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There are eggs, toast, and strawberries on my plate.

“Do you like strawberries?” She waits for an answer like this is a perfectly normal question to ask the man she kidnapped two days ago.

“Yes.”

“More than apples?”

I almost laugh. Because I have no fucking idea what else to do. “Yes.”

Heather nods once. She picks up her fork. I look at her wrist again. The bracelet is still hideous. She catches me looking.

I grab my coffee. “What did you mean yesterday?”

Heather butters her toast. “About what?”

“When you said I was the first.”

“Oh.” She takes a bite. “There will be three.”

I stare at her. “Three what?”

“Dolls.”

My fork stops halfway to my mouth. “You’re kidnapping two more people.”

“Yes.” She says it like I asked if we’re out of milk.

“Jesus Christ.”

“I think three is best.”

“Based on what?”

“That’s how Dad built the house.” Heather reaches for a strawberry.

“You’ve done this before.”

She eats the strawberry.

“How many, Heather?”

“Enough to know what doesn’t work.” She keeps eating.

“And you’re just going to keep collecting people until you get it right?”

Her expression tightens. “I’m not collecting people. I’m making a family.”

“By kidnapping them.”

“You’ve really fixated on that part.”

I stare at her.

She drinks her coffee.

“There will be three of you,” she says. “I’ve chosen carefully this time. I think you’ll play nicely together.”

“And if we don’t?”