She pressed against the passenger-side door, doing her best to put as much distance as she could between them. When they arrived at an old house, he shut off the engine and powered up the stun gun.

“No, please,” Emma said.

“Be good and I won’t.”

He followed her into the house, several times pressing the power button on the gun so it snapped with electricity. Inside, he locked the door. “Take your clothes off.”

She faced him. “Why?”

He pushed off his hoodie. “You know why.”

“I’m not doing this,” she said. “I want to leave.”

He closed the gap between them and pressed the stun gun to her neck. Her body convulsed, and she dropped to her knees.

“Take your clothes off.”

With trembling hands, she reached for the hem of her blue scrubs.

“The white cotton bra is a disappointment, and your hips are too round for me.”

“Then let me go.”

“Your look isn’t exactly right, but you’ll do for tonight.”

He ordered her on the floor, and then he tied her hands. For fun, he pressed the stun gun against her naked flesh. She screamed and her body convulsed.

Stripping, he turned to a cabinet and grabbed a plastic bag. “Put this on your head.”

“Why?”

“It’ll be fun.”

She slid the bag over her head and stared up at him through the clear barrier.

“I have a job for you.”

Her breath fogged against the plastic, and the air quickly grew stale. Her panic sharpened.

He lit up a cigarette and inhaled. “If you do this, I’ll set you free.”

Hope softened some of the fear. “What?”

“I need you to make one phone call,” he said.

“To who?”

“A cop.”

“The cops? Why would you want me to call the police?” Her eyes and nose were red from crying.

“Just one cop. She’ll be very interested to know that we’re together.”

“And then you can let me go?”

“Yes.” Go. Free. Dead. Basically, they were interchangeable.

“Why would you let me go? I saw your face.”

“But you said you won’t tell anyone, right?” he asked smoothly.

She shook her head. “No. Never.”

He smiled. “Then we’re all set.”

“You really will let me go?”

“Why would I lie?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Thursday, April 22

4:00 a.m.

Jordan’s sight was perfect as she looked up at the bright-blue sky filled with white, puffy clouds. The sun shone on her face as she savored the hues, the gentle folds of the clouds, a plane racing to its destination, and a bird perched on a branch.

She had had a nightmare. She had lost her sight and was now dependent on her sister and strangers. She could not do her work. She was trapped. That was the nightmare, but this was the reality.