My desperate thoughts turned to my mother. I should have called her as Morgan had suggested. He’d known that I was hurting her and had tried to warn me. He knew because his sister, Teri, was doing the same. I could hear Morgan’s words as if he were sitting right next to me. “Why are you punishing your mother? Is it because she loves you too much or because she won’t let you go?” Yet, in spite of my regrets, something inside still refused to give in. If I got out of this alive, I’d continue my search.
My journey would not be over.
I would, however, contact my mother.
My main concern right now was for Joshua. I would protect him with my life, if it came to that. But would my life be enough?
Although mad as hell at my sister, I refused to judge her. Unless, of course, she posed a threat to Joshua. So far, that hadn’t been the case. Joshua trusted Veronica, and for now, so would I.
It had to be past lunchtime, maybe even late afternoon, considering the rise in the room’s temperature and the accompanying rise in its stench. Footsteps sounded in the next room. My insides twisted with the knowledge that, with my hands and feet tied, I couldn’t shield Joshua from harm. He was awake, his eyes calm and hate-free. Thank God.
Veronica rushed into the room, her face uncharacteristically flushed. “Hurry. We don’t have much time.”
“Time for what?”
She untied my hands and feet. “Quick, take off your clothes.”
“What?”
She dropped to the floor and yanked off her boots. “Close your eyes, Joshua.”
He didn’t need a second telling.
“Veronica, are you crazy?”
“Shut up and strip. Jake and Tommy are stoned. Idiots. They can’t even keep it together when their world’s falling apart. I was able to convince them that I needed to check up on you, but even in their semi-wasted state, they’ll get suspicious soon.”
I unlaced my boots with shaking hands.
“Hurry, damn it!” Already down to her bra and panties, Veronica got up, rushed to the doorway, and peeked into the next room.
I removed my belted pouch and stepped out of my jeans.
Veronica grabbed them and pulled them on.
“My totem,” I said.
“Belonged to me first.”
“What?”
“Give me your shirt and put on mine.”
Time slowed to a crawl. I felt stuck in slow motion, unable to move.
“Damn it, Marjorie, when did you turn into such a klutz?”
“Okay, okay.” Adrenaline rushed through me like a performance-enhancing drug. My movements quickened. “Darn, your jeans are tight.”
“Wait till you put on the boots. Now, talk like me.”
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped when I saw what appeared to be fear in her eyes. I thought of all the powerful moves my sister made and the powerful way she talked. “Go to hell!”
“I can see the transformation already,” she said.
I’d already noticed that Veronica’s hair was braided like mine, but only now did I begin to suspect why. “So that’s why you cut and bleached your hair and nixed the makeup.”
“We needed to look exactly alike.”
I wondered how my sister could have planned this in advance. Usually so cool and calm, her agitation attacked me like a virus. “Can’t we just run for it?”
“You, my little sister, are going to walk out of here.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?”
“As me.”
“Where will I go?”
“You’ll walk into the trap the police have set for Jake, Tommy, and me.”
“How will that work?”
“You’ll tell them what’s going on and send back help.”
“I can’t leave Joshua behind.”
“I’ll take care of him. Like before . . .”
“What do you mean, like before?”
“Walk like me.”
“Veronica, this is crazy.”
“I said walk like me!”
I took a few steps, swaying my hips as I’d seen her do, trying to replace terror with resolve.
“A bit overdone,” Veronica said, “but a good start.”
I eyed the red boots on my feet.
“Like them boots, do you? Would look perfect with a red jacket.”
This was unreal, a bad dream. I wasn’t about to risk my life in an escape attempt. Me. The person everyone was always trying to protect and tell what to do. “I’m not going,” I said.
“If you want Joshua to live, you will.”
“No, Veronica. Jake can tell us apart.”
Veronica opened her eyes wide and frowned. Her face took on an entirely different expression. “I’ve been trying to tell you. Power is all in the mind.”
Then I sensed it, too. I felt stronger, taller, more powerful.
“Now tie me up,” Veronica said.
I did as instructed. Voluntarily. Because it was the right thing to do, not because someone was telling me to. “What if they hurt you?”
“As me, I have power, but as you, I’ll have more.”
I shook my head, confused.
“Those two losers are actually impressed with you. Your naivety fascinates them. In their eyes, you’re a rarity. You remind them of their mothers.”
Being called naïve and motherly wasn’t exactly an ego booster, but at this point, ego didn’t much matter. “They’re desperate, Veronica.”
“It’ll be okay.”
“God, you’d better be right.”
“I’m staking my life on it,” she said.
And with those words, I knew I couldn’t leave either of them. “I’m not going.”
I caught a look of relief in Joshua’s eyes and reluctant admiration in my sister’s. And for once, my face showed no expression, which was a good thing, because Jake chose that moment to re-enter the room.
Veronica sat next to Joshua, eyes wide, and thanks to all the chemicals Jake had inhaled into his system, he didn’t seem to notice the exchange.
Unfortunately, he was carrying a rife. Pete’s rifle.
“We’re taking them to the cave,” he said, addressing me with an unfocused smile. “Untie them.”