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Maybe it’s the wine and the fact I haven’t had a decent meal in four days. Either way, a sensation of calm settles over me. Cass read my tarot, and I’m married to Aiden. We have babies.
Closing my eyes, I believe he’s searching for me. I believe he’s as desperate to find me as I am to be found. I believe the fear of never seeing me again is as unbearable for him as it is for me, and it burns like the sun in my heart.Find me, Aiden. Find me…
My nose heats, but I won’t cry in front of dickhead Stan. I want to know how much time I have left. I need to know if tonight’s the night I attempt my escape, and if it is, no more wine.
“So you brought me here to kill me?”
“Not initially. I had hoped your mother would play along.” He exhales with a shrug. “It appears she won’t, and I have to go to Plan B.”
“Plan B is to put me in a box and drown me like you did my dad?” It’s strange how alcohol dulls the emotions. How I’m even able to ask this question without a tremor.
“Your father put himself in that box, as you well know.” From the sound of his voice, I think Stan might be getting a little drunk himself.
It gives me an idea. Crossing to the kitchen, I take the bottle off the bar. “You know, you were right. This is very good wine. Let’s have more.” I give him a generous pour while giving myself a little splash. “Do you know Penn & Teller? They explain how magic tricks are done, but they mix it with comedy.”
“They’re idiots.” He lifts his nose, taking another sip of wine as he settles into the plush, white sofa.
“I think they’re funny.” I take a seat beside him. “You can be like them. Tell me how you did it.”
His eyes narrow, and he studies my face like he’s looking for signs of deception. I smile, blinking innocently.
“You’re a strange girl.” His tone is disgusted, but it’s better than sinister. “I don’t care to have this discussion with you.”
“Why not? You’ll never let me go. How did you manage to kill my father when you were all the way in Europe? You must have had a helper. Was it Gary?”
“Of course not. Gary didn’t have a leg. He could barely get through a show without tripping over something.” Stan blows air through his thick lips, and my throat tightens.
“But you did have someone.”
“I didn’t need anyone. Your father was so trusting, once he procured that box from the vendor, he never examined it again. It was incredibly easy to slide a knife between the seal and the metal. Once it was compromised, I only had to board a ship and set sail across the Atlantic.”
Anger roars in my chest, defying the wine and the calm I’m trying to project. My trembling hand tightens into a fist, and I wish I had my phone to record his confession. As it is, I’ll have to believe my word against his is stronger.
“So you admit you tampered with his equipment?”
“It was the least I could do.” Black eyes level on mine, and he smiles like the devil.
Fire burns at the corners of my eyes, and my skin hums with electricity. Standing, I walk slowly to the kitchen, placing my wine glass on the bar. A wooden block holding a set of knives is directly in front of me, and I zero in on the largest one.
One step, and I hear a sound that freezes me in place. Somewhere far, far away, so far, I might be imagining it, I think I hear the faintest sound of a dog barking. My heart tightens in my chest…Edward?
Turning quickly, if I’m right, I know what to do. “Do you like music?”
“What?” He frowns, looking up to where I’m standing.
“My favorite Shania Twain song is ‘I’m Gonna Getcha Good.’ Can I play it?”
“I despise Shania Twain. Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.”
This time, I’m almost certain I hear the faint yelp of a hound. My skin tingles, and my eyes mist. I want to burst into laughter, but I wait to see if Stan shows any sign of hearing it as well.
He doesn’t, and I dash past him to where a large, Bluetooth speaker is sitting on top of a bookcase.
“How does this work?” I speak louder.
“It’s connected to the streaming…” He’s still explaining when I grab a small remote from behind the speaker.
My fingers shake as I press the buttons, and the flatscreen television flickers to life. I quickly speak the name of the song into the remote. A music app opens, and an eternity seems to pass before the song appears on the screen, and I hit play.
