Heart Of Marley by Leigh T.K

Author:Leigh, T.K. [Leigh, T.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carpe Per Diem, Inc / Tracy Kellam
Published: 2014-11-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

ANSWERS

“AUNT TERRYN! I’M HOME!” I called out, walking into the foyer of our house after getting home from school.

Looking around, I wondered where everyone was. “Uncle Graham?” I continued past the living room and kitchen, and into the back hallway, pausing outside a closed wooden door. Knocking softly, I listened for any movement.

My heart racing at the thought of getting caught, I carefully opened the door to my uncle’s office. I strode to his desk, taking out a paperclip and picking the lock of the drawer. When I promised Marley that I would see if I could find out where Buck lived, I was thankful when she never brought up the subject again. Over the past few months, I had tried to brush off my own anxiety about the situation, but nothing worked. I needed to know.

Flipping through file after file, I became despondent when all I ran across were folders full of bills, report cards, and community service programs my uncle’s church sponsored. Just when I was about to give up, I stumbled across a folder marked with a set of digits, almost like a case number.

Opening it, the contents made me sick to my stomach…photos of Marley’s beaten body, transcripts of her sealed testimony during the trial, reports of previous accounts of Buck’s abuse. I almost put it all back, not wanting to look at any more reminders of the past that still tormented Marley. Then, my eyes settled on a Notice of Release, accompanied by what appeared to be correspondence between Buck and my uncle.

“What the…?” I seethed with anger at the thought that he had been writing to Buck while he was in prison. Furious, I continued snooping through the file, my blood boiling as I scanned the transcript of Buck’s parole hearing to see that my uncle testified on his behalf, saying that he had found God, had repented for his sins, and was no longer a danger to society. Because of my uncle, Marley’s abuser and tormentor was now free. Turning back to the Notice of Release, I jotted down the address on a piece of spare paper, quickly locked the desk, and ran out of his office and up to my room.

I didn’t think that I could ever look at my uncle the same way again. I understood that he divined strength and power from God and his church, but I couldn’t comprehend how any man, no matter whether a man of the cloth or not, could forgive his own niece’s abuser and encourage the state to release him, then try to cover it up. I knew instantly what I had to do. I had to go check on Buck for myself.

Looking at the address I had scribbled on a piece of paper, I pulled out a local map, surprised again that he lived no more than thirty minutes away from us. As I hastily highlighted the route, I heard the front door open, followed by Marley’s heavy footsteps running up the stairs.

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