Page 24

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There was A long silence after Lilah’s story. Even Godzilla paused.

Lilah accepted the new drink that Opal poured silently for her, but she didn’t take a sip.

“I don’t know why Darren Pine would do something like that,” she said. “I still don’t know.”

“Did you tell anybody else?” Opal asked.

“No. Not my dad, not anyone. No one was going to believe me. I only had one small bruise, and it was on the side of my neck, it could have been caused by anything. But I couldn’t leave my bedroom. I didn’t feel like myself anymore. So I...disappeared. I tried to stay small. I went home at Christmas and told my dad I wanted to live at home and study in London instead.”

“Jesus,” said Opal. “Should we track him down?”

“No. This was a long time ago, so. And worse things have happened since. This is the first time I’ve said his name in eight years, though. Darren Pine. But what my friends did, somehow, felt even worse. Sometimes I think...if someone, one person, said they believed me, then I could forget about it, you know? Then I could stop feeling his hands on my neck.”

“I believe you,” said Marina.

“So do I,” said Opal. “It’s not an unusual story, either. That’s the hell of it. That such a horror story is so normal for so many women.”

“Right,” Marina said. “In the first restaurant I worked at, none of the female staff were allowed to be alone with the sommelier. He never got fired. And the restaurant was owned by a woman.”

“Oh, honey,” said Opal. “The stories I could tell.”

“You really believe me?” Lilah looked between them.

“We really do.”

Marina reached over and squeezed Lilah’s hand. To her surprise, Lilah squeezed back.

“Why did you tell us?” Marina asked.

“I’m tired of being frightened.”

“I’ll drink to that,” said Opal. It was probably not a good idea, but Opal slopped tequila into their glasses, and more into Lilah’s, which was pretty full already. They all drank solemnly.

The hamster started running again. Rattle-rattle-rattle-thump.

“I am going to be so hungover tomorrow,” said Marina.

“So,” said Lilah, taking a deep breath and adjusting the scarf around her neck, “what are we going to do about Zachary?”

“We need to let him go,” said Marina. “I can’t teach my kids about being good people when I’ve got a man held captive in my basement. Also, I miss them, and I want them to come home.”

“I told him we’d let him go tomorrow morning,” said Opal.

They stared at her.

“You talked with him?”

“Yeah. It was not a pleasure.”

“But you made the rule.”

“Made it, and broke it. Sorry, not sorry. Someone had to strike a deal with him. I promise you, though: I have googled nothing .”

“When we let him free, won’t he go to the police?” asked Lilah. “He’ll want to punish us.”

“He won’t. He’s not going to say a word. He’s going to get the hell out of town.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do. I understand how he works.”

“Does anyone need more carbs?” Marina spooned more aligot onto the plates.

“Zander is really going to hate this,” said Opal. “Save lots for him.”

“I don’t want to be someone who hates men, though,” said Lilah. “There are lots of good men out there.”

“I have yet to see it,” Opal said, chewing. “But I don’t like people generally.”

“My dad was a good man. Jimiyu, he’s the head librarian—he’s a very kind man.”

“I hope I’m going to raise my sons to be good men,” said Marina.

“So we’re going to let Zachary go?” said Lilah. “Definitely, tomorrow?”

There was a thump from downstairs. Marina winced.

“Definitely,” said Opal.