Chapter Nine
Sophie didn’t have to wait long. Hagar returned carrying a plastic bag, his smile quickly turning to a frown when he noticed she hadn’t touched the food. “You haven’t eaten. We don’t have time. You need to eat.”
He seemed a little agitated and she tried to placate him. “I’m feeling a bit sick. Can I take it with me?”
“Oh. Sorry. I don’t want you to feel sick. Don’t want to hurt you but I needed to get you away from those men. They don’t know how to take care of you the way I do.” He smiled, his eyes dipping to her wrist. “I’m glad you liked the bracelet I made you.”
She looked at the charm bracelet a fan had sent her in the mail and the cute charms turned sinister. “Y-you made this?”
“Yes. Yes.” He grinned and she was reminded of the young kids that came to her concerts. “It has a special charm, see?”
Sophie couldn’t stop herself from flinching when he reached down and pointed to the little silver house but he didn’t seem to notice her aversion to his touch.
“I put something special inside there. It helps me know where you are all the time.”
Oh god. He’d tagged her!
She wanted to rip the damn thing off. Throw it across the room. But she didn’t dare. Hagar might seem harmless on the surface but she’d learned he wasn’t without his resources to get her where he wanted her.
For now her best option was to go along with him and wait for the right moment to overpower him or escape.
“Um, I need to use a bathroom.” She didn’t except the necessity might get her out of this barn quicker than he’d planned. The more she kept him off kilter the better her chances of getting away.
“Oh. Yes. Yes. Silly me. You should change in the house. The toilet doesn’t flush but you can still use it.”
“Is it far?”
“No. Just through the trees.” He picked up the tray. “I’ll wrap your lunch while you change then we can leave.”
Pushing to her feet, Sophie found herself steady and the lingering nausea and dizziness minimal. She kept quiet when he led her from the barn and through a small group of trees.
The old house came into view and she instantly knew why the toilet didn’t work. Sagging roof, windows broken and holes in the outer walls told their own story.
“Right in here.” Hagar held the back door open. “The bathroom is through there.”
She couldn’t understand why he was so trusting but she wasn’t about to ponder it and instead headed to the bathroom.
“Here. Don’t forget your clothes.”
Turning, she found him holding out the plastic bag. Forcing a smile she said, “Thanks,” took the bag and rushed as fast as she could to the bathroom.
Locked behind the door Sophie’s mind raced with ways to get out of here without having to go with Hagar. Glancing in the bag she found an ugly grey shift dress in her size and a pair of shoes that she’d never be seen dead in. Chucking them aside she looked in the cracked mirror and decided other than being dirty she’d do the way she was. Besides, she didn’t want to wear anything that was from him. Starting with the stupid bracelet.
Tugging on the clasp, she grunted in frustration when the tiny clip took forever to open. Disgusted she’d worn it for weeks, she dropped it on the pile of clothes and scanned the room for a way out.
The window was too small to fit through and there wasn’t any other exit except the way she’d entered. Taking a breath she squared her shoulders and opened the door.
Silence greeted her.
Had he left?
Stepping into the hall she decided to explore the house and if Hagar found her she’d pretend she’d been searching for him. The living room proved empty except for an old armchair in one corner. Nothing she could use as a weapon. Two bedrooms, also barren of anything but dust gave her no hope of freedom either.
It was the third, and what she assumed was the master bedroom at the front of the house, which delivered the first glimpse of possible escape. Leaning against the wall in the closet was a shotgun.
With no clue how to use it she grabbed the weapon as the back door slammed.
“Sophie, honey, are you ready?”
