Before they took him away he gave her a look that was really disturbing. Pure contempt. If the tape caught it and it's ruled admissible in court, it's all the prosecutor will need.'
Shaking her head, she returned to the bed and stroked Cassie's hair.
'Poor little baby. Poor little innocent baby.'
I sat there, not wanting to think or do or talk or feel.
A trio of LuvBunnies sat on the floor near my feet.
I picked one up. Passed it from hand to hand. Something hard in the belly.
Undoing the flap, I poked around the foam stuffing, just as I had in Cassie's bedroom. This time, I found something tucked into a fold near the groin.
I drew it out. A packet. About an inch in diameter. Tissue paper fastened with cellophane tape.
I unwrapped it. Four pills. Pale-blue, each with a heart-shaped cutout.
Stephanie said, 'Valium.'
'Here's our secret stash.' I rewrapped the packet and set it aside for Milo. 'He made such a big deal about not having any dope with him.
Everything's a game with him.'
'Vicki bought those bunnies,' Stephanie said. 'Vicki's the one who got Cassie started on them.'
'Vicki will be talked to after this,' I said.
'Too weird,' she said. 'The stuff they don't teach you in school--'
A squeak came from the bed. Cassie's eyes blinked spasmodically, then opened. Her little mouth turned down. She blinked some more.
'It's okay, baby,' said Stephanie.
Cassie's mouth worked, finally producing a sound: 'Eh eh eh.'
'It's okay, honey. Everything's gonna be tfine. You're gonna be fine now.'
'Eh eh eh eh.'
More blinks. A shudder. Cassie tried to move, failed, cried out in frustration. Scrunched her eyes. Crinkled her chin.
Stephanie held her and rocked her. Cassie tried to twist away from Stephanie's caress.
I remembered the way she'd fought me in her bedroom.
Reacting to her mother's anxiety? Or memories of another man who came in the night, shrouded by darkness, and hurt her?
But then, why hadn't she panicked whenever she saw Chip?
Why had she jumped up into his arms, so willingly, the first time I'd seen them together?
'Eh eh eh.
'Shh, baby.'
....... eh..... eh.'
'Go back to sleep, honey. Go back to sleep.'
Very faintly: 'Eh..
