The next moment she was silently thrashing and trying to scream as she tried in vain to get more air. Then she was still and Rusty was sitting the phone down as he moved to pick up a wide push broom from where it was propped against the wall. I couldn’t see what was going on, but I could hear the scritchscratch of the broom bristles as he used the wide head of the broom to pull her body back outside the boundaries of Harvey’s prison. I could also hear the last words he said before the video ended.

“That's good, Harvey. That’s a real good boy.”

Part Four

You: So I watched the video you sent. I’m ready to meet and talk.

Rusty: Good. We have a lot to talk about. I’ve been doing a lot of work out at Aunt Karen’s house lately. You want to just meet out there?

You: No. I’m not ready to go back there. Not yet. Let’s meet somewhere neutral and just talk for now. Want to meet at the mall in Glen Cove?

Rusty: Don’t trust me, eh? Well, I get why the video might freak you out a little. But you’re safe with me, little brother.

You: Glen Cove tomorrow at about noon in the food court?

Rusty: Fine. See you then, Tommy. I’ve missed you.

****

Of course, I wasn’t going to the mall in Glen Cove or to Glen Cove at all. I was going to Karen’s house to finally finish this for good. I left home early in the morning, but with the drive time I still didn’t reach it until a quarter til twelve. Parking up the road and out of sight, I walked in far enough to see there were no cars or other signs of Rusty hanging around. I still found myself wanting to hesitate, wanting to wait longer to make sure he had really gone, but I forced myself to stop. The time for excuses and waiting was over. It was time for me to stop being a fucking coward.

The exterior of the house looked the same aside from a fresh coat of paint and some flowers planted along the front of the porch. Climbing those steps was hard, but it wasn’t just sadness that I felt. There was anger there too. Anger at myself for all the mistakes I had made and things I had left undone, but also anger at Rusty. He had betrayed Harvey and me, but what’s more, he had betrayed himself. The version of Rusty that he could have been. A good brother and a good man. For what? Aunt Karen’s house and becoming more of a monster than Harvey had ever been.

It took three kicks for me to get the front door open. Stepping inside slowly, I looked around to make sure I wasn’t walking into a trap. I didn’t know Rusty at all anymore, and I couldn’t assume he wouldn’t kill me just as quickly as he had the poor girl on the video.