Chapter 51

51

It must have been hours. Heather...Heather hadn't spoken much. And she had been out of it for a good long time. Since that older one had struck her so hard. The one who had been with the man…she had seen in Wyoming. In the baseball cap; the one she had nearly ran right into.

He was a part of this. One of the ones in charge, she thought.

Powell had seen the sliver of light at the top of the door. There were windows out there. But she suspected it was dark now. They'd taken her watch, her tracking bracelet, her phone, and Heather's phone and watch, even though Heather's wasn't a smartwatch. They said they weren't taking any chances.

And the man with the scar had known what Powell's bracelet did. Those tracking bracelets of Houghton's weren't worth the parts to make them. She had been aware of the bracelet's limitations after what had happened to Zoey, but Scarface had just taken it right off of her and laughed. Before they'd even left Jackson Avenue.

"Some of them are leaving now," Heather said. "I figured they would."

They were still in the closet, zip-tied to old cast iron pipes. Powell was freezing. She suspected it was shock. She felt so sick too.

"As soon as they are gone, I am going to cut you loose," Heather said firmly. Calmly. "They have to stop sometime."

"How?"

"I have a box cutter in my pocket. I found it. Earlier. When they weren't looking."

"What do we do then?"

"There are only two of them in there now."

"How are you feeling? He hit you so hard."

"Not the first time I've taken one to the face. I'll be okay." Heather was quiet again. For a long time. "I have a plan. And you are going to do what I say."

Powell just listened, horror filling her at the other woman's words. "No. I can't do that."

"It's the only way."