to pieces completely hysterical…'
'Perhaps one of the doctors should see her?'
'No… she'll probably be all right… just needs to be calmed down…'
'A sedative would…'
That's it! Perfect! Christ… it's better than I'd hoped for! She just damned near ran out on me!
To the nurse, he said, 'Yeah… maybe you're right… it'd calm her down…'
'N-NOOOoooo!' Charity screamed. 'Y-You don't u-understand! I've got t-to get away…!'
'Yes… of course, my dear… just bring her this way, Sir… and I'll get one of the doctors to see her, right away!'
Then, she was half dragged into an examining room, her desperate struggles subdued and she sobbed to be taken to her brother. 'I–I've got to s-see Donnie… you d-don't understand! Y-You don't u-understand…!'
A serious-faced young doctor diagnosed hysteria and ordered a sedative. Her hips was swabbed with alcohol, the needle pricked her… and she desperately wanted to tell someone — anyone — what a horrible mistake they were making, but who could she tell? Who would listen?
Dear God! There's nothing left… now! I'm… I'm t-trapped!
After a few minutes, she felt the euphoria of the drug working in her veins, relaxing her… making her drowsy… and she didn't want that! The feeling of absolute helplessness that swept over her left her feeling empty and alone. There was nothing she could do. The half-sleep drowsiness overtook her, vision and hearing were dimmed, but she was not asleep, yet. She wouldn't allow herself to go to sleep… not yet…not yet!
Gabe waited beside her, watching intently. There was plenty of time; he could wait. They would let him, the concerned father, take his daughter home, in an hour, perhaps. An hour would be a comparatively short time… compared to the weeks, months, years he had already waited. She must know that I found Dottie's letter… last night when I was blotto… and she and Don put me to bed! It was missing from my pocket…
CHAPTER FIVE
Through a drug-induced haze of unreality, Charity felt herself being led to Gabe's old car, her legs obeying, automatically, but her mind was still, dimly, uncertainly, aware that what was happening to her was bizarre. She was, for all practical purposes, a prisoner, being led off to a cell from which there was no escape. The thought swept through her that she was as much of a captive as Donnie… and the ironic part was she had been reduced to this position by well-meaning people, the nurses and the doctor who had administered the potent sedative to her.
She balked at getting into the car, momentarily, but Gabe's strong hands forced her into the seat. 'We're going home, sweetheart,' he said, for the benefit of the nurse who accompanied them to the car. 'Don't you understand…? We're going home, now… so you can get some rest!' He was all the concerned father, completely solicitous of her well-being.
'N-No… no…' she mumbled, 'd-don't want t-to go h-home!'
'Everything will be all right… soon's you're tucked into your own bed…' It was the nurse smiling down at her with professional assurance.
Oh, NO! Her mind screamed it. You don't u-understand! You d-don't know… you couldn't kn-know… what you're sending me h-home to…!
The ride back to Redfern was a nightmare for her; she knew the streets they traveled, and she was conscious of where she was each moment. Each block of every mile was taking her closer. She had to do something. Her first attempt to escape from Gabe had been thwarted… but if she jumped out of the car when he paused at a traffic light, she could make it… perhaps she could run into a building and hide. That's it… I could hide in a ladies room… or somewhere… Oh, God… give me what I need t-to do it… now!
Watching for an opportunity, as they moved with the traffic along the streets, Charity began thinking ahead of their route, trying to remember certain locations. Finally, Gabe stopped at a four-way-stop intersection. There was a large furniture store, a small market and two service stations. If she could make it to the furniture store, she would be safe. Gabe wouldn't dare make a public uproar. There would be a telephone; she could call the police!
Her hand went out to the handle of the car's door, as Gabe braked to a stop. She pulled up, hard. The door swung open, and she began to scramble out of her seat.
Gabe saw her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her, bodily, back into the car, slammed the door and locked it. Then, shifting gears and popping the clutch, he punished the old car into a jackrabbit start, his strong fingers still holding her tight.
'God damn it! Don't try any more stupid stunts like that!' he roared.
She whimpered, 'P-Please… L-let me g-go…?'
'Not on your life! I've waited too damned long for this chance!' he grated.
'Wh-What do you m-mean…?'
'I'm going to lay you, baby doll!' he chortled. 'I've wanted to fuck you ever since you started growing those pretty little tits of yours!'
'N-NOOoo! You c-can't! Y-You're my…'
'Father…?' he finished. 'Like hell! You know… and I know, now… you and I are not related! Some other bastard knocked up your mother… then she made me believe I'd done it… and tricked me into marrying her. Dottie's letter was…'
'Y-You stole m-my letter…!' she accused.
'All right… I stole it… but it was nice to know the truth!'
'Mom d-did what she th-thought was r-right…' she countered.
'She lied!' His eyes were furious. '… And, she's a no-good whore! She was a whore when I married her!'
'No… no… NO!' she sobbed.
'… And, so are you!' he flung at her.
'Oooooooh, God! N-No! Th-That's not t-true!'
He looked at her, his contempt plain on his face. 'You wouldn't try to deny Don's been laying you… and yesterday, both Don and Ray Donahue fucked you… at the same time?'
Charity's jaw dropped open with consternation. Shame and humiliation flooded through her. He kn-knows! Oh. God… he knows! How? Who t-told…? N-Not Donnie! Ray! I–It must have b-been Ray…!
What could she say? There was absolutely nothing she could do; it was a fact she couldn't deny. The ugly truth had caught up with her, and her only recourse was to womanly tears. They flowed, copiously, coursing down her shame-inflamed cheeks, unchecked, unnoticed.
Gabe persisted. 'Well… do you deny it?'
For answer, she shook her head in negative muteness, admitting to him the depth of her degradation.
'Little bitch!' he barked. 'You no-good little bitch!'
'N-No…' she managed through her tears.
'Committing incest with your brother… orgies… taking on two at a time! Christ! How many others have you laid?'
'N-None…' she mumbled. 'Ray m-made m-me do it!'
'Rape…?'
'No… he th-threatened t-to tell on m-me… a-and Don!'
Gabe's laugh was short, mirthless. 'Christ! That's good. No girl can be fucked… unless she wants to be!'
'H-He gave m-me something t-to drink…'
'That was your mistake… for drinking it!'
'B-But it was…'
He plunged ahead, not listening to her. '… And, I suppose you'll tell me Don forced you, too…?'
'H-He g-gave me some… marijuana to s-smoke… and…'
