Page 16

“Judy, it’s time for your break,” a man said as he came out a door near the back of the lobby. The woman gave the man a guilty look as she turned around.

“I was just saying hi to Chloe.”

“Judy, I’m going to check her and her friend in.”

The older woman eyed me warily, then nodded at her boss and scurried towards the back door.

“I’m sorry about that, Mr. Post. It’s good to see you again, Chloe.”

“You too, Mr. Altman,” Chloe stammered.

“Call me Doug.” Then he turned to his computer. I appreciated how the older man didn’t ask any intrusive questions. He just got us checked in and provided key cards. “Our kitchen is limited to soup, salads and hot and cold sandwiches during the day. Do you want to put in your order now so that it can be ready sooner?” he asked.

Chloe was staring at the empty hearth in the lobby, so I placed an order for both of us.

“The food should be in your room in a half hour or less,” Jim said.

When I handed over my credit card, Jim leaned in. “If there is anything I can do to help, you just holler. Judy’s a bitch, but a lot of us care deeply about those girls, and I’m one of them. You say the word, and I’ll jump.”

I looked into his blue eyes and saw a man who was sincere.

“Thanks, I will. Trenda and Zoe will be here later to load up my truck. Here are the keys. Can you just coordinate with them?”

“I’ll call Trenda as soon as you leave and tell her I have them. I take it you don’t want Chloe to know?”

I nodded. I’d worked out a plan with the girls. They were going to pack up a few weeks of Chloe’s belongings so that I could take her to Dallas with me. It was up to me to convince her to go.

She wandered up to the reception desk. “We’re all set,” I said.

“Food will be in your room soon. I hope you like club sandwiches.” Doug smiled.

Chloe stared at him, and his smile faltered. I understood. She had that faraway look in her eyes again. The look that said she might be physically with us, but her mind and her heart were somewhere completely different.

I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s get you into the room.” I ushered her outside and down the steps. Jim had explained where our guest room was. Apparently, it was more like a condo. It had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and I was being charged a rate that was comparable to the LeeHy motel. I was definitely getting the friend rate, and Chloe pretty much confirmed it with her next words.

“Evie used to work here sometimes, but that was before Doug’s time,” Chloe said absently.

“She must have left an impression.” I looked around. “It’s nice,” I said as I ushered her over the threshold.

“I really don’t need you playing mother hen,” she said as she moved towards the living room.

“I thought we settled that in the truck. You would be doing the same for me.” She was limping. I needed to check her foot. “Take off your shoes.”

She sat down on the couch and slipped off her sneakers. Despite the small protests she made, she was still more of a depressed robot, just doing what she was told. It scared the hell out of me. I knelt at her feet and pulled off her sock. Blood oozed through her bandage.

“Rest on the couch. I brought the first aid kit. I’m going to get a washcloth to clean this up.”

“Whatever.”

Chapter Four

Chloe

Judy’s words were still reverberating through my head. Nobody had put a gun in my mouth. He wouldn’t have done that because it would have blocked out my screams. That’s what he’d wanted. He’d wanted me to cry and moan and scream so that Evie would hear me and do anything he asked. If I had been stronger, I would have stayed quiet. I should have stayed strong. But the pain…

“Chloe? Cupcake? Can you hear me?”

Zarek was sitting on the sofa. My foot was in his lap.