Page 74 of Caged Bird

She glanced around nervously, like at any minute Eddie and his crew might shine a spotlight on her and shout, “Caught you!”

But nothing of the sort happened, and Fawn jogged around to the door to unlatch the lock so I could get out too.

The only signs left of the party were the empty bottles and cans strewn about the lawn, a table full of platters that now held little more than crumbs, and a few knocked-over chairs.

There were no people around, and I realized we’d made a vital mistake in falling asleep. We should have gotten out ofthere as soon as the crowd had drifted away. Now we needed a cover story Eddie wouldn’t immediately see through.

“When he asks, we’ll tell him we’ve been outside cleaning up the mess.”

Fawn glanced at me doubtfully, and then at the mess strewn about the yard. “We’re pretty shitty cleaners if that’s our story.”

“We’ll just have to hope he’s inside somewhere, in too much pain or too hungover to bother to get up and look for himself until we do have a chance to get out here and clean it.”

She nodded. “If he’s awake, I’ll distract him—”

A low, grumbling came from my chest. It took even me by surprise, but the thought of her getting down on her knees for him again had a physical effect on me I couldn’t contain. “Not distracting him with…”

She shook her head, squeezing my hand gently. “Not like that.” Then she added sadly, “If I can help it.”

I closed my eyes tight, praying I never had to watch my brother lay another finger on her after this day. I didn’t think I could bear it.

“It’s just one more day,” Fawn whispered at the back door. “One more day, and then we’ll be out. Together.”

I nodded at her words, even though I knew they couldn’t be true. I would get her out. Without relying on the cops or anyone else. Or I would die trying.

But we wouldn’t be together. At the end of this, she would be welcomed back into her family who could love her and protect her and nurse her back to health.

And I would make sure I was very far away, so she didn’t have to relive the nightmare every time she looked at my face.

It was the least I could do for her. I loved her enough to walk away so she could be happy.

My heart felt like it was going to shatter into a million pieces, both from adrenaline and from knowing the inevitable was coming, but I opened the back door.

We crept in, our footsteps light, both of us avoiding the creaking floorboard in the kitchen.

The house was quiet, and a little relief settle over me. I could see it in Fawn’s posture as well. She peeked around the corner into the living room where Eddie’s favorite recliner was, then glanced back at me, and shook her head.

He wasn’t there.

I pointed up the stairs toward her bedroom.

She nodded. “I’m just going to check on Otis and your mom and then I’ll meet you outside.”

“I’ll come with you.”

We both quietly walked up the stairs.

On the upstairs landing, I moved for Otis’s closed bedroom door, but Fawn paused, grabbing my arm.

I glanced back at her.

She pointed to her room. The bed was empty.

A quick glance at the bathroom told me there was nobody in there either. My bedroom was just as empty, the bed still neatly made from yesterday.

“Oh God. Where is he?” Fawn lunged for her son’s bedroom door. She fell onto the handle, her weight pushing it open easily.

My heart sank. Mom and Otis had barricaded that entryway last night, but now the door moved too freely.

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