“Rise and shine!” Angel Not came into the room, flicked on the light switch, and laughed when he saw me. “So the hero strikes again. How many days have you been on that floor? You never learn your lesson, do you? Ah should leave you like this, but Ah’m in a good mood. Today is the day Ah become a millionaire, courtesy of my parents.” He pulled me and my chair upright. “Ah see through your little plan.”
Sam carried a tray of food into the room. “Here’s the drill. Mr. and Mrs. St. Pierre take turns in the bathroom. Then Belle. If Ah’m in a good mood, maybe Ah’ll let you boys in there. Then, a gourmet breakfast. If you’re good, that is.” Angel Not pulled out the gun and pointed it at me. “This is to give you a little encouragement in that area.”
Angel Not untied Aunt Delphine and Uncle Antoine and removed their gags. “Sorry, no shower today. But, Ah brought your toothbrushes from your bathroom. After you wash up, you can eat.”
Aunt Delphine and Uncle Antoine walked toward me with worried looks on their faces. I must have looked like a mess. Angel Not blocked their path. ”Stay away from him, otherwise, Ah might really give you something to worry about.”
“Don’t you dare hurt him,” Aunt Delphine warned.
“I want to see these three people alive and well after we return from the lawyer’s office,” Uncle Antoine said.
“We don’t always get what we want,” Angel Not teased.
“You wouldn’t—”
“Just try me.”
Sam spoke to Aunt Delphine and Uncle Antoine. “My darling Mabel is choosing the clothes you’ll wear to attend today’s meeting and visit to the bank to cash your checks. You, of course, will cooperate with us because my son will babysit these two boys and Belle while we’re busy changing our future.”
Angel Not untied us one at a time.
I saw my face in the bathroom mirror and realized how badly I was hurt. The right side of my face was black and blue. I washed off the blood from my face and hands. My mind raced. I knew, for now at least, I’d have to behave myself. Food was on my mind. I didn’t know when my next meal would be. Or if there would ever be a next meal.
We ate in silence. Bread with jelly. Water. Nothing else.
Aunt Delphine and Uncle Antoine looked tired and old. They had lost the spark they had when they first saw me and thought they were saved. I had let everyone down.
“Will you let us go after you come back?” I asked Sam.
“It could happen that way. Or maybe we’ll take you with us for a little ride as insurance that nothing goes wrong. You see it all depends on how y’all cooperate.”
Mabel came in with an armload of clothes. “Don’t discuss our plans with our prisoners. Ah can’t leave you alone for a minute.” Sam turned red in the face. He looked angry but he didn’t give her any backtalk.
Prisoner. I never thought that word would ever apply to me. Of course, he’s giving us hope. Why would my great-aunt and -uncle cooperate if they knew we’d all be killed or just left here to die? Truth is, we’re more trouble alive than dead. We could identify them. And come to think of it, the five of us could never fit in one car with them. Only two of us. What will happen to the three extra people?
She sent Aunt Delphine and Uncle Antoine into the bathroom to change. “Here’s some cologne. We don’t want you to smell like you haven’t had a shower in six days.”
“Lucky for us you boys didn’t go home. Now we have three hostages instead of one. Belle would have been unhappy all by her lonesome.” Angel Not just wouldn’t stop.
Aunt Delphine and Uncle Antoine were ready to leave. They kissed us good-bye.
The hugs were tight and long. No words were spoken. What can you say when you know you may never see your loved one again?
Angel Not and Sam tied and gagged us again. Angel Not made sure our chairs were far apart. He turned the light off, leaving the three of us in semidarkness.
“Adios, sucker,” Angel Not snarled.
I began to pray.