The Kindness

The Kindness

It was the middle of a muggy hot afternoon that on the last day of her life Danni was paid a surprise visit by her Uncle Rudy at her family’s summer house on the shores of Funeral Lake. Danni had been living at the lake house since her Father died in early May, at first to avoid her stepmother Claire, then once Claire had moved out to avoid the reminders of her Father that the big house held.

Danni missed Dad badly and felt very alone most of the time now. She had never got along with Claire and her cruelty, and now that Dad was gone there was no reason for either of them to even pretend to like each other.

Danni had gone for a walk in the morning down to the lake, then returned as the sun rose in the sky and the thermometer rose to higher degrees. It was just past noon and Danni already found herself clammy with sweat, her clothing sticking to her. She had used an elastic band to pull her hair up in a ponytail to try to stay a little cooler but her bangs still stuck to her sweat damp forehead. The air-conditioning in the lake house hadn’t worked all summer and Danni was too uncomfortable to call Claire to ask her to have it repaired.

Danni had made the insufferable trip upstairs to her even hotter bedroom to get the novel she was reading from the bedside table and was surprised to hear the sound of ice tinkling from the game room as she descended the stairs. Cautiously peering around the corner into the game room, Danni saw Uncle Rudy mixing two drinks at the bar.

“Uncle Rudy?”

The man looked up and smiled.

“Hi, pumpkin.”

Danni always found her Uncle Rudy’s smile to be contagious and one that melted her heart. She hadn’t seen Rudy since the funeral and ran to hug him tightly. She was full of hopeful questions; When did he get in? How long was he staying? How were things at home in Seattle? Rudy, shook his head and handed her one of the drinks with a wink – it was some sort of rum drink with coconut and pineapple juice. That was one of the reasons Danni loved Rudy – even though she still wasn’t old enough to legally drink alcohol, Rudy had snuck her sips and drinks since she was 12.

“We need to talk, sweetheart.” Rudy said as he lifted his own drink and led Danni by the hand to the big armchair in the corner furthest from the sliding glass door. Danni sat on the wide arm and Rudy sat in the chair.

“It sounds serious.” said Danni, looking down at her Uncle.

Rudy wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him and Danni slid into his lap like she did for as long as she could remember. Rudy was her Mom’s brother and after her Mom died when Danni was only six, Rudy became one of two people Danni clung to for comfort. Rudy was second only to Dad in Danni’s world.

“It’s very serious, pumpkin.” Rudy said softly, sipping then setting aside his drink so he could hold her in both his arms. “You know I love you with all my heart?”

“Of course.” Danni answered.

“And I would do anything to protect you?” Danni nodded, setting her drink aside, growing worried. “But I’m just one man, Danni. There are some things I just can’t stop.”

“You’re scaring me, Uncle Rudy.” Danni said, snuggling in closer to him, reverting to that little girl who used to come for comfort and be welcomed into Rudy’s strong arms. And like before, Rudy hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead.

“Do you know what Claire got in your Dad’s will? Rudy asked. Danni nodded. “Well, she wants it all. Even the money held in trust for you.”

“She can’t have it, my lawyer said.” Danni said, dreading the thought of having to go to court to defend the trust left to her by her Dad. “Is she going to sue me?”

“No. She’s not that kind.” Rudy answered, then; “Do you know the depths of how much Claire hates you?”

“A lot.”

“More than you can imagine, sweetie.” Rudy said and again kissed her lightly on the forehead. Danni felt Rudy’s chest rise as he drew a deep breath then let it out slowly, “She wants you dead, Danni.”

Danni lifted her head to look into Rudy’s eyes and saw only seriousness there. “Serious?”

“Serious.” Rudy replied.

“Then we need to call the police.” Danni said, starting to rise, but Rudy pulled her back into his lap and hugged her again.

“You need to listen to me, pumpkin.” Rudy said as he held her, then he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, “Claire knows some very dangerous people. VERY dangerous. One of those people is a man known as the Turk. Claire has hired the Turk to kill you and to make it a horrible death. I’ve tried everything in my power, Danni, but Claire is going through with it. If I don’t call her by a certain time today, the Turk will be here within minutes and ….”

“And what? Danni asked, gazing into Rudy’s eyes, seeing sorrow and pity there – and something else she couldn’t be sure of. Embarrassment? Shame? “Tell me, Uncle Rudy.”

Rudy paused, then; “Claire wants you gutted alive, sweetheart.” then responding to the puzzled look on Danni’s face; “Cut from your … sex … to your sternum. Your insides pulled out. She wants you to suffer.”

“Oh my god.” Danni was breathless, thinking of the brutality, “I have to run, hide. Call the FBI or someone.”

“It won’t help, pumpkin. I’m sorry, but there is no escaping this. I’ve known Claire and her crowd for years. No one gets away. Ever.”

“What am I going to do?” Danni gazed off, tears filling her eyes, fear making her belly feel like it was full of ice water.

Rudy hugged her close, holding her in a way that spoke of despair. “There is a way to avoid the Turk, but not the …. deed.”

“How?” Danni was ashamed at how small and weak her voice sounded.

“I begged Claire to let me do it, so you didn’t have to die the way the Turk will do it.”

Danni gasped and sat up, searching Rudy’s face, hoping that this was some sort of sick joke. “Danni, the Turk is a butcher.” Rudy spoke softly but swiftly, “If I don’t make that phone call he will find you. He’s probably watching the house right now. He’ll find you and he will torture you for hours. He will rape you and butcher you and make you suffer. you’ll die alone with a psychopath as your only company.”

Rudy swallowed hard and wiped away a tear in his own eye, “But if I do it, you’ll be with someone who loves you … someone who will make it as easy as I can.

Danni sobbed then and Rudy held her and rocked her. His heart broke for this sweet girl, a girl who had lost her Mom, then her Dad, and now was about to lose her life no matter what he did.