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FIFTY-NINE
Katherine’s skin was slimy and sticky with blood and sweat. Her body ached in places she hadn’t known existed. Her mind betrayed her as it continued sweeping her in and out of consciousness. Every time she’d plead for an explanation, he’d just stare and remain mute. And the more she’d pushed, the shadows on his face grew dark, his expression tightened.
It had turned to night, back to day, and now it was growing dark again. It must be Wednesday evening unless she’d blacked out an entire day. With the way he was beating on her, it was possible.
Hours must have passed since he allowed her sips from a water bottle. At that time, she also had a few mouthfuls of canned beans that he’d spoon-fed her as one would a child. Before that it had just been protein bars and chips. Just the fact he had all this prepackaged food signified premeditation. When the stash ran out, did her time also? Speaking of, she hadn’t seen or heard the woman for at least twenty-four hours.
“Where’s your… friend?” Her voice cracked, her throat dry from thirst.
“You don’t worry about her,” he hissed, getting down close in front of her. Still seated on the chair on which she was strapped, she could barely feel her legs anymore and her back was seizing.
“Did you kill?—?”
He punched her in the face, torquing her neck to the side. White light swam in her vision as pain flashed through. But it passed quickly. Her body must be shutting down.
Tears fell down her cheeks as thoughts of May entered in. She’d had so little time with her aunt, the years stolen from her due to a feud between sisters. If only there was more time.
As her eyes fluttered shut, she saw her mother’s face as if she stood before her now. Her blue eyes twinkled and were full of love. Her mother stepped back, her arms open and beckoning for Katherine to come to her.
The fight started to leach from her body, but she fought against it. She refused to die without knowing what she had done to deserve this, how he figured she was responsible for his suffering. “Please, just tell me who you are.”
He paced around to the front of her. “Fine. I’ll play. You ask a question, I’ll answer, or I’ll punish you. I’ll decide in the moment.”
Katherine wasn’t sure she could withstand more beatings, but this might be the only way to get answers. “Are you from New York?”
“Uh-huh.”
She breathed easier when he didn’t strike her. “You blame me for?—”
He slapped her.
She spit blood to clear her mouth and reframed her question. “I am responsible for?—”
Another strike.
Her body was on fire, but at the same time a warm numbness moved in, buffering her from the full extent of pain. She spit blood. “I caused your suffering.”
“Yes, you did.”
She was afraid to ask how. “Am I why your girlfriend is no longer here? That woman who helped you take me.”
He smiled, sending chills through Katherine. “Nah, that’s not on you. She was a stupid bitch, threatened to mess up everything.”
The absence of denial and the use of past tense told Katherine all she needed to know. He had killed her. His statement also implied the woman had a conscience. Katherine prayed she had left a trail for the police before he took her life.
“What? Already out of questions?”
“Do you plan to kill me?”
Another wicked grin. “Oh, we’ll get there. First, you deserve to suffer, just like you made me suffer for the last two years.”
Her mind was foggy, her thoughts intersecting like fine webbed gauze but not binding together. “How did I…?”
“Do you know what guys do to other guys in prison? How that affects a grown man who should be able to protect himself?”
She drew back in the chair, bracing for an attack, but none came. “Why that poor teenage girl? Why kill her?”
He smiled. “To hurt you. To torment you. And I see it’s working.”
