CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I make my decision. I will give him true hope and let him rest tonight in preparation for tomorrow night. I need to tend to him tonight and ensure he feels like there is going to be a chance.
I start by turning off the lamps, and I hear him sigh. I turn off the music and stand above him. He still squints at me. His eyes will need time to recover from the lamp’s bright light.
“There, there, Boy,” I croon quietly, in the tone I would use for Shiloh if she’d hurt herself or was feeling unwell. “It’s going to be okay.”
He nods and licks his lips.
I retrieve the hammer and set it on the bedside table.
“Do you promise?”
“I promise this will all be over soon,” I say quietly.
I offer him some water and he drinks it greedily. Then, I slowly remove the needles from his fingers. I use the hammer to extract the nail securing his hand to the plank underneath.
I go to the other hand and repeat the process. He moans softly and I can’t tell if it’s from pain or relief. I move to his feet, where I slowly remove the duct tape and pull the carpet grippers off. Then, I carefully remove the needles from his toes before I remove the nails that are keeping his feet secure to the plank. With some effort, I remove the planks from under him, but I do not unstrap him. I finally remove the funnel, hose, and balloon from above his head.
“You need to rest,” I say gently. “Rest and I’ll come back tomorrow to check on you. Sleep while you can.”
He nods and is already shutting his eyes. He is exhausted and drifting off already.
I pack up and clean up all I can before I wash my hands and grab my coat and purse and head out the door. As I do, I nearly bump into someone.
“Esther. So nice to see you,” Priscilla says. “My, but you’ve kept this one going for so long.”
She struggles to speak clearly. She had to have lip surgery. Rumor is that he did it to her, the one who slipped into madness. I thought she looked ugly before, but it looks worse now.
“It was a special request,” I say coolly. I don’t particularly like talking to her. I don’t like talking to anyone I don’t have to.
“Yes, I heard it’s coming to an end, though. How is our guest doing?”
“He’s fine. He’s resting for tomorrow’s big, pre-finale special.”
“I’d love to watch,” she says, “If you’d have me.”
“I’d prefer it to be private,” I say calmly. “Is my bill settled?”
“Not quite. There is a matter of a thousand dollars that is still owed from the last participant.”
“Contract,” I say. “They are nothing more than contracts.”
“Of course, forgive me. Your last contract .”
I nod slowly. “I’ll leave the thousand dollars with your assistant downstairs tomorrow night. I don’t have it on me right now.”
“That’s fine.” Priscilla waves me off. “Nothing wrong with that. I assume you’ll be cleaning this one up as well when you’re done.”
“You’ll need a new bed, I imagine,” I say thoughtfully. “I’ll pay for it. Just put it on my bill.”
“Very well,” Priscilla says. “I have to go, but it was nice catching up with you.”
She walks away and I watch her for a moment before I head downstairs. I don’t even acknowledge the assistant sitting in reception. It’s a new rule that no one is allowed to use her for anything. Not since he made a mess of things with the previous one.
I get into my car and take a deep breath. I don’t believe in mercy, but I like the taste of hope. I’ll give Boy this night to enjoy it, but tomorrow night the fun begins in earnest. I put my car into gear and then pause. I get out again and walk around the back of the building to the cliff that overlooks the city park. It is beautiful up here. I admire the way the night engulfs everything. I take a few deep breaths. Shiloh will do as I say–I know she won’t want to disappoint me. But I wonder if I should have made her do it sooner. It seems like she has built a personal connection with Kerri now. That can’t help matters.
I frown deeply before I sigh softly and turn away from the cliff. Walking back to my car, I get in and start driving home. I check the mailbox and find the package from the Pharmacist that I requested. I take it inside and set it on my desk in my study.
Everyone is asleep. I peek in on Shiloh, who is sleeping in a mass of teddy bears, and then I peek in on Kerri, who is in one piece and asleep in her bed.
To say I’m disappointed takes it to a whole new level. She is running out of time, and I don’t know how to make her take this more seriously.
Kerri cannot leave with her life. She needs to be disposed of. I had taken great lengths for post-Kerri to have left and found a job abroad. Now all that was left was for Shiloh to hold up her end of the bargain, so that I can put everything in place.
Maybe I should explain how I will dispose of the body. Maybe she’s worried about that. I’ll speak to her tomorrow and see what I can do about easing her troubles. I know it’s a big first task, but she’s old enough to take it on. I was younger than her the first time I killed somebody.
I shower and change, then brush my teeth before I climb into bed. I'm a little worried about what to do with Shiloh, and ultimately, Kerri.