"But the color. You have no idea?"

"Maybe turquoise."

"Maybe turquoise? Or definitely turquoise?"

"Definitely."

Ken nodded. "Thanks. I guess my wife was right. Figures."

"I don't understand what I'm supposed to be getting out of this conversation."

"My wife wanted to cut off Gertie's finger and give it to you as proof that we had her. My concern was that you wouldn't recognize the finger as belonging to Gertie. Obviously, the severed finger would upset you, but if you can't identify who it came from, what's the point? But apparently you would have known it was Gertie's, so she still has ten fingers for nothing."

"Oh," said Charlene, having nothing else to contribute.

"Instead, I made a video. Truthfully, I don't need to show it to you—I mean, you're already in the car. I made it in case my plan didn't go smoothly and you needed extra persuasion. But I said I'd prove that she was alive, and it would be a dick move to go back on that. Open the glove compartment."

Charlene did not reach for the glove compartment.

"It's not a trick," said Ken. "Her finger isn't in there. It's a phone."

"I don't need to see the video," said Charlene.

Ken shrugged. "Your choice."

They drove for a couple more minutes, during which time Charlene debated whether or not she should open the glove compartment. She didn't want to pop it open and have ten severed fingers spill out onto her lap. On the other hand, she should be acquiring as much information as possible. If there was a video from Gertie, it would show where she was. Or at least where she'd been when Ken started recording.

She opened the glove compartment.

It was empty except for a cell phone.

"It's the only video on there," Ken told her. "Don't forget that I've got the gun. I promise, you won't make it through all three digits of 911."

Charlene believed that she could indeed dial the entirety of 911 before he put a bullet in her skull, but he'd kill her before she could finish her conversation with the dispatcher. So she followed instructions and played the video.

It was a close-up of Gertie's face, looking terrified. There was a smear of blood on her cheek.

"What do you have to say to Charlene?" an unseen Ken asked.

"Don't come after me! He's going to kill you! Just stay—"

The video ended.

"Sorry, she went off-message and I had to cut it short," said Ken. "Put the phone back in the glove compartment and close it."

Charlene did as she was told. For a fraction of a second she considered abandoning caution and just grabbing for his gun, or jerking the steering wheel to send the car careening into a crosswalk signal, but she didn't think that would work out well for her or Gertie.

"She's wrong," said Ken. "I'm not going to kill you."

"Okay."