That would explain the anger. “I’m sorry for your loss,” Ray said.
Otis turned without a word and disappeared outside again.
“I’m Ray,” he continued. “That certainly sounds like Lizzy’s MO. She mentioned having a ‘thing’ for crucifixions.”
“Fergus mentioned that too.”
“Trust me. That bear is nothing compared to what Lizzy can and will do.”
“She specifically said she had taken a child?”
“Yes,” he said. The woman snipped the handcuffs’ steel links. It felt wonderful to be able to spread his arms. “She said Fergus and I better not do anything to her or the child would die. That we would never find her and she would perish of dehydration or hypothermia.” He omitted the ‘bound and gagged’ part.
Serena Jo moved to the eye bolts now, cutting sections out of each and releasing the chain from the wall.
“Thank you,” he said, stretching.
“Hands up. I’ll cut through the cuffs now. Please continue.”
“That’s about it. She’s been injecting me with drugs...midazolam and ketamine...to keep me groggy and manageable. I have no idea what happened to Fergus. He was gone when I woke up in the forest yesterday after the altercation with Lizzy. She told me she had taken him somewhere else so she could have privacy when dealing with me. Payback is on her agenda, I assume. I held her captive for months.”
“I’m not worried about Fergus. My only concern is my daughter.”
“I understand. But he was out here trying his best to catch Lizzy before she could cause more harm.”
“What else?”
“There’s something she mentioned yesterday. Something about following rules in terms of her victims. In the context of the situation, I took it to mean regarding children, specifically.”
“You’re saying she may treat a child victim differently than an adult?”
He nodded. “She wouldn’t elaborate, but that’s how I interpreted it. Which is a good thing for your daughter. What is her name?”
Her eyes misted suddenly before she could turn away. “Willadean.”
“That’s a lovely name. We’ll find her.”
“Yes, we will. But first we’re going to the village for supplies. And I need to check on my son. Here, put this on. Cover your eyes.” She untied a scarf from her neck and handed it to him.
“You want me blindfolded while navigating the forest?” he said, reaching for the garment. He could smell her scent in its fibers.
“No offense, but we don’t let anyone from the outside know the location of our village. That’s one of the security measures that keeps us safe.”
“I understand, but I don’t think I can walk without seeing. There are all kinds of tripping hazards. Roundleaf briars, for one.” He’d remembered Lizzy’s horticulture lesson.
“Lift your feet up high when you step. You can hold onto me. We don’t have far to go.”
He shuddered at hearing the same advice given by Lizzy. When he tied the scarf over his eyes, the sudden loss of vision prompted him to focus on another sense. His olfactory was assaulted — pleasantly so — by Serena Jo’s scent embedded in the scarf just above his nose.
The next moment, strong fingers directed his hand. “Hold onto my coat sleeve. If you feel like you’re going to stumble, reach for my bicep.” She raised her voice. “You coming, Otis?”
“I’m going to finish field dressing this bear. I’ll be along shortly.”
Even behind the blindfold, Ray sensed the woman’s annoyance. She didn’t reply, but began walking. He barely managed to keep up. He remembered the long legs that could surely cover ground faster than most people.
After they’d walked for a few minutes, he said, “You wanted to force Otis to come with us, but you didn’t. Or couldn’t.”
She didn’t respond immediately. Finally she said, “Was there a question in there?”
“Aren’t you the leader of your village? I may have made an assumption. Fergus gave me no details.”
Her sigh was subtle. He might not have heard it if not for the blindfold.
“Yes, I’m in charge. But sometimes I have to pick my battles. We have a mandate: no one goes outside the village alone.”
“So Otis was openly defying you.”
“And it may cost him his life.”
“It’ll be on him, then.”
“In theory, but everything that goes wrong in the village is my fault, even when it’s not my fault. I accept that responsibility.”
“That’s the attitude of an effective leader.”
Another long pause. “Why did you assume I was the leader?”
Ray laughed. “Everything about you screams authority. Your confidence, your competence, your obvious intellect. At least that’s what I remember before you made me wear a blindfold.”
“Flattery will get you no further than those who hate my guts.”
“Not flattery. Trust me. I wouldn’t know how to flatter someone. I’m hopelessly inadequate in social situations. Especially when it comes to women.”
“I doubt that.”
“It’s true. I’m a textbook introvert with anxiety issues and agoraphobia.”
“Interesting. So you’re perfectly happy being holed up in that warehouse?”
“Weirdly, yes. Except for the Lizzy part. I admit, though, I was getting lonely. The drone helped. Spotting the kids on the footage gave me an unexpected jolt of happiness. Got me...hopeful...again. If that makes sense.”
“Yes, it does. The children are everything.”
“I agree. I could help, you know. I have enough food and medicine to last for years. Not just for the kids, but for everyone.”
She stopped suddenly.
“Don’t mention that to anyone in the village. Understood?” The menace in her tone was unmistakable.
“Yes, of course,” he replied quickly. “But why? I just want to help.”
“Because the contents of your warehouse are not sustainable. We’re doing more than merely getting by. We’re healthy, we’re happy for the most part, and we’re self-reliant. No more candy, by the way.
