Page 59 of Caged
Danny took a deep breath. He never thought he'd be entering the home again. He reminded himself that Marshall was with him, and there were two armed police officers by his side as well. He'd be okay. Larry was gone and couldn't hurt him anymore. He made his way into the house, swallowing hard as the stale smell caught him. He'd hated the way the house smelled. The windows were never open, the door was always locked, there was no escaping it. "This way." He hurried to the back bedroom where he'd been forced to sleep every night. Pausing in the doorway, he stared at the small crib mattress he's slept on every night. "He would think I was asleep." He pointed to the mattress. "He'd get up at night and get into the small hole under his nightstand." Danny stepped to it and went to move it.
"We've got it." The older officer said as he used his gloved hands to move the nightstand to the side.
It didn't appear that there was any opening there, but Danny knew better. He dropped to his knees and drew his finger around the outline of one of the floorboards. "It's this one."
"If you'll step back," The sergeant said.
He stood and found himself pulled tightly to Marshall's chest.
"You okay?"
Danny closed his eyes, inhaling Marshall's scent. "Yeah." He turned slightly to watch the officer struggle to get the board up. "Larry used a pocketknife to pry it up."
The older officer handed the sergeant one from his pocket.
After a minute of trying the board lifted. Danny leaned forward, wanting to see what was inside.
The officer pulled items out one at a time. A notebook, two thumb drives, a stack of photographs, another notebook, an envelope that was sealed and looked thick with papers, and a cell phone. Then after a moment of feeling around, he brought out a bundle of money wrapped in elastic bands.
"If this was for emergencies, why didn't he grab it before he left?" Danny asked.
"Fear. He didn't have time. He knew I was calling the police and just ran. His fear of getting caught was stronger than his need for whatever was in there," Marshall said softly.
The officer bagged the items and stood, turning to Danny. "Thank you. I don't think we'd have ever found it. Since you're here, is there anything else you think we might have missed?"
Danny nodded. "In the closet." He pointed to a small closet door to the side of the room. "In there is another panel in the back wall that comes off. It's not very big, and I never saw what he would put in there."
The older officer went over and knelt inside the closet. He moved some shoes out of the way, then tapped on the wall with his flashlight. "Ah, sneaky." He glanced over his shoulder before looking back at the wall. A moment later there was the jingle of keys. He straightened, holding up a large keyring with several keys on it. "Any ideas what these would go to?"
Danny shook his head.
"Looks like house keys." Sargent Gilbert shrugged. "I'll have to look at the evidence list again, but I don't recall anything else with locks on them."
Marshall kissed Danny's forehead. "Anything else?"
"No." Danny mentally walked the house, trying to think of anything else that was hidden. "That's all I ever saw, but it doesn't mean there aren't more in other rooms."
"We'll double-check everything," the officer assured him. "Thank you for your help."
"Glad I could give it." Danny leaned against Marshall, suddenly tired and not feeling as strong as he had when he'd come into the house.
"We're going to go, but we're right next door if you have any questions," Marshall told them, gesturing toward his house. "Come on, let's get you out of here." He turned Danny to go out first.
Danny didn't look back as they walked away. He went with Marshall into the house and it wasn't until he was safe on the couch that he dared breathe deeply. "Thanks for getting me out of there."
"That place is something else. I don't know how you survived. It just feels ominous." Marshall sat down beside him.
"Yeah, and the smell. I'd try to clean enough to make it smell better but never could get the musty odor to leave. I loved it when Larry would hold the front door open for a minute to do something and I could get a little fresh air." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I want to know what the journals they found say."
"So do I." Marshall rubbed a hand down Danny's back. "Maybe if it goes to court, we'll hear something."
Danny wasn't sure if that was what he wanted or not. The thought of sitting in court, telling everyone what had been done to him caused his chest to tighten. Still, if it kept Larry from hurting others, he'd do it. "I hadn't even thought about the hole in the floor. He'd only gotten in it twice and both times I had to fake being asleep. I thought he kept a weapon there or something, but I was never left alone long enough to look."
"I saw some of the pictures. They were of the boys," Marshall told him.
"Probably some of me too." Danny sighed. "I hate that anyone will look at that stuff."
"So do I, but it's evidence. That's the kind of stuff that will make sure Larry never sees freedom once they catch him."
