AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He never turns on the light in here, so I can’t see him. Only at the end of the hall out there. So I only see him in shadow.”
“There has to be a light in this room.”
She fumbled from the door to the wall, using small steps to make her way around the room. The walls were icy cold, made of stone. She wasn’t sure if the building was artificially air-conditioned or if the source of the cold air came from somewhere else, but it was frigid in here. She’d made it halfway around the room when she wrapped her fingers around the metal bars.
“You’re in a cell?”
Her mother’s cool fingers found hers. “Elena.”
Tears sprang to Elena’s eyes. She slipped her hands through the bars to reach out and touch her mother. “Mom. Mom. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. What are you doing here?”
Relief warred with worry. Her mother was alive. That’s all she had to concentrate on right now. “We came to rescue you. Only we didn’t know you were here. How did you get here?”
“I don’t know. And who is ‘we’?”
“Me and your brother. And one of his employees.”
“Grange is here? Grange told you who he was?”
“Yes. How did you end up on this island?”
“I’m on an island? I don’t even know how I got here.”
Pete. It had to be Pete who brought her mother here, who shoved her into this room. This was his island. But why would he do this? Why her mother? Why betray Grange? “What’s the last thing you remember?”
“I had an appointment with a realtor to buy a house. I had seen the house a few times before and really liked it, so I was ready to close the deal on the property. I was going to settle down, get a job, go back to school.”
All those things she had heard about, but her mother hadn’t told her about.
“We met at the house. He offered me some tea. That’s all I remember until I woke up here.”
“It must have been Pete.”
“Who’s Pete?”
“A friend of Grange’s, or at least we thought he was a friend. He owns this island we’re on.”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry you’re involved in this, Elena. We’ve tried so hard to keep you safe. Grange has always been worried that his job would harm you or me. I told him not to be concerned. I guess he was right. I never took him seriously.”
Elena squeezed her mother’s hand. “It’s so cold in here. Are you warm?”
“There’s a blanket. And I have a sweater and some socks.”
“Are you fed? Do you have water?”
“Yes, to both. It’s just so dark in here. I miss the light, the warmth of the sun.”
“How long have you been here? Do you know?”
“Without the sun or the night, I have no idea. Weeks, maybe?”
“Oh, Mom. I’m so sorry.”
Her mother reached through the bars and caressed her cheek. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I haven’t taken care of you like I should. I guess I waited too long to grow up and become responsible.”
Elena laughed. “I’m responsible enough for both of us. I’ll get us out of here.”
