The first thing I did was call Maurice when we got the picture of Gigi, but I couldn’t reach him. I’d panicked, but hours later, he’d called back and explained what happened.
“I’ll get her back.” Maurice broke into my thoughts. “I can move, and that’s all I need to do. I got my flight booked already.”
“Maurice, you took a hit to your chest. It’s crazy. You should at least stay the night.”
“I was here last night. It’s enough. The bullet grazed just near my arm, so it’s no biggie. I’ve been stitched up, and like I said, I can move. See you soon, bro.” He hung up.
I’d been standing in the hallway. Everyone else was in the living room.
I went back in to find that Amelia was still crying. She was sitting next to Raphael, and Millicent brought in a tray of cookies.
Claudius and Dad stood by the window looking out.
“What did he say?” Amelia asked.
“They were ambushed with knock-out gas, and Gigi got taken. They shot Maurice and killed everyone else.”
“Luc, this is getting ridiculous.” Claudius chimed in. “We have to find them somehow. We need to find out who the hell is helping them and get to the bottom of this.”
“Yes, and I’m coming,” Amelia offered.
“No, you aren’t,” I said before she could continue on that tirade.
“She’s my friend. This happened to her because of me. It’s Gigi, Luc. You know what Victor is capable of. Jesus Christ.” She started to cry again, and Raphael placed his arm around her, pulling her close to him.
He looked beside himself with worry and hadn’t said much. Of course, what could he say?
This… all of this wasn’t fucking happening because of Amelia. It was happening because of him.
I walked up to her and took her hand.
“Amelia, I promise you I’ll get her back.” I didn’t know if it was wise for me to make such a promise, but I’d die trying. That was more of a possibility.
A phone rang. No buzzing this time. It took me a second to realize it was my phone.
I pulled it out, and there was the unrecognized number we’d been waiting for.
“Victor,” I roared into the phone, not bothering to wait to confirm who it was.
“Oh, Luc, what if I’d been someone else? Like your hairdresser or dentist, or florist or pharmacist. I would have gotten a most terrible fright with you yelling at me like that.”
Amelia stood up. “Give her back, you son of a bitch!” she screamed.
Raphael stood too and took hold of her arm.
“Tell her she’s right. I am a son of a bitch. My mother was absolutely a bitch. She was a librarian at a boarding school for orphans. I lived there, and it was terrible. She hated me because I was the spawn of some loser, like it was my fault I was born. Ha, ha, ha. She shaved my head and used to cut me every time I was bad. She made me sleep in ice water if I didn’t get my times tables right, and damn, would she ever whip me with her cat of nine of tales if I didn’t say please or thank you. Do you know what she did, Luc? She killed my so-called father and fed him to me. My first taste of human flesh. I think that kind of messed me up, you know. She was the first person I killed. Didn’t eat her though. Not her disgusting flesh. Didn’t want the taste of her in my mouth.”
It made me sick. It made me physically sick. I couldn’t even be sympathetic to whatever the fuck kind of messed up childhood he must have had.
Victor was Victor, and I didn’t care. What I cared about was what he’d done, and what he was currently doing.
“Victor, give Gigi back. Give her back to us. She isn’t part of this.”
“Are you kidding? Of course, she is. She’s the best friend. In this game, I have your girl’s bestie. Last time it was yours. She’s starring in that role in this movie.”
Amelia started shaking. I was pretty certain she could hear what he was saying.
“What do you want? What the fuck do you want?” I cried.
