Jillian hissed through her teeth when the first of her bindings fell away, and the blood rushed back to her hands.
“Are you okay?”
Jillian nodded, mouth clamped tight, eyes teary.
Ellie nodded and scooted to the other hand, fingering the cord of soft cotton fibers that was stretched taut.
This time when it dropped onto the concrete, Jillian appeared to be ready for the shock of blood flowing all at once. She let out a shuddering breath, rolling her left wrist in wide circles. As she flexed her right hand in small increments, her fingers changed from a grayish purple to an angry red. Silent tears streamed down Jillian’s face. When she noticed Ellie’s concerned look, Jillian flashed her a gentle smile. “It only hurts. And a lot less than dying.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Jillian closed her eyes against the fresh onslaught of tears, jaw clenched as she nodded and whispered, “Me too.”
The ropes around Jillian’s legs proved harder to remove. Tied in several complicated knots, Ellie struggled to grip the smooth fibers. Frustrated and frantic to get her friend to a hospital, she turned, scanning the floor where the tools had scattered.
The door swung open, and her hand immediately went to the gun at her waistband. Expecting it to be the master returning, she aimed at the man’s head.
But a familiar voice spoke, throwing her into confusion. “It’s just me.” Hands up, Dr. Powell paused as the door shut behind him. His gaze ran over Ellie, eyes widening as they went to Jillian. “Is she alive?” When Ellie didn’t lower her gun, he froze. “I’m here to help.”
Ellie flicked a glance in Jillian’s direction. Her friend had passed out again. “She’s alive. How did you find us?”
“Something you said about your kidnapper reminded me of a colleague I had years ago who had similar quirks. After that, it was just a matter of following the clues. Once we realized you were here, I knew instantly that my suspicions were correct.” Hands still up, he squatted and picked up one of the scalpels that had skittered across the floor when she swung the tray at the monster. “Jillian’s injured. We need to cut those ropes off her and get her to a hospital.” Powell stood motionless, waiting for her to make the next move.
She searched his eyes, stuck between her own paranoia and the man who’d helped her work through so much of her past with kindness and understanding. Even now, he stood with his hands up, patiently waiting for her to make a decision.
When she finally lowered her weapon, he smiled and nodded, immediately going to Jillian and beginning the painstaking process of sawing carefully through the rope, the blade facing outward so he wouldn’t cut her. Ellie watched him for a moment, trigger finger still at the ready, but Powell was focused on the task at hand. “I saw another thin scalpel near the one I picked up.”
Her eyes found the blade he was talking about. “We who?” she asked. “You said, ‘once we realized.’ We who?”
“Chief Johnson. I told him a few weeks ago that I was worried you were in real danger.”
Ellie blinked in surprise, walking over to the blade he’d pointed out. She grabbed it, hurrying back to Jillian’s left side as Dr. Powell worked on her right. “You said I was being paranoid.”
He paused mid-cut and smiled at her. “There’s paranoid, and then there’s prudent. I thought it best to err on the side of caution just in case.” He motioned around the room. “You were right, and I’m so glad I thought to inform the chief so he could have a trace put on your phone.”
“A trace?” She tilted her head, a warning bell going off in her head. But this was Dr. Powell, the one who held her secrets. The one who’d helped her when no one else could. “I left my phone at home.”
Powell paused, shrugging with a warm grin. “I guess it’s good Chief Johnson decided to put one on Jillian’s phone too.”
“Oh.” Ellie was still stiff with tension. “I’ll have to thank him for invading my privacy later.” She gestured toward the door. “Did you see the kidnapper when you pulled up? He ran out the door, but I don’t know which way he went. He’s seriously injured.”
“I didn’t see him.” Powell focused on the knife in his hand, carefully cutting away each braided strand until the rope loosened and fell away. “Yes!” he whispered under his breath triumphantly, sitting back on his haunches so he could assess Jillian’s wounds. He frowned. “Jillian?”
Her eyelids fluttered, but she couldn’t hold them open. Voice weak with the effort, she pushed words out through lips that were starting to lose color. Blood oozed from a wound near her hairline, dripping down her neck and soaking into her shirt. “I’m awake. Just so tired.”
“She’s lost a lot of blood, and that gash on her head looks pretty bad.” Powell stood and leaned closer, then searched the room. His eyes lit up, and he rushed to a stack of towels next to the sink. Water splashed into the washbasin that was deep enough for a grown man to sit in. Powell took one towel and slung it over his arm, ran a second under the water until it was dripping wet.
The rope finally came loose in Ellie’s hand, and she cast it aside, gently holding Jillian’s foot and rolling her ankle to get the blood flowing. Jillian’s head was against the back of the chair, her eyes
