There are locked rooms inside all women.

Sometimes, the men—they come

with keys, and sometimes,

the men—they come with hammers.

— Warsan Shire


Katie took a deep breath, tapping her pencil nervously on the table surface. Mr. Young was giving the same generic instructions he'd been giving the last few months. Katie mentally checked off all the items as he listed them.

Pencil. Check.

Eraser. Check.

Phone on silent and put away. Check.

She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. All entirely her fault, of course. Things had been quiet at home recently, for which she could only be thankful.

Katie had fallen asleep at her desk, and then woken up in her bed. It was one of those nights.

Please, please, please let me get an A.

"Okay, it's now 10:00 am," announced the teacher. "You may begin."

Katie flipped her test booklet over and began writing.

She'd finished in less than half the time allotted, and was about to get up when she caught the stare of a classmate, who scoffed and rolled his eyes at her.

Katie stopped, settled back in her seat and looked over her answers for the remainder of the session.


The ambulance came to a halt in front of a two-storey house with a white picket fence. It felt like the entire street was deserted. Maybe it was because they were at the edge of the city, or maybe because…

Georgie turned to her coworker. "Are you sure we're at the right place?"

"You see any other house around here with its door open?"

"Yeah. Fair enough."

They both dismounted and got the stretcher and trauma bag out of the truck. Parking the stretcher on the porch, they entered.

Georgie froze. There was Lou, leaning over Peter, frantically trying to shake him awake. "Honey, open your eyes. The girls are going to be here any minute."

Her father didn't move.

"Peter!" Lou added as she struck his chest.

Georgie flinched, and the image of her parents dissipated from her sight. In their place was another couple, or at least what was left of them.

She faltered, taking a step back. "Jade, would you take this one?"

Her friend turned back to see the colour had all but drained from her face.

"I'll—I'll get the stretcher ready," Georgie barely got out before she fell back from the scene.


Outside the hospital, Georgie was once again sat in the passenger seat of the ambulance, awaiting Jade's arrival. Leaning back against the headrest, she closed her eyes, trying her best to scrub the image of the dead man from her mind.

The ambulance door opened and Jade climbed into the driver's seat. She nudged a water bottle into Georgie's lap. "Here," she said, and held it there until Georgie's hand curved around it.

She started the engine and buckled her seatbelt. Waited for Georgie to do the same.

"Georgie, you still with me?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Jade shrugged. "I'm just asking. I'm allowed to ask." It was quiet for a bit, until she continued. "You should call her."

"What?"

"You're not going to be able to focus until you do. Just check in with her, make sure everything's okay."

Georgie sighed, fishing her phone out of her pocket. She dialled her mother's number and put the phone to her ear.


Later that afternoon, Nick Harwell sat in front of the television in the living room of a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Calgary. As he flipped through the channels, he couldn't help but look around at the place.

To his left was a makeshift bedroom, with a mattress upholstered onto a weak frame, and a table lamp decorating the nightstand.

Nick's attention turned in front of him to the kitchen as a kettle whistle sounded. The corner of his mouth turned up in a small smile, and he contentedly plucked out his cigarette pack from his uniform breast pocket. She must be nearby.

And sure enough, not a minute later, Lou Fleming entered her apartment. When she emerged from the corridor and spotted Nick, she froze momentarily. "Nick, you're here."

Setting down the laundry basket and her keys, she walked over to the kitchen and turned off the stove. Returning, she nervously folded her hands together. "It's been a while since we saw you last."

Nick now held the cigarette between his two fingers, blowing smoke out of his mouth. He stood and walked over to her. "I've just been real busy with this case I'm working on."

Lou swallowed. "Oh, yeah?" she asked, taking a step back.

Nick placed his cigarette-gripping fingers on Lou's waist, pulling her away from the path of the door and pressing her against the wall that her bed was pushed up against.

With the back of his free hand, he caressed Lou's neck. "Yeah, a missing person's case. It's not looking too good right now."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't be. I get my own task-force and everything."

Lou couldn't tell if he was being serious, and while she was lost in thought, he'd begun unbuttoning her shirt. Her gaze shot down, and Lou placed a gentle hand on his. "Nick, please. My daughters are on their way. I have a million things to do—"

"No, no, no," he chided in a smooth voice. "I took the time out of my day to come over here, and I did it for you." When he looked down, he spotted the ring on her finger. "What's this?"

"My wedding ring," she blurted out, unsure of how else to proceed with this.

"I thought I told you last time to take it off."

"You did, and I thought about it, too."

"Then why is it still on your finger?" he asked.

"It's—it's Katie," she lied. "She's really attached to it, and I think she'd feel terrible if I took it off without warning. I need to at least ease her into the idea."

Nick seemed to contemplate her words for a moment, and when he decided they were reasonable enough, he relented. "I guess I can live with that," he said, a small smile on his lips. Letting the cigarette fall from his grasp, he tucked both of his thumbs into the folds of her jeans, brushing back and forth. "For a little while, anyway."

Lou could feel his fingers against her pelvic bone. With every stroke, it sent a trill of shivers through her, and she pushed down on his hands to make him stop, but he only gripped harder.

Putting a finger under her chin, he brought her to look up at him. "C'mon, don't be so impossible," he said, and when she didn't protest, he crushed his lips against hers.

Lou's phone rang and she tried her best to withdraw from him, but he hadn't left her much space to begin with.

"Nick, please, it might be important," Lou said, twisting her neck toward the laundry basket, where her phone rested atop the dried clothes. She was unable to make out the caller ID.

His hand reached under her shirt and gripped her side so hard she was sure it would leave a mark. She hated how his breath felt on her neck.

"Why don't we let that go to voicemail?" he said coolly.

"I can't," she said under her breath. What if it was Georgie or Katie calling? If she didn't answer, they'd begin to worry.

"You what?"

"I can't!" Lou burst out loud.

Nick released her, and Lou felt the momentary relief from his actions before he seized hold of her collar, leaving no room for protest this time.

As the remaining buttons ripped off, he threw her shirt back, exposing her entire torso. He pushed her in the direction of the sofa before bending down to pick up his cigarette.


"She's not answering?" asked Katie as they walked home from school.

"No." Georgie ended the call. "I'm gonna try again in a few. Maybe she didn't hear," she said, trying to convince herself.

"So how was work today?"

Georgie turned, surprised. "Oh, it was great. Got to everyone just in the nick of time, it seemed like. You? How'd your test go?"

"Perfect. I got it done in a half hour."

"Ha!" Georgie exclaimed, glowing with pride. "Nice."

When they got closer to home, Georgie tried redialling again, but the same thing happened. "It just keeps ringing."

Once they'd taken the elevator up to their floor, Georgie began to fish her keys out of her pocket.

Katie walked a few steps in front of her and made it to their apartment first. "Um, the door's unlocked."

Arriving at the door, Georgie slid it open as quietly as she could. In a low whisper, she instructed Katie to stay outside.

Once inside, the first thing that hit Georgie was the smell of cigarette smoke. It took not more than four steps before she spotted his police equipment on the floor, and the stray cigarette that adorned their otherwise bare coffee table.

Lou was lying on the sofa, trapped under Nick's body. He had her wrist affixed to the end of the sofa closest to the entrance, and was buried in her, in the way an animal might be buried in its prey.

A spot of white appeared in Lou's peripheral vision. She turned to see Georgie standing at the end of the corridor. While Nick was busy gnawing away at her, Lou took the opportunity to warn her daughter with a shake of her head.

The vein in Lou's forehead was popping out, but more than that, there was an apologetic look in her eyes, as if she was the one committing an atrocity. Georgie stole her gaze to the floor and nodded.

Lou's breath hissed when she felt a jab in her stomach. She turned back, and shut her eyes in remorse, desperately hoping that Georgie wasn't still there. He seemed to be making his way down.

Out in the hall, Georgie whispered to her sister, "Hey, so why don't you go downstairs to Liza's for a bit?"

"Is Mom alright?"

Georgie waved a hand. "Oh, yeah. Don't worry about it."

"He's in there, isn't he?"

Georgie paused a second, and then nodded.

She returned inside once Katie had begun to walk away, only this time, Georgie wasn't as quiet. "Lou? I'm home!" she called out, shutting the door behind her with a loud slam. "Are you in?" she posed the question before darting into the first door on her left.

Georgie was setting her keys and phone down on her bed when she heard Lou's feigned response. She gave them a solid twenty seconds before heading back out.

Lou was sitting up on the sofa. With her back to Georgie, she hurriedly buttoned up her shirt.

Nick stood by the wooden coffee table, hooking his equipment belt back onto his uniform. A small smile graced his lips as Georgie appeared in his eyeline. "Hey, kid. Long time since I saw you last."

Georgie gave him a cross look. "And here I thought we were done with you."

"Honey," said Lou, standing up. There was a warning in her eyes.

"Uh, no, I'm afraid not," he answered, looking back at Lou. "I can't keep myself away from your mom, it's just…" he clicked his teeth. "…too hard."

"You should get used to not seeing her from now on," said Georgie.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You two and this situation you got going on here, it's over."

Nick's eyebrows went up. "Says who?"

"Says the law. Nothing about this is okay. You don't just come into someone's home without their permission."

The amused expression on his face died down. "Without permission?" He turned toward Lou. "What have you been telling them?"

"She hasn't said anything!" Georgie rushed out. "She's never going to say it."

"Yeah," he began, chuckling softly. "Because she knows better."

Georgie was attempting to mentally string a sentence together when Katie stormed into the apartment. She tossed her backpack on the corridor floor and addressed Nick. "Why can't you just leave us alone?" her voice bellowed.

"Well, hello to you, too," answered Nick.

Georgie pulled at her sister's wrist, trying to get her to quiet down. "Hey, stop it. I'm handling this."

"You weren't even welcome here in the first place!" Katie shot back at Nick, ignoring Georgie.

"You know what, earlier your mom was telling me to leave, too, but then…"

Katie swallowed. "What?" she demanded, her voice quivering.

He shrugged. "I made her see reason."

"Katie, honey, that's enough," said Lou, stepping forward, a hand reaching for her youngest.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Katie, swatting Lou's hand away.

Nick smiled. "Why don't you ask the cigarette burns on her back?"

In the split second that Georgie's attention was on Lou, Katie had thrown herself at Nick with such force that he'd fallen into the coffee table, splitting it in half.


Once Nick had staggered out the door, Georgie followed after him to secure the lock and chain. Meanwhile, Katie grabbed hold of her backpack and dashed inside to her room.

Georgie went and picked out the first aid kit and a loose-fitting shirt from the closet, then headed back, guiding Lou toward her bed. Once her mother had sat down, she knelt in front of her, a hand on her knee. "What happened? Why'd he get mad?"

Lou was staring down at their now-intertwined hands. Again, she shook her head.

"Okay, fine. Aside from your back, did he do anything else? Something that needs to be looked at."

"No," said Lou, in the smallest of voices.

"Lou, look at me."

I can't, she wanted to say.

"You would tell me, right? If there was something else."

Lou pressed a finger to the bridge of her nose. "I'm just wiped, honey. Everything hurts."

"Okay," Georgie began, picking up the shirt and standing up. "You should put this on, so I can…you know."

After some hesitation, Lou complied. While her mother changed, Georgie stalked over to the kitchen and poured a bowl of cold water. Grabbing a new washcloth, she returned and put the items on the night table.

Once she'd gotten Lou to lie down on her stomach, Georgie took a seat at the edge of the bed and very carefully pulled Lou's shirt up, revealing the cascade of burns along her spine.

Georgie inhaled sharply, unable to stop herself. "That son of a bitch."

"Honey—" Lou began.

"Katie was right to shove him into the table," muttered Georgie as she dunked the cloth in the water and pressed it to one of the burns.

Lou inhaled sharply on impact. She shifted uncomfortably, her hand not knowing where to go.

Georgie apologized, lowering the washcloth onto her mother's back with an even gentler touch.

Once she had finished cleaning the wounds, Georgie applied the non adhesive bandages and informed her mother, "Okay, well, they were all surface burns. We got lucky, you know." She fixed Lou's shirt back in place.

Lou turned on her side and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Before she had a chance to thank Georgie, Katie appeared in the living room.

There was an awkward silence before Katie asked her sister, "How bad was it?"

"Honey."

Katie looked toward her mother.

"It's okay, I'm fine," answered Lou with a small smile.

Katie wanted to return Lou's smile, but for some reason she was unable to. The words came out of her mouth before she even knew what she was doing. "Yeah, well, I'm not."

"What? No, you're alright. I wouldn't let him say anything to you."

Katie scoffed, the humility leaving her body. She turned to Georgie and nodded toward their mother. "You see? This is what she does."

"Hey, it's okay," Georgie said, trying to put out the slow-spreading fire inside her sister.

"No, it's not!" exclaimed Katie, looking toward Lou. "He's allowed to come in here without your permission and press a cigarette to your back, and we're not even allowed to fight it?"

It was quiet for a moment before Katie went on.

"He might not be able to put his hands on me," she began, lifting a finger and waving it at Lou. "But what he's doing to you, that's what's driving me crazy. So don't you dare say he's not doing anything to me!"

"Katie, honey—" Lou began.

"And if you say you're fine again, I swear I might just—"

"Hey."

Katie turned toward her sister, whose eyes held a stern but loving look.

"C'mere," Georgie said. Attempting to guide her sister over, she gestured for Katie to sit beside Lou.

"Um—" Katie began awkwardly. "No, thanks. I have some homework to do, I'll be inside."

Georgie paused for a moment. "Okay."

Once Katie had gone inside, Georgie turned back to Lou. "She's right, you know," she began, closing up the first aid kit. When Lou didn't speak, she went on. "This is all wrong. We shouldn't have to come home to the door open. I shouldn't have to walk in here and see you compromised like that," she inhaled, finally looking at Lou.

Lou placed a hand on the mattress and maneuvered herself so she could lie back down again.

"You looked like you couldn't even breathe," returned Georgie in a low whisper, trying to keep her sister from hearing. "And you left the door open."

"No, I couldn't have. I mean, ever since—" Lou broke off, her eyebrows dipping. "I had my keys with me the entire time. And then when I came in, he was already here, but…"

"Look, I get it. We never had to worry about this when we lived at Heartland, but now, I mean…"

"You don't believe me."

"No, I believe you. It's just…we need to be careful. Katie's so young. She doesn't need to be exposed to all of this."

"I would never let anything happen to the two of you. You girls are going to be okay."

Georgie hesitated for a second before going on. "We can move back home, you know, just get out of here."

Lou's eyes darkened. "If you two want to go, I won't stop you."

Georgie clicked her tongue. "Oh, my God…never mind. Forget I said anything," she breathed out, reaching over Lou to grab the empty packaging for the bandages.

As she made contact with Lou's torso, her mother cried out in pain, making Georgie draw back. "What? What did I do?"

"Nothing, you just dug into my side."

"I barely brushed it. What's the matter?" Georgie asked, placing a gentle hand on Lou's torso in to steady herself. "What is it? Let me see," she said, attempting to roll Lou's shirt up, but her mother placed a gentle hand over hers.

"It's nothing. He was just trying to keep me pinned down. Over on the sofa."

A rush of anger flooded Georgie. Part of her wanted to storm out the door and track him down, but all she ended up doing was rushing over to the fridge, grabbing a bag of frozen peas out of the freezer, and returning.

Lou hesitated. "Your sister will see."

Georgie pressed the frozen vegetables gently against Lou's side. She pulled a blanket over Lou, reassured her mother that she'd keep Katie occupied for the next little while, and then headed into the room.


When Lou was sure that the bag of peas had done its job, she got up and put it back in the freezer. She grabbed her phone and walked over to the sofa, sinking into it.

Once she'd dialled his number, she sat back and waited, hoping it would go to voicemail.

But Tim Fleming picked up on the third ring. "Lou, honey. How are you?"

Lou cleared her throat. "Um, Dad, I needed a favour. I've gotta get my lock changed."

"Why? What happened?"

"Oh, it's just sticking and…well, the girls have been complaining."

Tim knew better than to tell her that he wasn't buying it, but he bit his tongue. "Okay, I'll have Mitch come by first thing tomorrow."

"Mitch?"

"Yeah, you remember him, don't you? He was at our Christmas dinner last year."

Lou swallowed. "I know who he is, Dad, but I thought that you or Grandpa would be coming by."

"Believe me, honey, I would, but your grandfather and I are out of town. We're not sure when we'll be back."

Lou sighed tightly.

"What's the matter? You don't sound too good."

"That shouldn't bother you anymore," she returned, about ready to hang up the phone.

"Alright, fine. How are my granddaughters?"

Lou's demeanor softened. "They're okay," she said, nodding. "They're perfectly fine."

"Well, everything's fine on our end, too. Your businesses are doing well. Lisa's got the dude ranch under control, and I still look after Maggie's whenever I can."

"Yeah, Dad, I know. I talk to her all the time."

"Well, it would be nice if you called your old man every once in a while, too. I miss you."

Lou's heart twisted. "I miss you, too."

After a beat, Tim continued. "Okay, well, I'll get in touch with Mitch and have him get back to you."

"Okay, thanks."

"Bye, sweetheart."


A/N: Thoughts?