I Just Saw her

TWELVE

I was stumped on my next move. I didn't want to cause Casey any difficulty with her sister, but not saying anything right away might only lead whomever was after her right to her. So I stood up.

Katie jumped to her feet immediately. "Patrick? What the hell are you doing here?" She spun to Casey. "Are you out of your mind? What did I say?"

"I just called him to say goodbye. He came here himself. I didn't invite him!"

"You didn't tell him to leave either!"

"You left the door unlocked!"

Katie threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes. "So, it's my fault then?"

"Well, maybe if you're so worried about me, you would remember to lock the goddamn door!"

Katie grabbed Casey's bag off the bed. "Let's go. Get in the car." She turned to me. "Go home, Patrick. Don't tell anyone you were here or where we're going, if you give a shit about her at all."

"I don't know where you're going," I responded weakly.

"Right. Like you won't follow us." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Casey, get in the fucking car."

"Jesus, Katie, relax! Of all people, I trust Patrick. He's not going to say anything."

Katie scoffed. "You're so naive. How do you even think this happened?"

"How this happened?" Casey repeated. Her cheeks grew red as she realized the implication. "You're blaming me this, aren't you?"

Katie dropped Casey's duffle on the floor. "Oh, of course not! Nothing is ever little Casey's fault. Some big bad meanie couldn't resist her pretty little face and killed her parents! My parents, Casey! And now, you still can't just do what I'm telling you to do and get in the car so we can get out of here, and maybe nobody else gets hurt!"

Casey started to cry. "I'm not going. If that's what you think. I'd rather be murdered or kidnapped than spend a night with you blaming me!"

"Casey, let's go!"

"Casey, no," I said. "Please stay."

Katie turned on me. "Don't worry, Patrick. I'm sure she'll be back in your bed before you know it. That's what you care about, right?"

"What?"

"What's going on here?" Mr. Hanson had appeared silently. In the tense and loud situation, nobody had heard the door open. He took in the scene: Casey crying, Katie red faced and shouting, me still wedged between the wall and the bed, my shirt covered in dust and cat hair. He spotted the bag on the floor. "Someone want to tell me where you're going?"

Katie scowled at him. "This is what happens when I try to keep something quiet. Everyone just shows up and blows the whole thing."

"Forgive me for being a bit put off when my girlfriend appears to be flying the coop. Casey, are you alright?"

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Where are you going?"

Casey darted her eyes between Katie and me, looking increasingly like she was going to explode. "I - I don't know. I don't want to go."

Mr. Hanson approached her and slowly, carefully put one arm around her shoulders, drawing her into him briefly. "Of course you don't."

"Let her go." Katie's voice was a low, angry growl. All heads turned slowly towards her, as she stood, fists squeezed into white-knuckled balls. "Casey, let's go."

Mr. Hanson stepped away from Casey and towards Katie, with slow, calculated movements. "Katie, honey, what's going on?"

And then, Katie exploded with such rage, I thought the windows would shatter. "You know exactly what's going on!" When he jumped away, she lowered her voice. "You think I didn't notice? Ever since the first day I brought you home, you were just like everyone else. You fawned over my sister like my parents did, our grandparents, teachers, friends, even the frigging priest at church! 'Oh Katie, we can't go away that weekend. Isn't it your sister's birthday?' And picking out her birthday presents? Making sure we were here to see her leave for the prom? I wasn't supposed to notice any of that?"

Mr. Hanson put his hands up innocently, his eyes wide. "I swear, you misread everything. I was just trying to be part of your family."

"You cried more than I did when she was missing!"

"For you! And your parents! Katie, I stayed by your side through everything. How could you think that about me?"

"I found pictures of her in your desk."

"For the cops! I was trying to help you so you could deal with everything else. I was finding pictures of her for the flyers."

A flash of doubt crossed Katie's face, but she pushed on. "The uniform."

"Okay, that's a really common fetish, and you know it."

"What uniform?" Casey asked.

"A cheerleader uniform," Katie spat. "From your team."

Casey and I both looked at Mr. Hanson, who was quickly turning red. "You're being ridiculous."

"How? I've seen you look at her. Sometimes I think I'm going to have to wipe the drool off your chin."

"I like the uniform! I asked you to wear it, not Casey."

"Bullshit. You think you can make me sound crazy, but I'm not. Casey, let's go. We're leaving."

When Casey still didn't follow, Katie stomped her foot hard enough to shake the shelves on the walls. She charged at Casey and grabbed her by the shirt. Instantly, I ran towards them, ready to tear them apart. My fingers curled into her jacket and I began to yank. To my surprise, Mr, Hanson's arms circled my waist and pulled me away.

"Patrick, stop! Don't get involved."

Katie slapped Casey with all her might, Casey spinning and landing face down on her bed. She scrambled to her feet and attacked her sister, grabbing a fistful of her hair and pulling. Katie's hands went to Casey's hair and pulled harder.

I shook off Mr. Hanson and ran into Katie, slamming her with my shoulder. She stumbled backwards into the wall, and hung her head, panting for a moment. Looking around me at Casey, she moved in a flash.

I didn't know anything had happened until Casey screamed. Mr. Hanson was wrestling a knife out of Katie's hand. They struggled through the doorway, then we heard a grunt and a crash.