The van branched off onto a secluded road, and thankfully, another two cars were still between us. They indicated right and slowed down. The three vehicles turned into a large walled property that neighbored a small motel. After driving a couple of miles, I showed up at the motel and made a booking, glad they had a vacancy on the side facing the property. I would have to wait a while and regroup before I did anything stupid.
ChapterThirty-Nine
Alyssa
My head hurt.
I brought my hand up and felt a lump.
Opening my eyes, I found myself in a small room. There was a steel door with a small window in it. For a brief second, I wondered if I was back at the hospital.
Looking around, I realized this place was far too quiet and secluded to be a hospital. I was lying on a bed and when I tried to sit up, I felt groggy, almost medicated. Unfortunately, I knew the feeling too well. Lying back on the pillow, I hoped that if I drifted off, I’d wake up, and this would all be a bad dream.
“Alyssa,” a woman’s voice woke me from a deep slumber.
She sounded familiar. I’d spoken to her before. My eyes flickered open and Nurse Jones stood in front of me. I tried to get up, but my hands were restrained. I attempted to move my legs, but they were bound too.
“Where am I?” I slurred.
“Safe, you’re safe for now. Sorry about the restraints. I need you to listen.”
My eyes were heavy now.
“You lied, you lied to me.”
“Alyssa, you have to concentrate. Do you know where you are?”
“No,” I managed to say and pressed my head against the pillow. Then I turned toward her.
She wore a black suit instead of her nursing attire, her hair still knotted in a bun at the nape of her neck.
“Will you hurt me?”
“I won’t, but I cannot answer for the rest of them. You have to listen to me.”
I nodded, not knowing why I was allowing myself to listen to her.
“Your daughter is here too.”
My eyes shot open. “Gracie!” I shouted.
She pressed her hands to my mouth with a finger over her lips. “You will get us all killed, do you hear me?”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because I’m not working for Gregory. I work for Marley.”
“Marley? She’s just a kid.”
“A kid who wants to be free, Alyssa, like you, like Gracie, and the others. You need to stop being selfish and listen. You have to trust me. Marley overhead Gregory talking about a recording you had. She managed to convince him not to hurt Gracie.”
“How can I? You drugged me! Kept tabs on me and helped them kidnap my daughter.”
“I did no such thing,” she said through gritted teeth. “I was initially sent to Fort Hill by Gregory to keep an eye on you, but Marley doubled the offer to make sure Gregory didn’t get near you. It is what I was paid to do, and I held my end of the deal.”
“That makes no sense.”
She undid my restraints.
