She gasped. “Oh, my God. You’re one of them.”
His gaze met hers in the mirror and for a moment, he seemed to snap out of his lethargy. “I can explain.”
Ree took a step back from the door. “What’s to explain? Are you or are you not a member of that despicable group?”
“It’s a legacy thing.” He turned to face her.
There was something so different about him. Something so odd about the way he’d been staring into that mirror…
If Ree didn’t know better, she’d swear he was a different man than the one she’d met in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Her scalp tingled in apprehension. “What does that mean? A legacy thing? You were automatically recruited because of your family’s history?”
“Yes, but it doesn’t have anything to do with us. You and me.”
As he moved toward her, sunlight sparked off the medallion. Ree averted her gaze and took another step back from him. “It doesn’t have anything to do with us? After what I told you about Ilsa? And you didn’t say anything?”
“It was so long ago, Ree.”
“What about your family? What about other initiation rituals?”
His voice turned cold. “You’re making a lot of assumptions that I don’t much care for.”
“And I don’t like that you lied to me! You know you should have told me.” She drew on the bloodstained scrubs she’d discarded the evening before. “I have to get out of here,” she muttered.
“Where are you going?” He followed her into the living room. “Come on, Ree. It’s not safe for you out there.”
She whirled at that. “I’m not sure it’s safe for me in here. How do I know you’re not the one who told Devlin where to find me yesterday? How do I know you’re not the one—” Her gaze dropped to the blood on her shirt and she shuddered.
He looked suddenly furious. “Is that what you think of me then?”
“I don’t know what to think about you, Hayden. And that’s the problem. I barely you know you.”
Ree didn’t want to believe it, but her mind was racing and things were starting to click into place. How he’d wanted to go with her to see Amelia Gray. How Detective Devlin had known she’d be at the library when she’d told no one but Hayden. On and on it went.
As she hurried out to her car, the tears started to flow. That was her only excuse for allowing danger to creep up on her. He must have been waiting for her to leave. Maybe Hayden had called him.
By the time Ree sensed his presence, it was too late. He’d seized her around the neck, pricked her with a needle and pushed her into the backseat of a waiting car.
A blinding headache awakened her. She opened her eyes and lifted her head, but a wave of nausea flattened her. She lay still for a long time before she felt strong enough to try and get up.
Panic mushroomed in her chest as she realized her arms and legs were constrained. She couldn’t move at all except for her head, which she swiveled from side to side, taking in the details of the small, antiseptic room in which she found herself. After a bit, she tried to call for help, but her tongue was too swollen. She could barely muster a groan.
She had no idea how much time had gone by before the door opened and Dr. Farrante entered. He came to the foot of her bed, hands clasped behind his back, observing her as passively as he’d studied Miss Violet’s corpse.
Ree opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
His smile was patronizing. “You can’t speak, but that’s a normal side effect of the medication. I’m afraid we’ll have to keep you sedated for a little while longer. It’s for your own good.”
He came around the side of the bed to check her pulse. When he turned, Ree saw the bandage at his neck.
His smile turned cold. “You’re in the north wing of the hospital. I’m sure you understand what that means.”
The north wing was reserved for those patients perceived to be a danger to themselves or others. For those patients that had to be physically restrained behind locked doors.
An image of Ilsa Tisdale in the dungeon came back to her and Ree wanted to scream. She turned her head from side to side in panic.
“You should have minded your own business, Miss Hutchins. None of this would have been necessary.”
None of…what?
“I can’t let you ruin things. You do understand that, don’t you? My work here is too important.”
You won’t get away with this! Ree silently raged. Her family wasn’t perfect by any means, but they were not the Tisdales. Her parents would tear this place apart until they found her.
And Hayden? Oh God, was he in on this?
She wouldn’t think about him. Not now. Maybe not ever again.
A tear seeped from the corner of her eye and ran back into her hair. She couldn’t even lift her hand to wipe it away.
Dr. Farrante meant to keep her here. Like Ilsa Tisdale, she would not be leaving that hospital alive.
A little while later, a nurse came into the room with another dose of medication. Ree could do nothing but lie there helplessly while the nurse injected her. Afterward she drifted in and out of consciousness. When her head finally began to clear, she thought that hours must have passed. It had to be dark outside because she could see the hallway through the glass panel in the door and the lights had been dimmed.
She had some feeling in her arms and legs, but she knew better than to struggle against the restraints. That would only sap her energy and she needed whatever fortitude she could muster in case an opportunity for escape presented itself.
As she tried to formulate a plan, the door opened and an orderly pushed a wheelchair through. Where were they taking her? What were they going to do to her?
Ree braced herself. This might be her only opportunity. Once the restraints were removed, she’d have her chance.
The orderly left the wheelchair and came to her side. Bending over the railing, he checked her pupils.
“Ree? Can you hear me?”
That voice!
“It’s Hayden. Are you okay? Have they hurt you?”
She shook her head.
“I’m going to get you out of here. Just hang on…”
Ree didn’t even question why he’d come for her. That would come later. Right now, she’d never been so happy to see anyone in her life.
He unfastened the straps and helped her into the wheelchair, covering her legs with a blanket. Then he wheeled her into the hallway.
“Here we go,” he muttered and began the long trek down an endless corridor.
With every step, Ree thought they would surely be stopped. Her nerve endings tingled with sensation, a good sign, but she knew she would never be able to outrun a guard or orderly. She doubted she could even stand.
As they came to the end of the hallway, the door opened and someone motioned them through. It was Trudy. “Hurry,” she said. “We don’t have all night.”
Ree glanced up at her, a question, but Trudy merely patted her shoulder. “Don’t you worry, honey. You’re in good hands.” To Hayden, she said, “This exit is always kept locked. Once we open the door, the alarm will sound. That only gives you a matter of minutes to make it to the car, much less through the front gate. I’ll try to divert them for as long as I can, but my best advice is to haul ass.”
“Thanks for all your help,” Hayden said.
“Honey, when I caught a glimpse of her in that room, I knew something was up. Lucky my cousin’s a cop. Now go.”
And then they were through the door and the wheelchair had to be ditched on the rough terrain. Hayden swept her up and carried her at a dead run as she buried her face in his neck.
By the time the floodlights came on, they were already in the car flying down the drive. The gates were open and Hayden shot through without slowing.
Ree turned to glance back.
“Sometimes it’s good to have friends in high places,” Hayden said and then he laughed as her eyes widened because he didn’t sound like Hayden at all.