Chapter 8
"Oh, Stop worrying, Len, you are such a creep sometimes. So what if Lloyd knows. He's not God you know, hell, he's nothing. Claire had it coming and you know she did. It wasn't your fault if the little cunt led you on. You gave her exactly what she wanted."
"I don't like it." Len said.
"It's over with, damn, you are so fucking boring, Len. Just drop it. The girl is a devil, she's always been a devil. He'll find out about Claire, you wait and see."
"I still don't like it."
"You piss me off so much. This is why I left you in the first place. You sit around moping all the damn time worrying over things that happened years ago. I get so tired of it, Len, I really do."
Len smirked at Lizbeth. He was pretty tired of her too. He didn't know why he'd gone back with the witch. All she wanted was his money. She didn't care about him or any man. Dizzie Lizzie wanted to use him just the way she used everyone.
"Get the fuck out, Lizbeth." Len said.
"What?"
"You heard me, just get out. I don't want this anymore."
"Give me a break, Len, you can't do without it." Lizbeth said, lifting her skirt and exposing her panties.
"I used to think so too, but I don't think like that anymore, baby. I am sick of the sight of you."
"Len, if you do this to me again, I swear, I'll never come back to you. You throw me out again and I'll make you pay dearly for it."
"I'll take my chances, Lizbeth. Go on, get out. I'm sick of you and your twisted philosophy."
"What are you going to do, Len, make it up to her? You can't you know, and besides, Claire begged you for it, you said so. She's a cock teasing she devil, Len, it wasn't your fault."
"I raped my own sister, Lizbeth!" Len shouted.
"She wanted it."
"No! Claire didn't want it, okay. I was angry. I was trying to get back at you for humiliating me in front of the guys, Lizbeth. You're the pig around here. I lied to you about what happened. Claire fought me like a tiger. She was in tears. She was hurting and I didn't care. I beat and raped my own sister, Lizbeth, and it was your fault. You drove me to it and I won't let you do that to me again."
Len ran to his dresser drawer and pulled his pistol. He pulled back the hammer and cocked the thing, putting it to his head. Lizbeth was frantic. She couldn't imagine he'd do it, not really. She reasoned he was trying to scare her.
"Come on, Len, stop this okay." she asked with a cautious tone.
"I've lived with the nightmares long enough, Lizbeth. I can't stand another one, not one more. I had no right to hurt Claire that way. She's my sister for God sake."
"She's a bitch, Len! A cock teasing bitch who used you. It wasn't your fault, you told me she wanted it, now put the ... "
Len fired the pistol. The bullet flew through the air hitting Lizbeth in the face. She fell to the bedroom floor.
"You've done it now." he said out. Len was smiling. He enjoyed seeing Dizzie Lizzie on the floor, but Len knew he had to finish the job and he turned the gun on himself.
Claire was being paged when Lloyd found her in the locker room and she excused herself. Lloyd asked to meet her as soon as she was free and Claire agreed. She ran out leaving Lloyd and Eddie alone.
"Hey Lloyd." he said.
"What were you two doing in her, Eddie?" Lloyd asked, his face flush and angry.
"Nothing."
"Don't give me that, I heard the noises. Were you and Ms. Banner getting it on or what?"
"Hey, give me a break." the young tennis player said nervously. "Me and Claire were just talking."
"Claire? You call her Claire?"
"Hey, it's her name, okay."
Lloyd got up and came up to the boy. He stared him in the eye demanding he answer the question, but Eddie held off.
"You better start talking, boy." Lloyd said angrily.
"Come on, man, I can't tell you what was going on, it wouldn't be right."
Lloyd didn't need to hear anymore. He knew by Eddie's answer that he and Claire were having sex together. It pained him to think of it. Claire with a student. Claire with anyone but himself made his stomach turn. She said she loved him.
Lloyd ran out of the locker room and went back to his office. He sat down hard in his chair and cried for a long time, then he jumped up and started clearing out his desk. He was leaving Lake View, there was no other answer. He couldn't stay knowing Claire was making it with the students. He had to get away.
"Lloyd?" Claire said, coming into his office and closing the door. "I just talked to Geoffrey." she said. Her face was pale. Lloyd's was red with rage.
"Geoffrey found them." Claire said with shock.
"Who?" Lloyd asked.
"Len and Lizbeth. They're dead, Lloyd, both of them."
Lloyd felt more and more confused. His emotions over the locker room incident had his stomach in knots, and now this. He didn't know what was going on. Everything was happening too fast.
"What do you mean they're dead?" he asked with a nasty tone.
"Len shot her then himself. Geoffrey is at the morgue now. I have to get down there, Lloyd, will you drive me?"
Lloyd wanted to smack her, not drive her, but his gentle manner took over and he agreed to take her down. He figured there was plenty of time for them to talk about Eddie after they got back. Lloyd and Claire drove to the morgue. Geoffrey met them in the lobby. He looked as pale as Claire.
"I can't believe he did this. Len and Lizbeth, gone. I can't believe he'd do such a thing."
"I know, Geoffrey, I know." she said.
"What happened?" Lloyd asked.
"He shot her then killed himself. I think he couldn't take it anymore, Claire. He was upset over what he'd done to you."
"Oh, God, Geoffrey." Claire said realizing Geoffrey was right.
"Lloyd, take her home for me will you. I have to make the arrangements." Geoffrey asked. Lloyd agreed and they started out of the building.
"Claire?" Stanley said, coming in as they were leaving.
"Stanley? What are you ... Oh, God, Lizbeth." Claire said, realizing.
"Stanley, don't speak to her." Margaret said, tugging at her husband's arm.
"Margaret, leave me alone!" Stanley snapped, pulling his arm away. "Claire, I'm so sorry about your brother." He said.
"Sorry? Stanley, it was her brother who murdered my sister!" Margaret shrieked.
"Lizbeth got what she deserved, Margaret so just shut up!" Stanley shouted. "I knew all about her, Claire. Lizbeth was a terrible person."
"Stanley, I've got to go." Claire said, lowering her face.
"Claire, wait, please. I want you to come back and work with me again."
"Stanley!" Margaret shouted.
"Will you, Claire, will you come back?"
"Stanley, this isn't the time or place, okay. We can talk about this some other time. I've got to get going. Call me later, we'll talk then."
Claire took Lloyd's arm and started out of the building, but Margaret turned around and ran after her grabbing her hair and yanking her backward.
Lloyd tried to get Margaret off Claire, but she was too vicious. Stanley grabbed his wife kicking her until she let go of the girl. Claire was shaken but unhurt.
"You little bitch! This is all your fault." Margaret screamed. "You never liked Lizbeth, you and your brothers never wanted her around. She told me all about you and your brother Len. Lizbeth knew all about you, Claire Baby. She told me how you made him take you. Lizbeth told me everything."
"Shut up!" Claire screamed and Lloyd pulled her out of the building then whisked her off to the car.
"What in hell is going on, Claire?" Lloyd demanded, driving away faster than a race car driver during the big race. "I want to know what's going on here. You better tell me what happened between you and Len. You owe me the truth!"
"Nothing happened." she screamed.
"Don't give me that, something did happen and I demand to know the truth!"
Lloyd was livid. He wanted answers. First the fight at Geoffrey's and then the locker room incident and now this with Margaret Lane. Lloyd wanted some answers and he wanted them now.
"I don't have to take this from you." Claire said, opening the car door and jumping out. Lloyd couldn't catch her in time. Claire jumped out of the car as he was rounding a corner. He slammed on the brakes bringing the car to a stop, but Claire had already fallen out. She was in the road not moving and Lloyd got out and ran back to her.
"Claire, my God, why did you jump?" he said.
"Go away." she said, her voice weak from pain. Blood dripped from Claire's nose and mouth and Lloyd almost fainted seeing her leg bone sticking out of her flesh. He jumped up and shouted for help.
Lloyd made supper and took it into the living room. The apartment seemed too quiet without Claire and he began to sob. She'd knocked lose three teeth and broke a leg in two places, but she was fine. They had her resting peacefully and planned to release her in the morning. Lloyd wanted to see her, but Claire refused to talk to him. He was heartbroken about everything. He still had no idea what Claire was doing in the locker room with Eddie but he didn't care anymore. He just wanted his girl back safe in his arms.
Len and Lizbeth were gone now. No longer would Claire have to suffer worrying if Len might try raping her again, at least, that's the way Lloyd saw it. He believed Claire was telling the truth about that awful night. He had no choice but to believe. Lloyd loved the girl and wanted to marry her.
Lloyd wasn't expecting company and when his door bell rang he jumped from surprise. They rang it again just as Lloyd opened the door.
"What are you doing here?" he said.
"May I come in?"
"Why, there's nothing we have to talk about." Lloyd said.
"Oh, I think there is." Geoffrey said, stepping past his friend and coming inside. Lloyd was angry with Geoffrey. He didn't like the way Geoffrey treated Claire at the morgue. He blamed her for Len's death and Lloyd yelled at him for it.
"I think you need to hear this, Lloyd." Geoffrey said, sitting down.
"I've heard enough for one day, thanks."
"You need to hear more, Lloyd."
"What are you doing here, Geoffrey? I meant what I said this afternoon. You shouldn't be here."
"Listen to me, Lloyd, there's something you need to understand about Claire."
"I don't want to hear any more about Claire, Okay. I'm tired, Geoffrey, I'm sick to my stomach with this. I know all about Claire Baby. I know she's lied to me. She wasn't a virgin, I know all that."
"That's not all, Lloyd." Geoffrey said, sitting back against the cushions. Lloyd looked at his friend. He wasn't up to it, but it was obvious Geoffrey intended to tell him just the same.
Lloyd wanted everything to run smoothly again. He wanted his sail boat to glide through the water like a knife through warm butter. No more stories about Claire, no more revelations to destroy his fantasy about loving her. Lloyd wanted to wake up and find out it was all a bad dream. The deaths of Len and Lizbeth, the accident with Claire, the locker room. He wanted to wipe it all from his mind and wake to find Claire Baby asleep in his arms.
"Sit down, Lloyd." Geoffrey said. "I know you don't want to hear this, but it's important for you to understand what's taken place here." he said.
"Geoffrey?" Lloyd begged.
"I'm sorry, Lloyd, but you deserve the truth."
"What difference will the truth make now? Will it bring back Len and Lizbeth, will it heal Claire's leg? The truth is I'm tired of all this, Geoffrey. I don't want any more surprises tonight, I can't take any more tonight."
"Len did force himself on Claire, Lloyd. He raped her just like she said." Geoffrey blurted. Lloyd listened. He needed the truth even if he wasn't quite up to it.
"Len used to play poker with the guys every Wednesday night. You knew him, Lloyd. You knew how he was always looking for the easy way. Good old, Len, hoping to strike it rich without working for a living. When we were younger, Claire and Len used to get along. They'd play together and sometimes take showers at the same time. Mom and Dad never knew it. They'd have had a fit if they had known. Hell, for a long time I didn't realize, but then one day I caught them together."
"I don't want to hear this, Geoffrey."
"You have to, Lloyd." Geoffrey said sternly. "I know it's uncomfortable for you. I know how you feel about Claire, but that's why I have to tell you the truth. You're my friend, I care about you. I don't want to see you hurt anymore and if you don't hear the whole truth you will be." Geoffrey said. "Claire and Len were in our bedroom when I caught them. He was holding a wad of money big enough to choke a mule. Len had hundred dollar bills in his hand, about fifteen of them. Claire was tied up on Len's bed. He'd bound her with my mother's stockings. Her wrists were tied tight and she was strapped to the headboard. Her legs were apart and she didn't have a stitch on."
"Geoffrey, please." Lloyd begged.
"Two of Len's friends were holding Claire's legs apart and she was being fucked by some guy I didn't even know, hell, Len didn't know him either!" Geoffrey shouted.
"Please, Geoffrey, don't. I don't want to hear this, okay." Lloyd begged. He got up and paced the room. He felt sick hearing the truth, but Geoffrey continued.
"I didn't know what to do, Lloyd. Len was counting money and poor Claire was being taken by these guys, it was awful. The man wouldn't stop when I told him to get off. He kept humping my little sister. He told Len to get rid of me when I tried pulling him off. I wanted to kill him, Lloyd. I swear to God, if Len hadn't held me I'd have murdered the bastard right on the spot, but Len held me back. He just held me until the man finished with Claire."
"God, Geoffrey, please don't say anymore, I get the picture." Lloyd said.
"No, not quite, Lloyd, I thought the same thing. When the man left, he went out the God damned window, Len let me go. I ran over to Claire and untied her. I pulled her off that bed and was rescuing her from Len and the others, but Claire struck me, Lloyd. She's the one who put this on my face." Geoffrey said, showing Lloyd his scar. It was a long scar to his face running from the corner of his left eye all the way down to his chin. Lloyd had seen it many times before, but he never asked Geoffrey where it came from. He figured it was better to ignore it.
"Claire gouged me, Lloyd. She screamed at me for busting in without permission. She wanted things the way they were. Claire and Len had been doing business for months and Claire was making money hand over fist. She wanted those men to fuck her, Lloyd. She and Len were doing what they wanted to do. It was only when Claire tried to pull out of the business a couple of years later that Len raped her. He'd never touched her before."
Lloyd didn't flinch. He didn't make a sound. He listened to Geoffrey and felt sick. He wanted to forget he'd ever heard it and just wake up to find it all a nightmare.
"Claire was over at my place one night. We were playing poker. Len was there too. He'd invited several guys to join in the game. Hell, I had no idea he'd collected from them already. He'd gotten a hundred a head from them with the stipulation that while the rest of us were laying poker the odd man out would be in the bedroom poking Claire."
"Len was scrounging. He'd managed to find two guys who looked like left over's from a gang fight. He brought them to Claire and told her what she had to do. They paid for head, Lloyd, but Claire refused to do it. She said she wouldn't not suck cocks like theirs and they told Len they wanted their money back. He was pissed."
"So, he raped her, right?"
"Yeah, right. Len had gambling debts and he needed that money from those guys, but when Claire refused he became angry. She tried telling him she wanted out of the business, but Len wouldn't hear of it. Hell, after two years of making close to three grand a week, Len wasn't about to give it up. He beat her, Lloyd. Len beat the crap out of her and then he raped her."
"Where the hell were you when this was going on, Geoffrey? Why didn't you stop him?"
"I couldn't. He had his friend hold a gun to my head while he did it."
"He raped her at your place?" Lloyd asked.
"Yeah, in my living room."
"Where were you?"
"In the living room. I was made to watch the whole thing."
Lloyd sat down. He was shocked and stunned. He couldn't imagine a brother treating his sister that way. Not a sister as sweet as Claire Baby. She was good and pure, he thought.
"She tried to fight him off, Lloyd, but she couldn't. She scratched and clawed at him, but Len kept on until he was finished."
"What happened then?"
"The other guys took her."
"The scuzzy ones?" Lloyd asked making a face.
"Yeah, both of them. They sodomized her."
"What did you do after it was over?" Lloyd wanted to know. He was heartsick by it all.
"Nothing, what could I do?"
"Jesus, Geoffrey, something!" Lloyd yelled.
"Claire wouldn't let me, she said the whole thing was her fault. She knew the risks, Lloyd. Claire wasn't a naive little girl. She'd been fucking guys for two years that way, she knew the score. Len just got angry at her, but Claire said it was her fault. There was nothing I could do."
"I'd have killed him." Lloyd said.
"Claire wouldn't allow it."
"Did she quit after that?" Lloyd wanted to know.
"Sort of."
"What do you mean, sort of, did she or didn't she?"
"She quit charging."
"What, she did it for free after that?"
"Yes, she tried to quit all together, but after so long in having men she couldn't do without it. She took on as many as she could, always teasing them and sending them away, but always giving in eventually. Claire is what Lizbeth said she was, Lloyd. A cock teasing devil. Claire is a whore, man, the worst kind of whore. She takes on as many men as she can get, Lloyd, she loves cock, the girl can't go more than two days without fucking. She likes it, man, she thrives on it."
Lloyd said nothing.
"Do you hear me, man? I'm giving you the truth. The girl is BAAAAAD news, man!"
Lloyd heard.