A woman entered with the click of her heels on the wood floor. Dressed in a formfitting black dress, she had on a big black sun hat with a red ribbon tied around its base. Big, dark sunglasses hid her eyes and some of her face.
The third figure stayed outside, his silhouette faint through the glass.
“Look who’s finally awake. How do you feel, Dr. Bitch?”
The woman removed her sunglasses and revealed the face I had expected, but had hoped I wouldn’t see. She glared at me, definitely not glad to see me.
“Scarlet. What the fuck have you done?”
Chapter31
Cuffed
Scarlet strolledto the desk and laid down her sunglasses, then her hat. After dusting off the edge of the desk, she leaned against it. Positioning herself at the edge of the desk, blocking the light, I could only see her silhouette. Her face appeared dim, hid in shadow. She wore a black dress and black stiletto heels with a pearl necklace.
Stu closed the door and took up a position like a bouncer at a nightclub. He stood three or more inches taller than Dirk. The light from the desk lamp illuminated his face clearly and cast a dark shadow on the wall behind him. I shivered at the memory of how he had assaulted me.
I focused on Scarlet’s face even though her eyes were shadowed in darkness. If I could only see her eyes, I could read her better. I’d have to rely on other cues.
She crossed her arms and tapped one finger on her forearm.
“So, Doc. What should I do with you?”
“You could start by letting me go before you get in more trouble than you already are.” I moved my bound hand until the cuffs were taut. Being bound like this, chained to a moldy piece of furniture, left me even more hopeless and distraught.
“No chance, Doc. You’ve only delayed the inevitable by surviving the crash.”
“Where is Dirk? Do you have him too?”
“Oh. Now he’s Dirk? He’s not Mr. Baxter today?”
“Is he okay?” My chest tightened at the prospect that he was hurt. I felt a panic creep up within me. In my dreams, he had been covered in blood. Was that a memory of him in the wreckage that my mind recalled, or my worst nightmare?
Other than a dull ache in my shoulders, the throbbing in my head, and my cuffed wrist, I seemed fine.
“Oh, Doc. Stu didn’t tell you?” She glanced at Stu standing like a stone statue at the door, a smile spreading across her face.
“This is the first time she’s been conscious.” Stu said.
“So, the jarhead here hasn’t told you that Dirk died in the crash, like a good husband?” Scarlet turned back to glare at me.
“Died? That’s impossible. He was breathing…” My temples pounded like drums. A wave of nausea swept through me, knotting my stomach and making me dizzy.
I glanced at Stu. He looked down and changed his stance.
“Why?”
“Why what, Dr. Bitch?”
“Why did you have to kill Dirk?”
Scarlet laughed. “Oh, Princess. For fucking money, of course.”
I felt anger boiling up in me. Anger that this woman, who now laughed at me, had me shackled to a bed and had killed Dirk.
I felt his absence already, like an empty stomach craving food. All because of this bitch, Scarlet.
Any regrets I may have had for coming between Dirk and her vanished.
