Chapter 8

Sylvester was lying on his bed with his shirt off as the cool late afternoon breeze came through the window.

His eyes were closed and he smiled as he thought about how good he felt when he held Penelope in his arms:

He hadn't expected to fall in love when he came out of jail.

Penelope had been the last person he had ever imagined that could happen with after the past they had shared.

When he thought back to the days and nights he had spent in jail, thinking about everything he couldn't change and regretting so much, he never would have believed it if someone had told him that woman he desperately wanted to apologize to would turn out to be the key to his happiness...

The memory of her kiss stirred his senses and he ran his hand over his bare chest, recalling the way her lips had traced a path of kisses all over his body.

Then he opened his eyes and sat up, blinking away tears as he thought some more about a past that he still regretted which had never been brought closer to home than last night when a stranger had tried to abduct Penelope...

He looked into the mirror that stood on the dresser and studied his reflection in the glass, and Sylvester saw the man he had become, the man prison had turned him into:

Older, muscular, tattooed... a man he barely recognized from his youth, a youth that had been stolen away by fifteen long years behind bars...

But he was still Sylvester Sneekly, the guy who used to run Pitstop Shipping.

Deep down inside he knew he was still the shy young man who had barely been able to look Penelope in the eye because she was so pretty.

Then he thought about that dark mass that had taken over his mind, the tumor he knew nothing about that had driven him crazy.

But he had no way of knowing that would happen, no way of knowing he was so sick that he would go crazy and almost kill Penelope...

His eyes were still burning and he blinked to clear his vision.

There was nothing he could do to change the past - but he knew for sure he would do everything in his power to make the future wonderful, to bring happiness to the woman he loved every single day.

And Penelope would be upset if she could see him now, crying over the past that she had long since laid to rest...

She had no idea how deeply he loved her.

He wiped his eyes and lay back down, taking in a deep breath as he wished he could just forget the past, forget he had ever gone crazy and attacked her all those years before.

He closed his eyes and kept his thoughts firmly in the present now, thinking only of her touch, the feel of her skin warm and her breath hot on his body as she held him and caressed him.

He stayed focussed on those thoughts; this was the woman he loved, Penelope was beautiful with her clothes on and even better with them off...

Sylvester slid his hand downwards, over his underwear and then gave a sigh as he felt his arousal growing at the thought of taking Penelope in his arms again.

The door opened.

"Sorry!"

Snoozy was standing there with his eyes wide, staring at Sylvester, who had his hand down his pants...

"I'm sorry!" Snoozy said again, "But... but you said I didn't have to knock when you're on your own! I guess you were wrong about that!"

Sylvester felt his face heat up as he swiftly grabbed his clothes and started to get dressed.

"Sorry, Snoozy. I was just having a lie down, I was almost asleep."

"With a hard on?"

Sylvester pulled up his zip and buckled his belt and grabbed his shirt.

"I must have been having a really hot dream about Penelope!"

And he turned away as he buttoned up his shirt, still feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught out like that; Penelope was right, he needed to get used to locking his door around here...

"What did you want, Snoozy?"

"Well you said you had some paperwork that looked suspicious, that proves what I told you about Clyde?"

Sylvester turned back to him.

"What about it?"

"I was just wondering when you're going to give it to Sparks?"

"When I see him on Friday. Right now I'm more concerned about Penelope."

And he thought about how terrified she had been after her encounter with the man who tried to abduct her. It didn't matter how much she insisted she was fine, he still wasn't happy about sitting back and leaving her alone at a time like this, even if she wanted to prove to herself there was nothing to be afraid of...

Sylvester grabbed his jacket.

"I'm going over to Penelope's house. I can't sit here knowing she's all alone after what happened yesterday. I don't care how independent she wants to be – I love that girl and she had a big fright yesterday, I want to make sure she's okay!"

"Want me to come with you?" Snoozy offered.

Sylvester smiled; by now he was used to Snoozy getting over his fear of Clyde and being more than willing to lend a hand, even if the prospect of bumping into the guy still scared him a little...

"No, I'm sure she's fine. I just want to go and see her."

A short while later Sylvester waited outside the bar and when the taxi pulled up he got in it and as the taxi drove away, Snoozy gave a sigh.

He still felt bad about how long he had held back on everything he knew; now he had told Sylvester he felt a lot safer about the whole thing; once Sparks knew about it he was sure something would be done:

Sparks didn't like drug dealers. His eldest son had been high on drugs the night he crashed his car. He had died because of that accident. Sparks believed the only good drug dealer was a dead one...

Snoozy started to polish the bar.

The glasses had been washed and put away and the tables were tidy and the carpet had been vacuumed.

He was thinking about going up to the apartment to have a nap when there was a knock on the door.

He stopped polishing the bar and gave a sigh.

"We're closed!" He exclaimed, then he went around the bar and over to the main doors, unbolting one side of it to speak to the person who had knocked on the glass rather loudly.

As he opened the door his eyes grew wide.

"Hi Snoozy." Said Clyde.

Snoozy froze in fear as Clyde shoved past him, went into the bar and closed the door behind him.

"W...what do you want?" Snoozy said in a frightened voice.

Clyde turned sharply and Snoozy stepped back, catching his breath as his back hit the wall and he realized he had no where to run.

"I want to know what you've been saying about me to Penelope's boyfriend." Clyde replied, "Because we both know you need to keep your mouth shut about me or things could get nasty for you."

Snoozy looked back at him with fear in his eyes.

"I didn't tell him anything!" He protested, "I didn't say any –"

The breath was knocked out of him as Clyde grabbed him by his collar and slammed him hard against the wall.

"Does he know about how I got my money? Does he know about the shootings?"

Snoozy was on the brink of tears; he had never been a fighter and Clyde was every bit as intimidating as he had been back when they were kids...

"What was Sylvester doing at Pitstop Shipping? He came out with papers in his hand – what's that about?"

Snoozy tried to think fast - but thinking fast was not one of his better abilities.

"He...he...um...I think he...wanted to do some paperwork for Penelope. He wants his old job back."

Clyde kept a tight hold of his collar.

"I think there's more; I think you're hiding something."

Snoozy shook his head as his eyes grew even wider.

"I don't know anything!"

Clyde screwed his hand into a fist and slammed it into Snoozy's cheek.

As Snoozy gave a whimper and slid to the floor, he stood over him, looking down at him and his hand was still balled into a solid fist.

"Really?" He said coldly, "Because I don't think you're telling me the truth..."

And he leaned closer, grabbing hold of Snoozy, who tried to put his hands up to his face to protect himself, and then Clyde hit him again.

Sylvester got out of the taxi and pressed the buzzer beside Penelope's gate.

There was no reply and he pressed it again, getting the oddest feeling as once more she didn't reply.

He walked along the side of the property and guessed the only other way in would be through the hedgerows- they were thorny and this wouldn't be easy but he needed to know she was okay...

Glancing over the hedge he saw her pink car parked in the garage.

The door was open but there was no sign of Penelope.

He looked around, saw no one about and climbed up onto the low wall. Scrambling over the hedge was painful as thorns tore at his jacket and scratched his hands like razors and he hit the lawn on the other side with a thump that jarred his bones.

The backs of both his hands were scratched and bleeding and he stood up, pausing to pick thorns out of his arms that had had bit like tiny needles through the fabric of his suit.

Then he walked towards the garage, feeling stupid as he guessed he would walk in there and Penelope would be absolutely fine, she was probably out in the garden...and she would stare at him in disbelief when she saw the state of him, when she saw he looked like he had just had a big fight with a thorny bush...

Sylvester hurried into the garage.

The back door that led into the house was locked.

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around his hand, then punched out a small pane of glass.

The panel shattered and he gave his jacket a shake before putting it back on, then he put his hand through the open window and found the lock on the other side.

He was sure Penelope would understand when he explained how worried he was about her; a small pane of glass was nothing compared to ensuring her safety...

He opened the door and went through the laundry room and to the kitchen.

The phone was ringing.

It switched to answer phone and he heard Melanie's voice echo up the hallway.

"Penelope, where are you? I've called your cell phone; I've called this number six times! I just want to say I'm sorry about what happened at the barbecue. Please call me back..."

Then the phone went silent.

Sylvester looked down and saw Penelope's dress on the floor by the kitchen doorway.

He left it there and ran out into the hall.

"Penelope?" He called out, "Are you in here?"

And he listened.

He heard a vague, muffled sobbing.

It was coming from upstairs.

He ran up the stairs, as he went along the upper hallway the sobbing got louder and he ripped open the bedroom door as his eyes grew wider with fear as he heard her sobbing loudly now; the sobs were coming from the bathroom but he couldn't see Penelope.

"Penelope?" He called out again, rushing into the bathroom.

She weakly raised her head from the bathtub and gave another sob.

She had a small cut to the side of her head and her fair hair was streaked with blood. Her wrists and ankles were tied and she was in trapped in the tub and soaking wet wearing nothing but her underwear.

Sylvester grabbed hold of her and lifted her from the tub setting her down on the rug next to the shower.

"Please help me." Penelope was sobbing.

"Okay I'll help...give me a minute."

Sylvester found scissors in the bathroom cabinet and quickly cut through her bonds and peeled the tape from her skin. Her fingers had been turning blue and as soon as he cut the bonds blood flowed back and her hands turned pink once more and she threw her arms around him and sobbed harder.

He stayed on his knees on the bathroom floor as she held onto him, he held her tightly wanting to do nothing more than remind her she was safe again.

"Who did this?"

His voice was low and rage burned in his eyes but Penelope kept on sobbing.

He gently took her face in his hands, raising it so her eyes were level with his own.

"Penelope," He said again, "Who did this?"

She sobbed again and shook her head.

"I can't tell you...I don't want you to go crazy or get sick...I love you...no, I can't tell you..."

"Yes you can! I'm not sick any more! Now tell me the truth, Penelope."

She looked into his eyes and began to shiver as she gave another sob and let out the words she had never wanted to share with him:

"It was him! It was the Hooded Claw!"

Those words sent a jolt down his spine, images flashed through his mind of Penelope much younger and having nightmares, then telling him about the Hooded Claw...

Sylvester had no memory of becoming the man from her bad dreams, either- but he had no memory of anything back in the days when he had been sick...

But all the same, that name still had the power to chill him...

But Sylvester was not sick any more, he had recovered a long time ago and now his mind was trying to work some kind of logic into her statement.

"Maybe I'm crazy..." She said tearfully as she clung to him.

"No you're not!" Sylvester promised her, "This guy who tried to abduct you? The same one did this to you? He said he was the Hooded Claw?"

Penelope nodded.

"I didn't want you to know that part, I love you too much to bring back bad memories for you..."

Sylvester got up from the floor and then helped Penelope to stand.

"Believe me, my dear – that name has no power to harm me now! Who ever this guy is, he's not the Hooded Claw. He was a figment of your imagination. This is someone who knows that and he's trying to frighten you with it. Think about it for a minute: What has he said to you?"

Penelope blinked back tears.

"He said he killed my parents and now he's coming back for me!"

Sylvester thought about it.

"If that's true and we have to assume it could be, this is some crazy guy who killed your parents and then waited years before he came after you – why would he wait for so long? Has he just come out of jail, or has someone put him up to this? Maybe there's more than one person involved in this. I know you don't want to think its true but after finding out what we know about Clyde it wouldn't surprise me if he's got a hand in it."

Penelope stared at him.

"Clyde? But he rescued me!"

"And where was this Hooded Claw guy while he was rescuing you?"

"He ran off."

Sylvester looked at her doubtfully.

"He ran off after going to all that trouble to try and abduct you? It doesn't add up, Penelope. I'm seeing Sparks tomorrow night. I'm giving him the paperwork and telling him all about Clyde. I'm sure he can help us."

He led her over to the shower and she flinched as he pulled the curtain aside.

"He was hiding in there..."

Sylvester switched the water on and kept the curtain wide open.

"You need to get cleaned up." He said gently, unhooking her bra straps and then sliding her wet underwear from her body.

"You have a shower. I'll be right her next to you all the time"

Penelope nodded and stepped into the shower. As the warm water danced over her skin and washed away the chill, she felt as if life was creeping back into her body and soul.

Sylvester leaned in and gently washed the blood from her hair and when she turned the water off he wrapped her in the largest towel he could find, then grabbed a smaller one and led her into the bedroom.

She sat down on the bed and he gently dried her hair, pausing to inspect the cut on the side of her head.

"You'll be okay." He told her, "It's not bleeding now. Just be careful how you brush it for a couple of days."

She reached up and caught hold of his hand.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Sylvester leaned closer and gently kissed her.

"I'm not leaving you alone again." He promised her," Nothing else will happen – not now I'm around."

But fear still flickered in her eyes.

"I can't stay here, Sylvester." She said quietly, "Take me with you; I want to come and stay with you and Snoozy."

Hearing those words gave him a great sense of relief; he was sure no harm could come to her away from this house – the bar was small and so was the apartment and it was across the other side of town, a place her attacker would know nothing about...

"I'll help you pack your things." He told her, "We'll leave as soon as you're ready to go."

An hour later Sylvester found himself hauling two big pink suitcases into the back of Penelope's car.

"Are you sure that's everything?" He wondered, hoping the answer would be yes because those cases had been very heavy...

Penelope nodded.

She reached back into the hallway and picked up her pink umbrella before closing the front door and locking it up.

Then she walked down the steps and onto the gravel driveway where the car was now waiting.

They were ready to leave.

She managed a smile as she looked at Sylvester.

"I'll be just fine now," She told him as she got into the car, "I feel safe now – I'm with you."

And Sylvester closed the passenger door and sat back as Penelope started the engine.

They drove away, heading for the Moonlight bar, both feeling sure they had left danger far behind...

They were off the highway and close to their destination when Penelope's pink phone began to ring.

She snatched it up quickly.

"Clyde?" She said in surprise.

Sylvester turned and looked at her, wondering what the hell that guy wanted now...

"Hi Penelope. I was just calling to see how you are." He said, adding, "I do still care about you. I was hoping maybe we could meet up later on –"

"No." She said firmly,"I'm not home. I'm going away for a few days. Something happened again at the house but its okay now, I'm with Sylvester. I have to get off the phone, I'm driving. Bye, Clyde."

Then she cut off the call and turned her attention back to the road.

"What did he want?" Sylvester wondered.

Penelope gave a sigh.

"I don't know, he was just trying to get to speak to me again...I don't want to think he's involved in any of this, Sylvester- but the more I think about it, the more I think he could be..."

They drove in silence for a few minutes and then Sylvester spoke again.

"This guy who calls himself the Hooded Claw- do you recognise his voice from any where?"

She frowned as she kept her eyes on the road ahead.

"It's like a hoarse, whispered voice- like someone's putting on a scary way of speaking. I don't see his face; I don't even see his hands because he wears gloves...All I know is he's very strong and he's got such an evil mind! He was going to watch me drown in that bath tub!"

Sylvester was still thinking.

"But he didn't. He had two chances to kill you and both times he stopped short of it. Why would he do that if he wanted you dead? Why not just shoot you with a gun or stick a knife in you?"

Penelope looked at him with wide eyes.

"Don't talk like that, Sylvester!"

He thought back to the day head gone crazy and become the man of her nightmares and he shook his head.

"No, no! I didn't mean when I was sick and what I did –I wasn't referring to that! I know this is difficult to go back over, but think, Penelope! I know it's not exactly your favourite subject but we might be able to work this out! Why didn't he kill you when he had the chance? Was he just trying to scare you? If that's the case he's not got plans to kill you...something else is going on! What about Clyde? You said he turned up and rescued you the first time – he said the other guy ran off? What if it's Clyde who's doing this to you? Maybe he's trying to scare you into going back to him."

Penelope shook her head.

She was still driving and she felt weary and the motion of the passing scenery was almost hypnotic, making her feel sleepy now.

"No, Sylvester- he's got no reason to do that!"

Sylvester had been turning the pieces of the puzzle over in his mind and suddenly they clicked into place. They made a picture he didn't like, but those pieces certainly fitted together...

"What if he never loved you? What if he's desperate to keep you so he's got access to Pitstop Shipping? Think about it, Penelope: if he married you, if he drove you crazy with this Hooded Claw stuff...he could take over the company. Then think how big he could become. He'd be a drug dealer with a whole fleet of ships in the palm of his hand."

Penelope stared at Sylvester.

"You think?"

"I know it sounds like an ugly situation but it makes sense to me."

Penelope glanced away from the road again.

"But the man who attacked me wasn't Clyde! He was..."

"He was exactly what you expected him to be." Sylvester told her, "He said he was the hooded Claw and that's who you saw in front of you – but he's not, the Hooded Claw isn't real."

"You're right." She said quietly as once more her friend's words came back to her and she knew Melanie had been telling the truth:

She did only look for the good in people, she did it to such an extent that she hadn't seen though Clyde- but it was all making sense now...

Then she turned off the main road and followed on a smaller one, taking the route that would lead to the Moonlight bar, where she was sure she would feel a little safer...

After Clyde put the phone down, he paced across the floor of his apartment and kicked a chair over in rage.

As wood splintered he thought about Penelope- happy now with Sneekly, far from the danger posed by the Hooded Claw, far from his plans to win her back.

Everything had gone to the wall.

He had lost Penelope, the chance of taking over her company – and on top of it all, he still had the knowledge that Sylvester could uncover his dealings through the records at Pitstop Shipping.

He went over to the window and looked out at the city far below and his eyes burned dark as he thought about his plan.

The shipment was coming in tonight.

After that he would have to find another shipping company, he would have cut ties with all trace of his life with Penelope because she was now becoming yet another loose end that needed to be tied up...

He made his choice:

He would fire the bar...

He would do it tonight...

It was late afternoon when Penelope pulled up in her car outside the Moonlight Bar.

Sylvester helped her with her bags and took them around to the side entrance, then he got his keys out, unlocked the door and they went inside.

As he closed the door behind her he smiled.

"You'll be quite safe now, my dear. I'll be with you all the time. And Sparks has got some business to deal with today but he's coming over first thing in the morning to pick up that paperwork that proves what Clyde's been up to. After we tell him the whole story we'll all be able to sleep a little safer at night. Let me take those cases upstairs for you."

Penelope looked into his eyes and smiled back at him.

"I think I'm going to like being here with you Sylvester." She said softly.

He took the cases and began to climb the stairs to the apartment and Penelope followed.

"Snoozy!" Sylvester called out, "Are you up here? Penelope's come to stay with me for a few days..."

He got no reply.

Sylvester passed the front room where the door was ajar and the TV was on. He guessed Snoozy taking a nap so he went straight through to the bedroom and Penelope's cases on the floor next to his wardrobe.

"This place isn't much." He reminded her.

She stepped closer and leaned in, as their lips gently touched he kissed her in reply and their kisses grew deeper.

Then Penelope pulled back again.

"This place is just fine." She promised him, "Any where is just fine as long as I'm with you."

And Sylvester felt his heart fill with love as he smiled and his face flushed to think this beautiful woman could love him so very much.

"I feel so lucky when you say things like that." He said, feeling like the shy young man he had once been who could barely look her in the eye,"I love you, Penelope."

For a moment their eyes met and neither wanted to look away as so much love unspoken passed between them.

Then Sylvester thought about Snoozy.

"I'd better let him know you're here - I'll have to remind him to knock before he barges into our room..."

And he went out into the hallway.

"Hey Snoozy!" He called out.

Again there was no reply.

Sylvester stopped and listened; the TV was definitely on but he couldn't hear anything else...had Snoozy gone out?

"Where is he?" Sylvester wondered.

As he walked up the hall Penelope went with him.

"Maybe he's asleep." She suggested.

"He probably is, but he wakes up fast enough when someone calls him...he's too quiet..."

Sylvester pushed open the door to the front room.

The TV was on low volume and Snoozy was sprawled across the sofa with his back turned to the door.

"Snoozy?" Sylvester said, "Wake up, Penelope's come to stay!"

Snoozy moved stiffly, turning over slowly and as he looked at them Penelope gave a gasp:

Snoozy had a black eye, his lip was cut and his cheek was bruised and swollen.

He gave a sob.

"Clyde came over..."

As he sat up Sylvester hurried to his side and sat next to him, turning his face towards him as he looked at his injuries.

"What did he hit you for?"

Snoozy was still tearful.

"He wanted to make sure I didn't know anything. He asked me about why you had papers in your hand when you came out of Pitstop Shipping. I told him Penelope gave you your old job back!"

Tears ran from his eyes.

"I never told him anything else, Sylvester! I wouldn't do that, you're my friend!"

And then he sobbed again.

"Clyde told me something when he was younger. He said if I ever tell anyone he'll kill me - but I'm not keeping his secrets any more!"

And he looked into Sylvester's eyes and lifted a weight from his conscience that he had been carrying around for far too long.

"Fifteen years ago Clyde said he started up his drug business with some stolen money. He said he broke into this big house. He shot this couple dead and raided their safe."

And Penelope's face turned china white as her legs gave way and she sat down hard on a nearby arm chair.

"Oh God no..." She said, thinking about it as the pieces began to fit...

"Clyde killed my parents?"

Sylvester looked into Snoozy's eyes.

"I know you're scared but this is important. Did he tell you who these people were, the ones that he shot?"

Snoozy shook his head.

"All he said was they had a shipping business... that's all."

Sylvester heard Penelope give a sob and he wanted to put his arm around her but right now he had to make sure Snoozy was okay; he looked as if Clyde had really smacked him about...

"I know he hurt you," He said, "But are you okay? Can you see properly, have you got any pain or swellings like you might have cracked bones? "

Snoozy shook his head.

"Do you feel like you want to go to sleep?"

Surprise registered in his eyes on hearing that question.

"Well, I always like a nap; they don't call me Snoozy for nothing!"

Sylvester managed to smile on hearing him say that.

"Then I guess you don't have a concussion. Did he hit you anywhere else?"

Snoozy pulled up his t- shirt.

"Well he kicked me in the ribs a couple of times..."

Penelope forgot her own sense of shock about all she had learned about Clyde as she stared at the livid bruising on Snoozy's body.

"Oh Snoozy!" She exclaimed, "You poor guy!"

Sylvester was also looking at him with concern in his eyes.

"I'm calling you a taxi and you are going straight over to the hospital."

"Oh no, I hate hospitals! I don't need all that fuss over me, Sylvester!"

"I want you to go over there and say you got robbed in the street. Say the guy was after your wallet and you put up a fight and he kicked the shit out of you. I want you to get X-rays and make sure nothing's broken. Believe me, you don't want to know what a busted rib feels like, I had one in jail once-"

"You did?" Penelope said, staring at him in surprise.

"I got into a fight." Sylvester replied,"It's a long story. But I got through it; Sparks taught me how to handle myself."

And as he said that he recalled Sparks sitting with him in his cell:

"Sylvester," He had said, "You hit like a girl! And that's not how to make a fist – if you hit someone like that you'll break your knuckles! Let me show you the right way to do it..."

Snoozy was speaking again.

"I don't need to go to a hospital." He said again.

"Yes you do." Sylvester replied, picking up the phone and calling him a cab.

Ten minutes later Sylvester was helping Snoozy into the waiting taxi and as he got in stiffly he felt sure that sending him to the hospital to get checked over was the right thing to do, even if he didn't want to go.

"And don't worry about the bar." He told him as Snoozy sat in the back of the cab,"I'll keep the bar closed tonight. Me and Penelope have everything under control. And Sparks will understand too, we can tell him everything tomorrow. Just make sure you get yourself checked over, Snoozy."

He looked reluctantly at Sylvester.

"Okay." He said, then the taxi pulled away.

Penelope walked out to the gateway and stood beside Sylvester, who was watching the taxi disappear into the distance.

The day was fading into dusk now and after learning all she had about Clyde's past she felt as if everything she had ever believed in regarding that man had been a terrible lie... He had killed her parents? He had taken her in his arms and lied to her time and again and said he loved her - and all the while Clyde was the man who had killed her parents, the man who had driven her to edge of sanity with her nightmares about the Hooded Claw?

But at least she had one truth that she knew would never fail her and it had never shone brighter as she looked into Sylvester's eyes:

This time around, she was with a man she loved, who loved her, a man she could trust and she had never been as sure of that fact as she was right now.

He took hold of her hand, his own heart aching for the sadness he saw reflected in her eyes.

"It'll be okay." He promised her, "I'll see Sparks tomorrow and he will get something done about this. Don't be scared, Penelope – you're with me now. You're safe. Nothing else can happen now – I won't let anything happen to you."

And then he put his arm around her and they went back inside, as they walked Penelope leaned on him feeling sure she had never needed him by her side as much as she did right now...