Ch.14

Charlotte woke up in a place…completely opposite of where she'd fallen asleep. It took her a minute to figure out where she was. The uncomfortable couch she was spread across told her though. She was in Walter's office and from the light pouring in through the blinds she could tell that it was well into the morning. She'd been asleep since she'd passed out in the cave.

The cave…

Flashes passed through her mind when she shut her eyes. God…what had Mac done? Why had he done it? The girl's screams echoed through her head. Charlotte shot up on the couch as something dawned on her. What had happened to the girl? Mac must have brought Charlotte to Walter's, but had anyone taken care of the girl? Was she still in the cave, strewn across that filthy mattress? She'd be confused and in pain. Cold probably, and alone, lost in the desert.

Charlotte forced her lethargic body off the sofa. Her head protested, the after effects of whatever her brothers' had used to spike her drink was making her stomach roil and her head hurt. She couldn't let that stop her though. She had to go after the girl. She passed by a mirror, mounted on the wall, as she headed for the door. Her hair looked disgusting, hanging limp and greasy around her face, much the same as the day before. Her face was gaunt, probably from horrible drug induced sleep. And she remembered what Rick had said the night before. The memory was hazy, making her dizzy again just recalling it.

Mac missed her younger self.

He missed the girl who'd been meticulous about her appearance. The girl who worked for his attention, rather than fighting him off. Had she been the reason that poor girl had suffered? All because she didn't wasn't as horny as she'd been at sixteen? At fourteen? Mac had never been so violent with her in the beginning, not like he'd been in the cavern the night before. If she thought hard about it, the girl did resemble Charlotte when she'd been that age. The dark hair and bright eyes, the ever present smile she had. Had Charlotte smiled at that age? She couldn't remember. Had Mac done all this as some sick need to act out a fantasy he'd had about Charlotte? Had he always wanted to that to her, only holding back because of Walter's rules? Charlotte turned away from the mirror, jerking open the door and stomping into the bar.

It was empty; her dramatic entrance going unnoticed. She didn't stop to think about it. Instead she continued out of the bar to the parking lot. It only took her a second looking out into the empty dirt lot to figure out that her car wasn't there. "Fuck!" she screamed, knowing no one could hear her. She returned to the bar, thinking about what she could do to fix this situation. She couldn't call Rick, he wouldn't help. Lowell would be her first choice, but considering that he'd been in the cavern the other night. She stopped to analyze that. Lowell had a wife. A pregnant wife who loved him more than anything else. Nora came in sometimes to the Luna Mesa for lunch. She was the sweetest woman in Cainsville, always smiling and talking about the baby. Charlotte loved her bright personality. She didn't want to think about the husband Nora loved so much cheating on her with the younger sluts that hung around. It would tear Nora apart. Charlotte shook her head, putting those thoughts into a drawer for later. She refocused on the task at hand. Mac wouldn't come get her and she didn't want to see him yet either. She had some serious things she wanted to talk to him about, but the girl was more important. So who did that leave?

Barney or Tanner?

She couldn't think about ever seeing Barney drive a car, but she knew he had one and he'd do anything for her. He wouldn't ask questions either, which would be better. Tanner drove all over town, showing off his hot little Mustang, but he'd ask a lot of questions. She could keep him quiet though, if she gave him a baggie of his drug. He'd hit on her though; ask for some kind of favor in return for his effort. She picked up the mounted phone, dialing the number for Barney's auto garage.

"Hey pretty girl, Mac's not here." He replied in a lighter tone after she'd greeted him. She smiled, like she always did when Barney called her sweet names.

"I'm not lookin for Mac this time Barney. I need a favor." No point beating around the bush. Barney's voice turned serious.

"Something for Walter?"

"No, something that would have to stay between you and me."

"Whatcha need sweetheart?" That was the only question he asked her as she gave a brief explanation of what she needed and the situation. "I'll be there in five, sweetheart." The dial tone was the next thing she heard. She smiled, she was definitely still the princess. She turned away from the bar, heading back out the doors to sit on the little wood porch of the dilapidated building her father used as his bar. She'd never really thought about it since she'd first come here, but everything in the little town was ramshackle. She couldn't understand how she'd come to accept this life. It seemed like she was seeing the town in a whole new light brought upon by some pathetic little girl subjected to Mac's perverse nature.

Charlotte paused, that thought scaring her. How could she have been so blind?

A car pulled into the dirt lot. A sputtering old Thunderbird that had seen better days a few decades ago. Barney smiled at her, his bald head shining in the direct sunlight the convertible provided. Charlotte returned the look, sliding in to the passenger seat.

"Where to?"

"The canyons." He nodded, making a U-turn in the lot and speeding onto the road toward the caves.