"Maybe not. We need to talk to your prisoner and find out what loose ends might be out there. She might have told her friend where she was going tonight. And somebody who looks like her probably has a boyfriend. We'll get them out of the picture before she's been reported missing."

"What if you killed the other girl instead?" Ken asked.

"Why? So you could watch?"

"No! I just think it's a better way to handle it."

"I don't want to kill her. That does nothing for me. You're lucky I didn't run screaming to the police, so I'm not sure why you're being a baby about this."

Ken's whole body tensed up. "Are you threatening to go to the cops?"

"Of course I'm not. I'd never do that to you or Jared. And I'd do some jail time, too, because I knew you were responsible for the disappearances. But that doesn't mean that, in an emotional state, I wouldn't have done something without thinking. You should be so goddamn relieved right now that you wouldn't care if I went out to a bar and started holding auditions for a gang-bang."

"Are you being serious right now?"

"I'm exaggerating. The basic point holds true. I don't get why you're upset about this idea even if I did fuck the guy."

"We should talk about this later."

"That's fine. You go get some antiseptic and bandages."

"She probably needs stitches," said Ken.

"Do you know how to do stitches?"

"No."

"Do you think she'll sit there and let you stitch her up without trying to escape?"

"I was going to chloroform her. Give me some credit."

"All right, I apologize," said Vivian. "Go get the things you need. I'm going to get some information out of her."

"How?"

"I'll be persuasive."

"Seriously, how?"

"Knife blade under the fingernails."

"Jesus."

"It's a time-tested method of getting people to share information they might not want to share. You think she can withstand torture like that?"

"You have to be careful on the ladder. Actually, no, I'll lower the cage. The door is padlocked shut. She won't get out."

"Perfect."

* * *

Gertie didn't say anything as Ken and Viv returned. She was starting to feel dizzy, but forced herself to stay alert, in case there was an opportunity to escape. Yeah. Escape from her locked steel cage dangling from the ceiling.

Ken walked past her. Viv stood by the doorway, holding the same knife that Ken had stabbed her with. She hadn't wiped off the blood.

The cage slowly began to lower.

Were they setting her free?

No, of course they weren't.

Gertie extended her legs so they wouldn't get crushed underneath the cage as it reached the floor.

Ken returned to the doorway. "Call me if you need anything," he said. "I won't be gone long." He gave Viv a kiss on the cheek then left.

Viv stood there for about a minute. Then she stepped forward and pulled the door closed.