raced across the room and held Raney’s arms. I stumbled onto the mattress. For a moment, it appeared that they might come to blows with one another. But suddenly Raney dropped his fists and stormed out of the room. Devon looked around at the broken glass.
“What were you trying to do? You’ll never get out of here through those windows. And now you’ll just be cold. I heard you scream when I drove up, but no one lives anywhere near here. You could scream your head off and no one would know.”
I tried to talk, but my mouth was such a mess, he had to bend close to hear me say, “Didn’t know.”
“You didn’t know what?”
“No one near.”
Raney had come back with a broom and dustpan. He threw them on the floor. “You do it, man. You pick up after her this time.”
“Okay, Raney.” Devon’s voice was coaxing. Just like when he said my name. “Okay, I will. But don’t hit her any more, okay?”
Raney shut the door and leaned against it, arms folded. Devon began sweeping up the glass. His eyes moved from Raney to me. I lay curled on my side on the mattress. Devon was right. It was damned cold in the room now. But, I kept repeating silently, it was worth it.
“What took you so long?” Raney said testily.
Devon kept his own voice calm and low. “It was out when I got there. I had to wait until they brought it back in.”
“Damn. Didn’t think he’d do that this time of year.”
“I think he had a client with him, an investor or something.”
“I had to leave this bitch here alone while I made the call. I’m gone fifteen minutes and look what happens.”
Devon laughed, and after a moment, so did Raney. The two of them carried on like they were recording a laugh track for
“Man, when I came in here, I thought you were going to kill her.”
“I wanted to. I wanted to. She’ll freeze her ass off.”
Devon looked down at me.
Suddenly Raney said sharply, “Pick her up.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Devon shrugged and set the broom aside. I groaned as he started to lift me, and he looked at me with concern. “Damn, Raney.”
“Just get the bitch off the mattress.”
He held me close to him and stood.
As soon as he straightened up, Raney pulled the mattress back. He held up the shard I had placed underneath the mattress, the second one, for Devon’s appraisal. I tried to hide my joy that the distraction was working. Now if they only would be satisfied that they had found my treasure, and not search further.
“She was going to cut our throats! That bitch was going to try to kill us!”
The look on Devon’s face turned to one of cold fury. His hands tightened on me in anger. Raney stood up and laid the edge of the shard against my cheek. This was not something I had counted on. Being carved up was not on my agenda. I was afraid and I knew it was showing; I could see the pleasure of it on Raney’s face.
“Let’s cut her.”
Devon’s fury faded. “No man, he’ll do worse to us. Like you said. He wants to work on her.”
I tried to get myself back under control. I realized that this was getting harder for me to do. I ferreted out the anger I felt for them. Raney backed down, whether from Devon’s warning or because he no longer saw fear, I don’t know.
Devon sighed. Raney searched beneath the mattress, but finding nothing else there, walked out of the room with the glass. Devon sat down on the mattress, still holding me. I wanted him to let me go, leave me alone, and yet the warmth of his body took the edge off the cold.
He was stroking my oddly cut hair again, and he began rocking me. As bruised as I was, it made me groan again. He stopped and set me down as if I were a favorite rag doll. He left, taking the lantern and bolting the door shut. I was relieved, and closed my eyes. In a moment, I told myself, I would check on the shard in the mattress.
I reached over and felt the edge of it. I was about to draw it out when I heard footsteps. I quickly moved my hand. Devon came in. He didn’t bring the lantern and I hadn’t seen him in the doorway, but I knew his step. He knelt beside me. I felt my throat tighten.
Something fanned out over me; he had brought a rough woolen blanket. He spread it over me, then tucked it in around me.
“See, Irene? I want to be nice to you. When you feel a little better, you’ll see what I mean.”
“Help me escape,” I whispered.
“No, I can’t do that. What would happen to my brother?”
