44: Book Three Read online

  I stared at the numbers in disbelief and was shaking as I held the phone in my hand. I was so sure that Nathaniel wouldn’t let me talk to Kate, not after my escape attempt. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t come up with any clues or a code that I could use.

  But at the very least, I needed to hear her voice, needed to talk to her. And I knew Kate needed this phone call as much as I did. I had to stay positive, but the thought was inescapable: there was a very real possibility this would be our last conversation.

  I couldn’t think of anything. I wiped off my sweaty palms on the bed and took several deep breaths. And then I punched in Kate’s number.

  She picked up on the first ring.

  “Hello?” she said in a voice I barely recognized.

  “Kate?” I said. “Kate, it’s me.”

  There was a long, strange pause, and then I remembered the delay.

  “No… Abby, is it really you? Abby, I can’t believe it.”

  Tears pooled in my eyes.

  “Yes,” I said. “It’s me, Kate. Nathaniel’s letting me talk for just a few minutes.”

  “Abby, are you...”

  She broke up. At first I thought it was the connection, but then I realized she was crying too.

  “I’m okay, Kate. Really. I’m okay.”

  I waited, but she was quiet.

  “I’m on a five-second delay. They’re monitoring the conversation.”

  “It’s so good to hear your voice, Abby,” she said. “Where are you?”

  “I’m safe,” I said, hoping she couldn’t tell I was lying. “There’s so much I want to say. But just know that I’m being treated all right.”

  There was a long pause.

  “Kate?” I said, afraid that we had been cut off.

  “I’m here, Abby.” I heard her nasally breathing.

  “Please tell everyone that I’m okay. And that I’ll be home soon.”

  “I will, Abby. I’ll be sure to let them know. Claire will be so glad. She’s really been worried about you.”

  Claire.

  Kate had been in contact with Claire. She must have found her email address on my computer.

  This was my chance. I had to try to hook Claire up with Jesse.

  “When you talk to her, please thank her again for helping me work through that boy trouble I was having,” I said. “It really helped a lot. He’s trying to get in touch with her to thank her too. Can you tell her?”

  There was an extra-long pause and I worried that I had said too much. I inhaled slowly and waited, hoping Kate was still there.

  “Sure, Abby,” she said. “I’ll let her know. I told your boss what happened. Everything is waiting for you here. When do you think you’ll be home?”

  My insides twisted up like a swing in a windstorm.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “Soon, I hope.”

  Fat tears ran down my cheeks and fell onto the bed.

  “Hang in there, Abby,” Kate said. “I won’t let you down. I love…”

  “Kate!” I yelled into the phone. “Kate!”

  But it was dead.

  I threw the phone down.

  Even though the conversation had left me feeling sad, I had to focus on the good.

  Kate had talked to Claire.

  The fact that they had been in contact might turn out to be the beginning of something big. And now, hopefully, Claire would know that Jesse was trying to reach her. And he knew where I was.

  Kate was good at her job, investigating and tracking people down. And Claire was good at what she did, too. Maybe together they could find me.

  But I knew it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t just sit around waiting and hoping.

  I wiped off my face. The time for tears was over. I had to do everything in my power to get off this island.

  CHAPTER 31

  Jack glared at me as I walked down the dock and got in the boat. Nathaniel was behind me.

  “I thought it was just going to be the two of us,” I said, turning to Nathaniel, squinting in the bright afternoon sun.

  “Yes, it will be,” he said. “Jack is just our pilot.”

  Any illusions I had had about somehow overpowering Nathaniel and hijacking the boat sank to the bottom of the Sound.

  It was clear and cold again. I was glad I was wearing a pea coat. Nathaniel was dressed all in black, as usual. He was even wearing dress shoes.

  I saw a picnic basket on the seat next to us.

  “Come on, let’s go.”

  Jack picked up speed and we circled around to the other side of the island, the wind in my hair. It felt good to be moving, felt good to be leaving the prison. We crossed the open water, heading in the direction of a strip of land in the distance.

  “Did you enjoy speaking with your sister?” Nathaniel asked.

  “I did. And I was surprised you let me.”

  “We had made a deal,” he said. “And even with your kayaking adventure, I felt I needed to hold up my end of the bargain. It was a good conversation then?”

  “You would know,” I said, giving him a sideways glance. “You were listening, remember?”

  He laughed.

  “Yes,” he said. “We were. And you did very well. No cryptic messages that we could hear anyway.”

  “Well,” I said. “It meant a lot to me. I appreciate it.”

  After that I sat in silence, tucking my chin into the jacket, wondering where we were going. In about 20 minutes we pulled up on a small, rugged island. There didn’t seem to be a house or any people around.

  Jack brought the boat to a stop next to an old dock. I could see a path leading up a small bluff.

  Nathaniel got out of the boat and turned around toward me, extending his hand.

  “Let’s go, Abby,” he said.

  I walked past him, slowly through the sand and up the short trail. Nathaniel was at my heels, carrying the basket. Jack stayed with the boat.

  We climbed for a while, making our way to the top of the cliff. There was a weathered picnic table sitting back from the rocky edge.

  “I wanted you to see this,” Nathaniel said, looking out at the water.

  I looked around.

  “Nice view,” I said.

  He nodded as he took out a bottle of wine and opened it, setting the corkscrew down on the table.

  “Brunello di Montalcino,” he said, as he handed me a glass. “Quite rare. It comes from Tuscany. Perhaps one day we can travel there together and see how it’s made.”

  I took a sip, trying hard to ignore what I thought he was trying to say, trying desperately to ignore the white clouds circling around him like he was Mt. Rainier. The wine tasted of old grapes and death.

  I stared out at the Sound. It was beautiful really. The snow-capped peaks of the Northern Cascades in the distance. No end of islands, water all around. So much water. It sent a chill through my body thinking about having been out in all of it in that tiny kayak. It was massive.

  Nathaniel inched next to me, uncomfortably close.

  He put his glass down and took out a few containers and spread them out on the table.

  “It’s a simple picnic, but sometimes the simple things are the best,” he said softly.

  “I’m not hungry,” I said, standing up. I walked over to the edge.

  I could jump. I could end it all right here. But it wasn’t that high. I would probably just get wet and bloodied. Then I remembered what Jesse had said about using Nathaniel’s feelings to my advantage.

  “Don’t,” Nathaniel said suddenly.

  “Why not?” I shouted, pretending I was seriously thinking about it.

  “It’s not who you are,” he said, his eyes darting around. “You would never do that. And it would be a shame, Abby, to end your life not being true to your nature. There’s nothing worse, trust me.”

  I looked back down over the cliff. That much he was right about.

  He stood up and walked toward me.

  “I brought you here, Abby, to tell you that… I love you.�
�

  I shivered, my body colder than on the day I died.

  “Like I told you the other evening, I’ve loved only one other time in my life, and it was for such a brief period. I didn’t think I would get another chance.”

  My head started pounding.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you, Abby. You mean too much to me. I won’t lose the woman I love twice.”

  He took my hand and kissed it.

  “Nathaniel,” I said. “I’m not in love with you.”

  “No,” he said. “I know this. But you will be. I know this as well.”

  He led me back over to the table and poured some more wine.

  He handed me my glass.

  “I am a committed man, Abby,” he said. “I’m dedicated, my work drives me. But to have love again, to have it with someone like you, I would throw it all aside to be with you.”

  I sighed. I knew he wasn’t being honest.

  “But not now,” I said. “You wouldn’t throw aside the last test now, would you?”

  “I love you, Abby, and I want us to be together. And I am willing to leave all this behind someday soon.”

  “Someday soon I’ll be dead,” I said.

  “You won’t. You’ll see. And then you’ll love me. I’m going to marry you. I’ve waited a long time for you, Abby.”

  I looked up into his eyes.

  It was true. He was in love with me.

  I raised the glass to my lips and slipped the corkscrew in my pocket, hoping he didn’t see me and that it wouldn’t be missed later.

  CHAPTER 32

  It was a long night. I was glad to be in the room with the door closed and away from Nathaniel. He had really flipped. The things he had told me churned violently in my mind, reminding me that there were a lot of reasons now that I needed to get off this island.

  When it was quiet, I walked through the house, hoping to find the woman with the kind eyes. I looked out the windows at the guest house, and wondered if the researchers just slept out there. It seemed like they were rarely in the large house and as I thought about it, I realized that I had only seen the doctors inside when they had come to get me for the tests.

  ***

  In the morning, I had an idea. I finished getting dressed and made my way downstairs.

  Simon was in the kitchen, like I was hoping.

  “Hey, Abby,” he said. He was at the counter, chopping garlic and parsley.

  “Hey, Simon,” I said.

  I pulled out a barstool and sat down across from him.

  “What are you making?”

  “I’m marinating a roast for dinner,” he said. “I was working late last night and didn’t get around to it, but whenever you marinade, if at all possible, try to do it the night before.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  He looked around.

  “So, did you have a good talk with your sister the other day?” he said softly. “I was happy when I heard that you got to talk to her.”

  I nodded.

  “Yeah,” I whispered. “I miss her so much.”

  He added a few different spices to the mixture.

  “You guys are close, huh?” he said.

  “Yeah,” I said. “We just have each other really. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “Just a brother,” he said, smiling. “He drives me crazy, though. He’s an actor in Los Angeles and I only hear from him when he needs money.”

  I wandered over to the cookbooks, browsing through them. I pulled down a Kathy Casey book. I opened it, skimming the recipes, trying to find one with some unusual ingredients.

  Simon sealed up the roast in a plastic bag, put it in the refrigerator, and took off his apron.

  “Sorry, Abby, I wish I could stay and cook with you today, but I have to get back to work. Have a great day. I hope you find something to make.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve always wanted to make a seafood dish like bouillabaisse or paella. But I would need fresh clams, maybe some mussels. Can we get those?”

  “Sure,” he said. “We’ll get whatever you need. Leave a list for me tonight and I’ll have Jack pick everything up in the morning when he’s out.”

  “That would be great,” I said, flipping through the book and hiding my eyes. “Thanks, Simon.”

  He nodded and left through the back door.

  I found a recipe and started writing down ingredients, even though I wouldn’t need anything.

  Jack was leaving in the morning, and I would be right there with him.

  CHAPTER 33

  I had a plan. Now I just had to make it work.

  I walked along the shore, the cold wind blowing back my hair. I made it down to the tip of the island again, hoping Jesse would find me. But he didn’t.

  As I walked, I thought back on Kate. I missed her terribly and couldn’t wait to see her again. I began feeling like it was possible.

  I suddenly remembered her job interview. She had been in New York when Jack kidnapped me. I had totally forgotten. I wondered if she had been offered the job. It almost didn’t matter though. If I lived through this, I was pretty sure Kate would stay with me in Bend for a long time. The only way she would leave was if I agreed to come along.

  I turned back. The sun was hitting one of the farthest islands, lighting it up. The wind was in my face and birds floated in the air just past the shoreline.

  After a while I sat in the sand, up from the water. It was a good place to study the boat, although I wasn’t sure what more I needed to learn. I knew what I had to do. First, I had to get on board without being noticed. Then I needed to find a place to hide. I felt confident I could do those things. The part that worried me the most was the timing. I couldn’t get on the boat too early. The more time I gave them to discover that I was missing, the longer the odds would grow against me.

  I headed back to the house.

  CHAPTER 34

  I slowly walked into the library.

  Nathaniel was in his chair, smiling.

  “Abby,” he said. “Good evening.”

  “Hello.”

  I took my seat and he got up, going over to the bar.

  “Just water tonight,” I said.

  He filled a glass with ice and poured in water from a small bottle. He handed it to me.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  He sat down again.

  “Before we begin I wanted to review our agreement regarding any future communications you might have with your sister,” he said.

  I was relieved he wasn’t talking about his feelings for me, but the tone of his voice made me nervous. I worried that he had become suspicious of my reference to Claire.

  “I would be more than happy to make it a habit, these phone calls,” he said. “But it is contingent on two points: first, that we continue these little chats and, just as important, that you for your part hold nothing back. I expect full disclosure, if you will.”

  I put my glass down on the table and sat back.

  “Full disclosure?”

  “Yes,” he said. “You haven’t been completely honest in this room. And in order for me to allow you more phone time, you need to start telling me the whole truth.”

  He had a sly smile on his face. I had no idea what he was talking about. There was clearly something he wasn’t telling me. Maybe he knew about my plans for the morning.

  I looked over at him, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

  “Come now,” he said. “Your face has grown very pale. No need. I am not angry with these new developments. Just the opposite.”

  “I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about,” I said after a long pause. “I’m not sure you do either.”

  He stood up and walked over to the cabinet against the wall, opening it up. Inside was a large television. I didn’t know what he wanted to show me, but it made me uneasy.

  “Please, come and sit over here. I wish to share a home movie we made. Or should I
say, we tried to make. We had unusual technical difficulties for some reason. Maybe you can help us figure out why, Abby. I would like your opinion on this.”

  I went over to the studded leather chair next to the TV and sat down. Nathaniel stared at me again before taking a seat.

  “You see, I haven’t told you everything about this house, Abby. For instance, I haven’t mentioned that we have an extensive medical library on the premises. Or that there is a complex security system in place that not only keeps out intruders but can even track them through the use of body heat. Things that you probably would never know about, unless there was a reason.”

  I reminded myself to breathe.

  “Anyway, as part of the security system, we have some of these heat-sensitive cameras downstairs. In the basement.”

  My heart pounded wildly. I knew now where he was going, what he had on me, and why he had said I wasn’t being honest.

  “We store some expensive equipment down there and the cameras are for insurance purposes,” he said, dragging the moment out with pointless details. “They automatically start filming when their sensors are triggered.”

  He finally clicked the button on the remote control.

  “So imagine our surprise when we did our daily reviews of the tapes and found this.”

  I stared with large eyes at the screen at the recording of me playing basketball.

  With Jesse.

  ***

  But as he played it, I saw that the video was a mess. Although I immediately recognized the scene, there were lines and snow covering the entire screen. The picture quality was terrible, as if someone had recorded a distant channel using rabbit ears and aluminum foil. The audio wasn’t much better, coming in and out. I could barely even tell what we were watching.

  I sat back, relieved.

  “Well, I admit the recording is not the best. There are some serious technical problems that we’ve never experienced before. It’s almost as if some sort of interference occurred. But what is clear, is that you are having quite the conversation with yourself.”

  He turned up the volume. It was a very odd, one-sided conversation. I was talking and pausing and talking again. It was hard to make out most of what I said, but enough was there to realize something unusual was going on. At least Jesse’s voice hadn’t been captured.