Part 32 (1/2)

They felt a small b.u.mp and saw him get down to secure the ferry. She tried to hurry and finish untying her hands, but the kid was quicker than she was. He climbed in the van, walked over to Diane, and put his gun to her temple.

”I don't want any trouble. None.” His voice was very quiet. ”You understand, don't you?”

”Yes,” whispered Diane. Her voice shook as she spoke, and he laughed.

”Good. I will shoot you.” He shoved the muzzle of the gun into her temple until she winced in pain. ”You know I will.”

He hit Kingsley in the shoulder with his fist and went back to the driver's seat as Kingsley yelled in pain. Diane could see his eyes in the mirror. He looked amused.

”Arrested development,” whispered Kingsley. ”I think Rosewood is as far as this kid had ever been before now. G.o.d, that hurt. d.a.m.n little b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”

Diane watched out the front window as they drove along a winding dirt road. When the house came into view she was startled. She expected a rundown old mansion past its prime and falling into decay, with hanging vines and huge trees overrunning the place. What she saw was beautiful. The winding paved driveway led up to an oversized freshly painted Greek revival house with large white columns. The front gardens were filled with bed after bed of roses, lilies, and irises in full bloom. A black jaguar was parked in front.

The kid took an offshoot road, drove to the back of the house, and stopped in front of a rock building that looked like it might have been lifted out of Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights.

”Here we are. It ain't home, but who the h.e.l.l cares,” he said, laughing. ”You can untie your legs now.”

Diane made it look as if it was an effort to untie the rope as she pulled the end of the loop, releasing the bonds on Kingsley's legs. She did the same with hers. Bobby Banks didn't watch closely. He kept looking up at the house as if something up there worried him. When their legs were free he led them to the building, locked them in, and left them alone in the dark.

Little light seeped in past the shuttered windows. Diane tried the door but it was bolted shut from the outside.

”Don't undo your bonds yet,” she said. ”Wait until you have somewhere to run to.”

”I do still have some wits about me,” Kingsley said. But it wasn't a defensive comment, Diane noticed.

She and Kingsley tried the windows. All were nailed shut. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness. It was too much to hope that he had put them in a tool shed. It looked like Daniel Boone's bedroom. There was a twin bed with a gray wool bedspread, rough-hewn furniture. It was some kind of rustic one-room guesthouse with no bathroom.

”What is this, a playhouse?” said Diane.

”I don't know,” said Kingsley.

”Why don't you lie down on the bed?” said Diane.

”We need to get out of here,” he said.

”Yes, but you need rest and it would be good for them to think you're worse off than you are,” she said. ”If someone comes, they need to find you lying down.”

Diane led him to the bed and made him lie down. He was just settled when she heard voices outside that sounded like they were coming their way. She took her phone from her pocket and checked the signal bars. No service, as she suspected. She put it on mute anyway and quickly put it under the chest of drawers, display side down, and stood up to meet whoever was coming to get them.

Chapter 49.

Diane was sitting on the bed with Kingsley when the door opened. She could see that it was two people but the light behind them kept her from seeing anything but silhouettes. She waited as they walked in. One was the kid; the other was a woman. The woman turned on a battery-operated lantern and put it on the table. It was a dim light, but Diane could see them clearly. Clymene.

She looked at Diane and Kingsley as if they were interesting specimens and nothing more.

”And why did you bring them here?”

She was dressed in a simple white cotton sundress with a small embroidered jacket. Banks carried a bucket that he set down on the floor. Diane saw that it had toilet paper and a bottle of something in it.

”I saw him,” Banks said. ”I was going to Jeeters and there he was coming out the door. I couldn't believe it. I had to do something.”

d.a.m.n, it was an accident of fate, thought Diane. thought Diane.

”Why did you bring them here?” she repeated calmly.

”I didn't know what else to do. Now he's shot. It wasn't my fault; it was theirs. Do you think she'll get mad at me?” he asked.

”Let me tell her about this, okay?” she said.

Listening to their conversation, it suddenly occurred to Diane that this was not Clymene. The ”her” they were talking about was Clymene. ”Are you Lily or Rose?” she said.

The woman looked startled.

”Rose. How bad is your companion?” she said.

”Bad enough. I'm concerned about his temperature. I'm afraid the bleeding will start up again. He's recovering from a car accident he had a few days ago, and now this. He needs to see a doctor,” said Diane.

”You are a doctor,” said Rose.

”I'm not that kind of doctor,” said Diane.

”You know anatomy. I'm afraid you will have to do. Do you need dressings?”

”No. If I change them, he'll start bleeding again,” said Diane. ”You know it's not a good idea to keep us here, don't you?”

”Yes, I do,” she said. ”He shouldn't have brought you here. But what's done is done.”

Diane had been watching Rose and the guy she thought was Bobby Banks. They favored each other.

”Is he your son?” asked Diane.

”My son?” She looked startled again. ”No. Joey's my brother.”

Joey. Diane could see him as a baby kangaroo.

”You will have to stay in here while I sort this out,” she said. ”In the meantime, do you need food?”

”They just ate,” said Joey.

”Did they? Well. I guess we won't prepare anything for them,” said Rose.

The two of them left and locked the door.

”At least they left the light,” said Diane. And their names, And their names, she thought. Not a good sign at all-like it didn't matter. she thought. Not a good sign at all-like it didn't matter.