Chapter 18

TW- Abuse

Lights were on in the house as Maddie rode into the ranch yard, sliding off the mare as she came to a stop. Her father would be furious when she walked into the house… She took a deep breath and led the mare into the barn then turned her into her stall, getting her settled in for the night.

With her mare cared for, there was nothing else she could do to delay the inevitable. Her feet felt like they were heavy as led as she dragged herself up the walk to the back door, taking another deep breath before she opened it. A soccer game was blaring on the tv as she quietly closed the door behind herself and made her way through the kitchen.

With another deep breath, she walked into the living room. 'I can explain…' Her father was sitting in his chair but surprisingly, there was no beer can within his reach.

'Can you now?' He replied, leaning back in his recliner. 'Well, why don't you start with your wild story? I can't wait to hear this…'

'Clint West. He took the Walkers hostage, you knew he was going there. Why didn't you tell someone? One of the Walker's was shot, their friend was killed. I was almost killed!' She replied, doing her best to contain her anger at her fathers nonchalant behavior. 'What was Clint West doing here last night? Why would you associate yourself with someone the likes of him?

Robert got up slowly from his chair and rose to his full height, circling around the teen like a vulture. 'How many times have I told you to mind your own business, hmm?' He questioned, coming to a stop in front of her. 'What I do with my life, is none of your concern.'

'It is when my live is endangered, when the life of my friends are endangered-'

'Friends?'

'Yes, friends. Though you wouldn't have an understanding of the word.'

'Maddie, are you being disrespectful?'

She swallowed hard, seeing the look in his eye and quickly backed down. 'No sir. I-I… It was horrible Dad, I saw a guy die right before my eyes, Clint could have killed me…'

'So?'

'I've had one hell of a day.'

He shrugged. 'Does it look like I care?'

An image of the way Walker held his children came to mind. There was no way her fathers arms would ever bear that kind of comfort and safety to her. 'No.' She spat angrily. 'I didn't expect you would.'

Robert removed his belt, slowly examining it infront of her and looked it up and down before turning back to her. 'You know you are to be home at four-'

'Didn't you listen? Clint West held me hostage! I couldn't get away in time to be home.'

'Don't interrupt me.' He replied calmly. 'That's another strike.'

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

'And lying to me, that's another. Being disrespectful, that's another one. What do you think should happen for your misbehavior?'

'Dad, you aren't listening to me!' Maddie was past tired, past caring. If he hit her, it wouldn't be anything she hadn't already been through that day. 'Clint West, a murderer and criminal, held your daughter hostage and all you can think about is the fact I wasn't home at four? What kind of father are you anyway-'

She didn't get to finish her sentence for her father's fist connected with her right eye, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Robert bent down next to her, picking her up by the front of her bloodstained shirt, glaring at her. 'Don't you ever speak those words again. Understand?' He growled, spitting in her face.

'Y-y-yes…'

'Yes what?'

'Y-yes. F-father…'

He shoved her back into the ground, reaching for his belt. 'And what happens now for your disrespectful behavior?' He questioned as he made his belt crack in front of her face, the teen flinching at the sound. She said nothing, cowering on the ground. His boot connected with her ribs. 'What happens now?' He repeated, punctuating each word firmly.

'I…I d-deserve… To get p-punished…'

He smirked, cracking the belt again. 'Correct.'

Maddie closed her eyes as he laid it into her, waiting for him to stop. Finally, he gave up and she continued to lie there until she heard his footsteps recede and head into the kitchen. The beating that Clint had given her earlier had already done a number and with her father inflicting his belt and fists on her also, her bruised body was crying in agony.

Her right eye already felt like it was swelling, the teen cautiously opening her left to see her father return to his recliner with a case of beer in hand. For the first time in her life, seething distaste, disgust and hate started to take hold of her heart. You bastard… You low life bastard…

Trying to rise to her feet, she found herself in too much pain and unable to pull herself to standing. She couldn't lie there on the floor all night, she needed to get to her own bed and her father certainly wouldn't assist with getting her there. Calling up the last reserves of her strength, she crawled on hands and knees down the hallway until she reached her room.

Bubbles bounded over to her when she opened the door, the kitten purring loudly as she rubbed against her and Maddie took a moment to rest. 'Hey sweetheart…' This little kitten was the only joy left in her life, the only thing left she had to live for. A weary smile came to her lips as the kitten licked her cheek with her rough tongue. 'Hey Bubbles.'

The door was closed behind herself, blocking out some of the noise from the tv. Pulling herself onto her bed required some effort but finally she was up. She laid there, struggling to breath. Her chest hurt with a vengeance, a wave of pain flooding over her with every breath she took. The rest of her body was a dull ache and where her father's belt had been brought down on her, stinging welts were the result.

Maddie's kitten jumped onto the bed beside her, nudging her again for a little while before curling up against her to sleep. Reaching for her night light she turned it on then flicked on her white noise, too exhausted to bother pulling her boots off or think of changing. A moment after she had closed her eyes, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


Bonham took a look around as he closed the door of his truck behind him, guessing after a moment that Maddie's father didn't seem to be home. After the events of yesterday and everything that had transpired, Maddie had been the last thing on their mind until morning had come. No one had noticed when she had left and after making sure that his family were doing as well as they could be, they all thought it best he go check on the teenager.

Walking up to the house he knocked on the door and waited for a few moments but there was no answer. He frowned, trying again then looked around. Perhaps her father had taken the girl to the hospital? Going by what he had seen yesterday, she had been severely beaten up.

He contemplated leaving but something seemed to be urging him to stay. With no one coming to answer the door he tried the handle, finding that it wasn't locked. He opened it, looking up the hallway. 'Maddie?'

There was no answer as he closed the door behind himself and stepped in, glancing into the living room. Beer cans were scattered across the floor, the half eaten remains of a tv dinner left on the table. He kicked a few aside as he walked through, going into the kitchen. It appeared cleaner than the living room but the amount of beer stacked on the benches didn't go unnoticed.

Leaving the kitchen he came into the hallway again then frowned at the sound of faint scratching coming from behind a closed door. He followed the sound to the correct door then the scratching was replaced by soft meowing. Carefully he opened the door a crack, Maddie's kitten taking off and hiding under the chest of drawers when she saw him.

The room was dark, the blind down and curtains drawn, the only light being a soft yellow glow from a lamp on the bedside table. Dim light illuminated the form of a girl lying on the bed and Bonham cautiously closed the door behind himself. Maddie didn't stir as he walked closer, the teen still dressed in the clothes she had worn the day before. In the dim light he could see her right eye had swollen shut and took note her breathing was shallow and uneven. 'Maddie.' He placed his hand on her shoulder gently, trying to wake her. 'Maddie. Madeline, wake up.'

Maddie woke slowly, forcing herself to open her eyes. To her surprise, one eye didn't want to cooperate but she hardly cared. 'Let… me… sleep…'

'Maddie, it's Mr. Walker.'

'Hey…' She murmured softly as she closed her eye again, not comprehending what was going on.

'Maddie, Maddie wake up.'

The louder tone combined with the gentle shake roused her from her sleep and as she became aware of her surroundings once more, with it came a nauseating wave of pain. 'Oh… That hurts…' Forcing her eye to open, once the fog had dissipated, she realized that Bonham was in her room. 'What… What are you doing here?'

'Came to return your phone.' The teen looked worse then she had the day before, if that was even physically possible. 'Maddie, you're hurt.'

'Yeah… Guess I am…' Stubbornly she forced herself to sit up, the events of the day before coming back to her mind. 'Abeline… How is she? Liam, Cordell-'

'Everyone is fine.' Bonham assured her gently. 'Liam is in the hospital, the rest of the fsmily are there with him. I came to check on you.'

'I'm fine…'

'I don't think you are.'

She looked at him, placing a hand on her bedside table and stiffly rose to her feet. 'If you wouldn't mind, can you step out for a moment to let me change?'

'You should be in the hospital-'

'No.' Maddie replied strongly, not even allowing that thought to entertain her mind. 'I'm fine. Just sore. Let me change then I'll get the kettle on and get you a coffee.'

'Alright, but I'm going to go get some ice for that eye of yours.' He left the room, closing the door behind himself and made his way back to the kitchen. Maddie didn't appear to have gotten a black eye the day before but during the stress of everything that had happened, perhaps she had and he had just forgotten. Opening the fridge he was greeted to more beer cans on the shelves, bottles of whiskey in the door. The top shelf was the only one with any food on it, some ham and cheese along with butter and a loaf of bread.

In the freezer he found what he had been looking for and then found a cloth to wrap the ice up with. Finding the kettle himself he filled it and put it on then searched through the cupboards until he had found the coffee and a mug.

'I said I would have done that.'

He looked over as Maddie appeared in the doorway, changed into a clean buttoned up, long sleeved shirt and light blue jeans. She was holding onto the door frame to support herself but when he walked over to her, refused to allow his assistance in walking to the table. She took a seat at the table and he handed her the ice pack. 'Put that on your eye, it'll help.'

'Thank you.' The cold ice did feel good against her eye and she looked over at Bonham as he went to get himself a cup of coffee. 'Clint sure knew how to throw a punch.'

He placed a teaspoon of coffee in a mug before glancing back at her. 'What happened?'

'I bit him when he wouldn't let me go, got away too for a moment but the other guy caught me.' She took the ice pack away for a moment before putting it back on. 'Clint didn't take too kindly to being bit, hence the black eye.'

'Maddie, yesterday, you threw up blood-'

'Swallowed it from the nosebleed.' Maddie interrupted. 'Look, I'm fine, alright? There's no need to be worried about me, I've just got some bruises. I'll be fine in a few days.'

Bonham poured the hot water into his mug then joined her at the table. 'Where is your father? I thought he would be here taking care of you.'

'He had another job interview, the company called him in early to do some work experience.' The rehearsed lie slipped easily off her tongue. The truth was, she had no idea where he was. She remembered nothing after falling asleep on her bed. 'I told him he could go then went back to bed.'

'You should still get checked out at the hospital-'

'I ain't going to hospital, alright?' Annoyance and irritation could be heard in her tone. 'Thank you for your concern, Mr. Walker, but I will be fine. Few baths with some epsom salts and I'll be right as rain.'

'The Rangers are going to want to speak with you, you disappeared before anyone had a chance to talk to you.'

A shiver ran up her spine at the mention of law enforcement. 'I'm sure they will get all they need from your statements. I don't want to have to think about what happened yesterday, okay? Besides, what good will it do? Clint and his hired gunmen are dead.'

'You don't have to give a statement if you don't want to.'

'Good.' She breathed a sigh of relief. 'H-how are Stella and Augie holding up?'

'They're doin as well as they can be. What about you? How are you holding up?'

'Best I can, I guess…' Her voice trailed off, removing the ice from her eye again for a moment. 'I mean, I wasn't close to Hoyt but seeing him die like that after he saved my life… I don't think I'm going to be able to forget it in a hurry.'

He nodded, fiddling with the mug. 'I'm sorry you had to go through what you did Maddie, if there had been some way of warning you to stay away from the ranch…' He sighed. 'You shouldn't have had to go through all that-' He motioned to her eye. 'And this.'

'It's not your fault.' Maddie replied kindly after a moment. 'Besides, who knows how it might have turned out if you had gotten word to me. I'm not the kind of person who will just sit back and do nothing.'

A slight chuckle escaped his lips thinking of the colorful insults the teen had come up with. 'No, I guess not.'

'The only one to blame is that barstad. I'm glad he's dead.'

'Speaking of Clint…' Bonham started after a pause. 'What was he talking about with your dad?'

A shiver ran up her spine. 'I don't know. I mean, yes, Clint was here talking with my father about a business opportunity but my father turned him down. I don't know what it was about but my father had no knowledge that he was planning on doing what he did yesterday. If he did, he would have kept me home.' Another lie that slipped easily from her tongue. 'I don't know what he was here for.' That answer seemed to satisfy him though for he didn't pry any further. 'Is there anything I can do to help? I can cook up some meals and do the chores-'

Bonham smiled sadly. Maddie really was a soul with a heart of gold. 'Maddie darlin, the only thing you are doing in this condition is getting some rest. We will get along just fine. I want you to take some time off, take as long as you need. You just focus on looking after yourself, okay?'

'Yes sir.'

'I'll take Skylar back to the ranch with me too, just until you're feeling up to taking care of her again.'

Though she wanted to protest, she knew full well she wouldn't be able to look after her the way she felt. 'Alright, I would appreciate that.'

'I'll come pick her up this afternoon.' Finishing off his coffee he took a look at the time. 'I best be heading out, you look after yourself, okay? Make sure that father of yours keeps an eye on you and takes you in to get checked out if you get any worse, alright?'

'Yes sir.' Like hell I will.

'Here's your phone back-' He pulled it from his pocket, sliding it to her across the table. 'Keep in touch. Keep ice on that eye too.'

'I will.'

After Bonham left, Maddie slumped down onto the table, laying her head on her arms. She was exhausted, not just from how she felt but from the thoughts dancing around in her mind. What if Clint was right about her father? What if all that time she had thought he was away working he had been in jail? What about Cordell arresting him? If that was true, why had Cordell lied to her? So many questions she didn't have answers to… Clint had said her father was a hitman, a hired killer. A criminal. No, it couldn't be true. On the other hand, maybe what he had said was the truth and if so, what of it? Her father, a hired killer?

Knowing she wouldn't get any answers from her father, Maddie decided that it was time to do a little digging of her own into her fathers past.


Three days had passed before Maddie had the strength to think of doing anything about her suspicions, having been saving her strength up for when she felt up to a little digging. Her father had hardly been at home since the thing at the Walkers and she was grateful she hadn't seen him. During his absence she had time to think, time to ponder what Clint had said. Though she didn't want to believe a word that had come from his mouth, those seeds of doubt had embedded themselves deep in her mind.

And now, this was where she found herself. Standing at the doorway of her fathers room.

Her father had left before sunrise that morning and she had been awakened by the sound of his vehicle leaving. He wouldn't be back for hours which meant she had the perfect opportunity to look for some answers. She hesitated at the door however, this would be the first time she had even thought of spying on her own father. If she got caught… Getting roughed up by Clint West would be nothing compared to what her father would do to her.

With a deep breath, she placed a hand on the door and pushed. It was one of her jobs to keep his room clean and neat and to make his bed so she had the right to be in there. That thought didn't do anything to quell her concern however.

Her eyes swept around the room, not knowing where to start looking or even what she was looking for. After a moment she decided to just start searching and see what turned up. Starting with the bedside table she didn't find anything unusual but made sure she put everything back exactly as she had found it.

When she came to the closet, something caught her eye on the floor. It looked like someone had pulled up the flooring inside the closet. She frowned and grabbed her pocket knife from its case, slipping it between the cracks in the board. With a little effort, the first board lifted and she pulled it out, looking down into the hole. Not being able to make anything out in the dark she turned her phone flashlight on and tried again.

Metal boxes, quite a few metal boxes of various sizes were being stored beneath the floor. There were a few that looked like they were long enough to hold rifles and with her still being hurt, there was no way she was strong enough to pull them through the hole. She picked up a smaller box, one that was different from all the rest. There was no lock on it and she flipped the latch up and opened the lid.

Photographs? She thought with bewilderment. Why would he be hiding photos under the house? She started to flip through them, mainly they were pictures of other women but no one she recognised. She stopped, however, when she came to one of her father with another guy and a blond haired woman in front of a Mexican bar. Her frown deepened. Her father had never been to Mexico… Had he?

She looked at the photo, wondering who they were with him. He actually looked happy for once, she couldn't remember a time ever when she saw her father smile the way he was in that photo. Not even with her mother. Flicking to the next photo, it was another one of him and this woman kissing. She felt sick to her stomach as she continued flipping through the photographs. Not a single one was there of her or her mother, but there were quite a few with this particular woman and that man.

After looking through them all she returned them to the box as she had found them then placed the box back. Pulling another box out, she looked into it. All it contained were boxes and boxes of ammunition. Each other box she looked at was either filled with ammunition, or guns of some description. Derringers, pistols; there were more than she cared to count.

With her phone about to go flat she returned everything back to the way it was and closed the closet up once more. After heading to her room to grab her charger and put her phone on charge, she kept looking around the room.

Except for what she found in the closet, there was nothing else she found out of the ordinary. Her eyes landed on the manhole above, wondering if perhaps he might have put anything up there. It was too obvious a place though if he wanted to hide something though, wasn't it?

Fetching her phone she was slightly bewildered to see it hadn't charged and tried to figure out if it was a short in the cord. Her phone started charging when it was plugged into another powerpoint, but not when it was in the one beside her fathers bed. That's weird… She thought, wondering why it didn't seem to be working.

With her pocket knife she carefully undid the screws holding it in place and was quite surprised when it fell into her hand. It wasn't connected to anything. Yellow plastic pill bottles were stacked up inside the wall when she looked inside, her torch illuminating the labels. They were painkillers, lots and lots of pain killers. What is he doing with these? She wondered, trying to look up inside the wall. As far as her light shone she could see there were bottles and bags of white powder and a horrible realization flooded over her. Clint had been right about her father.

Not wanting to open Pandora's Box any further, she quickly returned the powerpoint back where it belonged and couldn't get herself out of that room quick enough. Closing the door behind herself again she had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. Now what? Her father was in possession of illegal substances.

What if he had been in jail for that time?

What if Cordell had arrested him?

I think I'm going to be sick…

She took some more deep breaths, trying to calm the rising anxiety within her. She didn't know what to think, what to do. Should she tell someone? No, if she did that then her father would go back to jail. What would her father do to her if he found out she was the one who told people about what she had seen?

Not only that, what would happen to her? Foster care.

No.

Like the rest of her life, this would just become another secret that no one could ever know about.