Page 25 of Retribution

I look at this woman with new eyes. So, not only is she aspy for the Bandervilles, but she’s pretty much a Blank, too. She’ll keep me here and make sure I follow Joe’s rules and — I don’t let myself shudder outwardly — she’ll likelycorrectme in some way if I don’t.

Now that I take her in properly, she reminds me of Sue, the nurse who always pretended to be so nice, but would turn into a vicious bitch whenever you found yourself alone with her.

‘So, if you play games with me, sweetheart, I’ll make sure you pay.’ She gives me a saccharine smile.

I give her nothing back, no words, no expression. Nothing.

‘Now, I think we understand each other. You’re having seabass for dinner tonight,’ she says sweetly.

Now, I return the smile. ‘Great.’

She frowns and I get the impression that she was hoping I was going to get upset. She says nothing more, and I wonder what she’s been told about me. If tonight's dinner is any indication, she knows more about me than I do about her.

She walks from the room quickly and closes the door behind her.

And then I hear her locking it.

I sit on the bed, staring into space for several minutes to try to wrap my head around all this before I consider that I might be being watched. I glance around for a camera, but don’t notice anything. That hardly means anything though. The guys were watching me for weeks and I never knew. The stalker, too.

Shivering, I get up and go into the bathroom. There’s a bottle of 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner inside the cubicle and a bar of soap. No razor. I snort quietly. My cutlery at dinner will probably be thin plastic, too.

I open the drawers of my bureau and find utilitarianwhite underwear and bras as well as about ten of the same outfit–gray t-shirts and sweatpants.

My uniform, I realize, dread creeping in no matter how hard I force it back.

I’m surprised it doesn’t say ‘PROPERTY OF JOE BANDERVILLE’ in block letters on the back, honestly.

I go to the French doors that open out onto a tiny balcony, but they won’t budge when I pull on the handles. They’ve been locked. The window, too.

I go into my closet, looking around it to see if there’s anything in there that could be watching me. Again, I don’t see anything, but, when I come out, my eyes fall on the bintrashcanby the wall next to the bathroom door. There’s something in it and it’s bigger than a note.

Breath quickening, I pretend to drop something by the bin in case anyone is watching me. When I bend down to grab the non-existent thing, my hand delves into the trash quickly and I pull out what’s inside.

A phone wrapped in loosely in paper.

I clench it hard, letting it dig into my hand so that I know it’s real. I take it into the bathroom. The Heath never had cameras in the bathroom, so, hopefully, it’s the same here even if there are devices in my room.

I turn on the phone. It’s the same as my last one, so I don’t have to figure out how to work it. I belatedly notice a note stuck to the back.

They wouldn’t let us see you. This has all your numbers in it. Keep on silent and hide it. When battery gets low, put it in the trash can in your room. Someone will charge it and return it. I’m going to fix this. Promise.

~ S

I almost sob in relief as a message from Mav comes up instantly.

Call me

Leaving the phone in the bathroom, I go outinto my bedroom and listen at the locked door. I hear nothing, so I go back into the bathroom and call Mav.

It only rings once.

‘Hello?’

‘Mav?’ I whimper.

I find I can’t keep my tears in anymore. I’m terrified.

‘Oh, sweetheart,’ he whispers. ‘Don’t cry. We’re going to figure something out.’