“I know you better than you think. You’re doing any and every little thing you can to find a way out of here. So let me give you a little reality check. If you find a way to contact the police, I will know. If you find a way to contact your father, I will know. Do not underestimate my power. I am everywhere, even the places you would never think to look.”
My hands form fists the moment he mentions Dad. Is he that powerful or just a full-blown egomaniac?
Get him talking. Do not blindly do what he asks.
“How do I know you’re not bluffing?”
His cold facade breaks and he looks pissed. For a second, I’m afraid he’s going to hit me or something by the look on his face.
But instead he whispers, “Currently, your father and the Landrys are still in Arkansas and are debating whether or not to defy me and leave the island. Mrs. Landry hasn’t stopped crying since the three of you left.”
I can’t speak. And I can’t imagine what it’s like for Dad and the Landrys.
“I can tell by your expression that you believe me now.”
Thomas steps aside so I can pass through the door before he shuts and locks it again. I say a quick prayer Teeny won’t wake while I’m gone. I’m surprised when we head to a door across the hall rather than down it. Ethan’s window isn’t as close as I thought it was.
Thomas pulls a set of keys from his pocket and I stare at the patches on the uniform. City of New Orleans. The key ring is full, maybe thirty keys in all, but it takes him no time to find the right one.
The door opens and Ethan is tied to a chair in the center of the room.
I run to him, throwing my arms around him. He can’t move but he burrows his head into my neck.
“Are you and Teeny okay?” He whispers in my ear.
I nod, unable to talk.
Ethan pulls back to look at me. “Your cheek looks terrible.”
I let out a desperate laugh. “You don’t look that much better. Weren’t you the one who said to stay out of trouble?” He’s got a black eye and a busted lip.
“Yeah, I’m having a little trouble taking my own advice.”
His room is similar to ours—single mattress on the floor with the same white sheets. No card table of snacks though, just a small ice chest and the same little light fixture on the wall. And a bucket. He does have the same shuttered window with the same little brass padlock, but his room would look out to the back of the building.
“Why is he tied up like this?” I scream at Thomas.
He ignores my question. “Anna, kneel down beside him so your face is close to his.”
This is such an odd request, I drop to my knees without thinking what he’s asking. Ethan looks nervous and begins to fidget in his bindings.
Tyler steps in the room—mask back on—and hands Thomas a rolled-up newspaper and a camera.
Thomas says something to him in Spanish, then Tyler turns to leave the room without looking at me once.
Thomas hands me the paper and says, “Hold this in front of you.”
I look down and it’s the front page of theTimes-Picayunewith what I’m assuming is today’s date. I hold it up and look at Ethan. I don’t like the expression on his face.
“Anna, don’t do it. Move away from me right now.”
I don’t understand. I scoot back, mainly because of the crazed look on Ethan’s face, but Thomas stops me when he says, “Don’t make me involve Elena in this.”
I move back in and hold the paper up, just as he requested.
“Look right here.”
I turn toward Thomas and blink at the flash from the camera.
