Page 10 of Two Favors Repaid

Her throat was dry as parchment. “What are … what are their names?”

“Chloe and Fiona,” Lorraine said, her voice low.

Emma mouthed the names to herself, willing herself not to cry.

“Okay, let’s do this, then.” She straightened herself to her full height, wishing it made more of a difference. At Lorraine’s nod, the guard spoke into his mic piece and then proceeded to unlock the door, which opened with a metallic groan.

Emma walked inside. The first thing she noticed were the thick bars on the small window, which seemed to block most of the light coming from outside. A harsh fluorescent light fixture illuminated the room. The opposite wall was entirely covered by the two-way mirror. The rest of the room was completely bare, except for a square table with two chairs. She steeled herself before raising her eyes to look at the figure sitting at one end of the table.

Even now, so many months after his medical license had been revoked, she still thought of him as Doctor Ford. And even though she’d prepared herself, seeing him face-to-face shocked her. Ford looked … he looked almost exactly like he used to look when he lived in Sharp’s Cove, except he’d died his blond hair dark. The lighter shade was only just starting to show at the roots. She looked again and noticed a couple more differences: the man she used to know would never have chosen an orange outfit. His look, under the doctor’s coat, was always country club casual.

His eyes were the same, though, so blue they looked almost liquid. Emma wondered how she’d never seen the cruelty in them before. Perhaps he used to hide it better. Those light blue eyes were now fixed on her.

“Emma. I knew you would come. Such a pleasure seeing you again, angel.” His face lit up in satisfaction.

Emma forced herself to take one step forward, ignoring the taunt. Angel—he’d called her that, just before he tossed her one hundred feet off a cliff. She reached the table, checking the restraints on his wrist before sitting down opposite him.

For a moment, she didn’t say anything, just sat there looking at the monster.

“Tsk, tsk,” Ford began, looking annoyed. “That’s not how we’re going to do this, angel. If I don’t feel we’ve had a really nice chat together, you’ll leave here empty-handed. Would you like that? What would the parents of Chloe and Fiona say?”

“What would you like to talk about, Ford?” she asked.

“There are so many things we could talk about. Natalie, for example. How’s the dear sheriff doing? I’m surprised she sent you and didn’t come herself, actually.”

Emma almost bit her tongue to avoid taking the bait.

“We’re not going to talk about Natalie,” she said in a low voice.

“Okay,” he said amiably. “Let’s talk about you, then. How are the nightmares? Have you been able to go near the water without thinking about me, angel?”

In her mind, she was falling through the air again, like she had that night. Her eyes filled with tears at the memory.

“You do think about me.”

I was hoping you’d say that.

“Only when I take out the trash,” she said, showing her teeth.

Ford laughed. His jowls shook. “I knew you missed me.”

“Why am I here, Ford?”

“I thought the sheriff or one of her serfs would have explained that to you. Are they there now, behind the glass?” He stared at her for a moment. “No, Natalie’s not there. She would have spared you this ordeal if she could have. There’s a reason she’s not here … I do hope nothing has happened to her.”

Emma ground her teeth together so hard she was sure she’d feel jaw pain that night.

“I’m not going to talk about Natalie. And if you keep talking about her, I’ll get up and leave.”

“The preschool teacher has teeth!” He shook his head as if lost in thought for a moment. “If Natalie’s not there, then maybe dear old Rob is. He’s always worshipped the ground you walk on. Like a puppy. I still remember the way he kept coming up with excuses to come to the hospital when you were there but never actually went in to see you. You know, when you first woke up, for a moment there I was worried you’d recognize me, even though you’d never seen my face.”

Did I? Could I have stopped him from attacking Natalie and Hunter?

Emma closed her eyes against the painful thought.

“You know why I’m here, Ford. Let’s talk about the girls. Where are they?”

“We should talk about them, angel. They were both … delightful. I’ve never taken two girls at once, but I saw them in the shopping mall and I simply couldn’t make up my mind.”