“But she’s only ten years old for Christ’s sake!”

“That’s irrelevant.”

“Irrelevant!”

“It’s not the child he’s obsessed over- it’s her soul.”

“What? This is ridiculous. Do you know what you’re saying?”

“You were once a close friend of Mr. Blackney’s?”

“That’s exactly why I find this situation hard to stomach.”

“You knew about his abuses.”

Chief stared at the doctor, his posture growing reflective. “Yes. I knew. His father beat him... the constant bruises...” Chief sighed. “He’d start fights with just about anybody to cover up the origin of them. I knew where they came from, though. There didn’t seem to be a way out of it... being a child, you feel helpless against the attacks of an adult. Given what I know today, perhaps something could have been done.... Hell, I don’t know.”

“There were few laws protecting children from the abuses of a parent, Chief Broden. Not much could have been done about the beatings.”

“It’s a hell of a world, isn’t it, Dr. Freedman?”

“It’s a wonder anybody survives their childhood.”

Chief regarded the doctor closely. “This doesn’t explain why he wants my daughter- childhood beatings. One has nothing to do with the other, Doctor.”

Dr. Freedman considered the Chief of the Middleton Police. They were in his office: a small room adjacent to the prison infirmary. The room was narrow; bookshelves lined the walls, taking up the majority of the limited space. The shelves themselves were completely packed with thickly bound textbooks and research material.

“His abuses went deeper than just the beatings, Chief Broden. His mother also sexually abused him. To him sex is not an expression of love ... to him it is a play for power ... for control. A way to gain full control over someone else: mind, body and more importantly, soul.”

Chief rubbed his face with his palms. “My daughter,” he whispered. Then he looked at the doctor. “Why? Why does he want control over her?”

“His mind does not work logically. He will not just be gaining control over your daughter, but her mother as well as his own.”

Chief looked at the doctor, wondering if he heard the gentleman correctly. “What?”

“To get to the heart of this case, we’d have to go back far into Fred’s past. The two of you were friends, he’s mentioned that.”

“We were closer than most brothers.”

“Your family took him in after his parents’... suicide?”

Chief regarded the doctor. “They did.”

“It wasn’t a suicide,” the doctor said smugly.

“I know,” countered Chief.

“You knew?”

“I re-evaluated the case after Fred was arrested. Gathered together all the evidence Chief Baker put together...”

“And?”

Chief drew in a breath of air. “A piece that he missed, I had all along. Didn’t even dawn on me back then, when it happened. We were just kids- who’d have thought...”

“What?”

Chief swallowed. “Baker had no motive. And the doors were bolted from the inside, what else could Baker call it but a suicide. He didn’t know about the loose panel that slid out of place near the outside brick of the furnace. Funny,” Chief sighed.

“What’s that?”

“You tend not to see the dirt when you’re a child. You overlook the sludge that lurks just below the surface– everything is just a bright sunny day.”

“Thank god for childhood.”

“For some of us...” Chief muttered.

The doctor leaned back. “Yes,” he agreed. “For some of us. Not all of us–”

“Not Fred.”

“No, not Fred Blackney. His destroyed him,” the doctor said rising to his feet. He moved to the back of the room. From behind a large, leather-bound book, he produced a bottle. “Would you like a drink, Chief Broden?”

“No, thank you,” was the reply.

“I think you should,” the doctor said. “Because it gets rough after this.” 

Without waiting for Chief to respond the doctor poured two rather full glasses of bourbon. He handed one to Chief, who set it down next to him on the doctor’s desk.

“I’m listening,” Chief said and attempted to prepare himself.

The doctor took a swallow of the thick brown liquid. He felt its warmth bite into his hollow stomach. He pushed his wire spectacles further up his pointy nose, and then sat back into his leather chair. He was a man who'd seen it all. Administering to these monsters had taken a toll on him over the years. He had lost his faith in humanity several years ago. Now it was a struggle to just get through the day. Of all his patients, Blackney was by far the most twisted. 

He looked intently at Chief and rubbed the gray wiry hair at the base of his balding head. “Your friend, Fred... young Fred Blackney was obsessed with a girl by the name of Katherine Warren. Did you know her?”

“She was my wife, but I have a feeling you knew that.”

“I did,” admitted the doctor. He took a sip of his drink and again turned his hawkish face to Chief. “Did she resemble his mother?”

The remark sent Chief back into his chair. Twice he started to speak, but thought better of what he was going to say. He picked up his own drink and took his first swallow. “I guess so... they both had blond hair, blue eyes. Both slight in frame. But Katherine was different.”

“He knew that too. He’d call that difference ‘power’ or ‘light.'”

“What are you driving at?”

“The incident that pushed him over the edge. He was at the brink most of his life. He developed an alter ego to deal with the pain, abuse and neglect of his parents. Fred Blackney was a classic case of a split personality.”

“That’s ridiculous. I would have known.”

“It’s because of the dual personalities that you didn’t know. He easily concealed his guilt of wrong doing because, frankly, he didn’t know of his guilt. This alter ego dealt with the bad stuff. It was the other, darker personality that killed his parents; that committed the depot murders. It was he that killed the young lady in Middleton. Fred Blackney knew nothing about it.”

“Everybody has their own hell, don’t they doctor?”

“Yes. Only Fred Blackney’s hell seems larger and darker than that of the rest of us.”

“I’m listening,” Chief said, bracing himself with another swallow of bourbon. He knew what was coming. But he didn’t want to hear it.

The doctor also took a swallow. He sighed heavily. “If you can grasp the concept of a man split in two, with a dominant and subordinate personality...”

“Yes. This isn't the first time I've heard the term."

“Then imagine a constant war going on within the man- a war for control of the being. The first personality, the original personality–the boy you knew, the personality that you saw on the street, that you called ‘friend’ had no idea of the personality lurking within him. Because a long time ago he had forgotten he ever created that other persona.”

“The tiger,” said Chef, resignation in his voice.

Dr. Freedman looked at him. Perplexed he asked, “Why do you use that phrase?”

“That’s what my daughter calls him.”

The doctor nodded as though he was just handed the final piece to a gigantic puzzle that, up until now, had him stumped. “ I see,” he mused. Then he continued, “Where was I? Oh, yes. The two personalities are in constant battle. Fred and the tiger. At the time of creation, Fred was the dominant personality, the tiger the subordinate. The tiger took the abuse, it wasn’t Fred who was being beaten, abused and molested. That was the tiger. It was the tiger that killed his parents, for the abuses against him. Fred himself had no reason for the act. He was not the victim, the tiger was. But it was Fred who was obsessively in love with Katherine Warren.”

At the mention of Katherine’s name Chief looked up. His eyes met the doctor’s.

“And by now,” the doctor continued, like a professor delivering a lecture. “We know what ‘love’ was to Fred Blackney. It was control. But he couldn’t have her (no control) because you, Chief Broden, already possessed the girl’s love. She told him as much during one of his advances. He knew before you did her desire for you. Confusion, adolescence being a constant state of confusion as it is, add Blackney’s background ... the tiger sensed the boy’s rage at being rejected– at losing the control– and the tiger made its own move. Its only purpose was to take what it wanted– to take that control. And the tiger felt he had need of the girl’s soul. Much in the same way it believed it had need of your daughter’s. It attempted to take Katherine Warren. It attempted rape.”

Chief was horror struck. Katherine had never mentioned the incident. It had always been apparent that she distrusted Fred. She never allowed the children to be left alone with him. She was subtle in her actions. Never actually stating the intentions, but rather arranging the circumstances to preclude any interaction with the man. When asked about it, she’d answer, “He’s your best friend. I won’t stand between that.”

“She never mentioned it,” Chief whispered. The doctor saw the pain in his eyes.

“It was Fred that pulled the tiger off her before it was too late. The hesitation allowed her to get away.”

Chief drank the remaining bourbon in his tumbler and handed it back to the doctor. The doctor refilled it and waited while Chief set the glass down next to him. “Doctor, please continue.”

“It was that incident… at that moment in young Fred’s life... that he lost control of his very being. The shock at finding himself poised and ready to ‘attack’ his first love; the confusion of not knowing how it came to this point ... His feelings for the girl were true, Chief. He loved her. Even though he was confused about how to handle that love. The tiger wasted no time in using that confusion. It saddled Fred with the guilt of its actions, rather than taking that guilt for itself, as it did with the sexual relations with Fred’s mother. For the first time since its fabrication the tiger had a foothold and a shot at ultimate domination of the ‘being.’ He allowed Fred on the surface to function normally. The act fooled even his closest friend. At night the tiger prowled. He killed animals at first. Its first human kill was Fred’s parents–”

“The logistics don’t work, Doc. The rape... attempted rape, had to have occurred well after the murder of his parents. Katherine moved to town when we were sixteen. The Blackney’s were killed the day before Fred turned thirteen.”

The doctor rubbed his chin. “I don’t understand the correlation either, Chief. The traumatic occurrence that released the tiger the night of the murder seemed to be well guarded when speaking to Blackney or should I call him the tiger? I could not unlock that door. I do know that the tiger was dormant during his stay at your father’s house, after you took him in. It was the incident with the girl that unleashed him the second time. Afterwards the tiger was at war for control of the being. Subtly taking control whenever Fred Blackney let down his guard. Whenever Fred became weak, or rested.”

“What do you mean, weak or rested?”

“Anything that clouded or weakened his mind, Chief.”

“His drinking,” Chief said.

“Fred was an alcoholic. He drank to keep the memories buried. Whenever they would rise, he’d drink to put them down. If he drank too much, he weakened his frame of mind. Then the tiger would take over. It was this “touch and go” this mental “dance” that the two souls engaged in for many years. The tiger peeked out periodically. There was an incident during Fred’s military career where he butchered his enemies.”
“I didn’t hear of that.”

“No. You had already left for home.”

Broden sighed. He regarded his glass, still half-full of drink. “Why did he kill the girl? Mary Lou Crawford?”

“To regain lost control, Chief. The tiger was alive and growing, waiting for its chance for complete control. It played Fred against his demons. When it gained control, it was thirsty for revenge. It started with animals.”

“The heifers in 1922?”

“Heifers? The ‘tiger’ did not mention heifers.”

“Interesting.”

“The animals I’m referring to were pets, strays. When the animals were not enough, the tiger turned to human beings. Men like Fred’s father. The men at the depot were just extensions of that first kill. He had been killing Clive Blackney over and over...paying him back for years of abuse. By killing Mary Lou Crawford the alter ego, this tiger, gained revenge over Fred’s mother. The girl was also blond, blue-eyed, like his mother. However she was also similar in build and coloring to Fred’s first love.”

“Katherine.”

“Yes. And the tiger uses the incident, the attempted rape, to control Fred. Fred lost a large part of himself that night. That night is an embodiment of one of Fred’s demons. One he can’t rise above. He drank to forget that horrible night. And by drinking he made himself weaker as the tiger became stronger. The killings became more violent, more inhuman. The tiger began to feel invincible,” the Doctor paused and looked squarely at Chief. “That is, until he met up with your daughter.”

Again the words brought Chief around. He looked at the doctor. “What about my daughter?”

“She was able to see through the smoke screen. She recognized the tiger- saw it for what it was. It now feels threatened. It tried to kill her at the depot, but she was able to reach Fred. She brought Fred out, gave him strength to fight. Fred stopped the tiger from killing your daughter at the depot, the same way he prevented the rape of your wife. But this time, the tiger viewed it differently because until then, the tiger had Fred under control. Now Fred was back. Fred gained control that he was able to hold. I think he only slipped once during the period between the murder witnessed by your daughter and the teen aged girl. The day the child, your child, was thought to have drowned.”

“You think that was why he lost it?”

“I believe Fred felt he got his strength from her. He gave up on himself that day. The tiger slipped in and killed a man. But again Fred pushed him down. Until the day the girl died, Chief. That was the tiger’s revenge. That marked the day he took complete control of the ‘being.' Fred Blackney is dead, Chief. Killed by his alter ego– the tiger. Now all that is left is your daughter to stand in his way–”

“Why?! It got what it wanted didn’t it? Why the hell is it fixating on Kelly!”

“It believes the child posses a power– an inner strength. Energy. It wants that power for itself. She reached the unreachable before... she may do it again. Putting all that aside, there’s the resemblance to her mother. Another who had recognized the tiger for what it was. It believes Katherine lives inside the girl. By gaining control over your daughter, he will even gain access to the one that got away.”

“Through rape,” muttered Chief.

“Yes. That’s how he was taught control. Domination. He believes he had already gained power from the men he killed, and the girl he raped and brutalized by the tracks. But your daughter is magical to him. Something he just can’t pass up. He believes his salvation depends on that possession. He’d go to the grave before giving up the chance of tasting that power, Chief. I’m sorry.” 

“That sick son-of-a-bitch.”

“Yes,” remarked the doctor. “He is a very sick son-of-a-bitch.”

“You learned all that in just six months.”

“He didn’t try to hide a thing from me. He didn’t care. I think he knew he was going to be free.”

“How?”

“He made a statement to the fact. He said, ‘Don’t worry doctor, soon I’ll be out of your hair.’ When I asked him how that was so, he answered, ‘Because you can’t cage a tiger for very long. We get free.’”

Chief caught his breath. He could feel the perspiration beading at the nape of his neck. He eyed the doctor for several seconds, then reached for the bourbon. Chief took two swallows then replaced the glass on the desk.

“What’s the matter?” asked the doctor.

“Doctor, what would you say if I told you my daughter had a nightmare last night. She had no way of knowing Fred escaped. But she dreamt of the tiger. She heard it crash through its cage, men screaming. It chased her through the woods until it had her cornered. Meat hung from its teeth. At the last moment, just as it struck, her dog jumped out from the brush to save her. But the tiger was too much for the dog and it killed the dog. Ripped the dog’s head off. I woke my daughter last night, just before the tiger had her. We talked about the dream. She told me the tiger got out. I told her the truth, how could I tell her different? She informed me men were killed. How’d she know?” Chief paused. The doctor was about to answer when Chief interrupted. “I tried to comfort her, doctor. Do you know what she said?”

The doctor shrugged and shook his head.

“She told me it was all right. That it was supposed to be that way. She said, and I quote, ‘you can’t cage a tiger for very long. They get free.’ What do you make of that, doctor?”

The doctor’s face had drained of color. He shook his head and shrugged. “Coincidence?” he ventured.

“Do you really believe that?”

“I don’t know,” the doctor answered quietly. “The tiger said she was part of his world.”

“Part of his world? What world?”

“He never gave it a name. I didn’t tell you all of it...”

“I’m waiting.”

“He believes she’s a part of him- that the only way for him to be whole is to join with her. To meld.”

“Good god,” Chief whispered. “Are you saying he’s after her ‘essence’?”

“Yes, as I stated earlier, he’s after her soul.”

“He believes he can get to that by raping her–”

“And killing. The rape will join them together, the death of her flesh, will release her spirit- both spirits...” The doctor swallowed. “He will feed on them.”

Chief bit his lip. “Jesus,” he whispered after a while. He took a breath of air and stood. He turned to the racks of books and asked, “Doctor, how do I catch him?”

“I don’t know,” answered the doctor. He truly didn’t know. He had searched for the answers since the escape. The man, or animal, was completely unpredictable. He had one goal: to dominate little Kelly Broden and kill her. “I have a secretary keep transcripts of all my sessions. A habit immoral in private practice but here, because release of a prisoner is decided by the entire staff of psychotherapists, the transcripts are necessary. You are welcome to borrow them. Maybe they will help determine what his next course of action will be. In general, a fugitive with a statewide APB will need help, especially if he intends on staying in a small area of which the authorities are aware- like Middleton.”

© Copyright 2025 C J Driftwood. All rights reserved.