She wasnt really sure why any kid would be crying or wanting to leave this play space. His playpen was constructed to cover an area that was a good fifteen-by-fifteen feet long and wide. He could crawl onto his scooter, play with his toddler walkeror any number of the amazing toys in the carefully constructed play box in the play area.
Despite being spoiled rotten, Noah Ballantine was a sweet and affectionate baby. He had taken to Vickie right away, which had helped her earn the position. She adored him in turn.
He wasnt screaming or crying out with his few words when she reached the parlor; he was staring into what appeared to be blank space. And then he began to laughthe way he did when they watched Little Baby Bum videos and clapped and played.
His interaction with blank space made Vickie curiousand uncomfortable. She told herself that she was just spooked. She silently cursed herself for not asking George Ballantine about the open doorhe would have said something to reassure her.
What ya doing, my little love? Vickie said, stepping over the playpen gate and hunkering down by the baby. He truly was a sweetheart. He looked at her and gave her a brilliant smile and clapped his hands.
He was blessed with huge hazel eyes and a thatch of rich sandy hair and couldnt possibly have been a cuter boy.
He clapped his hands again.
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker man! Bake me a cake as fast as you can! she said. Roll it, and poke it, and mark it with a B, and then put it in the oven for my baby and me!
He responded with more laughter and smiles, and then looked aside againas if someone else was there.
Okay, okay, creeping me out there, kid! Vickie said. And, by the wayP.U.! You stink-um, dink-um! she told him. You need a diaper change.
She swept him up, climbed over the playpen gate and headed for the stairs.
She stopped halfway there, hearing a tapping at the window. It seemed that her heart caught in her throat.
Just branches in the wind, branches in the wind...
But if she didnt check it out, shed scare herself all night. Cuddling Noah to her, she headed to the window and held her breath as she drew back the drapery.
As I expected! she said, keeping her voice filled with funshe wasnt about to scare the baby. Branches! Rude! How rude of them to tap at the window like that.
Noah thought it was all great.
Up the stairs we go!
Noahs room was a fantasy playland. His crib and dressing table, changing table, floor mat and toy chest were all done up in a jungle motif in pastel blues with an elephant theme. She grabbed a diaper and the wipes and made quick work of the change.
She felt her cell phone buzzing and answered it quickly, balancing Noah in the crook of her left arm. Her mom always called to make sure she was okay. Vickie was always afraid if she didnt answer quickly, her mom would have cops at the door. But it wasnt her mom, it was Roxanne Greeley, one of her best friends.
So, the cats are gone, eh? Party, party? Roxanne asked her.
No parties. Im earning my money for college.
Roxanne giggled. I know youjust teasing. If I were to head over for a wild and wicked party, that would be the two of us doing our toenails once the little guy fell asleep. But...
But what? Vickie asked.
Hank Fremont does think you should spend more time with him. I overheard him talking about his brother getting him some beer and then him heading over to surprise you, Roxanne said. Some of the guys he hangs with were egging him on. Telling him hes the coolest dude in the school and if hes dating you, well, you should be cool, too.
Not to worry. I informed Hank this is serious work for me. College is serious for me.
Ah, well, one day maybe youll be president of the country! And then Ill have wild, wicked parties doing my toenails with the president! Anyway, I warned you.
I told him not to come. He wont. So Ill see you tomorrow? Shopping, right? Were going to the mall. Sushi at the ridiculously good place in the food court?
Were on.
Her phone was ringing again as she finished with Roxanne; it was Hank. She shook her head, smiled at the baby, and answered.
Im on my way, my love, Hank said, trying to make his voice huskydeeply, manly rich. Vickie shook her head at the baby with exasperation. He loved it.
Dont be. I told youI wont let you in, Vickie said. Hank, this is serious for me. You need to be more serious. If you dont hit a few books instead of beer bottles, not even your athletics will get you into college.
Hey, were only young once! I already have beer and a pizza. Come on, thats a super-cool house. Ill be there
Come, and Ill call the cops, she threatened.
Bitch!
I mean it, Hank.
Well, you know, we could be over.
We will be eventually. Maybe now is a good enough time.
Vickie hung up, aggravated, and set her phone on the babys dresser.
Theyd been through this before. Hed apologize tomorrow. Hed beg her to stay with him. But everything she had said was true.
Maybe this is the right time to end it, huh, Noah?
Noah laughed and clapped.
And then they both heard a thump. Noahs eyes widened; Vickie jumped.
It had come from the atticshe was certain.
Now she did freeze. For a moment, she couldnt even remember to shake it off quickly for the baby.
She waited. Nothing more.
Had a branch fallen on the house?
Or had Hank Fremont not taken her refusal seriously? Could he possibly be there already, up in the attic, or outside? Maybe, like in the movies, hed actually called her from inside the house or right outside the house!
No, hed been a jerk tonight, but usually he kind of listened to her. But he was a high school senior surrounded by a few guys who were taking a long time to reach anything that resembled maturity.
No. Hank would not be that big a jerk. But the house was closely surrounded by big trees.
Thats ita branch, she managed to say at last, realizing that her hold on Noah was tightand right when he looked at her, his little face puckered into what might have turned into a cry.
He smiled instead. Bick-bick! he said. It was his name for her. He was beginning to talksometimes his words made sense. He was good with mama, dada, bye-bye, and kit-kat. The Ballantines didnt have pets, but Noah had a great stuffed kitten that sang songs and told nursery rhymes and he knew to ask for his kit-kat when he wanted the toy.
Lets go back downstairs, she murmured. Maybe well look at your food packs and you can point at one and well choose your late-night snack that way!
Noah clapped his hands. He was, however, looking past Vickietoward the door. There was something about the way that he was looking that caused her to spin around and stare.
But no one stood in the doorway.
You know, Noah, Bick-bick is going to have to stop this. There are a lot of horror stories about babysitters. The phone rings, and theres no one there. Just breathing, or something like that. We, however, have a great alarm on this house!
Except the door had been ajar. Before the alarm had been set.
She was really doing it: scaring herself. If she went off the deep end, the Ballantines would never ask her back.
Except the door had been ajar. Before the alarm had been set.
She was really doing it: scaring herself. If she went off the deep end, the Ballantines would never ask her back.
Television! We will turn the television on. It will talk and be...well, it will be fine, she said.
Once downstairs, she couldnt find the remote control for the mammoth television screen that was just the right distance from the play area to make certain Noah wasnt too close.
She looked all over the roomin Noahs toy box, everywhere.
Shaking her head, she took the baby with her and headed for the kitchen.
The door remained locked. She couldnt help but check.
The phone rang and she nearly jumped a mile high. It was the house phone.
This was itwhere the babysitter answered the home phone and someone just breathed into her ear.
She let it ring. And ring.
She heard the message machine kick in out in the parlor. And then her mothers voice.
Victoria? Victoria, are you there, sweetheart?
She picked the phone up. Mom?
Yes, its your momremember me? Her mother asked dryly.
Her muscles were so tense she had to pray the baby didnt feel her fear.
She forced herself to breathe. Mom, why didnt you call my cell?
I did. You didnt answer, her mother said.
Vickie felt in her pockets. Nope, her phone wasnt on her. Where the heck had she left it? Oh, yeah, shed set it down upstairs after talking to Roxanne.
Sorry. Its here somewhere. Anyway, whats up?
You were supposed to call and tell me that you got there okay.
Mom, I thought you were planning on calling me. Also, I graduate in June. And Im going to college. You just wont be able to check on me every minute.
I know, I know. But thats June. Ill get a grip by then. Its just...well, when you go to the Ballantine house, I cant help but think about their son...their older son.
Well, Im here, Im fine, baby is as well. I havent bounced him off the roof yet or anything.
Her mother laughed softly. Youre a great babysitter, Vickie. And dog-walker and student and daughter. Youve worked very hard. Youre going to love going to NYU. Mrs. Ballantine will be almost as heartbroken as me when you head off.
Mom, Ill be in New York. Its only a four or five hour drive. Look, I promise Ill bring home lots of laundry and come home for food and the whole bit, okay?
Noah let out a squeal of delight. He was looking over Vickies shoulder again.
I hear the little darling. Okay, sweetie. Go and take care of him! her mother said.
Love you, Mom.
Okay, take care of the little one!
Noah let out a delighted laugh once again.
Vickie barely managed to hang up the phone. She spun around. There was nothing there.
Nothing.
No one.
She almost picked up the phone to call her mom and ask her to come over. Or maybe she could call Roxanne back. Nope. She had assured Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine she did nothing but babysit. She didnt have friends over.
Including male friends?
Not to worryshe especially didnt have male friends over!
She took a deep breath and headed back into the parlor.
There, on the footstool in front of one of the antique rockers, sat the remote control.
And her cell phone.
She hadnt put them there!
This time, fear shot through her with electric sparks. She set Noah down quickly in his play area, afraid she would startle, scare or hurt him.
She made herself breatheand breathe again.
Okay, I just didnt see it before, she murmured to herself. Right thereright on the footstool, but somehow, Ive gone blind. What do you think, Noah? I didnt set the phone down upstairs, I did that down here. And I just didnt really look for the remote control. Im too into you!
He was such a delightful baby. He looked at her and clapped his hands together. She forced a smile and looked at her watch.
Six oclock. Full dark on a wintry Boston night. Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine wouldnt come home for hours.
And now, because shed seen too many horror movies, she was allowing herself to let her imagination run wild.
George and Chrissy Ballantine had been there when she arrived. There was no one else in the house.
Breathe, kid, breathe, she told herself. Ah! Well, its here. She grabbed the remote control as if it were a lifeline. Why didnt your parents get one of those remotes that just lets you talk to the TV and turn it on, huh? You know, like, TV! Go on. Bring me to a really cute little kids show!
Noah clapped and made a few oohing noises.
Vickie turned on the television. From the corner of her eye, she felt as if someone passed by her. She spun around, looking everywhere; there was no one there.
Crazy. Your Bick-bick is going crazy, Noah! she said.
She didnt know why, but she found herself looking at the family portraits that flanked the massive granite mantle.
Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine to the right.
Dylan and Noah to the left.
She swallowed hard and turned her attention to the flat-screen television.
It was tuned to a news channel. A reporter stood before a huge building in Suffolk County, warning listeners that two prisoners had escaped that morning from the South Bay House of Correction.
They had feigned illness in a planned escape; they had taken the guns used in their escape from guards they had left critically wounded.
One, Reginald Mason, had already been captured after a shootout with police at a convenience store. Two civilians had been wounded in the gunfire.
Residents of the Greater Boston area were warned to be extremely careful. Mug shots of the men were shown, with the footage then zooming in on the face of one Bertram Aldridge. Six years ago, hed terrorized the area, becoming known as the Southside Slasher for the horrible way hed murdered his seven known victims. Hed liked to tease law enforcement with letters to the newspapers, telling them FBI stood for Fat-Butt Intelligence and BPD stood for Billie-Prick-Dicks.
Police were out in force, and they expected to find the second man quickly, since he was local and had ties to the area. Past associates of the man were under investigation.
She realized she and the baby were staring at the screen as the reporter continued to numerate the violent crimes committed by the men. Bertram Aldridge, still on the loose, was known for butchering his victims with a knife, but he was familiar with firearms and had shot several officers during his original arrest.
No, no! she said aloud, and she began to flick the button to change the channel.
There were tons of news channels. Every one of them seemed to be covering the escape.
At last, she found a Disney cartoon, one that she loved herselfThe Little Mermaid.
Singing crustaceansyep. They were good for now.
Then the air in the room seemed changed, and again she felt as though someone else was there. Right there with her in the room.
The baby was clapping and laughing.
That was good, of course. Because, inwardly, she was freaking out.
The door was locked; shed checked.
But it hadnt been before. Shed heard a bump. And her phone...
She could rememberat least she thought she could rememberputting it down upstairs.