“That’s right. Dr Tate has been unequivocal in his continued assessment of your mental health.”
A tremor ran through me. “I don’t understand...” But I did, it all began to make sense now, the pieces falling together with horrifying clarity.
“You mean James didn’t tell you when you paid him a visit?” I glanced at him sharply, he did know! “Yes, James kindly called and informed me of your little trip to obtain all of this, but I assure you, it’s completely above board.”
“How can it be?” I erupted, shooting to my feet. “There is nothing wrong with me!”
“Not according to Dr Tate, dear,” he returned calmly, his gaze holding mine as he remained seated and relaxed. “In his professional opinion, you’re legally incompetent, you poor thing, and it’s for that reason I continue to control your assets.”
“How could—”
“Now be a good girl and go to your room,” he spoke over me, his tone dismissive as he fished out some new documents, “I have some important calls to make.”
“You can’t do this.”
He shot me a warning glare. “You’re very much mistaken, Abi, I can do what I like.”
“How could you?”
“Because I love you, of course.”
“Love!” I spat out, rage and outright horror making my body shake from head to toe.
“Yes, darling.” He gave me a chilling smile. “And, rest assured, I will take care of Emma, how dare she lead you astray like that.”
“You leave Em—”
“Goodbye, Abi.”
A large hand closed around my arm and I jumped in surprise, my eyes shooting to see who it was and finding Tom directly behind me.When in the hell had he come in?
I tried to prise my arm free, panic well and truly setting in as my thoughts turned to Emma and what he was going to do with her.
“Dr Tate will be arriving shortly, Tom. He will sedate her, but until then, don’t let her out of your sight. I’m concerned for her safety.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“And take her cell off her, I don’t want her thinking she can coax a friend into helping.”
I gaped at him in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening. He was going to hold me hostage.No way!
“You can’t do this!” I shrieked, trying to shake Tom off but it was futile, he held me still with one hand while the other frisked me for my phone. Having located it in my back pocket, he pulledit out and tossed the device to my father before dragging me, kicking and screaming, out of the room.
“You can’t let him do this to me!” I wailed, writhing in his hold. I tried to turn my head into him, to use my teeth and cause him pain, anything to weaken him enough to get free. But he was a pro. He knew what I was about before I even did and held me fast. He had me in the bedroom in no time and, with a grunt, tossed me onto the bed.
I watched with tear streaked vision as he moved to close the door and pinned himself to it from the inside. His crossed arm stance and faraway stare enough to tell me he wasn’t going anywhere. I was trapped.
Incapable of simply lying there and awaiting my fate, I threw myself off the bed and started to pace the room. I had to think of a plan and fast.
My sessions with Dr Tate all made sense now. He was the key. If I could get to him, then I could get a clean bill of health and thus my inheritance.
The question was how...
A confession was hardly likely. I wasn’t so naive as to think he would tell me anything.
Could I lean on his moral stance? I almost snorted aloud at the ridiculous notion, the man had already demonstrated he had nothing of the sort.
And then the obvious came to me.
