.”
I knew his feelings went a lot deeper than his short agreement. With each hour that passed without locating Jemmy, he was growing increasingly worried.
Another crash brought our attention back to the situation at hand. Damon had ducked as Tracey threw a Fabergé egg at him. If he hadn’t moved, it would have struck him in the head. He stood to his full height, his nostrils flaring.
“This is why we’re leaving, Tracey. You’re unhinged,” he hissed. “You just threw a priceless, irreplaceable item at me. That’s one of the last things my mom gave Jemmy. You know how much she loves them!”
I startled as Drake spoke beside me, narrating the scene in front of us.
“We lost our last grandparent earlier that year. Grandma Gene would watch us when Dad couldn’t, or when school was out.
Jemmy and she were really close. When we got home that afternoon, Tracey had destroyed them all.
She tried to tell us Dad did it, but we knew he never would have. ”
“Does anyone else wish we could slap the bitch?” Anna fumed.
“I think I’ll have to see the dentist soon,” I said, gritting my teeth.
“Like I give a fuck! The stupid bitch won’t even notice it’s missing,” Tracey smirked. “And how the hell do you expect to pay for a lawyer? You think any judge in their right mind would allow you to take my kids away from me?”
“Don’t you worry about how I’m paying for a lawyer.
I already have one, and with my evidence, the judge will make the right decision.
I’m done. We’re done!” Damon zipped up the suitcase and marched toward the door.
“I won’t allow you to hurt our children any longer.
Every day, you destroy your daughter’s self-esteem by calling her names, and you depend far too much on Drake.
“You know I must work every other Saturday. I do all the grocery shopping, pay all the bills, handle nearly all the laundry, and take care of all the cooking and cleaning. You have to wash your own clothes every other week, yet you have Drake doing the whole family’s chores on the Saturdays I can’t. ”
Tracey scrambled to block his path. “There’s no issue with him learning life lessons,” she scoffed. “And why shouldn’t you do all the household chores? I’m the breadwinner, not you. Have you been stealing my money? Is that how you can pay for your lawyer?”
“Move, Tracey,” he gritted through clenched teeth.
“Not until you tell me how you stole my money without me knowing,” she sneered.
Damon rolled his eyes. “You used to make more money than me, and two thousand more dollars a year shouldn’t have made me your slave for the last twelve years.
That changed a long time ago. I’ve been making more money than you for the last six.
I tried to stay with you for the kid’s sake, and it took me way too long to realize we’re better off without you. ”
“And why aren’t I not making more money?” she shrieked. “Because I was passed over for promotions while spitting out the kids you wanted?”
Damon snorted a humorless laugh. “How many times did you tell yourself that before you actually started believing it? You purposefully got pregnant because of your jealousy. You found out your sister was trying. You were so jealous of Sammy, and you wanted to beat her at something. She beat you down the aisle after Jared demanded his ring back. You want to tell everyone you left him, but he found out he wasn’t the only frat boy you were sleeping with. ”
“I should have believed him when he told me who you truly were,” he let out another laugh. “And, sweetheart, lying on your back and spreading your legs for your bosses isn’t always the best way to rise in the ranks at work.”
She looked momentarily stunned as he pushed past her and went into the room beside Jemmy’s.
I looked over at Drake, and his eyes were closed in pain.
I wondered if he had known that his mother slept around.
With a determined look in his eyes, Drake followed his father.
Damon was in a room that had to be Drake’s.
His room was spotless. Posters of the solar system adorned the walls.
Planets hung from his ceiling. Next to his bed were several thick novels that I was sure he had read or was in the process of reading.
Damon had the dresser open and a suitcase on the bed. He began loading the suitcase with Drake’s clothing.
Anna began to look around the room in curiosity while I held onto Drake’s hand. He needed me more than my curiosity needed assuaging. I knew Drake the man, not Drake the boy, and I was curious.
“Are you sure you weren’t born a man?” Anna asked, peering down at a paper on the desk. “What twelve-year-old boy writes lists for themselves? And did you really hang your clothing in color groupings, from light to dark?”
I appreciated her attempt at humor, and I could see Drake’s lips twitching as well, until Tracey’s screech reached our ears.
“How dare you accuse me of sleeping around?” Tracey fumed. “You know I bust my ass at that company and run circles around most of the men in my office.”
Damon didn’t respond as he placed clothing in another suitcase. He barely reacted when Tracey grabbed Jemmy’s suitcase and dumped the clothing onto the floor. He finished packing Drake’s bag and tried to leave the room.