BITTER MEMORIES: A Memoir of Heartache & Survival by Sue Julsen, Gary McCluskey Page B

minute.”
    “Hey, baby. It’s Daddy. The doctor’s gonna take good care of you. When you’re better, we’re going to California. My sister lives there. You’ll like her. Her name’s Molly, and the last time I saw her she had the brightest red hair you’ve ever seen. She’s really nice, and she’d been dating a real nice guy, too. Let me see, his name…uh, it’s Frank … ”
    Hearing Frank’s name pushed me over the edge, and my body started shaking and jerking and I couldn’t stop it. ‘Hey! Someone help me! I can’t stop this! Hey, you guys! Anyone there? Please stop this shaking!’ 
    “Doctor!” Daddy screamed. “Doctor! Something’s wrong!”
    The doctor and his wife came running into the room.
    “Has she ever had seizures before?” the doctor asked.
    “No, never! What’s wrong with her, Doc?”
    “I don’t know. Her temperature is down a bit, but we still have a ways to go. How many days did you say she’d been sick?”
    “Three or four, before I called you. Then it took close to a week to get here. Nine, maybe ten days?”
    “You should’ve taken her to a hospital immediately, man!”
    “I couldn’t do that, Doc. That’s why I called you. For a few hundred bucks you keep quiet.”
    “If you’re running from the cops I don’t care, but if you kidnapped this child from her parents and she isn’t yours…” The doctor stood with his hands on his hips, waiting for an answer to his unfinished sentence.
    “No, of course I didn’t kidnap her! She is my daughter! Her mother died in a fire several years ago. We’re heading to Michigan to stay with my sister.” Daddy snapped. “Now, I have your hush money, Doc. Are you gonna help her or not?”
    ‘Michigan? You just told me California. What are you up to, Daddy? You can tell me. I won’t tell. I’m good at keeping secrets.’
    “Yes,” replied the doctor. “I’m going to help her—if I can. If it’s not too late. What did you say your name is? And hers?”
    “Damn it! I’m Eddie and she’s Suzy, my daughter! She’s six years old!”
    “Okay, Eddie. Calm down. Why don’t you wait in the parlor while I examine her? Let’s see if we can get this fever down to normal.”
    “I’m not leaving her! You hear me, Doc? I’m not leaving my daughter!”
    “Just wait in the parlor. If there’s any change I’ll come get you.” 
    “Come on, Eddie, don’t worry. She’s in good hands.” The doctor’s wife led him out of the room.
    Daddy, deep in thought, paced the floor for hours. Then, sat for hours. He knew he’d have to keep on his toes with the doctor, and he hoped I wouldn’t say anything in my fevered state. 
    Under his breath, he mumbled, “Doc’s a smart old cuss and if I slip up just once … well, I can’t let that happen. We’ll have to stay on the run in case he calls the fuzz. I planned too long to have this messed up now. I can’t let them find us! I’ll have to make a few detours on way to California…maybe, I shouldn’t leave any witnesses we were ever here… 
    “Oh, come on Eli! Are you totally losing it, man? He’s a well-known doctor! You can’t just kill the bastard! No, I’ll have to trust money will keep this old fart and his wife quiet,” he concluded. 
    “Martha, I don’t know what this man’s done, but I don’t trust him.”
    “I don’t trust him either, Matt. Did you see the marks on that child? Her body’s covered with bruises. New and old. This child’s been abused.”
    “I know, Martha. I saw those earlier, but that’s the least of our concerns right now. Her fever’s down to a hundred, but it’s been too high for so long. She may have brain damage.”
    “Oh, God, I hope not. She’s already been through hell. You can tell that by looking at her little body. I’ll pray for her, and for that man, in case he really is her father…and in case he’s innocent of the way this child’s been treated.”
    “He said his wife died in a fire. If that’s true, maybe