Dick and Jane

I take the i-95 to the 1A home after dropping Addie off at a friend's house for a play date. The last three years have been tough, but she's such a resilient kid. After I lost my wife, well, it's been Addie and me. I crank up the radio and drive. "Oh, Dicky boy..."

"We caught this dude on the highway; he's swerving. And we're all like, dude! We tried to honk at him to get his attention. He looked like he was yelling, but there wasn't anyone in the car with him. That's when we called 911."

"Thanks," I say and walk back in my cruiser. I should radio it in, But I don't. Only one person I can think of in the whole of Aroostook County that matches the car, and the physical description- the scar is the dead give away; I still remember him and the scene from three years back vividly. My nightmares, my promotion, the car, and the scar all belong to Richard Larsen. I have two options right now. I can head to Richard's place or head back to the station to see how this whole thing unfolds. I don't think any of us involved would be ready to face whatever might become. I radio in, although I know the other cruisers won't find him, and my guess is he's home already. I wonder about "her" about Jane. I can't think to look back at the case file--so many unanswered questions. The event was treated as if it was nothing. As if ... "shit," I gasp, almost hitting the car in front of me. 20 minutes later, I'm pulled into my parking spot, but I don't go in, not just yet—a tap at my window. "Melinda," Jack calls to me.

* * * * *

What will you do, Dick? She's there waiting for you, Dick. Will you run? Will you hide? It's too late, Dick. Jane is there. She knows you're their Dick. She can smell you there. That cologne Dick, it was always too much. You're on the outside of the door. You don't see that she is leaning just on the other side. Her hands pressed to the door; she smells the air; she knows you are there. A cold sweat breaks out all over you. You shiver. What will you do, Dick? You can run, you can go find "her" what was her name? It's as if just her mere presence erases your memory. Where did you just come from? Where have you been? You must have been out. Your keys, your car keys are in your hand. Your jacket is on. She's slipping in Dick. Your wasting precious moments, and now you're slipping away while she's slipping in.

You are here, her muffled voice through the door, it sounds just as sweet as ever. It was nice knowing you, Dick. "Open the door, dear, come in. I've been waiting." Without hesitation, you open the door. She has stepped away from the door. She's not there. She was just there. Like a frantic pup who has lost his favorite toy, you grow anxious. Where is she? She has slipped away like smoke. Where is she? You can't smell her or feel her. But hold hope that she is there. "Please be here." You say frantically. Oh, Dick. Poor Dick. Melinda isn't here to save you this time, Dick.

You see her then, at that moment. Your breath catches in your throat. All the anxiety leaves, and you relax in her presence. You're numb. Your body is heavy as if dipped in thick black strap Kentucky molasses. You're a liquid, and she is the jar that contains you, shapes and molds you, just like last time.

* * * *

"Boss, I need to go run an errand." Melinda had gone to her desk and sat there for about 20 minutes. The decision to act or to let it be running through her mind. All the possible scenarios playing through like a game of chess, only it wasn't a game. This had been played before. It was different this time because the opposition has undoubtedly grown stronger and angrier.

"Didn't you just come back from lunch?"

"Yeah, this is, well, captain, I just…"

"Talk to me, Melinda." The Captain sits back in his chair, waiting for whatever story Melinda had for him.

"Sir, a vehicle spotted Richard Larsen driving erratically on the highway. I just, well, I wanted to go and check in on him. You, know, just make sure he was okay."

"Melinda, I don't like the sound of that. I don't want you anywhere near that man. He's dangerous."

"I know what he's capable of, but don't forget his wife's involvement. It was mostly her."

"Right, the whole mind control thing. I never bought that. Just two crazies who both needed to be locked up and to have their baby girl in a safer home."

"Captain, can I go check it out? to be sure everyone is safe. If he's snapped again, then a whole lot of people could be in trouble. You know the wife was released?"

"I had heard they released the wife, finally, after all this time. For most that should bring a family peace, apparently not this family." The Captain said, rubbing the back of his neck. He hated this part of the job. "Yeah, go, but bring back up. Not a male, bring Lt. Becca with you. She's good to back up, and she's got the dog. Anything happens, and Officer Kruger will tear their asses to shreds."

"Right." Says Melinda rolling her eyes at the thought of officer K9 Kruger the goofiest police dog she had ever met, rip someone to shreds.

"I want to be radioed when you get there and before you leave. Keep the line open in case we need to send in reinforcements."

"Copy that, Captain."

"Melinda," he pauses. "Be safe out there."

"Will do, Sir."

Melinda leaves and finds Becca and her K9 companion. They head out in separate patrol cars. Melinda leads. She's nervous. She already seems to know what she's walking into. They arrive at the condo complex. She knows exactly where to go. He never moved, even after the incident. Richard or Dick decided to keep the condo, said it was for their daughter. Said it had sentimental value. He should have been locked away with his wife after that.

Lt. Becca and K9 Kruger follow Melinda and hang back. Melinda decides to survey the property before going to the door. Melinda radios to dispatch, which gets to the Captain. She precedes.

* * *

Dick, you see her now. You see her in all her glory. It's as if the world was grey, and she has added the color back. You can't help but love her instantly. You stop yourself from falling to your knees and worshiping her. Well, actual Dicky boy, it's her that stops you. You've let her in without a fight. She is in complete control of you. You see her, your pupils dilate. She's standing there from the kitchen doorway, holding a lopsided caked in nothing more than an apron. "Hello, Dick" her voice comes out sickly sweet. Dripping with honey. "Well, darling, how do I look?" Say something, Dick. Why don't you tell her how she looks? Tell her how she looks pale with skin almost translucent. Putrefied. Oh, but Dicky boy, that's right. You can't see that. You can't see her. You can only see the glamour she wears. Only for you, Dick.

Don't bother Dick. He swallows hard as if trying to choke down the sickly-sweet honey. He wants to say something. He wants to talk. But she puts a finger, a slender finger up to her lips, "shhh," she breaths. You can't speak, Dick. Why can't you speak, Dick? Is she doing this to you? You must move Dick, fight her, Dick. "welcome home, baby. Sit down, Dick." You sit, Dick, what is going on? Is she doing this to you? Did you want to sit down, Dick? You didn't want to sit down.

"You may speak now, darling." You're afraid to speak. "I said speak Dick."

"Yes," you stammer.

You feel small, so small. Your mind feels heavy, so heavy like it's a jar filled with thick sickly-sweet syrup. Jane sits in front of you, kneeling on the floor holding the cake, the lopsided homemade cake. But you think it's beautiful, the three tired lavished cake. But She never could bake or cook. It's okay because you preferred to be the one, the one to make a happy home. But you weren't happy, were you, Dick? You thought you got rid of her. You thought she was gone for good. They assured you she would be taken care of. Your head hurts, trying to wade through the molasses. You loved her once. You loved her until the day she took away your will, your god-given free will. She took it from you, and then she started to take it from you all the time. You loved her, no, that's not true, is it? You love her now. You were tricked into turning her in.

"Good boy, eat your cake all up."

She puts the cake on the ottoman in front of you, Dick, that can't be cake. She puts the fork down, "actually, my darling little piggie, you can eat with your hands. Now eat up, little piggie".

Dick, have some dignity. She saunters away and down the hall into the bedroom; her smell lingers. It consumes you just as much as the aroma of the cake. All the smells blend and intoxicate and overwhelm you. Your head spins.

"How nice of you to save my clothes, love. You were always my favorite out of all the guys."

You are too busy eating whatever that is she has you eating like an animal at a trough. She comes back, the fabric of the dress she put on making the slightest noise as she walks. She stands in front of you. She tilts her head, and you stop eating, and you crawl to her as she smiles the most wicked smile. You start to kiss her feet and then her ankles.

"Oh, puppet. Go now and finish your cake. I made special for you like a good piggie." You listen.

All reason, all logic is gone. She sits across from you, legs crossed, smiling at you while you lose all shred of dignity. All hope is slowly lost on you, Dick, because you had to open the door and go in. Dammit, Dick, you've killed us.

Dick, you don't seem like you feel all too good. What's wrong, Dick? You stop eating once the cake is finished. You look at her like a lost pup. You sit there waiting for her instructions.

"Come here, my boy," you go to stand up, "Tsk, tsk naughty boy. On your knees." She chuckles, and you chuckle.

Oh, Dick, your crawling. You were an army vet, you served two tours, and she is walking you around, her tentacles in your brain, your mind, you're infected. Where did you go? You crawl to her, and she uncrosses her legs and opens her arms to put your head in your lap. She's cold. Don't you think so, Dick? She is much colder than any human should be.

She holds you and strokes your hair. "I forgive you, darling."

You nuzzle closer to her, inhaling her deeply. Oh Dick, can't you just smell that? That can't be here, Dick. It's not her.

"Darling, take me to bed."

You get up, and she has you lead her into the bedroom. She sits you on the bed and whispers in your ear. You don't undress, neither does she. She straddles your lap, runs her fingers in your hair, caresses your face. You can't move. You want to move, to respond to her touch, but she won't let you. She is in control of both of you. Dick, why can't you see this. Look, Dick. Look in the mirror, Dick. She pulls you in close and then pushes you down on the bed. She runs two fingers, two boney cold fingers, over your eyes and closes them.

* * *

Melinda goes to the windows and peers in. She can see the mess in the kitchen. Melinda then goes around and investigates the living room window. She sees the mess on the floor. Melinda can't see anyone, and no sounds could be heard from within the condo. She goes back to the cars and radios in. She wants to find the child. The child was not seen in the condo. She finds Richard's car and looks in it. The booster seat was in it, and no sign of the daughter. She went back to the car.

"Could this just be a false alarm?" asked the Lt. She gave Kruger a treat for being patient. He was geared up and ready to work.

"Does Kruger seem more anxious than usual?" Asked Melinda.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I'm gonna let him out and bring him for a stroll around the building."

"Maybe bring him to the back, where the bedrooms are? I couldn't get back there."

"Sure, you gonna radio this in?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna radio the Captain. Sorry, you had to come all this way out here."

"No worries. Good field experience for Krugs."

Lt. Rebecca and K9 officer Kruger head to the back of the building. Melinda is on her cell, calling the Captain. Just then, Lt. Rebecca yells for back up; Melinda can hear K9 Kruger bark and yelp in excitement. Melinda tells the Captain she had to get back to him and hangs up, running to the back.

"Becca, what did he find?"

Panting, she answers Melinda, "You don't want to see it; it's bad. There is there. Melinda, stop, don't look."

Melinda squeezes her way to the back window; she had to reach and go up on her tiptoes. And there she saw them. Dead.

Jane Larsen's body was released just a week ago; it had been signed over to the family. The family, the parents of Jane Larsen, who had been made executives of their daughter's estate, had their daughter's body brought to the funeral home so they could finally bury their daughter. Richard Larsen, who had been released from the hospital, had broken in and stolen his wife's body. He was highly unstable. Before getting his wife's' body, Dick had taken what he believed to be his daughter, but what was really a doll to a random house and left the doll on the doorstep. He then stole his wife's body and went back to the home they once had shared. He poisoned himself, mixing it in with leftover cat food. He then brought her body into the bedroom, where he died next to his wife's already deceased body.

Melinda was given another promotion for her excellent instinctive police work. K9 Kruger was rewarded for his detection of the bodies. Melinda was finally able to put the case the rest. The Larsen's daughter was safe living with an aunt and uncle. Melinda hadn't known the daughter was placed in protective custody when Dick had been released from the hospital and showed signs of another break.