The old man started to close the door, but his wife shouldered him aside. “Oh, my goodness, look at you! What happened?”
Shit. She needed a story that didn’t involve mad scientists, superpowers, or underground facilities.
“I was camping with some friends,” she said. “A get-back-to-nature thing.” Did people actually do that? “And a man attacked us in the woods. He stole everything, even my shoes. If you could take me to town, I can see about finding help. Getting my cards replaced and-”
The woman shook her head. “Well, I never. I can’t believe what the world has come to these days. In our woods!”
“It was probably a hippie after drug money,” Harold pronounced in a dour tone.
His wife sighed. She was a tiny woman with a wealth of white hair and bright blue eyes. “You blame everything on the hippies, even your vanishing MoonPies.”
For the first time, Mia saw a spark of humor in the man’s eyes. “Hippies love MoonPies. It’s a well-known fact.”
“Mercy, listen to us nattering on while you’re nigh fainting on the porch. Come in, sweetheart. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Mia said shakily.
Inside, the house was tiny but cozy, adorably decorated with kittens and angels and lots of fancy knitting. She felt too big and dirty to walk around this doll’s house, but if Harold could navigate this gingerbread cottage, surely she could. She wiped her hands on her thighs, acutely conscious of her filth.
“There’s no point in taking you to town today. Everything shuts down at five. Why don’t you spend the night? In the morning Harold will take you to see the sheriff.” The woman headed toward the back of the house, and Mia followed like a puppy.
“I will?” the man grumbled.
“Yes, sir, you will. Enough sass. This young lady’s been through enough.”
You said it, grandma. She felt content to let the motherly woman take charge of her.
“Now then,” the woman rambled on, laying out fluffy pink bath towels. “I’m Alice Dixon. You met my husband, Harold. First we’ll get you cleaned up, and then I’ve got a lovely pot of vegetable soup on. It should be done a treat by now.”
“Needs beef,” Harold muttered.
“You know what Doc Malone said about red meat. Now go set the table.”
With a sigh, the lanky old gent shambled off to the kitchen to do his wife’s bidding.
Mia said, “I can’t thank you enough. You’ve saved my life.”
“Nonsense. It’s just simple kindness. I think I have some things in the bureau from when my daughter lived at home. She’s a little taller than you-takes after Harold-but I think I can find something while I wash your… pajamas.”
“Don’t bother. Just chuck them. Please. I never want to see them again.”
Alice froze in the bathroom doorway. “Did that man-”
She shook her head. “No, he didn’t rape me, I swear.”
Just emotional torture, kidnapping, robbery, and imprisonment. Rowan was practically a saint.
“Thank goodness. We’ll be in the kitchen.”
The shower was the best thing she’d ever felt in her life. Mia probably scrubbed off a layer of dermis in trying to remove the horror of that place. If that was where they’d taken Søren, she could no longer question his single-minded obsession with getting back inside to destroy it.
She dried off and wrapped in a towel. The clothes Alice had promised were on the carpet just outside the bathroom door. Blue cotton granny panties, a sports bra, a pair of blue sweats, two inches too long, and a red T-shirt that read: “GO FALCONS.” Heavenly.
The smell of the soup lured her to the kitchen, which was every bit as well kept as the rest of the house. At their invitation, Mia sat across from Harold and dug into her food. She ate two bowls without any shame at all and then wolfed down two slices of homemade bread, slathered in butter.
“She eats like Sam,” Harold said in an almost friendly way.
“That’s our daughter,” Alice explained.
Mia ducked her head, abashed. “I haven’t had anything in a while.”
“It’s all right. You’ll take Sam’s room tonight. She’s all grown up and living in Phoenix. She teaches Phys Ed. We don’t see her much.”
As if the words invoked an irresistible sleep spell, Mia felt her eyelids growing heavy. Sleep would be a blessing. She realized belatedly that she hadn’t had the dreams since sleeping with Søren. Who said sex couldn’t cure what ailed you?
“I know it’s early, but would you mind if I crash now?”
“Not at all,” Alice said kindly. “But first I need to doctor those feet.”
Mia felt teary as the woman got her first aid kit and cleaned her wounds. In another life, she could’ve had a mom like this, one who liked to cuddle and nurture. Sam the Phys Ed teacher might be nuts for moving so far away. The woman probably thought her parents were old-fashioned and embarrassing, and Mia wanted to cry. If she didn’t get some privacy, she was going to lose it completely and scare the crap out of this nice, old couple.
“I don’t suppose you have a computer,” she said, as Alice finished wrapping the last bandage.
“Can’t say we do,” Harold answered. “Never saw the need, myself. Sam had one, but she took it with her when she moved.”
Which was a pity, because she didn’t have a phone number for Søren. He would have to wait until morning when she got to town and could find a library with free Internet; she doubted a small town like Alice had described would have an Internet café. But given Søren’s cool, controlled nature, the delay shouldn’t present much of a problem.
Right now he’s probably drawing up flowcharts and making lists. When he hears I’m okay, he’ll say, “good,” and move to phase two of his plan.
Once the bedroom door closed, and she was sure she was alone, Mia let the tears come. They soaked her pillow, muffled by the tight press of her face to old linen. She wouldn’t let anyone see her as weak. She wasn’t. In the morning, she would set things right.
CHAPTER 27
Søren’s car was exactly where he’d left it in the parking lot of Mia’s condo. He left the Toyota in its place and drove to the cabin he’d rented. The place didn’t look as though anyone had entered while he was gone. All his traps remained untouched. If he’d been searching, this would’ve been the first place he hit.
But Travis hadn’t been the methodical sort. He didn’t plan well. Instead, he followed orders, so he’d waited for Rowan to tell him where to go. Sudden panic hit Søren. Had they found out about Lexie and Beulah, as well as his true identity?
His hands trembled as he hit speed dial. A few seconds later, a female voice said, “Whispering Pines, how may I help you?”
“I’m calling to check on two patients. Unfortunately, I missed my visit this week. One is in pediatric long-term care, the other in elder care.”
“Mr. Winter?” Sad, but she could ID him based on that little information.
“Yes. How are they?”
Has anyone been there nosing around? Have they had any visitors besides me?
“Unchanged.” Her tone was sympathetic. “Your mother was asking for you.”
“Good. I’ll come round tomorrow. Thank you.”
Safe. Thank God.
It was hard to believe it was finished. The lab was no more.
That knowledge didn’t bring him the satisfaction he’d anticipated. Then again, he hadn’t expected to survive its destruction. The fact that he was standing in his living room, keys to the Infiniti in hand, seemed altogether wrong-even more so the fact that Mia hadn’t made it out, despite his vow.
I’m here, he’d said. And you’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you again. Later, he’d said, I promise you will take no lasting harm from your time with me.
But she had. Christ, she had. Checking the traps had seemed so fucking important. If he were honest with himself, he’d admit he’d been running from her. Running from the way she made him feel, because each time he touched her, he lost a little more detachment. Ceded a little more emotional control.