Hazel's Night of Defiance | Pt II: Episode 13

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome back to Vanishing Shadows. Ifyou want to listen to the entire part
three of this story, sign upon Apple Podcasts and experience the full magic
of this captivating tale. In thelast episode, when I removed my sunglasses
in the SPA parking lot, Leewas horrified by my injured face, my
traumatized demeanor. When I asked herto come into my house to set me

(00:24):
free, she agreed. The moneyand the new identification were secondary. She
was scared for me. She feltcompelled to save me, and in return,
I would send her to jail fora murder she hadn't committed, but
it was the only way I couldbe free of one man to start over

(00:46):
with another, a man who woulddo anything for me, even kill for
me, the same man who hadjust punched me in the face. Later
that night, my hands pressed intothe cool marble countertop as I leaned close

(01:06):
to the bathroom mirror. The bruisewas a deep navy blue, almost black.
A small blood vessel had popped inmy eye, leaving a red spot
on the white surface. It nolonger hurt, but it was hideous.
I turned and lifted my shirt.The bruises on my back were fading,
the skin an ugly shade of greenand yellow. I looked at myself clinically

(01:32):
and dispassionately. Who was this pitifulcreature, so beaten and battered? How
had she let it come to this? I turned away from the stranger staring
back at me and focused on theplan. Slipping out of the house that
night was easy enough. While Benjamincontrolled the surveillance cameras with a nap on

(01:53):
his phone, I simply angled theone over the back door to face the
wall. Benjamin I notice, buthe'd blame the wind, and by the
time he got home from work he'dforget to adjust it. Tomorrow, Jesse
would climb the steep, overgrown trailfrom the beach, creep through the forested
backyard, and let himself in throughthis door. My husband didn't consider it

(02:17):
a vulnerable part of the house,but he'd always underestimated me. I scrambled
down to the beach and walked aroundthe rocky point. The late spring sun
still hung lazily in the sky,though it was almost nine. I clamored
to the spot where Lee had oftenparked her car. It wasn't there,

(02:38):
of course, she was spending thenight at Jesse's. It was all part
of the plan, and she'd beeager to show him her pretty haircut,
her smooth skin, her sexy bikiniwax. My mouth tasted bitter as I
called and requested a taxi. Thedriver picked me up in the secluded area

(02:58):
without question. An uber would haveleft a record and zoomed past the black
suv parked at the end of mydriveway. Nate, the security guard,
dozed in the driver's seat. Hehad no reason to suspect I was not
inside the good wife Benjamin's obedient slave. As long as I returned before my

(03:19):
husband did, I could slip backinside unnoticed. The cab deposited me a
block away from Jesse's apartment. Canyou wait, I asked the driver.
Leave the meter running. He nodded, and I walked efficiently toward the sixth
story building. It was a drab, sturdy cube, lacking in character and

(03:40):
in need of maintenance. As Iapproached it, I turned right slipped into
the alleyway. Jesse lived on theground floor at the back of the complex.
Most of his windows had bars onthem, but there were two on
the side that opened freely. Thestench of garbage hit me as I passed
by dumpsters, and a creature scurriedbehind one, sending a shiver through me.

(04:06):
The first time I'd visited, Jessehad explained that the place was temporary,
just until he could get back onhis feet. Soon he'd be living
in the lap of luxury if allwent according to his plan. The blinds
were closed, but I saw thefaint lamp light glowing from the living room.

(04:27):
Jesse and Lee were in there,side by side on that sagging gray
sofa. What were they doing?Making out? Making love? We was
so into him. She thought theirrelationship was real. Jesse was such a
good actor. I pushed the mentalimage of the two of them from my
mind and pressed forward. Creeping downthe side of the building, I crouched

(04:53):
below the kitchen window. It wasslightly ajar. That meant Jesse had tossed
the keys out already. It wasdark now, and I worried I might
have to use the flashlight on myphone. But when I felt around in
the crisp grass and the pungent needlesfrom that big fir tree, my hand
touched something metal, the keys,dropping them into my bag. I stood

(05:17):
and pressed my uninjured eye to thecrack in the window. All I could
see was the kitchen, the countertopcluttered with herbs, the papery wisps of
onion skins, the red ring froma bottle of wine. She had cooked
for him, something French and delicious. I heard low voices, Lee's gentle

(05:41):
giggles. She was happy, shewas in love. Jesse had handled her
so well. With the keys inhand, I soon found the Toyota parked
on a nearby side street. Itwould be visible from the open kitchen window,
so I crouched low and let myselfin through the passenger door. Lee's

(06:01):
Corolla was looking more like a carand less like a home on wheels.
In fact, a couple of jacketson the back seat were the only evidence
that Lee lived in It was shekeeping things at Jesse's. I'd left my
own shampoo there, some cleanser,and a hair brush. I hadn't thought
to look for Lee's belongings, butit was likely they were there. She

(06:26):
spent more time at the apartment thanI did. Tentatively, I felt under
the driver's seat for the knife,careful not to cut myself. When I
retrieved it, I held it inmy hand, felt the weight of it.
I'd seen it before, but hadn'trealized its power. It was too

(06:46):
sturdy for the kitchen, a huntingknife. Probably where would an unassuming woman
like Lee have gotten it? Itraced the dull side of the blade with
an index finger, wondering if she'dever used it. I couldn't imagine it,
but Lee had been surviving on thestreets for months. She'd had to

(07:08):
be tough and brave. What ajury believe that she had plunged this weapon
into Benjamin's chest? Jesse thought so. An electronic beep sounded, sending my
heart into my throat. My Applewatch was alerting me to the time.
Benjamin would be home in about anhour, and I needed to beat him

(07:30):
there. Dropping the knife into myshoulder bag, I climbed out of the
car. I hurried toward Jesse's buildingand tossed the keys in the letter L
tag under a dying boxwood bordering thewalkway. I turned and jogged away in
the back of the cab, Igingerly touched the bruised skin of my cheek
bone. As we raced north onI five. My mind replayed the scene

(07:55):
of Jesse's fist plowing into my face, and my insides twisted. I thought
about him making love to Lee,manipulating her, tricking her into falling for
him. As the car took theexit that curled toward the coast, the
wooded road that led to the waterfront enclave, I felt the outline of

(08:15):
my friend's knife and my bag.Abruptly, I sat forward. Stop here,
I said, we were still overa mile from my house. The
street dark and desolate. The driverglanced at me in the rear view mirror,
mildly perplexed, but he turned onhis indicator and pulled over. I

(08:35):
paid him cash and climbed out intothe chill night. The trail toward the
beach was overgrown and treacherous, butI made my way down to the ocean
in the darkness. I was almostthere when I stumbled, sliding on loose
rocks, landing on my bruised back, but I did not cry out.

(08:56):
I clamped my teeth together, gatheredmyself up, and pushed toward the sound
of the gentle waves. The oceanwas black but for the lights of the
mansions glimmering off the surface. Aspit of craggy rocks jutted out into the
Pacific, and I tentatively picked myway across them. It was risky in

(09:16):
the darkness, but I wouldn't usemy flashlight. I couldn't draw attention to
myself. When I reached the finalrock, I took the knife from my
back and with a strong overhand throw, I chucked it into the sea.
A brief sensation of peace settled overme. I was protecting my friend.

(09:39):
I still had a moral compass,however, askew. And then I climbed
back up the trail and I walkedhome, slipping through the back door unnoticed.
I was safely tucked up in bed. When Benjamin returned. My black
eye pressed into the pillow. Wellin the morning, I would have to

(10:01):
address it, but I'd be ready. Are you asleep? His voice was
loud in the quiet room. Itwould have woken anyone, but I kept
my eyes closed, breathing slow andsteady. My husband knew I sometimes took
a sleeping pill that would render mecomatose. I pretended to sleep as I

(10:22):
listened to him undress use the bathroombrush his teeth. Eventually, he crawled
into bed beside me, rolled overand went to sleep. I lay perfectly
still, my eyes closed, tearsdampening the pillow. What the hell happened

(10:45):
to your eye? There was noconcern, only outrage. As Benjamin entered
the kitchen, I poured him acup of coffee, my hand barely trembling
as I set it on the breakfastbar. I hit it with a dumbbell,
I said, with a sheepish chuckle. I'm so clumsy. He took
my chin and his fingertips inspected thedamage. It was more embarrassing than anything,

(11:11):
I continued. The gem staff werefluttering around me like I was going
to pass out. You can't goout like that. No, of course
not. I was ready for this, But may I please go to the
gym? I mean, they allsaw it happen, and if I don't
show up, they might get concerned. They might want to check on me.
They might be worried that I'll suethem or something. I watched him

(11:37):
process the possibility, find it reasonableone hour? He said that was all
I needed. I served him oatmealand blueberries, as requested, and then
I cleaned the kitchen. After heleft. Everything had to be normal.
When the counters were wiped, thebowls and the dishwasher. I went into

(12:00):
my bathroom and kneeled on the floorremoving the top drawer. I found the
manilla envelope, with it press betweenmy arm and body. I returned to
the kitchen and slipped it into akitchen drawer. Lee would collect it,
believe it contained what we had discussed. She had no reason to doubt me
when I dressed in my Spanda's workoutclothes, I donned a pair of designer

(12:24):
sunglasses and drove to the gem.I dug my member card out of my
shoulder bag and swiped myself in.One of the trainers waved a greeting,
and I waved back, but Imoved swiftly to the Chaine room. It
was empty, thankfully, and Isat on the bench waiting anxiously. The

(12:45):
door opened and I nearly jumped up, But it was a middle aged woman,
muscular and sweaty. She went toher locker, stripped off her clothes,
and headed to the shower. Foronly a split second did I consider
that Lee wouldn't go, that shewould realize that she was being used,
or that her mission was far toorisky. But Jessie and I had played

(13:07):
our roles too well, and Iknew how much she cared for me.
When the door swung open and sheentered, wearing a ball cap and a
tenet of grin, my throat nodded. I stood, and without a word,
began to disrobe. Lee's jeans weresoft and worn and only a little

(13:28):
bit loose. I put on herjacket and cap as she struggled into my
clingy tights. When she was dressed, I stared at her reflection. Lee
looked a lot like me. Shewould fool Nate, who was not the
sharpest knife in the drawer, punintended. But would our resemblance be enough

(13:48):
to fool the Cameras I turned toface her, saw the doubt and fear
in her eyes, and I wishedI could tell her everything, that Jessie
and I had duped her, thatwe'd planned to send her into a trap,
that he had used us both,and that he didn't deserve either one
of us. When I'm gone endit with him, I wanted to say,

(14:13):
promise me, Lee, but jessehad brainwashed her into loving him.
She'd go to him, tell himeverything I said, and he'd talk his
way out of it. I hadseen how easily he could lie, and
then he would come after me.I now knew that he was dangerous,
ruthless, so I played my part. Thank you, I said, my

(14:41):
voice wobbly. I've never had afriend like you. She thought I was
sad to say goodbye to her,and I was, But there was so
much more behind my tremulous demeanor.Guilt, shame, and fear, real
fear, because after that I willhave no one. As the shower turned

(15:03):
off, I said I should go. When I saw the sadness in her
eyes, I added, maybe youcould visit me someday in Panama. How
it was impossible. Of course,this was goodbye forever. The woman emerged

(15:24):
from the shower then, and therewas no more time. Wordlessly, we
exchanged keys and sunglasses and I left. And now I am driving aimlessly in
Lee's Corolla, watching the minutes clickby on the dashboard clock. Jesse will
have approached my home by now,found the back door locked. Did he

(15:48):
turn away or did he force hisway inside? If he entered, he'd
have reached down beside the dryer,searching fruitlessly for Lee's knife. What will
he think when he can't find it, that I betrayed him? No,
he won't believe that I was hisgood girl, so helpless, so obedient,

(16:08):
so dependent on him. He willthink Benjamin stopped me somehow, and
he will leave. Jesse will expectme to go to the gym so we
can regroup discuss what went wrong.I want to try again. He's not
going to give up the chance tolive a life of wealth and privilege so
easily. But I won't show up. I will spend the weekend at home

(16:33):
with my husband doing his every bidding, and I will rack my brain for
another way to escape. With Benjaminalive, I will need to fake my
death. It's the only way toensure my mother will be cared for when
I'm gone. But can I dothat on my own without Jesse's help.

(16:55):
I've been controlled and manipulated for solong that the thought of patching a complex
plan, of carrying it out bymyself is daunting, even terrifying. But
I must try, and if Ifail, I won't live like this any
longer. If I can't set myselffree, then I will end my life.

(17:19):
I will draw a bath, takea handful of sleeping pills, pour
a glass of vodka over ice.I'll climb into the water and let the
chemicals do their work, and thenI will slip under and drown, peacefully,
gone on my own terms. Finally, it is time. Jesse had

(17:48):
instructed me to park the vehicle atthe beach close to my house. It
would have played into the stalker narrative, the woman in the park who was
obsessed with me. But that's nolonger relevant. And ahead, I see
the trader Joe's where I told LeeI would leave her car. Flicking on
the indicator, I pull into thebusy lot. I slide the car into

(18:11):
a lonely spot away from the doors, and climb out. Moving around to
the back of the vehicle, Iopen the trunk. It is stuffed with
all of Lee's worldly belongings. Carefully, I rummage through an overstuffed backpack until
I find it. The netskay iswrapped in a black T shirt, but
I remove it, stroke the snake'ssmooth head before stuffing it into my pocket.

(18:37):
It is the last piece of theevidence against Lee. I have protected
her as much as I can.Setting her keys on the back tire,
I begin the long walk home.My route takes me downside streets, through
residential neighborhoods along the gravel verge ofa sparsely traveled highway. It will take

(18:59):
me over for an hour to getto my house this way, but I
need the time to concoct a storyto explain why I am walking home.
A lost key fob is the mostbelievable. I'll grab the spear, collect
my car in the parking lot whereLee will leave it. Benjamin will punish
me for my carelessness, but Idon't care. Soon he won't be able

(19:22):
to hurt me anymore. As Itrudge the last few yards to my home,
I feel a prickle of anxiety.Nate is not at his post,
the first sign that something is off. His black SUV is there, but
it is empty. Did he catchJesse coming in through the back door?
Did he subdue him and call thepolice? My lover has a record,

(19:48):
I'm sure of it. It couldbe charged with trespassing, breaking and entering,
maybe even stalking. If caught,he'll go down for this. Would
he try to take me with him? My Mercedes is there, parked next
to the garage. That means Leewas here, that she'd done as I
asked, But she should have leftby now in my car. My shoulders

(20:11):
tense with worry. Was she confrontedby whom she couldn't have encountered Jessee.
The timing doesn't add up, butNate could have intercepted her even Benjamin.
Lee had a cover story though ourfriendship. I swallow the thickness in my
throat and put the key in thelock. Hello, Darling, I call

(20:33):
out, putting on a show ofnormalcy. Are you home. No one
answers, and my heartbeat begins toslow. The house is still empty.
Relax, I tell myself Jesse didnot come inside. Lee got away safely.
Benjamin went golfing, but my bodyremains tight and rigid with dread.

(20:57):
The Nutskay is in my pocket,so I head to the study. I
will put it back on the shelfas if it was never missing, as
if I had never given it toLee as a gift, as if we
had never met. I move brisklytoward Benjamin's office, but my feet slow
of their own volition, as afrisson of fear raises the hair on the

(21:18):
back of my neck. Someone isin there. There is no sound,
but the energy is palpable. Hello, I call softly as I reached the
doorway. No answer. Tentatively,I peek my head inside. He is
there. At his desk, sittingperfectly still the chair. A sleek Danish

(21:44):
model is turned away from me,but I recognize his hair, his shoulders,
his hands. He is dressed casually, but he is immaculate, just
like the rest of his office.Finally swovels around to face me. Hello,
sweetheart. Benjamin's smile is cold,his eyes icy with anger. Where

(22:11):
have you been? If you wantto listen to the entire part three of
this story, sign up on ApplePodcasts and experience the full magic of this
captivating tale.