Chief pulled in front of his house at half-past midnight. He had dropped Mort off at his sister’s house in Glenview on their way back from Melrose. They had decided to hunt for Smiley Bennet on the following morning, hoping he had the crucial pieces that seemed to be missing from Fred’s life.

Chief shoved the house key in the lock and turned, listening for the dead bolt to slide from its niche. Since Blackney’s escape the doors were kept locked at all times. He pushed the door open to a lighted hallway and heard the soft rustle of paper coming from the kitchen. 

He re-bolted the door, then hung up his jacket in the closet and followed the light down the hall. He found Maggy seated at the kitchen table, busy cutting out recipes from the Ladies' Home Journal. She looked up at her father, scissors poised in hand. 

“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Chief asked.

“I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d wait up for you.”

“Did something happen?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Is Mike all right?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. Doc came by early this morning and checked him out and changed the dressing and bandages. He woke around six this evening but fell back to sleep after I fed him.”

Chief nodded. “Good. So what’s the problem?”

“You’d better sit down.”

Chief sat next to his daughter and after removing his hat, he placed it in the middle of the table in front of himself. “All right, Maggy. I’m seated. What’s going on?”

“It’s Kelly.”

“Kelly?” The animation drained from Chief’s eyes and was replaced by instant worry. “What happened, Maggy? Blackney?”

“No, sir,” Maggy answered quickly taking his arm. “Nothing like that. It’s–” Maggy broke off. She pulled the coloring book her sister was using earlier from under her magazine. “It’s this.”

She handed her father the book.

“Her coloring book?” Chief asked. Maggy nodded and he opened it. “So?” Chief said looking at the outlined subjects filled in with beautifully handled strokes. Colors applied evenly and neatly inside the lines.

Maggy said softly, “Those are the pictures she colored last year around this time. After she broke her leg. Keep going.”

Chief turned the pages silently. He watched as the pictures evolved from the beautifully rendered to the desperately scrawled.

“That last one she did today,” Maggy said softly.

Chief looked at it. The colors were violent shades of purple, blue, black and red. The strokes- long and forcefully applied. At the end of some of the strokes clumps of colored wax was embedded in the paper.

“I see,” Chief whispered.

“That’s not all, Chief.”

Chief regarded Maggy. “What happened?”

“She was in a fight today.”

“A fight! With who? How?”

“Miss Celban.”

“Celban?” Somehow the image of his ten-year-old daughter in a knock down drag out with the little old lady next door just wouldn’t or couldn’t form in his mind.

“Did you see her rose garden?”

Chief shook his head. “I don’t really look over there.”

“When Joe said Kelly was in a fight, I couldn’t understand either. I went down to see what the problem was and there was Kelly standing full into Miss Celban’s flowerbeds pulling the poor things out by their stalks. There was blood all over her hands from their thorns, but Chief, it was like she was crazed. She wouldn’t stop. I know those thorns must have hurt… but she just kept yanking the things out. Hoover was at her side digging,” Maggy paused. Her father’s stare was heavy to bear. He looked on, and then turned back to the coloring book. “She said if we can’t control her,” Maggy continued, “She’d swear out a lawsuit against Kelly and impound the dog.”

Chief was quiet at first; taking in the entire account and digesting it. When again he regarded his daughter, concern and regret filled his eyes.

“She’s frustrated,” he said after a moment of deliberation. “Look at the hell she’s been through. Can’t that old woman cut us a little slack!”

“There’s one more thing–”

“Maggy,” Chief said his voice weary. His eyelids were heavy and Maggy noticed how lax his shoulders had become. “I can’t deal with this right now.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that– well… I know she’ll be over here tomorrow to make sure Kelly was disciplined. I mean, you know how she is ... she doesn’t think you’re doing a good job at raising her, anyway.”

“Who cares what she thinks?”

Maggy smiled. “Nobody in this house. I just wanted to prepare you for her visit, that’s all.”

“All right,” Chief resigned. “What’s the other thing?”

“Kelly called the woman an ugly old hag right to her face.”

Chief scowled. His eyebrows narrowed and his eyes pierced through Maggy, showing his anger. “She what?”

“She called her an ugly old hag, Chief.”

Chief again glanced at the coloring book, and then the empty air in front of him. “Why would she do something like that?” Chief asked no one in particular. Then he glanced sharply at Maggy. “What did that old woman say to her, to bring this on, anyway?”

“Mike’s words, exactly,” she said. Then she explained, “I don’t know, Chief. Mike talked to Kelly shortly after, but I don’t know what he found out. He was asleep by the time I returned upstairs.”

“Did you ask Kelly?”

Maggy shook her head. Chief noticed sorrow return to his eldest.

“What’s the matter, baby?”

“She wouldn’t talk to me. I couldn't even get her out of the room. She only came out to talk to Mike. Afterwards I tried to treat her hands for her but she wouldn’t let me near her. Joe had to do it.” 

Maggy turned to her father. “She doesn’t trust me, Chief. You were right when you said my obsessions were costing me. Now that I want to be closer to her, she won’t let me near.”

Chief nodded and hugged his daughter. He kissed the top of her head. “It’s funny isn’t it? As precious as love is, it is given so easily. I know your sister loves you. But trust. That’s something not given easily, even to those we may love. Trust has to be earned, Maggy. But don’t worry. Give her some time and I know she’ll come around to trusting you.”

Maggy looked at her father. “I suppose. I’ve been horrible, haven’t I?”

Chief smiled. “At times. But I haven’t given up on you yet. Don’t give up on yourself, princess.”

“So, what are you going to do about this?”

Chief shook his head and fell silent. It was a long moment before he spoke again. “I was afraid something like that would happen. Kelly is under a lot of stress– an awful lot for a ten-year-old to cope with. She has no way of expressing her frustration. No outlet for her anxieties, being cooped up and watched, day and night- it’s getting to her.”

“I know. I took her into Springdale today just to break the monotony. We had a pretty good day, I thought. But then she wasn’t her usual self, either. She was real quiet and too well behaved.”

“I’ve made a decision, Maggy.” Chief's eyes rested on his eldest. “Actually, I’ve been mulling it over in my head for some time now. I just never felt I’d be able to carry it out. To let her go.”

“What do you mean?”

“This incident,” Chief started and shook his head. “Damn. Now she’ll think its some kind of punishment.” He stood and went to the cupboard and retrieved the bourbon. He raised the bottle in Maggy’s direction, but Maggy declined the invitation. Chief poured himself a glass and set both the bottle and the glass on the kitchen table next to his hat. He took his seat once more and stared at the inch of bourbon in his glass. “I just can’t stand seeing her like this. She has so much energy and now, without an outlet. Well this was bound to happen.” Chief sipped the bourbon and returned his glass to the table.“I’ve decided to send Kelly home with Martha after the wedding.”

“She’s not going to like that.”

“I know. But what else can I do? To see what this is doing to her. At least in Four Oaks she’ll be safe. She’ll be able to play outside. She needs to vent. Right now she’s bottling it all up- like she’s bottled up.”

“Does Aunt Martha know?”

“I’m going to ask her tomorrow night when she gets here. But I’m sure it will be fine with her, she’s extended the invitation before. Kelly, now, is a different story. I don’t think I’ll let her know until I put her in the car next to your aunt. At least that way, it wont ruin her Saturday.”

“Speaking of tomorrow, Chief, what are your plans?”

Chief searched his daughter’s face. “Mort and I have a lead to follow up. We’re going into Berritts Hills first thing, after breakfast. By the way, I’ve invited him to stay for breakfast." 

“That’s fine. I only ask,” Maggy said examining her father’s head. “Because it is getting awfully close to Saturday and you still need a haircut. If you don’t mind getting up a little earlier, I can cut it for you before breakfast.”

Chief smiled at her. “I haven’t even thought about that. Yeah, that will be fine.”

Maggy rose. She picked up her magazine and clippings. “Then I’ll see you around six on the back porch.”

Chief nodded and watched her disappear from the kitchen. He took another swallow from his glass and again looked at the coloring book right in front of him. Shaking his head he drained his glass, rose from the table and set the glass in the sink. He returned the bourbon to the cupboard and followed his daughter’s path up the stairs. At the head of the stairs he detoured and went to the guest bedroom. He had to push extra hard to move the chair still propped up behind the door.

Kelly lay asleep on the guest bed despite the loud screeching the chair legs made against the wooden floor. Chief noticed how small and helpless she looked sleeping on a bed much to big for her. She slept clutching one pillow tightly while a second completely covered her head. She trembled in her sleep.

Chief crossed the room and pulled the pillow from her face and replaced it under the child’s head. He loosened the blankets that were twisted around her feet free. Then after covering his child, he tucked them under the mattress. He kissed her forehead before leaving the room, making sure the chair was replaced into its own corner and away from the door.

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