The Housekeeper - Chapter 9 (Part 3 of 3)

The Housekeeper

By Karen Singer

Chapter 9 (Part 3 of 3)

     Janice watched the clock.  It was getting later than she would like, but she wanted to give Roger as much time as she could to work on the rooms.  She had a lot to do with him tonight… and tomorrow morning for that matter too.  But now, she couldn’t wait any longer.  She watched as he came in through the wide-open front door, carrying in yet another huge sheet of wallboard from the garage.  Carol was being kind enough to open and close the door for him since it was starting to get colder outside.  He disappeared down the hallway and into the room with the material.  Janice followed after him.

     She was surprised to see no change in the appearance of the room at all.  Instead, he had been carrying in sheet after sheet of the wallboard and stacking it in the corner of one of the rooms.  “No progress, Mr. Brinkley?” she asked.

     Roger looked around.  “I have to move all this out of the way to get the hoist out of the garage.  Besides, moving it in here lets me grab it quickly as soon as I’m ready.”

     His reply made sense to Janice.  The hoist had been back behind everything.  But she needed him for other things now.  “Mr. Brinkley,” she interrupted.  “I need you to put your tools up for a little while.  I need you for something else.”

     Roger looked at the stack of wallboard.  He was almost done bringing it all inside, and now another interruption.  And she wanted this finished fast?  But he nodded his head and followed her out of the room all the way to the kitchen.  His eyes couldn’t help but see the backpack on the kitchen table, along with a box of band-aids. 

      “Have a seat,” Mr. Brinkley, Janice said.

     Roger sat, wondering what was in the bag in front of him.  And why the band-aids? 

     Janice picked up a knife she had ready next to the kitchen sink and carried it over to him.  She set it down on the table in front of him.  “This is a very sharp knife, Mr. Brinkley.  Believe me, I know that for a fact because I accidently cut myself a bit with it earlier.”

     Roger looked at her hands, but didn’t see any sign of a bandage on them. 

      “Don’t worry, it was a tiny cut and didn’t need much attention.  But now, I want you to prick your thumb and make it bleed a little bit too.”

     Roger looked at her in horror.  She couldn’t mean it!  “Just because you…”

      “No Mr. Brinkley, I have another reason entirely.  But if you won’t do it yourself, rest assured I will have no problem cutting your finger for you.  But if I do it, well, it may hurt a bit more and it may bleed a bit more too.  But the choice is up to you.”

     Another reason?  Once again, he didn’t understand.  But he did understand that if he didn’t cut his thumb himself, then whatever she did to him was likely to be much worse.  Reluctantly, he picked up the knife.  He expected her to back up the moment he did, but she stayed right next to him, hovering over him.

      “Just a little slice about a half inch long across your thumb should be enough,” she prompted.

     A half inch?  That was more than just a little prick!  He examined the knife.  It was one of his sharp paring knives.  Since he didn’t cook much, he was fairly sure that he himself had never actually used it.  He glanced up at her again.  She was hovering… waiting.  He carefully touched the knife blade to the pad of his left thumb.  He took a deep breath to brace himself and held it.  Just a little cut…  And he quickly drew the knife across.  His thumb instantly sent him pain, but not too bad.  It also instantly started leaking blood.  But he hadn’t cut it very deep so he was sure it was nothing much to worry about.  He dropped the knife on the table quickly and grabbed his injured thumb in his other hand. 

      “Very good, Mr. Brinkley.  Very good!”

     Praise was the last thing Roger wanted to hear just then.  Why had she wanted him to do it?

      “Just hold it there for a moment and I’m sure the bleeding will stop soon,” she said.  She went back to the counter and ripped off a piece of paper towel.  She wet the towel in the sink and brought it over to the table, but she didn’t give it to him yet.  “Let me see,” she prompted.  Roger held his injured thumb out where she could see it.  Yes, it was still bleeding a little.  Good.  He now also had a little blood on the fingers of his other hand as well.  Also good.  She grabbed his injured thumb and squeezed it to make it bleed a bit more, then she dropped it and wiped her own hands on the wet paper towel.

     Roger was surprised that she didn’t give him the towel.  “May I use that?” he asked.

      “Not yet, Mr. Brinkley.  Let your thumb stop bleeding a bit more first.”  She glanced at the backpack on the table in front of him.  “I’m sure you’re wondering what’s in that thing.”

     Roger looked at the backpack and nodded tentatively.  “I guess so.”

     Janice just smiled.  “Go ahead, open it and find out,” she said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

     Curious, Roger tried to ignore his injured finger as he dragged the bag a little closer to him.  He stood up where he could see into the bag better, and grabbing the zipper, tried to pull it open with just his one uninjured hand – which didn’t work very well.  He had to hold the bag still with one hand while pulling the zipper with the other.  The zipper opened easily.  He spread the opening wide, and got a huge shock.  The bag held money!  Lots of money!  More cash than he’d ever seen in his life!  He looked up at her with surprise.

     Janice’s grin never left her face.  “Take it out and count it,” she told him.

     Roger mostly forgot about his injured finger as he pulled bundle after bundle of hundred dollar bills out of the bag.  He did notice though that he had gotten a tiny bit of blood on a few of the bundles.  So as he started counting them, he tried to wipe off the blood.  But he didn’t bother to count all of them as he quickly realized that all the bundles were the same.  He looked at her with astonishment.  “There’s eighty thousand dollars here!”

     She smiled.  “That’s right, Mr. Brinkley.  Now kindly stack it all back into the bag again.”

     Roger did as he was told then asked, “Where did it come from?  What’s if for?”

     Janice pulled the bag of money away from him – all the way to the opposite side of the table.  Then she handed him the wet paper towel to clean the blood off of his hands.  “Where did it come from?”  She laughed a bit, but it was a cruel laugh.  “From you!  Don’t you recognize it?  This is the money you stole from a bank!”

      “I what?”  Roger was shocked.  “I never robbed a bank in my life!”

      “Maybe not,” Janice replied, still highly amused, but you just left your blood all over both the bag and the money.  And I can assure you that this money was indeed stolen from a bank somewhere.”

      “Where?” Roger asked, totally shocked.

     She shrugged.  “Actually, it doesn’t matter, because I’m sure the authorities will have no problem tracing those serial numbers to the bank they came from.”  These bills were really clean, but he wouldn’t know that.  She enjoyed the look of horror on his face.

      “Why?” he finally asked.

     Her smile left her face and she was all business now.  “It’s possible that certain… authorities… may come to you asking about me.  I need you to tell them that you’re totally delighted to have both me and Carol here.  You must never give them any hint that there is anything the least bit wrong going on, or anything the least bit shady about me… or my daughter!  Remember, your job from now on is to protect us – totally!  Both of us!  If not… then I’m sure the authorities will find all this money very interesting, along with all the other evidence we have against you!”

     Roger was horrified!  “Why?” he asked again. 

      “I just told you.  All you have to do is to make sure your first priority is to always protect us, and this money will never see the light of day.”  She handed him the box of band-aids.  “Now take care of your thumb, we still have other things to do tonight.”

     Other things?  Roger sat down, totally numb.  As if the pictures and the sperm she had weren’t enough… now she had just framed him – thoroughly – for bank robbery too!  What next?  What more could she possibly do to him?  Jail was now a certainty.  He just didn’t want to go there too soon.  Of course, he also still believed she would probably kill him when she was done with him, despite the fact that she had said she wouldn’t. 

     Janice headed out toward the living room, but without bothering to look back, said, “Mr. Brinkley, when you’re finished there, please be kind enough to bring one of those kitchen chairs with you when you’re ready.”

     Roger shook his head.  Once again, all he could see was the cell door closing in front of him.

     Carol was watching TV again as Janice entered the living room.  She went over to her and quietly said, “Carol dear, I need you to turn the TV off now.  I can’t have anything going on that might be a distraction.”

      “Distraction for what, Momma?”

      “From what Mr. Brinkley and I will be doing.  You can watch if you like dear, just don’t make any noise please and try to stay well out of the way.”  She stopped as Roger brought the chair into the room.  “Just place it right there, Mr. Brinkley.  Thank you.”  She continued talking quietly to Carol, “Now dear, I need you to be a bit careful tonight.  If you feel the least bit dizzy or lightheaded at any time I need you to get up and walk back to the bathroom for a few minutes till your head clears.  Okay?”

      “Sure, Momma.  But why?”

      “You’ll see dear.  All in good time.”

     Janice turned back to Roger, “Please sit down there, Mr. Brinkley.”  Then she turned and walked away going back to her bedroom where she retrieved the items that she needed.  She carried them back to the living room, knowing that both he and Carol were curious about what would be going on.  Well, neither of them was going to have a clear understanding until much later.  This next part was potentially the most devastating level of protection she could arrange.  It was another layer of protection on top of previous layers.  Layers that backed up and strengthened the other layers. 

     Roger was curious when she left, but when she came back with a dog collar in her hand, he was both fearful and angry.  “What is that for?” he asked with more than a hint of anger.

      “As I’ve told you before, Mr. Brinkley, I’m a woman who has very little regard for men.  I detest every one of you.  But as long as I have to be around you, then I am going to insist on absolute obedience from you.  And in order to ensure that obedience, then I’m afraid we’re going to have to work on it.  So we’re going to do a little practicing now, and you’re going to get used to obeying me – implicitly and immediately!”  She held the dog collar out to him.  “Now, put this on… now!”

     Roger hesitated, fearful of what she wanted.  But he took the collar in his hands.  “I don’t think anything like this is necessary,” he said.

      “You have no idea what I have in mind, Mr. Brinkley.  And your job right now is not to think, but to obey!  Now put that collar on your neck… right now!”

     As Roger looked at the collar, he noticed a small square box attached to the inside of it.  “What’s that?” he asked.

      “Did I tell you that you can ask questions?” her voice lashed out angrily.  “Put that collar on!”

     Roger finally brought the collar to his neck and began buckling it in place.

      “Tighter, Mr. Brinkley.  That box must stay in contact with your neck at all times.” 

     Roger pulled the collar tighter until the little square box was pushing into his neck, just a little to the side of his Adam’s apple. 

     Janice smiled.  “Very good.”  She held up the other device she had brought from the bedroom, the remote control.  “As I’m sure you may have guessed, that little box is a training device for dogs.  All I have to do is to press one of the buttons on this controller and it will deliver a very nasty shock to you.  Every time you make a mistake, you will receive a shock. The bigger the mistake, the worse the shock will be.”

     Roger shook his head.  “That’s not necess….”  He suddenly yelled as pain exploded on his neck.  He grabbed for the collar. 
      “Don’t touch!” Janice commanded.  “You are never to touch the collar!”  When he didn’t comply, as she knew he probably wouldn’t, she gave him another shock, then again, then again.  “They don’t stop until you pull your hand away, Mr. Brinkley!”

     Roger finally got the idea.  There were tears falling from his eyes.  The shocks had been horrendous. 

     Janice smiled.  “See.  All you have to do is obey and everything will be just fine.  As you noticed, the shocks were very painful.  I can make it send smaller shocks, just as easily.  Here, I’ll show you.”

     Roger jumped again as his neck was suddenly jolted by pain, but not nearly as bad as what she had been sending him. 

      “I’m sure you would rather have the little reminders than the big ones,” Janice observed with a cruel smile on her face.  “Now that you see how the collar works Mr. Brinkley, you’re going to practice obeying me… totally!  Stand up, Mr. Brinkley.”

     Roger hesitated, trying to register what she was saying.  Before he could get out of the chair, the collar shocked him.  “Ow!” he cried bringing his hand back up to his neck.  Immediately he received a series of more intense shocks before he could think to bring his hand back down again. 

      “You disobeyed, Mr. Brinkley,” she said angrily.  “And the first little shock you received was for not moving fast enough.  There can be no delay.  When I tell you to do something, then you do it immediately!  No thinking about it, no deciding!  Just do it!  Now, we’ll try it again.  Stand up, Mr. Brinkley.”

     Roger’s hesitation was less and he stood up quickly, although she was already bringing up the control to hurt him again. 

      “Now sit down, Mr. Brinkley.”  Roger sat quickly.  She smiled.  “See how easy that was?  That’s all you have to do.”  Fearful of her and getting more shocks, Roger’s entire attention was now focused on her.  But she wasn’t giving him more commands, fortunately.  She was turning toward her daughter instead. 
      “Carol dear, will you please get me a large glass of iced-tea.  I’m afraid I’m going to be needing it.  Oh, and lot’s of ice dear.”

      “Yes, Momma,” Carol replied, unable to take her eyes off her mother and Mr. Brinkley.  Awed by what she was watching, she hurried off to the kitchen. 

     Janice turned back to Roger.  “Now, Mr. Brinkley, stand up.”  Roger tried to do it faster, but the shocking pain came as he was halfway to his feet.  “Sit down,” she ordered.  He sat faster.  “Stand up!”  He stood as quickly as he could.  “Sit down!”  He sat, relieved that he had done it with out receiving any shocks.  “Stand up!”  He stood as fast as he was able to.  But then she threw him a curve.  “Hold out your left hand.”  It took him too long to process the new request and he received a shock for the tiny delay.  His hand came up.  “Put your left hand down,” she ordered.  He dropped his hand.  “Put your right hand up.”  Again he got a small shock before he could bring his hand up.  And he got another one when she told him to bring his left hand up too.  “You don’t have time to think about it, Mr. Brinkley.  You only have time to do as I say… immediately.  You must obey me immediately.  You must obey!”

     Over and over again she had him sit down, then stand up.  Raise his left arm, raise his right arm.  Lift his left leg, lift his right leg.  Over and over.  Stand up.  Sit down.  Raise your left hand, lower your left hand.  Raise your right hand, lower your right hand.  Stand up, sit down.  Roger was so busy trying to desperately do as she said, that he didn’t even notice when Carl brought the drink out for her mother and set it on the end table near by. 

     Janice finally stopped.  “You’re getting there, Mr. Brinkley.  But we have a long way to go.”  She paused to pick up the glass of tea and took a long drink from it.  “Now then, Mr. Brinkley, let’s try it again… only faster this time!”

     Again she launched into giving him her little orders, constantly telling him that he needed to obey her.  Every time he moved the wrong arm or the wrong leg she gave him a little shock and made him do it right.  Over and over again, she gave him simple little commands, commands that with the speed he needed to process and obey them, weren’t so simple.  “Obey me,” soon became, “You need to obey me.”  Over and over again she told him that the only way that he could succeed was to let go and not think anymore.  Let her do the thinking.  Let her mind control him.  Just obey… obey… obey!

     Roger was getting desperate to not get shocked anymore.  He was starting to succeed because the shocks were coming less and less, but it was still impossible.  She was throwing commands at him so fast his head was spinning.  And she wasn’t stopping!  Obey!  Obey!  Obey!  Don’t think… obey!  You need to obey me.  Let my mind control you.  Don’t think… obey! 

     The fast barrage of commands never let up or even slowed down.  Janice was sure he probably didn’t even notice it when her phrase that he needed to obey gradually changed to telling him that his deepest, innermost need was to completely obey her.  She never stopped giving the commands, never let him stop to think.  Thinking was what she needed to erase from him.  It took a very long time, but eventually she was shocking him less and less.  As she issued her commands faster and faster, she saw his eyes finally begin to glaze over, but then by that time, he had already become hers.  Eventually she instructed, “Every time I say sleep and obey, your mind will immediately enter this state, ready to do whatever I tell you to.  Sleep and obey.  Sleep and obey.”  Over and over again, she kept at him and she could see him becoming more and more lost.

     It was a technique she had used many times before, but this was the first time she had used the dog training shock box.  She rather liked it because it was much easier to control him with.  The last few men she had done this to she had used a more elaborate system connected to a car battery where she could control the intensity of the shocks with a small dial.  She could have continued with him, driving him more and more under her control – like she did with every other man who fell victim to her, but he was not her usual victim.  He had done nothing wrong and he had nothing she wanted to take from him.  He was only a victim of desperate last measures… a way for her to start getting her life back again.  So she stopped, well short of where she usually did.  He was pretty much under her control anyway.  But she didn’t want to strip his brain from him completely as the brainwashing technique was capable of doing. 

     He was sitting, staring blankly ahead, waiting for her next command.  She leaned in close to him and spoke quietly.  “Remember Mr. Brinkley, from now on, protecting Carol and I is your first concern, the most important thing in your life.  You must make sure that no harm comes to either of us in any way.  You will protect us with your life if necessary.  If anyone asks about us, you will always tell them how happy you are to have both of us around.  You will never say anything derogatory about either of us.  You will convince everyone that you are nothing but completely happy with our presence in your life and with everything that we do.  You must protect us.  And since you must protect us, you will never try to escape… never try to leave.  You must do as I say.  You must protect us.  That is my will, Mr. Brinkley.  And obeying my will is your deepest most inner need.  My will is now your will.”

     That was the important part that she had to get across to him.  The part to make sure he couldn’t do anything to ruin her plans.  She just needed to get him to this point in order to make sure he was deep enough for it to stick.  She would reinforce it all over and over again as time went on, working with him over the next few weeks.  Tonight was only the start.

     She looked at the clock.  It was getting late.  She had to get her daughter back to the foster home soon.  “It’s time to end this now Mr. Brinkley.  Just remember what I said.  Your most important need from now on is to protect us, completely!  Wake up now Mr. Brinkley.  Wake up!”

     Roger stirred, but slowly.  It was like coming back from someplace far off.  He remembered everything – clearly.  Unfortunately.  What had she done to him?  He was awake now, but he still felt wooly headed. 

      “You can put the chair back in the kitchen now, Mr. Brinkley,” Janice said.

     Immediately, Roger found himself moving, reacting, carrying out her will.  Even though he knew he was now wide awake.  He could still feel the collar buckled around his neck, he could still feel the miserable little box pressed into him. He yearned to remove the collar, but he didn’t even think of touching it.  And unfortunately, he also knew that removing the collar wouldn’t remove the instructions that were now coursing round and round in his head.  Obey!  Protect!  Obey!  Protect!  Obey!