The maid doesn't stop. "I wouldn't. They'll have locked the door, and those men will shoot you on sight, no matter who you are. Death is very good for altering facts."
I drag Lyndall with me. "Please, there has to be a way?—"
She laughs. "Out? No. Not unless he chooses to let you go. And it has never happened yet." She spins on the landing as we reach it and pulls down the high neck of her uniform. "From the beatings and rape when I tried to escape."
Lyndall blanches. "I think I'm gonna hurl."
Gretchen shakes her head. "No. You're not. Because I'm not cleaning it up."
"You could help?—"
"This is the room. I'll bring up food in a bit." Her eyes fall to Lyndall's arm, how she's rubbing it. "What happened?"
"Car accident. It's how they got us."
"Then a doctor will be coming. Now, you have a bathroom, two beds, and some books. The window is painted and it's nailed shut. The door will be locked. Don't cause trouble." Gretchen turns and heads for the door.
I frown at her. "Why won't you help us? They raped you."
"They killed my brother. He owed them money. I was seventeen when they took us. Dom is...nice enough to me. And now I'm his maid. I live here, too." She shrugs.
"You're a prisoner, too?" Everything in me churns.
"Something like that... I'll bring food."
With that, she leaves.
As soon as she does, Lyndall scrambles for the door, but nothing happens.
We're locked in.
She whirls to face me. "She said Dom. But this isn't where he took me last time. I...I... He didn't do this, crash into us, I mean. Maybe she's a crazy lady, spurned by Enzo."
In spite of the situation, my lips twitch.
It's not funny, there's nothing funny about this. But still, I want to laugh.
Only if I start, I won't stop.
"Your brother?—"
"Not my brother. I'myoursister, remember?"
"Your—Enzois hot and all, but I'm not sure any of his spurned women go around kidnapping other women that are connected to him." I sit on one of the beds.
It doesn't seem bad, and at least the room is clean.
"Lyndall, it seems like he sent someone to crash into us."
Tears shine in her eyes. "J-Jack... Oh God. They said he was dead."
I rise and hug her. "I know. But I stand by what I said. We don't know if he's alive, or if they were just messing with our heads."
Because that's what kidnappers do, right?
"Enzo is going to come for us," I say to her.
"M-my arm hurts. What if I can't play? What?—"
