Page 23 of Retribution

‘Let’s go to the KIP house,’ Mav suggests. ‘We can buy a phone on the way and set it up there, and you can take it to her once she’s at your father’s house. They said this morning at the hospital that it would probably be tomorrow.’

‘And until then?’ I mutter. ‘We just hope that she’s okay?’

‘We won’t get anywhere near her while she’s in the hospital,’ Mav says.

I start walking in the direction of the parking lot where we left the truck. ‘What about Lu? Lu can probably get in there.’

The others fall into step beside me.

‘Yeah, Lu might be able to,’ Shade says. He puts a hand on my shoulder. ‘Look. I’m sor?—’

‘Don’t worry about it,’ I interrupt. ‘We’re all freaking out. Mav’s right. We need to focus on what we can do to help, not fight amongst ourselves.’

‘What are we going to do about Sauvage?’ I ask as we get into the truck.

Shade sits in the back. ‘There’s nothing we can do. Mav, can you make Envy?’

Mav nods. ‘Yeah, I think I know the process. Thank God Daisy gave us the formula for Christmas.’

The rest of the car ride is made in silence, each of us probably thinking along similar lines. It’s been a little over a week since Christmas and practically everything has gone to shit. We’ve lost the club, both labs, and now Daisy.

No, not Daisy,I amend. We’re not losing her.I’mnot losing her. We will find a way to fix this. All of it. No matter what.

3

DAISY

Acar picks me up from the hospital the next day, just as John said it would. My stepfather doesn’t come himself, of course. He sends minions. A nurse from Richmond Memorial takes me down in a wheelchair to the front of the hospital. She tells me that my guardian has been sent the prescriptions for the painkillers I can take, and he’s also been given the details of my post-hospital care. When I ask her about it, she just smiles and pats my arm, as if it’s too much for my feeble little mind to take in. Ever since John turned up at the hospital, even the friendlier nurses have turned quiet, barely speaking to me, or talking very slowly like I’m not all there. Even now, I’m seething at how quickly they took John at his word. I don’t know what he said to them, but I can imagine.

John’s new driver doesn’t speak to me, whichis fine by me. He’s probably been told not to, or that I’m too stupid to understand. By the way he keeps worriedly glancing at me in the rearview mirror, it’s probably the latter.

I snort softly. He probably thinks I’m going to start screaming, or throwing myself around in the backseat, maybe lunging for the latch and hurling myself out onto the road.

He locked the doors as soon as I was in the car, so there’s no chance of that.

We pull up to the house and I note with a sinking feeling that a woman in a white uniform, complete with matching skirt and heels is waiting at the top of the steps.

My devoted stepfather has clearly employed a nurse from 1953 and she’s standing with a wheelchair.

I roll my eyes. There are steps all over the place. How the hell is that going to work?

When the car stops, the doors aren’t unlocked, so I have to sit there and wait for Stephens to walk down with the wheelchair while the nurse barks orders at him.

I finally hear the click of the lock just as they get to the car, and Stephens opens it.

‘Miss Marguerite,’ he greets.

I find I can’t muster a smile, but I do incline my head as I swing my legs out of the car.

‘Please sit in the chair, Marguerite,’ the nurse says slowly.

I’m sure my eye tics and I see Stephens frown at her.

‘I can walk, Stephens,’ I say, ignoring the nurse completely. ‘Please escort me inside. I’ll go straight to my room unless my stepfather has prior directives.’

I see Stephens’ lips twitch. ‘He did not specify, Miss, and he’s not at home.’

I get to my feet and take his proffered arm. He helps me up the front steps and into the foyer. I sense the nurse behind us, pulling the heavy wheelchair up slowly, step by step.