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“Oh,” Scarlett frowned. “We must have just missed each other. Millie was there,” she said. “Did you see her?”
“No, just that pretty little girl of yours.” She opened the door to her office and Scarlett left it open wide. Sister Madge sat behind her desk and took out an old-fashioned phone book that appeared to be for the state of California, flipping through the pages. There was a Saran Wrap covered plate of cake bites on the edge of the desk and Sister Madge used one hand to push them toward Scarlett. “For the youth group sleepover tonight. I suppose I’ll have to cancel it now . . .” She unwrapped a corner. “Those girls do love their sweets. Have one. Something sweet to temper the sour. A comfort for the soul.” She smiled, sad and wistful. “You know better than anyone how food ministers, don’t you, dear?”
Yes, Scarlett liked to think she did. Something sweet to temper the sour. Of course, in this case, sour seemed to be an understatement. There was a lump in her throat. She didn’t really want a bite of cake, but for the sake of politeness, when the old woman went back to flipping through the phone book, looking for the state police number, Scarlett took one small cake, placing it in her mouth and chewing slowly.
It might have been good. Scarlett was so preoccupied by what she was going to say to the police, to Camden when she got hold of him, that she didn’t even register anything about the sugary treat.
Cam. Kandi. So many possibilities swirled through her mind. The state police would come back. They’d question Vicky further. Would they run a DNA test on Millie? Her thoughts felt strange. Suddenly disconnected. She massaged her temple.
“Vicky overheard Haddie telling Amelia about the horned beast she follows through the woods.”
“What?” she asked, frowning when her words came out slurred. The old nun wavered in front of her and she shook her head.
“Mm.” Sister Madge licked her finger slowly and then used it to flip another page, her gaze trained on Scarlett. “She’s seen him. She knows where he is. They’ll be after her now.”
After her? A fog descended and she felt suddenly overcome with wooziness. Haddie? After Haddie? Sister Madge replaced the phone in its cradle, leaning in and staring at her. Scarlett gripped the side of the desk, the room going blurry.
Sister Madge stood, walking around the desk slowly. Scarlett attempted to rise, but her legs buckled from under her. The nun came to stand above her, her face stark white and wobbly. “All you vile, fallen women,” she heard her mutter.
Oh God, oh no. They’ll take Millie. They’ll hurt Haddie. It was her final thought before Scarlett floated away.CHAPTER FORTY-THREEScarlett moaned, attempting to lift her head as the world slowly came back into focus. She tried to move her hands but they were tied behind her back. Fear dripped down her spine. The fog cleared minutely and she pulled herself up with effort, scooting backward against whatever was directly behind her, pressing into her back uncomfortably.
She opened her eyes, the world shifting into focus. She was in a stark, monastic bedroom, a bed against one wall with a large, metal crucifix hanging above it, a dresser on the opposite wall, devoid of any knickknacks or personal items.
A tabby cat sat on the windowsill casually licking its paws.
Scarlett gave her hands another tug, glancing behind to see that she was tied to a silver radiator.
Sister Madge’s bedroom down the short hall from the office where she last remembered sitting. It had to be. There was no way that frail old woman could have dragged her any farther than this. Panic howled through her. She’d drugged her. With a cake bite meant for the . . . what had she said? Youth group? Disbelief and sickness welled up inside of her and her panic increased. She pulled harder at whatever was holding her hands to the radiator, grunting with the effort. Her limbs still felt heavy, weighted.
The radiator rattled, tipping slightly back and forth but it didn’t give. Her brain cleared a little more and she turned her head around, looking for something, anything, that she could use to get free.
There was nothing. She stilled for a moment, listening, trying to ascertain if Sister Madge was still in the house. When she didn’t hear anything, she began yelling. “Help! Help!” over and over until her voice gave, her throat raw and painful.
Tears came to her eyes and for a moment she let the terror overwhelm her. They were going to hurt Millie. They were going to hurt Haddie. Oh God. Oh God. Are they already there? Do they have the girls?
You have to get free, Scarlett. You have to warn them. If you don’t, there’s no telling what they’ll do. Not just to them, but to you.
