“It’s simple really. I just want my life back as Pamela.” She picked up the wine bottle and took a long drink. The anger in her eyes burned bright as she faced the thieves who had stolen her life. “It’s only fair?—”
“No,” He interrupted, his voice calm and steady. He mustered all the strength he had to keep his voice from shaking.I don’t want her to sense my fear.
Callie scoffed. “Do you think you have a choice? I’m the one holding the gun. You do what I say.” She waved the gun again. Pamela winced in her chair, as her fingers dug into the cushion next to her legs. Jenkins remained stoic. His heart pounded in his chest.
“As I told you on the phone, this switch is what you wanted. Just because you didn’t like the results doesn’t mean you can just get back to what you had before.”
“Are you not listening? I have the gun. I have the power. I just need her to make the request to switch with me at the same time that I do. That’s how it works now, right?” Callie looked between Jenkins and Pamela, the desire for her previous body clear on her face. “See, I have been trying and trying to summon the tether. I have tried all kinds of ways. And then one night, after a particularly rough night with Sam, I laid in bed and thought back to the night before our switch.”
Callie dragged the back of her hand across her mouth, wiping away some spittle from her chin. “I hadn’t been able to summon the tether since my switch with Pamela from my Darla body. But that night, I thought about how much I wanted to switch again with someone—with anyone!”
Her eyes locked on to Pamela’s. “I’m going to guess that you laid in bed next to your dear old husband, fresh bruises forming, and you also thought about how great it would be to switch with someone. Am I right?”
Pamela recoiled as Callie pointed the gun at her. Tears soaked Pamela’s face.
“I can do it! I will make the switch. Please don’t kill me!” Pamela’s voice was shaky and unsure.
“She won’t hurt you. She can’t. You’re what she wants. If she kills you, then she won’t get what she wants: her old life back. Otherwise, no more fame, no more wealth, and no more power.” Jenkins antagonized her. He desperately wanted to get her attention off Pamela.I need to keep her safe, even if it means I die.
“You’re right.” Callie scratched her chin with the tip of the gun. “But I can kill you.” The gun raised once again and pointed directly at Jenkins’s chest.
“No, please!” Pamela cried out. Callie put her free finger up to her lips to shush her.
“You need to keep it down. We don’t want to wake poor Greta. It would be a terrible waste to have to kill her if she barges in here.” Pamela continued to cry and nodded her head.
“Before you do anything—Callie—” Jenkins said her name slowly. “Can you please at least tell me your real name?” He tilted his watch towards him.
I just need a few more minutes to stall her.He quickly glanced back at Callie, hoping she didn’t notice him checking his watch.
“Pamela.” She allowed thelsound to linger on her lips before they curled up into a sadistic smile.
Jenkins shook his head. “No, your very first name.”
Callie smirked. “Fine.”
The gun lowered back to her lap, and she took a sip from the bottle of wine.
“Jane.”
“When were you born? Like, the first time?” Jenkins switched on his lawyer prowess to keep her talking.
He just needed a few more minutes. The silent alarm on his keychain had been pushed discreetly earlier when he had put his wine glass down. Michael was instructed to alert police andmobilize the security team if they were alerted with the silent alarm, but Jenkins still needed more time until they all arrived.
“It was 1841. In a small settlement up North. Buffalo, New York. It was much quainter back then.”
“How did you get the ability to switch places with people?” He steepled his fingers to his mouth, forcing himself to feign interest in her.Just keep her talking; keep her focused on herself. She still thinks she is in control. But she has no idea the calvary is on the way. Stay strong Pamela. Help is coming.Jenkins could feel his pulse quicken in his neck and he worried the throb would be seen by Callie.
“Oh, I don’t know. I was on my deathbed and saw a small girl playing with her friends outside, and I thought about how much I would love to be in her shoes. The next thing I knew, I was.” Callie shrugged. “I’m bored; let’s get this show on the road.”
“You must be tired.” He rushed the words out, desperate to keep all the attention on her.That’s what you want, isn’t it. Everything to be about you?
“What? Why would you think that?” she asked. But Jenkins heard the small crack in her voice. Callie’s eyes flicked down to her shoes for a moment, and Jenkins caught the quiver of her lip. She hadn’t shown that much humanity since Kinley died.
“I mean, after all these years of planning, scheming, and switching. You must be ready to be done.” He relaxed slightly.
Maybe this is actually working,he thought.Soon you will be out of our lives for good.Jenkins fought the urge to look back at the door. He knew any moment, the police would descend on them, and this would all be over.Just a little longer.
Callie shifted in her chair, straightening her posture slightly. “I haven’t thought about it much. I just know that I need to do what I can to keep surviving.”
