She hadn’t been outside since Rocco brought her here.
Before she met Lachlan.
Strange that she thought of her life as Before Lachlan and After Lachlan now. Less than a week of knowing him felt like more than a lifetime. She couldn’t make sense of that, just like she couldn’t make sense of the memories that assaulted her as she endured the interrogation of Dr. Abrams and her team.
Britt jogged down the concrete steps and headed onto a path leading into the dense rainforest. She kept a brisk pace, walking under the canopy of trees as the morning sun rays filtered onto the forest floor. Her running shoes crunched over fallen branches and snapped twigs as a chorus of buzzing insects and tree frogs enveloped her.
As she walked, her mind drifted back to the interrogation sessions. If she was being honest, what she’d experienced with Dr. Abrams wasn’t exactly memories of her life but a confirmation of educational training that had floated in her mind when she was trapped in the underground prison. The audio of Brittany’s life didn’t include eight years of university education. But she’d known immediately when Dr. Abrams was incorrectly explaining legal concepts to her.
“The man who held you hostage and forced this psychological manipulation onto you has broken numerous laws,” Dr. Abrams had said, then rattled off names and statutes that violated Britt’s rights.
She’d listened, her brain honing in on the details and then picking them apart one by one. Missing charges that should be filed, laws that applied to the United States but were different in the Palmchat Islands, where she’d been held. She knew exactly what charges should be brought against The Visitor in the Palmchat Islands, Jamaica, Bahamas, Colombia, Mexico, the U.S., and the U.K. Even now, she could methodically explain them to anyone, highlighting the differences between the countries and the range of penalties for each.
Dr. Abrams’s authoritative, know-it-all tone had annoyed Britt as if there was no way the information she was sharing with her could be wrong. Britt resisted the urge to tell the doctor to stick to medicine because she was botching the explanation of legal concepts and the law. But she'd held back. She didn't want to say anything she couldn’t fully explain until she had a chance to ruminate over it more.
The reason she was taken and groomed to take over Britt’s life was becoming more complex. Had she known Britt? Attended the same law school? Been her friend? Maybe that’s why she was the logical choice for the brainwashing.
A twig snapped somewhere to her left.
She jumped, whirling around to scan the trail for someone following her. She hoped Kane hadn’t gone against her wishes and told Lachlan how she was feeling and where she was headed. Scanning the jungle, she saw no one.
But then, she looked down …
Chapter 25
"Hi," a soft, high-pitched voice wafted in the air.
Standing less than a yard away was the little girl she’d seen in the park. Dark curls framed her heart-shaped face, and her large brown eyes sparkled with intelligence beyond her years. She wore a pink Hello Kitty t-shirt and matching pink leggings with scuffed Nike sneakers that had seen many days of outdoor adventures.
A smile stretched across Britt’s face as she squatted down to eye-level with the child. “What are you doing out here all by yourself?”
"Tucker was with me," she said, an exaggerated frown scrunching her cute face. "He's too fast and he runned away!"
“Tucker? Is that your brother?”
“He’s a stupid dog,” the little girl said, stomping her foot. “Nobody likes him. Not even Daddy.”
“Are there any adults with you? Your dad? Grandparents?”
“My daddy’s at work,” she said, twirling around in circles.
“I think we should call and tell him where you are.” Britt reached in her pocket, then realized she’d left her burner phone back at the compound.
The child stopped twirling, then looked around with wide eyes. "Is the bad guys coming? Should I go hide?"
“No, of course not,” Britt said. She reached for the girl’s hand and gently squeezed it. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because you’re here again,” she said as if the answer was obvious. “From heaven.”
“Oh, no, I’m not an angel,” Britt said, remembering that the little girl had lost her mother. “I’m just a woman on a hike. Nothing special about me.”
“You’re very pretty,” she said, then smiled. “You look like my mommy.”
Britt swallowed hard, releasing the girl’s hand. She had a child out there somewhere. A child who was missing her just like this little girl was missing her mother. Her pulse quickened. “Thank you. You’re very pretty, too. How long ago did you lose your mother?”
“Long time ago,” the girl said, tapping her finger against her chin in the cutest way. “I was just a baby, and I’m five now.”
“Oh,” Britt said, unable to ignore the hollow ache in her chest. She’d only been missing for a year. This was some kind of cruel coincidence. “Well, you’re a big girl.”
