Chapter 24

It was almost 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve when Brock’s cell phone rang. The Caller ID was a number he didn’t recognize but he knew few people had his cell number.

“Well, well, well,” a female voice said. “The great and wonderful Brock Miller answers his own phone.”

Brock didn’t recognize the voice.

“Who is this?” he asked.

“I’m the person that’s gonna fuck your world up if you don’t leave Meredith alone,” the voice said and Brock knew who was on the line.

“Merie only need ask me once and I’ll leave her alone,” Brock said. “She has yet to do that. If and when she does, I most certainly will. Unlike some people in this conversation, I stay away from where I’m not welcome.”

“I’m not asking, fuckhead,” Leah said. “I’m telling. You stay away from her or I promise you, I have some friends who will make you regret it.”

“Go to hell, Leah,” he said. “You weren’t content to fuck up your own life so you try to bring down your parents and sister, too. Really classy. But I expect no less. You may have a shitload of money, but you’re still trailer trash.”

He closed his cell phone and switched to the off position. He’d mention the call to Sam the next time he spoke to him.

Brock was awakened Christmas morning by the sound of his security system beeping. He sat up suddenly in bed and was further startled when he heard the security code entered and beeping end.

In a few seconds, Merie stood in his doorway. She didn’t look as though she had slept at all.

“She ran off, Brock,” she said through tears. “Leah slipped out of the house sometime last night. My Mom and Dad are looking all over the place. But no one’s heard from her.”

He remembered the call from the night before.

“I have,” he said ruefully. “Grab my cell for me. I have a number for her, I think.”

Merie’s eyes turned to slits.

“What the fuck is she doing calling you?” she hissed. “I told that fuckin’ bitch that my life was none of her concern. She started on me as soon as she walked in the fucking door. She was pissed that I spent yesterday with you instead of driving up there. This is exactly the reason. Mom and Dad signed her out. They could be charged. I am so fucking pissed at her right now.”

Brock tried the number from night before but there was no answer. He jotted the number down and handed it to Merie.

“Give this to your dad,” he said. “Maybe he can trace where the call came from. I’m sure he knows the usual suspects.”

Merie visited for a few minutes before heading back home. She hated what Leah had become and she hated the fact that she ruined what might have been the best Christmas of Meredith’s life if she would have only stayed away.

Brock spent the remainder of Christmas Day alone but he was besieged by guests as soon as dinner at the Miles house concluded. Jen and Mel -- along with almost everyone else -- tried to convince him to spend the afternoon meal with his neighbors but Brock still wasn’t crazy about dealing with Susan and Tara on a regular basis.

Still, he was plenty happy to see the girls -- minus Merie, of course -- on his steps at 4 p.m. Of course the fact that each of them was carrying leftovers might have added to his delight.

“It’s party time,” Jen screeched as she walked through the door. “We brought you some dinner and we’re having a sleepover -- a three day sleepover.”

Brock groaned good naturedly.

“Can I expect lingerie and pillow fights?” he asked. “Or topless Jenny pillow fights?”

Jen had been wearing less and less each night during the time she and Mel had shared Brock’s house. She had worn only a tank top and a thong the night before.

“Just because Jen is skanky doesn’t mean the rest of us are.” Tara said with a laugh. “I mean, we are skanky but you don’t get to know that just yet.”

Everyone joined the laughter. Still Brock was slightly disappointed when the evening’s attire seemed to consist of sweatpants and long T-shirts. Maybe he’d offer to host another slumber party right after Christmas so Merie could join in. He was certain that she would make it interesting.

The girls were in the middle of a giggling contest when Brock’s phone rang.

“Is my daughter there?” a voice asked.

“You’ll have to be a little more specific,” Brock replied. “I have a lot of daughters here.”

The voice on the other end turned cold.

“Merie,” an exasperated Jean said. “Is Merie there?”

Merie had been almost despondent since the blow up with Leah. It had been two days since Brock had seen her and he hadn’t spoken to her that day at all.

“No,” he replied. “Is everything OK?”

“She’s gone,” Jean said. “We came home a few minutes ago. The alarm wasn’t set and her car is still here. There was no note and she isn’t answering her cell phone. I prayed she was at your house.”

Brock swore silently under his breath. He was already moving toward the door.

“I’m on my way,” he said. “I’ll try her phone in case she’s avoiding your calls.”

Brock dialed Merie’s cell as he drove as fast as he could toward the Van Landinghams’. A voice he didn’t recognize answered.

“Well, if it isn’t the boyfriend,” the girl said in a slurred voice. “I’ll be sure to tell Meredith you called when she’s done partying with my boys.”

“Leah,” Brock hissed. “Did she tell you about me? About my past?”

“Oh, yeah,” Merie’s sister replied. “I know all about Mr. Football -- and the other stuff, too.”

“Then you know what’s going to happen when I find you and your friends,” he said. “If you hurt her in any way, I’ll put you in the ground. If you don’t think I will, there’s a grieving mother in Wilkins who’ll set you straight. That is if your Dad doesn’t catch up to you first.”

Brock heard the train whistle in the background and he knew immediately where the girls were.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes, Leah,” Brock said as he hung up and dialed Sam’s cell.

“Leah has Merie’s phone,” he told Sam. “I know where she is. I heard the train in the background. Merie showed me a place where Leah used to party. It’s about five minutes from your house. I’m about 2 minutes away.”

Brock heard Sam start his car.

“Wait for me,” Sam ordered. “I’ll be there right behind you.”

“No promises, Sam,” Brock said. “But if Leah or those guys have hurt her, you better get there quick.”

Brock closed his cell as he pulled into the abandoned rail yard.

He opened his trunk and pulled the 9 iron out of his golf bag. Then he headed toward the back of the lot. He could smell the crack residue in the air before he could see the old rail car.

In the background he heard gravel flying as Sam Van Landingham pulled into the lot just before he pushed open the door and went in.

The scene that greeted him sent a cold fury into him.

Leah Van Landingham and three guys were standing over a naked Merie. Their laughter abruptly ended when they saw Brock.

“I told you what would happen when I found you, Leah,” Brock yelled. “Did you fucking think I was lying?”

One of the boys stepped toward Brock and then fell to the rail car floor as Brock swung with all his might and the golf club head shattered the man’s knee.

“I’m going to fucking kill you all!” Brock screamed and charged at the two men left standing.

Only Sam Van Landingham’s strong hand held him from fulfilling his promise.

“No, Brock,” Sam said in a low voice. “We’re not going to kill them. But they’ll wish they were dead by the time I’m done with them. Take Merie to the Emergency Room. I’ll handle this one.”

Brock pulled off his shirt and wrapped it around Merie. But instead of picking her up, he grabbed Leah by the hair.

“What the fuck did you give her?” he yelled. “Tell me or even your Dad won’t be able to stop what I’m going to do to you.”

“Heroin,” Leah said with the fright evident even in her glassy eyes. “We shot her up. Just a taste. Not enough to hurt her.”

Brock looked back at Sam. It was all he could do to keep from battering the man’s oldest daughter into submission.

“You come near her again, ever, you’re dead,” Brock said in a cold voice. “I don’t give a fuck if you are her sister. From this day on, you’re dead if I see your face.”

Instead of punching Leah, Brock spat in her face and picked up Merie and raced back to his car.

Brock’s fury still hadn’t abated 30 minutes after he arrived at the hospital. The nurses treated him as if he were responsible for Merie’s state and even when Jean arrived he paced the waiting room like a caged animal.

Sam showed up about 30 minutes after his wife -- covered in blood.

“Where’s Leah,” Jean spat. “Where in the fuck is she?”

“Jail,” Sam said evenly. “I dragged her ass out of there and called the cops. They arrested her for kidnapping and assault.”

He looked at Brock whose face was still set in an emotionless mask.

“I meant what I said, Sam,” Brock said tonelessly. “It won’t make a difference what happens to me. But you better make sure that piece of shit you raised knows I wasn’t fucking around.”

Jean looked as if she might say something but thought the better of it.

Sam just nodded.

“Make sure they do a rape kit,” Sam said with tears in his eyes. “Leah said they didn’t get to that part. But we can’t trust her. If they didn’t, it was only because Brock found her so fast. Leah was using her to pay off a debt!”

“She could have come to me,” Jean said. “I would have given money. I’ve, I’ve done it before. We need to call a lawyer for her.”

Brock whipped out his cell phone and dialed Lynn’s number.

“You have any clients in Wexford who want to make some money?” he asked.

Lynn didn’t reply.

“If you do, there’s going to be a prisoner transported there in two or three days, Leah Van Landingham,” Brock continued unabated. “I’ll pay $5,000 for every bone they break. More if they permanently disfigure her. So long as they don’t kill her, everything else is fair game. I don’t care if she has to wear a colostomy bag for the rest of her fucking life. I don’t care if they leave her brain dead with her head in a toilet. I want her hurt and I want her to know it was me that had it done.”

Jean gasped.

“All the money in the world won’t help her now,” Brock said. “You need to stop being so concerned about Leah and focus on Merie. Get your head out of your ass, lady. She was going to let her friends rape and possibly kill Merie. And you want to help her. I don’t care if she is your daughter. If I have my way, she’ll never make it to trial.”