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~Present Day~
“How is our patient now?” Jeannie asked.
Suzie looked through the observation window at the one sleeping heavily on the lone mattress in the padded room and replied, “Finally asleep.”
“Good, haven’t seen one this agitated in a long time,” Jeannie stated, “Oh and your relief should be here in 5 minutes.”
“Thank goodness!” Jeannie exclaimed, “I’m dying here! I need a smoke like no one’s business!”
“It’s going to be a long night, Jeannie. Make good use of your break because there won’t be another. Got word that emerg is still going crazy.”
“Figures. It has to be the full moon. Always brings out the strange ones, doesn’t it.”
-1986-
After everyone returned and resettled, Officer Harris indicated to Mary-Anne to begin where she left off.
“It was really late when we left Falkland. By the time we hit Revelstokke, the sun was up and I was hungry. Daddy stopped at a Husky for breakfast. It was really full of truckers but there was a table with only one person sitting at it. That was Tracey. Daddy walked over and asked if it was okay to share the table and she said it was.”
Mary-Anne turned to Lisa and Robert.
“She was very pretty. I remember she had long blonde hair and big blue eyes. And a really pretty rose tattoo on her chest. She was wearing a shirt that kinda showed it but not really. But she saw me looking and I remember, she winked, then pulled her shirt down enough to show me. And she laughed. Said it was a secret and to shhhh.”
Lisa lost all colour. Robert gasped. Bobby sat straight up.
“That was the one detail no one knew!” Robert stated, “We kept that from the media. Tracey hid from us that rose tattoo and we never knew about it until after she disappeared. Her friend told us that Tracey got it done one week before she drove off to Ontario!”
“Have you ever spoke of the tattoo at all? Even when you believed Mary-Anne was not around?” Officer Harris asked.
“No” Lisa whispered, “Never. And the file, you’ll see there is no reference to the tattoo. Bobby didn’t even know about it.”
Officer Harris turned to Bobby, “Is that true, son?”
Bobby replied, “I never knew my sister did that. I know she told me that she was going to do something silly, like get her belly button pierced or a tattoo but she never did. Well, she never told me she did.”
“OK, then let’s assume Mary-Anne is telling the truth,” Officer Harris stated, “Mary-Anne, let’s continue on.”
“Well, we had a really nice talk with her. Tracey said her friend was being hurt and she had to go to help her. When Dad asked where, Tracey said in Ontario. And they both got talking lots more. Then Tracey said she had to leave as she was on a schedule. She gave me something, let me go get it, ok.”
Mary-Anne jumped up and ran to her room. Upon returning, she gave Officer Harris a thin gold-coloured chain with small heart locket attached. He passed it over to Lisa. Lisa’s tears flowed hard as Robert confirmed it was Tracey’s.
“So Tracey left. I really liked her. After we were done breakfast, we took off and drove to Alberta. And this is where it becomes weird. Because my Dad said it was time for lunch and pulled right in – beside Tracey’s car.”
“She was there in the truck stop. We sat down at her table and I remember she laughed. Said something about how funny it was that we met again. And daddy said something about it being a small world.”
“Mary-Anne, do you remember if your dad talked in Revelstokke with Tracey, about the route she was planning to drive?” Officer Harris asked.
“No, I don’t. I’m sorry.” Mary-Anne replied.
“It’s ok, I’m amazed how much you do remember,” the officer stated, “let’s continue on.”
“Well, no matter what, we seemed to be in the same place as Mary-Anne. It was getting really weird. Finally somewhere in Saskatchewan, daddy suggested we just drive together. Like not in the same cars but together. So we would eat together and stuff.”
“He said that way he could help if her car didn’t work right. But, umm, well, umm, this is really hard, ok” Mary-Anne stammered, “Her car didn’t work right ‘cause we did stuff to it. Like he told me to put sugar in her gas. Said it made the car run better. And he did something to the motor. I remember ‘cause he had the hood up when I put sugar in her gas.”
She turned back to Robert and Lisa, “I’m really sorry. I guess that made the motor not run. I’m really really sorry.”
“Honey, you were only 4 years old, how could you know?” Lisa stated, “It wasn’t your fault.”
“I guess so. Well, we were driving to Winnipeg, I think, and following Tracey. Daddy kept saying he hoped he made her car work better and I remember, he’d say that then wink at me. Like we were holding a secret or something. Anyways, I had to go pee so we lost her for a bit. Daddy was mad. I mean, really mad! He couldn’t find her and he yelled real hard at me. And it was really dark, so we stopped at a motel and her car was there. So we got a room and in the morning, we followed her out.”
“Mary-Anne, I just want to get some things clear,” Officer Harris interrupted, “In Saskatchewan, your dad started to mess around with Tracey’s car. So she started to have problems.”
“Actually, Daddy was looking in the motor when we saw her in Alberta” Mary-Anne stated, “and then when we crossed into Saskatchewan, her car started to have problems. Then when she stopped in Saskatchewan, at the funny name place, the one with Moose in the name, that’s when he told me to help her by putting sugar in the tank.”
“Ok,” Officer Harris replied, “It was after she started to have problems that your dad suggested driving together. So he could be there to help her out if the car broke down?”
“Yes that’s right.”
“But while following her, you had to go to the bathroom and as a result, your dad lost her.”
“Yes that’s right.”
Officer Harris looked over at Lisa and Robert.
“Now, you both received a call on that night from Tracey. Did she mention anything about car problems prior to the breakdown in Winnipeg? Or anything that seemed out of the ordinary?” he asked.
“No,” Robert replied, “Wait! Lisa, didn’t she say the car was acting funny after leaving Moose Jaw?”
“That’s right!” Lisa stated, “And she said some guy was helping her out and it was ok. But you wanted her to come home. Then she called from Winnipeg and said it was a leaking radiator. And you all know the rest.”
“Ok, Mary-Anne, seems we are on track, let’s continue,” Officer Harris stated.
“Daddy was mad. He didn’t go to sleep. He stayed up drinking. He said she needed to be taught a lesson for disobeying him. I was really confused because I didn’t know what she had done that was so wrong. He was driving really bad and it scared me. Then we saw her pull over at a rest area. When she got out, Daddy pulled in and he was really mad.”
“Mary-Anne, are you okay?” Officer Harris asked, “Can you keep this up or should we break for the day?”
“No, I can do this. I know I can.” Mary-Anne stated, worried she’d lose it and never get this part out. She shoved it down inside, the fear and continued.
“Daddy jumped out of the car and ran to Tracey. I ran after him and told him to stop. He pushed me and I fell. Tracey ran over to me but I told her to run. Daddy grabbed her and shook her real hard. Her keys fell out of her hands. Before she could scream, he pulled her by the hair into the bush. I ran after them, screaming for daddy to leave her alone. But he was really drunk and wouldn’t listen. He dragged her through the bush and I heard water. He stopped real fast and I almost fell over. There was a cliff with water running over it.”
Mary-Anne wiped away the tears as she took a deep breath. Maggie moved her chair over by Mary-Anne to give her support. Bobby moved from his chair over to his parents and tucked in between them. Lisa and Robert held one another’s hands tightly as Mary-Anne continued.
“He tore her clothes. He started to hurt Tracey like he hurt me. I told him, stop daddy, I’m your sugar bear, leave her alone. I pulled him real hard. I did. I kicked him. I told Tracey to run. Then I…I…”
“It’s okay, Mary-Anne. You are doing really well.” Officer Harris stated, “Just take a deep breath, now blow it out. You can do this.”
“I backed up and put down my head. I ran really fast right into them. And I, Oh God! I hit Tracey and she fell backwards. I couldn’t stop her. I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I tried to stop her! I really did! But she fell! She fell into the water and …. Oh my god! She fell! I’m so sorry!”
Lisa jumped up. She grabbed Mary-Anne, pulling her close to her chest, “It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart, it wasn’t. You were only 4 years old. You tried so hard. You only meant to stop your dad from hurting her. It wasn’t your fault.”
Mary-Anne sobbed. Robert took them both in, holding them tight. Bobby sat alone, refusing to cry. Refusing to feel. He had to be strong for Mary-Anne. It would be what his sister wanted. He would stay strong for her. For Mary-Anne.
He got up and walked to Mary-Anne. Kneeling down, he found her eyes and stated, “I love you still, Mary-Anne. And I’ll never stop loving you, never.”
Mary-Anne looked up.
“Me too, Bobby. You are my hero. You always will be. I hope one day to be as strong as you.”
© 2001
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