Wrong Side of the Tracks by Ashley Zakrzewski

ChapterTwo

Sissy hung up the phone and deleted the call from the log out of habit. If Troy saw it, he would demand to know who she’d called. She couldn’t lie to him, or he would know. Somehow, he always knew more than she wanted him to. He demanded to know more than she thought he should, especially for someone she’d only been seeing for six months.

How had he managed to take over her life and terrify her in such a short amount of time? She knew the answer before her brain even finished forming the question.

She’d let him. Why? Because her father liked Troy and had encouraged her to spend time with him. Sissy had spent her entire life giving into what her father wanted, what he’d demanded so seeing Troy had been just another progression in the habit. Then he’d started slapping her around. He’d always apologized afterward and seemed sorry. Swore he’d never do it again. She’d believed him. More than once, she was embarrassed to admit, even to herself.

It wasn’t until Becky Lynn, a girl from her grade in school, had been killed by her husband that Sissy had woken up to the situation she’d put herself into. She’d decided right then, reading the newspaper article about Becky Lynn that she wasn’t going to be the next one in the paper for the same reason. Last night when Troy had come over, Sissy had broken things off with him, or at least she’d tried.

He'd started with screaming at her, telling her he hadn’t wasted so much time cozying up to such a cold fish for nothing. When she’d insisted it was over and told him to get out of her house, he’d gotten violent. He’d slapped her, then used his fists, until she curled in a ball in the corner trying to protect herself. Even that hadn’t stopped him from hitting and kicking at her.

At one point, he’d grabbed her by the hair and dragged her down the hall, heading for the bedroom. He was spitting mad and telling her he’d show her exactly what she was for. She’d been so terrified of what he was getting ready to do, and nauseous from the pain of what he’d already done. Her head rang, the world started to go black and the last thing she remembered was vomiting in the hall outside her bedroom door.

She’d woken up this morning lying on the cold tile of that same floor, still surrounded by her own sick, but Troy was nowhere around. Her entire body throbbed and moving had made her cry, but she’d crawled into the bedroom, then made it to her feet before making it into the attached bathroom.

Sissy had almost screamed when she caught sight of herself in the mirror, then she’d sat down and cried. It took her a little while to draw herself together and figure out what she needed to do. She needed to get away, but she’d need help for that. The only person she could think of who she trusted and knew would be willing to stand up to Daddy, was Cole. But she hadn’t spoken to Cole in years. Not since that last blow up between him and Daddy, then Cole had left town a couple days later. She had no idea how to get a hold of him. But she knew one person who might. She’d taken a shower, dressed and went to see the one person Cole might have kept in touch with, Corey Maxwell.

Sissy pulled her Jaguar up in front of the service station where Corey worked, got out, and went to the open garage door to look for Corey. She spotted him sitting in the office, a telephone to his ear and headed that way. When she reached the doorway, he held up a finger in her direction, indicating he’d seen her but was busy. She nodded and waited quietly while he finished his conversation, which seemed to be talking to a customer about the repair on their car.

“I’m sorry about that, ma’am. Can I help you?” he asked once he’d hung up the phone.

“I’m not sure.” She hesitated now that he sat in front of her. She kept her face turned away despite the oversized glasses she used to hide the black eye she hadn’t been able to completely hide with make-up or the cut on her cheek.

“Tell me what’s wrong with your car and I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction.”

“It’s not my car.” She turned to look directly at him and slid the oversized sunglasses off her face, half hoping he wouldn’t recognize her but knowing he had to, or he might not give her what she needed.

“I—” The word died in his throat as his eyes went wide. Corey blinked once. “Holy shit! I’m sorry. Pardon my language. Sissy, is that you? Sissy Metcalf? What happened to you?” He stood and approached her. He reached out as of to pull her into his arms but looked down at his grease smeared hands and stopped.

Sissy nodded. “It’s me. I need your help.”

“What can I do? Who do I need to kill over this?”

“That’s sweet, but nobody. It would only make things harder for you here. What I need is a way out, and I only know one person who can do that. But I haven’t talked to him since he left.”

Understanding dawned on Corey’s face. “Did your father do this to you?”

Sissy shook her head again. “Do you have Cole’s number?”

A half smile quirked one side of Corey’s mouth. “I forgot you always called him that.” He turned and went back to the desk. “I don’t know if the number I have still works. I don’t talk to him often, and he doesn’t always answer right away.” He took a cell phone from the desk and swiped across the screen a few times, then bent and wrote the number on a sticky note.

“Here. If you’re serious about getting away, don’t call from your phone. I can help you hide out if you’d like but you’ve got to be serious about staying gone. I have to live here when it’s over so getting you out can’t be traced to me.”

“Thanks.” Sissy’s hand shook as she reached out to get the number.

“I recommend a burner phone, but don’t use one of your credit cards to buy it. Cash only. And you’re going to need cash, as much as you can get, before you leave.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that. I shouldn’t have come. But thank you for this.” She held up the slip of paper for a moment before she turned and walked out, not bothering to wipe away the tears that streaked down her cheeks. Could she really do this? Could she leave her entire life and Daddy behind? Could she stay and let happen to her what had happened to Becky Lynn?

* * *

Sissy left the mechanic shop and drove aimlessly for a while, she didn’t know what to do. She pulled into a random parking lot and checked her wallet to see how much cash she had. Just shy of two hundred dollars.

She could use an ATM, but her daily limit was only three hundred. That wouldn’t last very long if she couldn’t use her cards. There was no way she could go into her bank. They’d recognize her and gossip would start over her face.

She sat in that lot for a long time trying to figure out what to do. First, a phone she could try to call Cole from. She looked around, taking note of where she was for the first time since she’d pulled into the lot. Not an area of town she was familiar with other than to pass through occasionally.

After Corey’s warning she was afraid to use her phone for anything, so she drove around until she found what she was looking for, a small convenience store where she bought an inexpensive phone, it looked like something her mom had carried when she was a girl, but it would make calls and send texts and that was what she needed right now. She’d gotten a card with minutes while she was there, then sat in her car and figured out how to use it.

The paper Corey and given her had two numbers one labeled Bubba, which was what everyone else called Cole, and another number that just had one word beside it — ‘me’. She tried the number for Cole. No answer. Panic raced through her. She’d been counting on Cole to help. What if she couldn’t get a hold of him? What if this wasn’t even his number? Looking around, she tried to decide what to do next. She didn’t want to go home. Troy might show up and finish what he’d started the night before.

Down the street she spotted a familiar sign. The bank she used, but a branch she’d never been in. A glance in the mirror told her that her face hadn’t gotten any better since the last time she’d looked. They would still talk about her, and word might get back to Daddy.

A voice Sissy hadn’t heard in almost ten years echoed through her mind.

“Even if he does hear, he won’t be able to stop you. If he got word while you were still in that bank, it would take him time to get there, and you’ll be long gone by then.”

She didn’t know why Cole’s voice was there, but it was telling her things he would have. While not the exact words, at least the same sentiments he’d told her in the past. He’d always encouraged her to break away from the hold Daddy had on her emotions. Now she saw why.

Sissy pushed her doubts and hesitations away, went into the bank and withdrew as much cash as she dared. With just shy of five thousand dollars to her name, she found a grocery store parking lot to try to call Cole again. To her relief, someone answered on the second ring.

“Hello?” The voice was a little older, a little deeper than the last time she’d heard him, but she was almost sure it was him.

“Cole? Is that you?” She couldn’t keep the waver from her voice, nor stop the wave of fear that he would refuse to help her from seizing her chest.

“Celia, is that you?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to call. I need help.” Her voice shook again, and she couldn’t stop the water that pooled in her eyes. Since he couldn’t see it, she ignored it and went on.

“It’s me. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know what to do. I need to get out of here, but I can’t do it on my own. They’ll catch me and stop me. I’ll never be able to get away.”

‘Where are you?” Cole’s voice was demanding but gentle.

“I’m at home, in Mobile.” She didn’t know what else he meant. Mobile was the only place she’d ever lived.

“Are you safe?”

“I—I think so. For now, at least.”

“Can you stay safe for twenty-four hours?”

“I think so.” She didn’t want to go back to her place, but where else could she go?

“Don’t think. If you can’t be sure you’ll be safe for the next twenty-four hours until I can get there, get out. Get as much cash as you can now, then ditch your cell, car, and credit cards. Find a hole in the wall motel where no one would look for you and lock yourself inside. Once you get as much cash as you can, do not use your cards, not even for the motel. Especially not for the motel. If you have enough cash get a cheap burner and text me where you’re staying. If not, ask to borrow someone’s phone and send it. Then hunker down and wait. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’m in south Texas right now and it’s going to take me at least twelve hours to get to you.”

“Will do.” She didn’t bother to tell him how much she’d already done. She could tell him later if they had time. Now, she needed to do what he’d said. Ditch the car and her phone, then find a motel. But if she ditched her car, how would she get to a motel?

The only person she could think of who might be able to help her find help was Corey, though she hated to ask him for more. Still, he’d said he could help her hide out if she needed. And from the terror that filled her every time she thought about Troy, her home or even asking Daddy for help, she needed it.

She picked up the sticky note from Corey and dialed the other number on the paper. It took a couple rings, but he answered.

“Corey it’s Sissy. I got a hold of Cole and he’s on his way but says it will take him a day to get here. He told me to ditch my car and phone and find a cheap motel to hide in. I didn’t know who else to trust. Can you help me?”

“Of course. Where are you? Do you know where you want to leave your car? Where can I pick you up?”

Possibilities raced through her head.

“How about the airport? I can use a credit card to buy a plane ticket away then park the car. If anyone finds it there, they’ll have no clue I didn’t use the ticket.”

“Great thinking. Use your phone to buy a ticket, someplace big like New York or Seattle,” Corey paused. “I can meet you at long term parking in an hour.”

“I can’t thank you enough.”

“Thank me by staying alive. One like Becky Lynn is to many.”

The line disconnected and she stared at the phone in her hand a moment wondering if maybe their classmate’s death had affected him even more than her.

Sissy refused to think about going home, or back to her house. After what happened last night, it wasn’t her home anymore. Instead, she drove to the airport and found a spot in the long-term parking lot, then used her phone to book a flight to New York City and a room for the night, using her father’s credit card. She used his card all the time and decided she might as well act as normal as possible and leave an easy trail away from where she really was, then powered off her phone and waited. She didn’t have to wait long.

Less than fifteen minutes after she’d finished with her reservations, she saw one of the pickups from next to the mechanic shop that morning pull into the parking lot. Getting out of the car she stood and waved. The pickup turned in her direction. She ducked back into the car to grab her handbag with both phones, her billfold and all her important things. She’d just stood again when the pickup pulled up behind her car, Corey behind the wheel. “Did you call me from your cell phone?” he asked out the lowered passenger side window.

Sissy shook her head. “I picked up a prepaid like you said. That’s what I called you from. The only thing I’ve used my phone for was to book a flight and hotel room in New York tonight.”

“Good girl. Leave your phone in the car.”

“I turned it off.” She hated to leave her phone behind. Her entire life was on it.

“Doesn’t matter. It can still be traced, leave it if you want to make a clean break.”

She looked down at her handbag then back to the car, then reluctantly she pulled her phone out and put it the glove compartment. With another deep breath she forced herself to leave it there and turned back to Corey.

“Should I leave the key inside?”

He shook his head and waved for her to get in. She closed her car, hit the lock button on her remote, and dropped the keys in her handbag before climbing into the passenger’s side of his pickup. He pulled away and she had to force herself not to look back. She’d loved her little Jaguar and would miss it but the car wasn’t worth her life.

“Any idea where you want to go? You’re welcome to stay with me and Darlene.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I can’t. I don’t want to put any of you in danger. If I stay with you, word will get out.” Sissy shook her head. “It will be better if I do like Cole told me to and find a hole in the wall motel to hide out. I’m just trying to figure out where in town I can go where Daddy is least likely to find out.”

“Why stay in town?” Corey glanced at her as he pulled out of the parking lot, then back to the road as he pulled onto the street. “For that matter, why stay in Alabama?”

Sissy stared at Corey for several seconds. Had he forgotten that they’d just left her car behind.

“Because I have no way to get out of Alabama, I have no way to get out of Mobile.”

“Pascagoula is less than an hour away, and is not just a different city, but a different state. Your father’s influence may stretch, but it will be less threatening that far away.”

“I just left my car behind. I have no way to get there.” It wasn’t that she didn’t see the logic in getting out of town, but if she couldn’t hire a cab, or an Uber, how would she get there?

“I’ll take you.”

Sissy shook her head again. “I can’t ask that of you. You have a family. I can’t put you in danger.”

“I need to go pick up some parts over there anyway. I was going to send one of the other boys, but I can go instead. I’ll take you, make sure you’re somewhere safe to hole up until Bubba gets here.”

Sissy slid her sunglasses back on her face and looked away as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “What will Darlene say if you’re seen at a motel with another woman in Pascagoula?”

“She’ll ask who it was, and I’ll tell her the truth.” He waved one hand in her direction. “About all of this. But it won’t go any farther. She and Becky Lynn were close. She’d been trying to get Becky Lynn to leave her husband for years. She’ll be glad you’re getting away while you still can. And she’ll be thrilled to know you’re with Bubba.”

“All right. If you’re sure.” Sissy turned and watched out the window as Corey manned the wheel taking her away from the place she’d once felt safe.