The Bad Daughter(110)
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“There you are,” Blake said, entering the living room approximately forty minutes later, Cassidy on his heels. “How are you feeling?”
Robin was sitting on the living room sofa, the TV turned to some inane reality show, her heart pounding so hard she was afraid it might burst the fresh stitches in her abdomen. Could they see how nervous she was?
“I’m okay,” she said.
“You look really tired,” Cassidy said.
“It’s been a long day. How’d it go in there?”
“Good.”
“She did great,” Blake said, and Cassidy beamed. “Where’s Melanie?”
“Upstairs. Said she’d had enough of all the drama and was going to bed.”
“That’s our girl.” Blake sat down beside Robin, taking her hand in his.
“The sheriff said you should go in now,” Cassidy said, squeezing in beside Blake.
A phone rang in the other room. Robin heard the sheriff talking softly. Seconds later, he stood in the doorway to the living room, a vaguely stunned look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Robin asked.
“That was the hospital,” Prescott said. “Your father…”
“Daddy’s dead?” Cassidy cried.
“No.” The sheriff lifted his hands into the air, the gesture mirroring the disbelief in his eyes. “That’s just it. He’s awake.”
Robin swung her feet off the sofa. She was so light-headed, she feared she might faint. “I don’t understand. How can he be awake? We just saw him. The doctors were certain he wouldn’t make it through the night.”
“The doctors can’t explain it. One minute the man was at death’s door, the next minute he was awake and talking.”
“He’s talking?” Cassidy asked.
“Apparently they can’t get him to shut up. Obviously I have to get over there right away.”
“We’ll go with you.” Robin reached for Blake’s hand to steady her as she stood. “Melanie,” she yelled as they approached the stairway. “Melanie, get down here. It’s Dad! He’s awake!”
They followed the sheriff to the front door.
Only Cassidy held back. “Wait!” she cried as Prescott was reaching for the doorknob. “You can’t go.”
Everyone stopped.
“You can’t go,” she repeated, looking from the sheriff to Blake to Robin, to the top of the stairs where Melanie stood, then back finally to Robin.
“I don’t understand,” Robin said.
“Please,” Cassidy said. “You can’t go.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have to tell you something.”
The sheriff closed the front door.
“We’re listening,” Robin said.
“I lied.” Cassidy looked toward the floor.
“You lied,” Prescott repeated.
Dear God.
“Yes. Before. And in my statement. I lied.”
“About what?” Prescott asked.
“About what happened that night.”
“Okay, Cassidy,” the sheriff said. “Before you say another word, I have to advise you of your rights.”
“I know my rights. I waive them. I don’t need an attorney. I need to tell you the truth before you talk to Daddy.”
“All right,” the sheriff said.
“It’s true what Kenny said,” Cassidy began.
Robin collapsed against Blake’s side as Melanie joined them at the bottom of the stairs.
“You’re telling us that you killed your mother?”
“It’s not like you think.”
“You didn’t shoot her?”
“Yes, I did. I shot her.” She looked directly at Robin. “But there was a reason.”
“The reason being that she was about to ruin your cushy little lifestyle by running off with my brother?” Melanie interjected.
“No. That’s not why I did it.”
“Why, then?” Robin asked.
“Because…”
“Because what?”
Cassidy’s gaze shifted toward Blake, her voice a whisper. “Because…because she knew about Daddy.”
“You mean she knew about his affairs?” Robin said.
“No. I mean…I mean she knew about Daddy and me…what he was doing to me, what he’d been doing to me since I was six years old.”
What?
“Are you saying that your father molested you?” the sheriff asked.
“You lying little bitch,” Melanie said.
“I’m not lying. It’s the truth. He’s been molesting me ever since he married Mommy. And she knew all about it and didn’t do anything to stop him.”
Why does this sound so familiar? Robin wondered.
“He was molesting me,” Cassidy insisted. “And Mommy knew about it and she let it happen. She didn’t care.”
“It’s my favorite show, Bleeding Hearts,” Robin heard Cassidy say. “That’s Penny. She just told her twin sister, Emily, that their father has been molesting her for years, and now poor Emily doesn’t know what to believe.”