Eighty-Seven

The road to Lynn’s house was darker than usual. The trees seemed to swallow the road ahead of me. I knew the risk of driving out on the island during a storm but Lynn hasn’t responded to any of my texts in 24hrs and that’s unusual. I tried calling her sister Sunni; she also didn’t answer. I’m about 12 minutes from Lynn’s place and the rain is pouring down. Now, the roads are wet and the small street lights only light up a small circumference of sidewalk directly under the light. The streets were empty. It felt a bit eerie but not uncommon for everyone to secure their work places and close up early to secure their homes with their families before a big storm.

I met Lynn at camp the summer before my freshman year of high school and we have been best friends ever since. Lynn would come visit me on the island and I would go into the city to visit her. Eventually, Sunni and Lynn moved to Marie Island from Manhattan. Their parents gave them an ultimatum after graduation; college or move out together and get jobs. When my mom and I found out about the ultimatum we thought it would be a great idea for Lynn and her twin sister Sunni to get jobs on the island and rent a house with me. We did and it was great. Sometimes I miss those days. Lynn and I remained close but eventually Sunni found interests of her own; surfing and teaching yoga on the beach in the mornings and moved out. Not many people moved onto Marie Island, most of us were born here.

When I arrive, the driveway was already puddling with rain water. The wind nearly knocks me down as I stumble out of the car. As I approach the front door, I realize it has been almost three months since I’ve visited. Life has been so busy, but Lynn and I have been staying connected through Facetime and voice text messages. I moved out when I got married and Lynn’s art studio has turned into a traveling gallery taking her all over the world. We’ve had no time to see each other. Lynn finally has time off from traveling because she is very pregnant and the baby will be here any day.

I knock; no answer. I normally wouldn’t worry but I’ve got a strange feeling in my gut. As I make my way around to the backyard the thunder and lightning seem to demand the attention of anyone in its way. I am completely drenched but I need to just get my eyes on Lynn and see that she is okay. I packed an overnight bag to stay with her for the evening. It’ll be like old times. Just me, her and this big beach house. Lynn shared with me a week ago that her and Sunni were not in a good space. It has been weighing on her with the baby so close to arrival. Lynn and Sunni have always had an on and off again relationship. Sunni was a free spirit and she craved the opposite of structure unlike Lynn. When Lynn got pregnant, we honestly didn’t even think Sunni would care too much but she began to stick to her sister like glue. If it was up to Sunni, Lynn would have been home for the entire nine months of her pregnancy doing nothing but yoga, breathing exercises and eating healthy. I however was the one mailing all her cravings in a care package to where ever she was in the world.

The back door is always unlocked. I let myself in, I hear music blasting from the back room. A sigh of relief, she couldn’t hear the door, or her phone. “Lynn! Girl, you can’t keep ignoring my calls, so close to your due date no less” as I am approaching the music I hear a deep voice. I slow down my steps. Lynn paid a lot of money for a good donor to get pregnant and her last boyfriend was two years ago. Why would there be a man here? I look around for something to defend myself; just in case. Keys, phone, my attitude? If this is an intruder, I’m a goner. I peek into the room hoping I will see whoever it is before they see me. “MITCH?!” I yelled without thinking. Mitch is Sunni’s crazy ex-boyfriend. The guy was OBSESSED with the fact that Sunni had an identical twin. Sunni was blind to his obsession; she thought Lynn and I just didn’t want her to be happy. It is crazy to watch someone intentionally choose delusion. One time Mitch wrapped his arms around Lynn from behind claiming it was an accident and he thought it was Sunni; but Lynn and Sunni had different lengths of hair at the time. I will never forget Sophia’s Birthday Night out when Mitch walked right up to Lynn and Sunni and kissed Lynn and then when Sunni reacted, he gave a goofy and immature “whoops”. Sunni thinks its harmless, but I’ve seen how he observes the two of them when he thinks no one is looking. Almost with hunger in his eyes; practically drooling but also with an unnerving aura. I stand there in the doorway dripping water all over the floor confused. “Mitch what are you doing here and where is Lynn? I’ve been trying to get in contact with her.” Mitch just stood there for a moment like he had seen a ghost. “LYNNNN” I shouted. Out of the bathroom comes Sunni dressed in a satin night gown and slippers. I could tell she was fresh out of the shower by the smell of vanilla following her into the room. “Jess! Hey, what are you doing here?”. Her voice was calm and welcoming but Mitch was still just standing there staring. “You’re clearly in need of some clothes, looks like you got caught in that mess outside. Mitch stop staring.” He chuckles and heads out of the room. Why were Mitch and Sunni in Lynn’s home; Sunni has her own house. Sunni handed me a towel. I began to explain, "I haven’t heard from Lynn and with the baby coming so soon I got nervous. I decided to come check on her since the storm is supposed to hit the island pretty bad.” I am drying my hair and face with the towel. Sunni walks out into the living room and I follow. “What do you mean you haven’t heard from her?”. Sunni sits on the sofa with a look of worry. “Lynn had the baby four days ago and told us she was going to a post-partum facility called Rosebud in the city near you and she would be back in a couple months. Mitch and I have been staying here some nights to keep the house alive.” Sunni’s eyes are full of water and worry. I didn’t mean to freak her out.

Although a post-partum facility, getting pampered and alone time with her daughter definitely sounds like something Lynn would do; she wouldn’t do it without telling me. Especially not in a facility near me. I take a step back and stumble into Mitch. “Woah! Jess!? Why do you both look upset?”. Mitch helps me get my balance and I notice his feet are wet. “Were you just outside?” I ask. I look at them both and they look at each other. “Jess drove all the way out here because she hasn’t heard from Lynn!” Sunni explains the details to Mitch as he takes a seat next to her. “I thought Lynn hadn’t contacted me because she had Jess close, and you know how the two of you are more like twins than Lynn and me.” Sunni’s overall disposition went from concerned to annoyed for a split second. She delivered that last part with a smile that was understanding, but not accepting. I always suspected Sunni had an issue with how close Lynn and I are. It wasn’t something we forced to happen, it just happened. The summer we met we were inseparable; I knew we would be friends forever.

Mitch stood up. “Let’s call Rosebud and confirm that she’s checked in. Jess, please stay with us tonight.” Mitch looked at Sunni as she quickly agreed. “You have to, I would never send you out in this mess”. I nod and head out to grab my things from the car. The weather is really bad, I can barely see my hands in front of me. As I am walking back to the front door I see a pink piece of paper in the floor of the passenger seat. I open the door grab it and shove it in my pocket as I run back inside. When I walk in Mitch and Sunni are no longer in the living room and I am honestly glad. I need time to think. My old room is still just as I left it so I head there and get out of my wet clothes. Sunni knocks on the door. “Here are some towels and slippers. I want to wait for you to call, will you call? Please.” Sunni seems to have the same daunting feeling that I do; I understand why she doesn’t want to call but one of us has to so, I agree. Sunni welcomes herself in the room as I head into the bathroom. “I’m just going to wait for you in here. I’m having Mitch make us some tea.” I take a quick shower; when I come out the bathroom Sunni is looking at a picture that I kept on my dresser of the three of us. “I miss this version of ourselves sometimes. You and your mom saved us. When Lynn and I made a pact to explore life before considering college Marie Island isn’t what we imagined but living here shaped the success we have in our lives now”. She sighed putting the picture down. “I’ll let you finish settling in, meet me in the kitchen”. I smile and nod as she leaves the room.

“Dear God please let Lynn be okay, Amen”. As I go to grab my wet clothes from the bathroom floor I notice the pink piece of paper. The ink was smudged from the rain; “I knew you would come for me. Basement. Help. 87”. Lynn! 87 was our little term of endearment. Our very own “I love you”. My heart was beating out of my chest. My initial instinct was to run downstairs and show the note to Sunni but I hesitated. How long has this note been in my car? I haven’t heard from Lynn in almost two days now and Rosebud is near me. The beach house doesn’t have a basement and neither does my condo. Could she have made her way to my place in danger and was unable to let me know? Could Sunni and Mitch be lying? I can’t show them this note. We used 87 any time we helped each other in any sort of way. Rather its needing physical support or emotional support. I pick up my phone to read our last texts. Lynn was telling me how nervous she was to give birth. She also mentions that Sunni and Mitch were overwhelming her with visits and a million questions about future plans. I shove the note in my bra and put on my PJs. Just as I am heading downstairs to the kitchen the power goes out. Luckily, I know my way around this house. “Sunni! Mitch! The power is out upstairs.” I yell as I make my way down the stairs. Sunni immediately responds, “Yeah! We’re in the kitchen, we have candles.”. As I cross the dining room into the kitchen, I am met with plenty of lit candles. “Ugh. I was hoping the power wouldn’t go out. Lynn doesn’t have a generator. Mitch and I are going down to our house to get flashlights and our generator. Keep your phone close and stay away from the windows. We can call Rosebud in the morning. We need to save our phone batteries.” Sunni paused in her speech as if she expected me to tell her not to go. Was it dangerous to go out in this weather absolutely, but this will give me some time to think about the note from Lynn and look around the house for clues.

I grab my phone and look up “Rosebud Post-Partum Facility”. It says that this facility is temporarily closed. Liars. They have been lying. Why? My fight or flight is at an all-time high, but if Lynn is here somewhere in or around this house I will not leave until I find her. I locked all the doors and began opening every door in the house. With every roar of thunder and slap of a branch against the windows I became more anxious and frantic. I’m not sure how quickly Sunni and Mitch will be back. The power came back on and that music began blasting again. I wander back into Lynn’s office to turn it off when I hear a light repetitive tapping. I knock on the floor to see if I would get a response. The tapping sound responded with eight taps and then seven. “LYNNNN” I scream. No response. I knock on the floor eight times and this time I hear seven loud knocks from the wall to my left. Just as I am going to approach the wall, I see Mitch and Sunni roll into the drive way. “LYNN”; my heart sank. “Sunni and Mitch are back; but I will not leave this house without you”. I press play on the music, turn the volume back up and return to my tea cup in the kitchen just as Sunni enters the house with flash lights in hand. “I guess we don’t need these” she laughs. “Mitch is setting up the generator just in case we lose power again and then we are heading to bed. It’ll be all hands-on deck to clean up the island tomorrow. You know how it is out here after a storm. I’m hopeful that one call to Rosebud in the morning will ease all of our minds”. My insides were boiling; how can someone lie so well?

Two hours had passed, I could hear Mitch snoring and I could only assume Sunni was sleep as well. I went back into Lynn’s office looking for a door. I softly tap on the wall eight times and Lynn softly tapped back in the exact same spot. It was like I could feel her through the wall. The next thing I heard was a door knob jiggle but where was the door? I pressed hard on the wall and it opened, exposing another door with a key in the lock. I opened the door to find Lynn looking untamed and in distress. “Jess?” I heard Sunni approaching the room so I went into the door with Lynn and closed it. She quickly and quietly rushed me over to a small space where her daughter was laying, smiling with the cutest chubby cheeks I had ever seen. My eyes full of tears I whispered, “What is going on?”. Lynn pressed her finger on my mouth and pulled out a notebook. “I have been down here for three days. Mitch and Sunni want to take the baby. I think they plan to kill me and take her”. She points to a corner full of tools that definitely look like they have something horrible planned. “How did you get the note in my car?” I wrote. “Mitch still has a soft spot for me. I heard your voice the moment you entered the house. I convinced Mitch to let me outside for fresh air, he knew I wouldn’t run in this weather; so, I snuck it in there. This door leads to outside but they lock both doors from the outside. When the sun comes up Sunni will come down here to give me bread and milk. We need a plan.” she wrote. I start to scan the room; I had no idea all of this was down here. I look over at the tools in the corner. “We are not spending all night in here. Get them to come down here. I will hide and attack on your count” I wrote.

Over the next hour we came up with a plan. Mitch came down first and Lynn convinced him to remove the chains on her ankles. As soon as he bent down I wacked him repetitively with the hammer until he was no longer moving. I would do anything for my best friend and her baby. I didn’t wait for Sunni to come down I went to find her. “Jess! The storm is over; are you okay”? she asks harmlessly. “I am going to ask you this once Sunni, where is Lynn?”. Then Sunni notices the hammer and tries to run but not fast enough. After, I called the police and now here I am.

“Thank you so much for sharing your story with me, a true example of love and loyalty without bounds. I know you are awaiting your appeal but we are rooting for you. I will have someone contact you when the documentary is posted. I was told Lynn and Jessie visit you once a week, is that true?” The woman leans in to grab my hands that were cuffed to the table. “Yes, they visit weekly. I am happy that they are alive and well. I did what had to be done.”

I smile as the woman gets up to exit. I would never tell anyone that Lynn is the one who murdered her sister and Mitch. Jessie needs her mom. I’m just glad I showed up before the cops did. 87, forever.