Eighteen Years Ago, St. Joseph Island

 

Little Sakura woke herself up with a soul-piercing scream that shook her wee body by the force of fright. She flashed her eyes open, praying the monster Mrs. Byrd wasn’t there in her room, about to whip her with a belt. Her eyes were dark and wild as she scanned around the cold, bare surroundings. Once she was convinced the woman wasn’t present, she clutched the thin blanket against her person and began to whimper.

“I wish I had a mama to hug me,” she cried, tears flowing down her cheeks. Instead, she hugged herself into a small ball to ease the icy coldness in the room and tried to go back to sleep.

The thought of that ruthless, mean Mrs. Byrd and her daughter, Tara, however, kept her awake. They were no doubt very comfortable in their warm beds right now. She had only wanted another blanket to top this thin one to keep her warm at night. When she’d asked that morning, however, what she received in turn was a slap on the face and then ten whips on her backside. She was still sore from the punishment but tried not to think about it. Instead, she thought about the Princeton brothers, of the boy named Darce with jet-black hair and beautiful lavender-gray eyes. It was only then she felt a sense of calmness settling within her as a smile formed on her lips.

“Darce,” she whispered softly between her lips. “Darce.”

He’d stroked her hair and suggested they call her Snow. She liked the name very much. It was a beautiful name. Better than Sally, of course. Sakura wasn’t a Silly Sally. She was Sakura, and to Darce, she was Snow.

Then she thought about the beautiful boy named Sebastian. The one with golden-blond hair and sky-blue eyes. He’d been curious about her, smiled at her, and talked to her. He was nice and kind. Oddly enough, he made her happy. Oh, how she wished they were her siblings. How she wished they’d play with her like they’d played with Alaina and Tara.

She turned on her side, wiping tears from her cheeks. Then she cupped her hands together and began her prayer, her wee heart aching with loneliness.

“Dear God, please hear my prayer. If you are out there, please listen to me. I’ve been a good girl, haven’t I? I mean, I’ve studied really hard and I did all my chores. I didn’t complain when Mrs. Byrd whipped me. That ought to account for something, right? So please hear my prayer. I want a nice family to adopt me. I want them to love me. I want a mama and a papa who love me and hug me when I have nightmares. Most of all, I don’t want them to be angry at me all the time and whip me. I mean, they can be angry at me sometimes when I’m being silly or stupid. But I’m not stupid or silly. That name, Sally, is a silly name and it just doesn’t suit me, you know. Anyway, please, please, please do something soon because I’m beginning to think you don’t exist anymore. You’re so slow at working this out. Anyway, please help me find a nice family. The Princetons would be nice. No, not just nice. They’d be perfect. Please? Okay, that’s all. I’m going to stop bothering you now. You can go back and make people’s wishes come true, but just don’t forget mine.”

She sighed after having expressed her wishes to the Almighty and then closed her eyes.

Ten minutes later, she still couldn’t sleep and felt awfully thirsty. She sat up and got out of bed, praying very hard it was still too early for anyone to be up.

She quietly opened the door, slipped out, and silently made her way across the dark corridor, down the stairs, and then toward the kitchen.

There, she reached for the knob and turned. Slowly and quietly, she cracked the door open while she glanced behind her shoulder in case anyone saw her. All she wanted was a glass of milk, but Mrs. Byrd would slap her again if she were to take milk without permission.

Sakura thought she was safe and let her guard down. She stepped into the kitchen and didn’t look at where she was going. She came to a complete stop and gasped in fright the moment she saw Mrs. Byrd. The woman had her back to Sakura. She was busy pouring a big can of liquid around the room.

Sakura frowned, her nose twitching at the odd scent. “What’s that smell?” she said softly without thinking.

Margaret Byrd jumped and twisted around, her eyes large in horror. Then she gritted her teeth and snapped, “What are you doing here at this time of night?”

Sakura shrugged back. “I want a glass of milk. I’m thirsty.”

Margaret dumped the large can of gasoline and marched to Sakura. Heaving with frustration and anger, the woman raised her hand high and then swung across, smacking her plump, hard fist against the little girl’s face, throwing her small body back and landing her backside against the cold floor and her head against the cupboard.

Sakura became limp and whimpered as the pain screamed in her body. She was shaking from head to toe as she stared at the large woman heading toward her. She was so afraid that tears burned in her eyes, and she automatically protected herself by hugging her body into a small ball.

Margaret wouldn’t have any of it and roughly grabbed the girl by her long hair, yanking her up as she said, “You didn’t see anything of this, you hear? You didn’t see me here. I’m dead. Do you understand?”

Sakura recoiled, tears pouring down her cheeks. She didn’t really understand anything. All she wanted was for the woman to let her go and leave her alone.

Margaret, however, did none of those things and shook Sakura hard. “Listen here, you little brat, I’m dead. You understand. Margaret Byrd is dead. If anyone asks, say I died in the fire.”

Sakura shook her head. “Please,” she begged. “Let me go. Please.”

Margaret tightened her hands on the little girl, her eyes large with madness. “Look, Sakura, I promise I won’t ever hurt you again if you just tell everyone I was dead in the fire, all right?”

Sakura blinked and, tentatively, she nodded. She wanted the woman to stop hurting her.

Margaret smiled. “Good girl.” Slowly, she let Sakura go and took a few steps back. She fumbled her hands into the pocket of her dress and took out a lighter.

Sakura watched, her eyes large as the woman started flicking the thing, again and again, her hand shaking, until a small flame was born. Then she threw the light onto the countertop, and instantly, it was engulfed with fire.

Sakura gasped in fright and shouted, “Fire!”

Margaret opened a drawer as the fire spread faster, devouring everything in its sight across the kitchen. The woman took out a rolling pin. With the thing in hand, she turned her attention to Sakura.

“Sakura?” She smiled at the little girl. “Remember what I said, yes? Tell everyone I’m dead in this fire.”

Sakura, her body stiff in shock at the sight of the burning fire surrounding her, nodded.

“Good girl,” Margaret said. Then she raised the roller high and sent it down toward Sakura’s head.

Little Sakura watched in horror as the pin flew toward her in one forceful blow, smashing against her face. She landed on the floor, her small body in a mangled position. She felt numb all over and all she could see was darkness. Her instincts, however, told her she was in danger, and she tried to open her eyes. Her whole body shook as she reached her hand out for the woman who’d just hit her. She was crying and knew she was going to die here in the fire if she didn’t get help soon.

Through the haze of her vision, she watched as Mrs. Byrd opened the door, a heavy bag in her hand. With a smile on her face, she walked out.

Alone and surrounded by fire, Sakura closed her eyes and blackness eventually took her.

* * * * *

 

Sakura woke up with a start, her heart pounding fast and furious and her head aching. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf as she sat there staring into space.

The nightmare of that night had returned, and the look of Mrs. Byrd’s face was etched deep within her mind.

Sakura shook her head as she willed her tears to remain at bay.

“She’s not real,” she said softly to herself. “She can’t be real. I was hallucinating.” But even as she said that, she knew she wasn’t hallucinating. She knew for certain Mrs. Byrd was still alive. She’d just met the woman yesterday.

Toby sensed her disquiet and awoke, his eyes large with concern. He came to her and begged to be hugged. Sakura obliged and embraced her dog tight against her chest as she lay there under the thickness and warmness of her duvet. So unlike eighteen years ago.

“Thank you for being with me all these years,” she said to the pup. If it hadn’t been for Toby, it would be just like all those nights, sleeping alone and crying her heart out after the nightmares.

Toby rubbed his head against her chest, telling her it was his pleasure.

“What am I going to do, Toby?” she said. “She’s back, and I know nothing good is going to come of this.”

The dog whimpered and licked her chin.

“I can’t let her get away, Toby. I just can’t. I’m not that child anymore. I won’t let her scare me. I won’t let her torture me anymore.” She chuckled brokenly. “She’s a bitch and a child abuser. Who knows what else she could be?”

She rolled on her back and stared up at the ceiling, wondering how she’d go about dealing with this new information. Mrs. Byrd’s presence and crimes needed to be brought to the attention of the police, and the incident of eighteen years ago needed to be investigated properly. But would the police believe her? She’d merely been a seven-year-old little girl at the time. It would be her word against Mrs. Byrd’s if it were to be brought public.

Sakura rolled to her side again, conflicted. Suddenly, she sat up, her mind reeling with dread.

“I know she recognized me,” she said under her breath. And of course, Sakura had no doubt the woman would do her worst to make sure Sakura kept her mouth shut.

Suddenly, she just didn’t feel safe anymore, not even in Lady Haruka’s apartment with the Princeton brothers one floor above.

She sat up, searched for her cell phone near her bedside table, and dialed the number that belonged to the man she knew she could trust.

“Hello?” came James Princeton’s voice.

Sakura heard Brenda’s voice in the distance. “Honey, who is it at this time of night?”

Sakura took a deep breath, hoping like hell she didn’t sound like she wasn’t going to die any second now. She didn’t manage that. Her voice came out shaky. “Daddy James? I need to talk to you. Can I come see you now?”

A short pause and then he replied, “Sure. I’ll come pick you up.”

“No. No,” Sakura said quickly. “That’s all right. I’ll take a taxi. I’ll be there soon.”

She was about to hang up when James said, “Sakura, sweetheart? Be careful.”

“Yes, I will,” she replied and then hung up. Quickly, she slipped out of bed and got dressed in a pair of jeans and a warm pullover. Then she grabbed her bag and keys and silently headed out toward the door.

Toby rushed quietly after her, not wanting to be left alone. She sighed. “Fine, but behave yourself, all right?”

Toby licked her chin in reply. Before she departed, she wrote a note for Lady Haruka that she was out on a personal errand in case she was late and the woman got worried about her. That done, she locked the door and rushed to the elevator.

Outside the building, she signaled for a taxi and instructed the driver to take her to Princeton Hotel. Some twenty minutes later, she headed in through the front door. She was about to greet the sole receptionist there when James, still in his pajamas and robe, called out to her.

Sakura rushed into his open arms and buried her face against his chest, Toby between them. James stroked her head fondly, and once Sakura lifted her face to look at him, he felt his gut wrench with sickness. He’d seen her looking like that many times when she’d been young. It was usually after the nightmare.

He tightened his arms around her and said, “Come on. Let’s get you comfortable.”

At Sakura’s nod, he led her into the elevator. Not long afterward, they reached the top floor and headed into the penthouse. Brenda greeted Sakura by pulling the girl into her arms. Husband and wife understood something had happened; otherwise, Sakura wouldn’t have come to them at such an hour.

Once Sakura was comfortably sitting on the sofa, a hot chocolate in hand, James began. “Tell us.”

Sakura turned her gaze from her hot drink, which had soothed her a little, to her adoptive father.

James was stroking Toby, who was comfortably asleep on his lap.

“I saw Mrs. Byrd,” she said softly.

James and Brenda looked at each other. Then Brenda said, “Are you sure, sweetheart?”

Sakura nodded.

“But she was killed in the fire that burned the orphanage,” Brenda stated, confused.

Sakura put her mug on top of the coffee table and sighed. “There’s something I haven’t told you.” She added, “Haven’t told anyone.”

James watched her carefully. “You can trust us, sweetheart.”

Tears suddenly brewed in Sakura’s eyes and flowed down her cheeks. Brenda rushed over and pulled the girl into her arms.

“You can trust us,” she said.

Sakura nodded and lifted her head. She wiped the tears away with the back of her sleeve and began her tale. “That night eighteen years ago, when the orphanage burned down, I was there and saw everything.”

James and Brenda once again looked at each other, their faces sick with concern.

“I had the nightmare,” Sakura said. “I was cold and then I was thirsty. I thought it was very late and no one would see me just get a glass of milk.” She swallowed, for to speak of that night again really hurt her. It just reminded her so much of the pain she’d been through.

“I saw her pouring gasoline…”

Sakura had a faraway look in her eyes as she recited her horrid experience that night, and by the time she finished, her whole body was shaking.

Brenda hugged her tight and said to her husband, “James, we need to investigate.”

James nodded.

“Sakura,” Brenda said. “You need to rest. Come along. You can stay in one of our spare bedrooms.”

Sakura wiped her tears and nodded.

“I’ll inform Lady Haruka you’ll be staying here with us for a few days.”

“Thanks,” Sakura said. She came over and kissed James on the cheek before heading out the door, Brenda following close behind.

In the spare bedroom, Brenda switched on the bedside lamp and then turned down the duvet, getting it ready for her daughter. Sakura hugged the woman, thanking her for her love and help.

Brenda patted her shoulder. “Sleep and we’ll figure this out together in the morning.”

Sakura nodded. Once Brenda left her alone, she pulled down her jeans and then took of her jumper and bra. In just her panties and tank top, she climbed into bed and closed her eyes. Not a moment later, her exhaustion overtook her and she fell asleep.

Back in the living area, James sat on the sofa with Toby on his lap as he looked up at his wife.

“James,” Brenda said, “I believe Sakura, and I’m scared for her. What if Mrs. Byrd does something horrible? I mean, that night, James—Sakura was only a child.”

James took his wife’s hand into his to comfort her. “She’ll be safe here with us.”

“What are we going to do?”

“We need to find out about Mrs. Byrd,” James said.

“I doubt she still uses that name,” Brenda said logically. “From what Sakura has told us, it sounds like she wanted to disappear.”

“Yes, she no doubt adopted another name after that night.”

“What about Tara?” Brenda queried. “Do you think she knows about her mother?”

“I don’t know, love,” James replied honestly.

Brenda frowned. “I’m scared. If Tara does know about her mother, I don’t want Alaina anywhere near those two.”

“Then we’ll have to work on bringing her back,” James said.

Brenda nodded. “How are we going to do that?”

“I’m sorry, love, but you’re the only one Alaina has kept in touch with.”

Again, Brenda nodded. “And what about Mrs. Byrd?”

“I know some people who could help us,” he said, smiling. “Now go to bed, and I’ll deal with this.”

Brenda nodded and got up. She kissed her husband on the lips before heading out the door.

Alone, James picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. As he stroked Toby, a voice came through. “Hello?”

James smiled. “Erick, it’s me.”

“Ah, Mr. Princeton. What can I do for you, sir?”

“Do you remember that case about the orphanage fire eighteen years ago on St. Joseph Island?”

“The one you asked me to investigate all those years ago and nothing came up?”

“Yes, that one. I have a witness who has seen the woman named Mrs. Margaret Byrd.”

“What? But that’s impossible, sir. There’s a record of her death certificate. She died in that fire.”

“Well, this important witness says otherwise. She was one of the girls in the orphanage. She lived with Mrs. Byrd for seven years. She wouldn’t forget a person she knew so well.”

“Hum, I’ll look into it, sir. Anything else?”

“Yes, I have a feeling her daughter, Tara Byrd, knows about this. Get someone to follow her. She might just lead you to the woman in question.”

James heard Erick, his private investigator, laugh. “Sure thing. Will do that.”

“Please get back to me as soon as possible. This is urgent,” James said.

“Of course, sir,” Erick replied. “All right, then. Will keep in touch.”

“Good,” James said and hung up.

James rested his head against the back of the sofa and sighed. Toby woke at that moment and looked up at him in question.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

The pup barked in agreement and jumped out of his lap eagerly.

* * * * *