"Jesus Christ, Ron!" Bernard said, tossing the phone on a chair. "What the hell were you thinking? They could have died!"

"I'm telling you-"

"There's a simple way of proving us wrong, Cameron," Bill said, getting in between the two men. "Take off your belt...now!"

Ron's eyes turned to slits as he stared back at Bill, but arrogant and confident, he hid his rage behind a forced smile. "Fine, and then I expect an apology from all of you, especially that crazy bitch in the other room." Pulling the belt from his trousers, he placed it in Bill's hand. "There you go, old man. Satisfied?"

Surprised by the weight of it, Bill focused on the buckle as he turned it over, expecting to see evidence that would prove him right, but instead, there was nothing except a single hook protruding from the edge. The buckle was scratched and worn, but as he inspected it this way and that, he couldn't see anything that would have made the triple marks on Toni's back.

Rubbing his chin, he paused and then turned his attention to the belt itself. It was broad and bulky in his hand, and as he ran his fingers over the leather, he stopped when he noticed steel grommets wedged in the belt holes. Flipping over the buckle again, Bill ran his finger across the hook, his breath catching in his throat when the barb cut him like a razor.

After putting the tip of his finger in his mouth to clear away the blood, Bill studied the small gouge the hook had made. Looking up at Ron, he said, "It's a bit sharp, don't you think?"

"It came that way," Ron said, holding out his hand. "Now give it back."

Once again, Bill put his finger to his mouth, letting his tongue run over the cut on his fingertip as he tried to unravel the mystery. After a few moments, he said, "Bernard, keep him company for a minute, will you?"

Leaning against the door frame, Bernard crossed his arms. "It would be my pleasure."

The doors to the library slid open, and all eyes were on Bill as he walked over to the sofa and knelt in front of Toni and Laura. "Ron says you're wrong," he said quietly, looking at Toni.

"I'm not wrong," Toni said, shaking her head. "I'm not."

"I don't think you are, lass, but I need your help," he said as he brought the belt from behind his back.

"Christ!" Toni screamed, jumping to her feet. "Get that away from me! Get that fucking thing away from me!"

Laura got to her feet in an instant, and standing by Toni's side, she glared at her father. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shouted. "Get that out of here!"

"I would, but if this is the belt-"

"It is! Goddamn it, why don't you believe me?" Toni yelled as tears filled her eyes.

"I do, Toni. I do...but I can't see anything to prove it. It's just a normal belt with a normal buckle."

"That's not right," Toni said, wiping the tears from her face. "That's what he used. It sliced me like a knife!"

"I can't see how, lass" Bill whispered. "I honestly can't see how."

Everyone in the room was focused on her and in their eyes Toni saw doubt and pity staring back at her. They thought she was crazy and for a split-second so did she...but only for a second.

It had been the one memory that had been the most difficult to block from her thoughts, but closing her eyes, Toni willed herself back to a night in a dimly lit cell, remembering every detail, every smell...and every sound.

Opening her eyes, she looked down at Bill. "He did something to it. Just before...just before he started, he did something to it. I remember there was a sound...a scraping sound...."

Bill's brow furrowed as he flipped the buckle over again, and getting up, he went to the fireplace and held it close to the light. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he looked up and his eyes met Stephen's.

"Do you mind?" Stephen said, holding out his hand.

"Of course not," Bill said, handing him the belt.

As a firefighter, there were times when Stephen had ridden in an ambulance holding the hand of one of his colleagues injured in the line of work, and he had always been amazed at how compact and neat the vehicles were. Everything had a place. A cubby-hole or a shelf designed specifically to hold one particular item, so with the flip of a switch or a turn of a lever what was needed was freed in an instant. Looking at the belt in his hand, Stephen flipped over the buckle and examined the back.

Seeing it covered by a steel plate, Stephen's brow wrinkled. Why would a brass buckle need steel to back it up? Pausing for a moment, he bent the buckle away from the leather and looked at the edge. Spying two small v-shaped openings, he glanced at Bill for a second, and then he pressed his thumbs against the buckle's back.

Toni's head popped up as a shiver ran down her spine, the familiar click a sound she hoped she'd never hear again. Grabbing Laura's hand, Toni held on tight.

Nancy and her daughters crept closer, and as they held their breath, their eyes darted back and forth from the buckle in Stephen's hand, to Bill and then to Toni. In a room warmed by a crackling fire, no one moved and no one breathed.

Stephen Wallace risked his life every day. Walking into buildings engulfed in flames or scrambling across rooftops to cut openings for the fire to escape, dozens of times he had felt fear...a slight inkling that danger was near. As he looked at the plate in his hand, the same feeling washed over him. Holding his breath, he flipped it over and a collective gasp filled the room as everyone saw the two razor-sharp hooks welded on the back. Shaking his head at the brutality, Stephen slipped the plate back into the buckle, and as it snapped into place, Laura began to cry. It was the most evil thing she had ever seen.

In an instant, Bill bolted from the room. Reaching the lounge, he slowed not a step as he charged the man wearing a smirk.

"You son of a bitch!" he shouted as their bodies collided, landing on the carpet with a thud. "How could you do that?" he screamed as he drove his fist into Ron's face. "What kind of monster are you?"

Bill managed to get several good blows in before Ron got the upper hand. Twenty years younger and with muscles that still bulged, with one shove, he pushed Bill to his back, and while Bill's punches were hard, Ron's were brutal.

In stunned silence, the family remained in the library for a few moments, but when Eleanor realized Bill had stopped shouting she ran up the hallway. Entering the lounge just in time to see Bill's face turn bloody, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Somebody stop him! Oh, dear God...please...please, someone stop him!"

First to the chest and then to the face, Ron's fists hit their targets with destructive precision, but as he pulled Bill up by the front of his shirt to land another punishing blow, someone grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.

In a flash, Ron jumped to his feet. Twisting away from Stephen's hold, Ron landed a solid punch to Stephen's jaw. Staggered, Stephen shook off the cobwebs and grabbed Ron in a bear hug, and together they fell to the floor. Wrestling on a carpet now speckled with blood, Stephen could feel his energy begin to dwindle as he tried in desperation to block the flurry of punches being thrown his way.

Ron was relentless. The beast was now free. Feasting on the pain it was causing, it was quickly becoming ravenous. Commanding him not to stop, never to stop, as each blow landed and more blood was spilled, it begged Ron for more. It needed more...and Ron was going to give it all it wanted, but as he was about to land the next brutal jab, he was grabbed from behind.

Bernard tried his best to pull Ron away, but he was no match for the beast and within seconds, he was knocked out cold by a powerful uppercut that sent him slumping to the floor. Without missing a beat, Ron turned back around and zeroed in on Stephen again.

Finally managing to get to his feet, Bill reacted instantly. Scrambling over a sofa, he threw himself on top of Ron, breaking his hold on Stephen, but the ex-prison officer was just too strong. Fueled by adrenalin and hatred, it only took a few moments before Bill, once again, was on the receiving end of Ron's brutality.

One by one, the other women in the house joined Eleanor at the doorway. Looking on in horror as the fight continued, it wasn't until Ron began beating Bill again when something inside of Laura gave way. Mindless of Ron's obvious strength, she rushed into the room and jumped on top of the man pummeling her father.

"Get off my father, you bastard!" she screamed, beating on Ron's back with her fists. "Let him go. You're killing him! Goddamn it...let go of him!"

Releasing his grip on Bill's shirt, he turned to Laura, and with one shove, Ron sent her flying into the sofa. He came to his feet with a sneer, and as Laura climbed off the couch, she returned Ron's steely glare with one of her own. Never believing he would be stupid enough to strike her, Laura said, "I'd think twice before you try to hit me, Ron. That wouldn't sit too well with the police."

"Fuck the police," he snarled as he drew back his arm, and with all his strength, back-handed Laura across the face.

The force sent Laura over the back of the sofa and with a yelp, she landed on the floor. Stunned, she fought back the tears welling in her eyes. Her face felt like it was on fire, and she was petrified. She could hear the shouts from the other women as they pleaded for Ron to stop, but by their screams, Laura knew Ron had no intention of stopping. She tried twice to get to her feet, but the room was still spinning around her, so all she could do was wait...and pray.

It had been several weeks since he had beaten a woman, and when he walked behind the sofa and saw the terror in Laura's eyes...he grew hard. He looked around the room for a moment and the beast was happy with what it saw. Three men had tried to stop him, but they had failed, and were now lying bruised and bloodied on the floor like ragdolls tossed from a shelf. Behind him, he could hear the pleading cries of the women, and it was all he could do not to laugh in their faces. They were so weak. They were so pathetic. They were so stupid.

Laura had told her to stay in the library, and slipping into the role of obedient prisoner, Toni had done just that. Sitting on the sofa, her knees shook as she listened to the muffled voices coming through the doors. She had no idea what was happening, and the longer she waited, the more worried she became. Why hadn't anyone returned to get her? Had they called the police? Was Cameron gone?

Finding a sliver of courage, Toni got to her feet. Side-stepping the belt still lying in the middle of the floor, she went to the doors and opened them a crack just in time to hear Laura's cry of pain. In the blink of an eye, Toni's fear disappeared and rage took its place.

Towering over Laura, Cameron licked his lips in anticipation and waited. This was the part he liked the most. When they cowered in fear and pleaded for their lives with tears rolling down their cheeks. It proved them weak, but Laura wasn't like his other victims. While he could see her fear, he also could see her defiance.

Laura stiffened her posture as she stared back at Cameron. Her heart was hammering against her ribs and she could feel the pulse in her neck throbbing as blood rushed through her system, and as she held her chin high, she stole a quick glance at her surroundings. Blocked by furniture and the man standing in front of her, Laura's only option was to crawl backward toward the tree. Keeping her eyes fixed on her assailant, she managed to move only a few inches before she felt the branches touch her hair. She had run out of room.

With a sneer, Cameron reached for his belt, but when he felt the empty belt loops, he paused. Tilting his head, he had a decision to make. Would she feel his fists or his feet? Glancing down, when he saw the steel-toed work boots peeking out from under his jeans, a smile smeared its way across his face.

Following his eyes, Laura gasped when she saw the heavy boots he was wearing. Like a poker tell, the look on his face said it all, so she was ready when he swung his foot toward her head. Raising her arm to block the kick, Laura cried out as the boot connected with her forearm and sent lightning bolts of pain radiating up her arm. Holding it against her chest, she tried to push herself under the tree, but blocked by branches and presents, there was nowhere to go. Watching in terror as he lifted his foot for another strike, Laura turned her face away. There was nothing else to do.

They had shouted. They had pleaded and they had wept. They were no match for the monster who had beaten their husbands and they knew it, but a mother protects her young...no matter what. When Ron raised his boot to her daughter, Eleanor fought her way out of Nancy's arms, but before she could take a step, Toni pushed her aside as she ran past.

Fearless, Toni rushed into the lounge, but when she saw the battered men lying on the floor, her courage began to fade, and when she caught sight of Cameron, it all but disappeared. Her heart began to race, pounding in her ears like a freight train bearing down on her and for a split-second, Toni wanted to run...and then she saw Laura. Halfway under the Christmas tree and cradling her arm, Toni could see the pain etched in Laura's face. She was hurt...and he was the one who had hurt her.

Fixated on Laura, Cameron had no idea that Toni was standing behind him, but as he swung his leg at Laura's head for the second time, his momentum was stopped by a pain so intense it caused him to howl. Grabbing his jaw, he held it for a moment before pulling his hand away to find it covered in blood. Confused, he spun around and found Toni standing behind him with his belt in her hand, and the look on her face said it all. He would never be considered handsome again.

The hooks had buried themselves in his chin and when Toni pulled the belt away for another strike, they sliced him from chin to ear...and the result was ghastly. Just like it had done to her back, the two smaller barbs had sliced him cleanly, but the center one caused a gash so deep that part of his cheek now hung in a flap. Bringing his hand to his face again, the blood ran through his fingers and down his arm, and glaring at Toni, he took a step toward her and snarled, "You bitch!"

Toni raised the belt, preparing to strike him again, and Cameron froze in place. It became a stand-off as each glared at the other, daring a move to be made. Toni could hear the moans and the whimpers of those injured and of those worried, but she kept her eyes solely on her target and waited.

She was terrified, but she refused to show it. A few feet in front of her was the man who had once tried to kill her, and as she looked into his eyes, she saw that the monster was still very much alive. Pure hatred stared back at her. A malignancy so evil that the hairs on her neck stood on end and the thought of even taking a breath seemed impossible, but when she glanced down for a second and saw Laura still lying on the floor, Toni's backbone straightened. Raising her eyes, she glared at Cameron as she called out, "Laura, are you okay?"

Practically lying under the Christmas tree, the only thing Laura could see was Cameron's back, so when she heard Toni's voice, it took a few seconds for her to answer. "Yeah...yeah...I'm okay, Toni," Laura said, sliding out from under the boughs. "I'm fine."

His stomach began to churn as his life's blood dripped down his throat, and slowly picking up a nearby throw pillow, Cameron pressed it against what was left of his cheek. "So, Vaughn, I suppose you think this makes us even?"

There had been plenty of time in Thornbridge for Toni to think about revenge. She had often wondered if it would taste as sweet as her thoughts had made it out to be, but standing there and seeing the damage that only one strike had caused, the taste was anything but sweet. Would the shedding of more of his blood bring back what she had lost? If she caused him more pain, would it lessen hers? Would vengeance erase her scars or simply add more? Mentally, Toni shook her head. Enough was enough.

Slowly she stepped backward, making sure each foot was sound before she moved the other, never once taking her eyes off Cameron. Pieces of broken lamps crunched under her feet and pillows were kicked aside until the path she created was wide and clear. Nodding toward the front door, she said, "Get out."

Narrowing his eyes, he looked toward the door and then back at the belt in her hand. "I'm not that stupid. I walk past, and you get another shot."

"By the looks of what's left of your face, if you don't, you're going to bleed to death, and I doubt anyone here will really give a shit if that happens," Toni said, tightening her grip on the belt. "So, it's your choice. Take your chances trying to find someone to put your face back together or stay where you are, and we'll all watch you die. It really doesn't matter to me, because if there's one thing I learned in Thornbridge...it was how to kill time."

Chapter Fifty-Two.

Holding the blood-soaked pillow hard against his face, Cameron's eyes remained locked on Toni, and as he weighed his options, he spit a thick wad of crimson saliva onto the carpet. Another minute passed before he took a cautious step toward the hallway, and every eye in the room followed him as he headed for the door. Stopping for a moment, he gestured for Alice to follow, but when he saw her take one step closer to her mother, Cameron snorted in disgust. Yanking the door open, he staggered out into the night.

Nancy ran to the door, and as soon as she threw the bolt, Toni dropped the belt and rushed to Laura's side. Helping her as she got to her feet, Toni asked, "Darling, are you all right? What did he do? Did he hurt you?"

"Yeah, but I don't think anything's broken," Laura answered, pulling up the sleeve of her sweater. Looking at the bruise already forming on her arm, she slowly bent her arm and flexed her wrist. "It's not broken...just sore."

"What about this?" Toni asked, running her finger gingerly down the bruise on Laura's cheek.

"That's sore, too," Laura said with a quick smile.

"Dear God, if anything had happened to you-"

"Sweetheart, I'm fine, really," Laura said, touching Toni on the sleeve. For a second, they were lost in each other's eyes, but when Laura heard the voices in the lounge grow loud, she blurted, "Toni, my family! My dad!"

Toni ran to the center of the room with Laura following closely behind, and coming to a dead stop, they both surveyed the damage.

The room was in shambles. Neatly placed furniture had been upended, and lamps with delicate shades lay broken on the floor. Puddles of blood stained the carpet, and the flowered upholstery once displaying only shades of pink, now had sprays of red added to the mix, but the furnishings were secondary to the people scattered about the room.

They both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Stephen sitting up and holding Peggy's hand while Bernard tended to the man's injuries, but then Laura heard someone crying, and she looked toward the hearth. Seeing her father lying on the floor with her mother hovering over him, Laura's heart stopped.

"Dad?" she said in a whisper. Grabbing Toni's hand, they both listened as Eleanor wept over her husband.

"William...sweetheart, talk to me. Please William...please say something," Eleanor begged.

"Ellie..." William said softly.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I can't breathe."

"What? Oh, no, William, is it your heart?"

"No," he said, opening his eyes. "You're stealing all my air."

Dumbfounded, Eleanor stared back at the man. Seeing the grin on his face, she sat back on her haunches. "I will get you for that if it's the last thing I do."

Chuckling, Bill struggled to sit up. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"How you doing, Bill?" Bernard asked, crawling over to check on his next patient.

"I'm okay. Bruised, but not broken as they say."

"I'll be the judge of that," Bernard said, eyeing the bruises on Bill's face. "Eleanor, Dorothy...can I ask you to please get us some water and ice. The sooner we get some icepacks on these men, the sooner this swelling will go down."

"Of course, right away," they answered in unison.

With Eleanor no longer blocking his line of sight, when Bill saw his sister with the phone in her hand, he yelled across the room, "Nancy, what are you doing?"

"I'm calling the police."

"Put the phone down."

"I most certainly will not," she stated as she hit the first number.

Pushing Bernard's hand away from his face, Bill shouted, "Nancy, put the fucking phone down...now!"

The room went silent as all eyes turned to Bill, and seeing that he had his sister's full attention, he said, "I threw the first punch. You call the police, and all that bastard has to do is claim self-defense and the only ones going to jail will be us. That includes Toni, and I, for one, think she's been through enough. Now, please do us all a favor and put the phone down. Okay?"

"Yes...yes, of course," Nancy said, placing the receiver on the table. Looking across the room at Toni, she said, "I'm sorry. I-I wasn't thinking. I'll just go help Eleanor with the ice."