Forty-Four Box Set, Books 1-10 (44) (44 page)

“Lie on this table, please,” Matthew said.

“Phil here will insert a thread into an artery in your neck, so we can guide a wire up and release a small capsule containing a radiopaque dye that will be highlighted on x-rays. It will travel through the bloodstream, into the neck and brain, and we will take some pictures. You may feel a slight discomfort.”

It was more than slight. And no amount of crying or begging would make them stop.

I was powerless.

There was nothing to do.

CHAPTER 29

When it was over, Matthew gave me a small pill and a glass of water.

“Here, sit up and take this,” he said. “It will help you calm down. No headaches, I promise.”

I swallowed it and sat there, exhausted. I was still in pain, especially where they had stuck me with all those needles. I looked down and noticed that someone was putting my shoes on for me. Then Matthew helped me stand, and walked me out the door and into the big house.

We passed through the kitchen. Again Simon wasn’t there. I hadn’t seen him in the laboratory either. I wondered where he was. We walked upstairs. Matthew helped me into bed and I fell back on the pillows.

“How’s your head?” he asked.

I stared past him.

“Fi—” I said. “Everything… is fine.”

CHAPTER 30

When I woke up, it was morning again.

I looked in the mirror and could see bruising around where they had shoved needles into me. I was sore and still tired. But I was alive. Probably not for much longer. But I was alive. This was my time. I had to make the most of it.

It was clear and breezy outside. I watched the pine trees sway in the wind, shaking off the remnants of the rain from the day before. There were no clouds, no fog creeping in. I could see the island perfectly in the distance.

I looked down at the boat. It was banging up against the dock. It seemed like Jack was the only one who used the boat and maybe he was the only one who had a key. I didn’t know if I could find it, but I had to try.

There was a knock on the door. It was Simon, with breakfast.

“Thanks,” I said as he put it on the desk.

“You doing okay?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said. “I guess. Thanks for asking. And for breakfast.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said.

I took a long, hot shower, finding a few more odd bruises on my body. I still had that strange mark on my arm. I ran my finger over it. There was still a small bump on it and I wondered what they had done. It was from the first round of tests, and it didn’t seem to be healing.

When I walked out of the bathroom, I let out a gasp.

It was on the nightstand, next to a new vase of fresh roses.

A phone.

***

I ran over and picked it up. It was larger than a cell, with an antenna coming out of the top. I figured it must have been a satellite phone. I had never seen one before, but Ty told me about using them on remote river trips he guided back in Montana.

There was a note next to it in neat handwriting.

Abby,

I hope you’re feeling better this morning. I’ve enjoyed our nightly discussions and look forward to many more. As promised, here is the phone for a brief call.

I can only allow a few minutes this first time. But take heart. Perhaps the next call might be longer.

Of course, we are listening and your responses will be on a five-second delay. If at any time we feel you are attempting to convey details as to your whereabouts, the call will end along with any chance of future communications.

Enjoy your time with your sister.

See you tonight,

Nathaniel

I walked over and put my ear to the door. Then I slowly opened it. They had unlocked the door, and no one was around. I closed it quietly and sat at the edge of the bed.

I stared at the numbers in disbelief and was shaking as I held the phone in my hand. I was so sure that Nathaniel wouldn’t let me talk to Kate, not after my escape attempt. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t come up with any clues or a code that I could use. 

But at the very least, I needed to hear her voice, needed to talk to her. And I knew Kate needed this phone call as much as I did. I had to stay positive, but the thought was inescapable: there was a very real possibility this would be our last conversation.

I couldn’t think of anything. I wiped off my sweaty palms on the bed and took several deep breaths. And then I punched in Kate’s number.

She picked up on the first ring.

“Hello?” she said in a voice I barely recognized.

“Kate?” I said. “Kate, it’s me.”

There was a long, strange pause, and then I remembered the delay.

“No… Abby, is it really you? Abby, I can’t believe it.”

Tears pooled in my eyes.

“Yes,” I said. “It’s me, Kate. Nathaniel’s letting me talk for just a few minutes.”

“Abby, are you...”

She broke up. At first I thought it was the connection, but then I realized she was crying too.

“I’m okay, Kate. Really. I’m okay.”

I waited, but she was quiet.

“I’m on a five-second delay. They’re monitoring the conversation.”

“It’s so good to hear your voice, Abby,” she said. “Where are you?”

“I’m safe,” I said, hoping she couldn’t tell I was lying. “There’s so much I want to say. But just know that I’m being treated all right.”

There was a long pause.

“Kate?” I said, afraid that we had been cut off.

“I’m here, Abby.” I heard her nasally breathing.

“Please tell everyone that I’m okay. And that I’ll be home soon.”

“I will, Abby. I’ll be sure to let them know. Claire will be so glad. She’s really been worried about you.”

Claire
.

Kate had been in contact with Claire. She must have found her email address on my computer.

This was my chance. I had to try to hook Claire up with Jesse.

“When you talk to her, please thank her again for helping me work through that boy trouble I was having,” I said. “It really helped a lot. He’s trying to get in touch with her to thank her too. Can you tell her?”

There was an extra-long pause and I worried that I had said too much. I inhaled slowly and waited, hoping Kate was still there.

“Sure, Abby,” she said. “I’ll let her know. I told your boss what happened. Everything is waiting for you here. When do you think you’ll be home?”

My insides twisted up like a swing in a windstorm.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Soon, I hope.”

Fat tears ran down my cheeks and fell onto the bed.

“Hang in there, Abby,” Kate said. “I won’t let you down. I love…”

“Kate!” I yelled into the phone. “Kate!”

But it was dead.

I threw the phone down.

Even though the conversation had left me feeling sad, I had to focus on the good.

Kate had talked to Claire.

The fact that they had been in contact might turn out to be the beginning of something big. And now, hopefully, Claire would know that Jesse was trying to reach her. And he knew where I was.

Kate was good at her job, investigating and tracking people down. And Claire was good at what she did, too. Maybe together they could find me.

But I knew it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t just sit around waiting and hoping.

I wiped off my face. The time for tears was over. I had to do everything in my power to get off this island.

CHAPTER 31

Jack glared at me as I walked down the dock and got in the boat. Nathaniel was behind me.

“I thought it was just going to be the two of us,” I said, turning to Nathaniel, squinting in the bright afternoon sun.

“Yes, it will be,” he said. “Jack is just our pilot.”

Any illusions I had had about somehow overpowering Nathaniel and hijacking the boat sank to the bottom of the Sound.

It was clear and cold again. I was glad I was wearing a pea coat. Nathaniel was dressed all in black, as usual. He was even wearing dress shoes.

I saw a picnic basket on the seat next to us.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Jack picked up speed and we circled around to the other side of the island, the wind in my hair. It felt good to be moving, felt good to be leaving the prison. We crossed the open water, heading in the direction of a strip of land in the distance.

“Did you enjoy speaking with your sister?” Nathaniel asked.

“I did. And I was surprised you let me.”

“We had made a deal,” he said. “And even with your kayaking adventure, I felt I needed to hold up my end of the bargain. It was a good conversation then?”

“You would know,” I said, giving him a sideways glance. “You were listening, remember?”

He laughed.

“Yes,” he said. “We were. And you did very well. No cryptic messages that we could hear anyway.”

“Well,” I said. “It meant a lot to me. I appreciate it.”

After that I sat in silence, tucking my chin into the jacket, wondering where we were going. In about 20 minutes we pulled up on a small, rugged island. There didn’t seem to be a house or any people around.

Jack brought the boat to a stop next to an old dock. I could see a path leading up a small bluff.

Nathaniel got out of the boat and turned around toward me, extending his hand.

“Let’s go, Abby,” he said.

I walked past him, slowly through the sand and up the short trail. Nathaniel was at my heels, carrying the basket. Jack stayed with the boat.

We climbed for a while, making our way to the top of the cliff. There was a weathered picnic table sitting back from the rocky edge.

“I wanted you to see this,” Nathaniel said, looking out at the water.

I looked around.

“Nice view,” I said.

He nodded as he took out a bottle of wine and opened it, setting the corkscrew down on the table.

“
Brunello di Montalcino
,” he said, as he handed me a glass. “Quite rare. It comes from Tuscany. Perhaps one day we can travel there together and see how it’s made.”

I took a sip, trying hard to ignore what I thought he was trying to say, trying desperately to ignore the white clouds circling around him like he was Mt. Rainier. The wine tasted of old grapes and death.

I stared out at the Sound. It was beautiful really. The snow-capped peaks of the Northern Cascades in the distance. No end of islands, water all around. So much water. It sent a chill through my body thinking about having been out in all of it in that tiny kayak. It was massive.

Nathaniel inched next to me, uncomfortably close.

He put his glass down and took out a few containers and spread them out on the table.

“It’s a simple picnic, but sometimes the simple things are the best,” he said softly.

“I’m not hungry,” I said, standing up. I walked over to the edge.

I could jump. I could end it all right here. But it wasn’t that high. I would probably just get wet and bloodied. Then I remembered what Jesse had said about using Nathaniel’s feelings to my advantage.

“Don’t,” Nathaniel said suddenly.

“Why not?” I shouted, pretending I was seriously thinking about it.

“It’s not who you are,” he said, his eyes darting around. “You would never do that. And it would be a shame, Abby, to end your life not being true to your nature. There’s nothing worse, trust me.”

I looked back down over the cliff. That much he was right about.

He stood up and walked toward me.

“I brought you here, Abby, to tell you that… I love you.”

I shivered, my body colder than on the day I died.

“Like I told you the other evening, I’ve loved only one other time in my life, and it was for such a brief period. I didn’t think I would get another chance.”

My head started pounding.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Abby. You mean too much to me. I won’t lose the woman I love twice.”

He took my hand and kissed it.

“Nathaniel,” I said. “I’m not in love with you.”

“No,” he said. “I know this. But you will be. I know this as well.”

He led me back over to the table and poured some more wine.

He handed me my glass.

“I am a committed man, Abby,” he said. “I’m dedicated, my work drives me. But to have love again, to have it with someone like you, I would throw it all aside to be with you.”

I sighed. I knew he wasn’t being honest.

“But not now,” I said. “You wouldn’t throw aside the last test now, would you?”

“I love you, Abby, and I want us to be together. And I am willing to leave all this behind someday soon.”

“Someday soon I’ll be dead,” I said.

“You won’t. You’ll see. And then you’ll love me. I’m going to marry you. I’ve waited a long time for you, Abby.”

I looked up into his eyes.

It was true. He was in love with me.

I raised the glass to my lips and slipped the corkscrew in my pocket, hoping he didn’t see me and that it wouldn’t be missed later.

CHAPTER 32

It was a long night. I was glad to be in the room with the door closed and away from Nathaniel. He had really flipped. The things he had told me churned violently in my mind, reminding me that there were a lot of reasons now that I needed to get off this island.

When it was quiet, I walked through the house, hoping to find the woman with the kind eyes. I looked out the windows at the guest house, and wondered if the researchers just slept out there. It seemed like they were rarely in the large house and as I thought about it, I realized that I had only seen the doctors inside when they had come to get me for the tests.

***

In the morning, I had an idea. I finished getting dressed and made my way downstairs.

Simon was in the kitchen, like I was hoping.

“Hey, Abby,” he said. He was at the counter, chopping garlic and parsley.