Chapter 55
SCARLETT
‘I kept a fork from dinner one day,’ Phoebe continues.
‘He never noticed. I’ve been biding my time, waiting for another one of us to join me.
I’ll stab him in the eyes. We’ll overcome him, then I’ll stab him in the neck.
We’re lucky tonight. There’s a clear sky and a full moon.
Tonight’s the night. We can make this happen. ’
She’s not thinking straight. I fear for her sanity. It would take days, possibly weeks to make a hole big enough to get through that wall. Justin would find us out before we could hatch our plan.
Initially, I didn’t know if I could trust her, but the way she’s talking, there’s no doubt in my mind. Beth enters my thoughts. ‘Does his wife know what he’s doing here?’
‘No. She’s ill. Did you meet her?’
‘Yes. I’ve been helping to look after his mum. From what I can make out, she’s dying.’
Moonlight seeps through small high-placed windows with metal bars, casting shards of light across the stall. I bet this place is freezing in winter.
‘How do you cope?’ I ask. ‘Being held here for so long?’
‘I was petrified at first. Then I was angry and defiant until I realised it wasn’t getting me anywhere. I reckon he’s going to let me go soon. The amount of time he’s interrogated me, he can’t keep me much longer. I’ve nothing much more to say.’
‘I didn’t like the way he turned when you asked about getting out of here,’ I say.
‘It’s OK. Just Justin’s getting his own way. You’ll soon realise he likes people kowtowing to him. Do that, and it’ll make life easier.’
How accepting of the situation she appears to be. It must be her coping mechanism. ‘How long do you think you’ve been in here?’
‘I came at the end of April.’
‘How?’
‘I came here of my own free will. Or at least I thought I had. The truth is, he coerced me, under the guise of one of his private sessions. He said he could heal me. His bullshit spiritual enlightenment. Then he offered me a job. Just a temporary one, helping to look after his mum and Beth while he went to the USA to do some talks. I was homeless, jobless, so what could be more appealing? Their house is bloody lovely. It was hard work. His mum was a handful, and his wife is so ill, throwing up all the time. Passing out. Poor woman. But she was so kind to me.’
It must’ve been hell spending cold nights in this damp, derelict shack. ‘Weren’t you cold to start with?’
‘There were a couple of heaters. The worst parts were when he disappeared for days at a time. No fresh water or food. By the time he got back, we were so happy to see him. I guess that was all part of his plan. So what do you think about my idea? Tonight?’
The poor girl. She’s not seeing this situation clearly. We are in trouble. Deep trouble. But I’m damned if I’m going to let us end up in the bottom of that lake with those other bodies.