Ilse went stiff. “Because I didn’t come back for you?”

“Yes. Obviously. I’m not sure I’ve been able to emphasize to you, little sister, just how much I hate your guts. You left me down there. For three long weeks. He did some real nasty things to me, I can tell you. You’re lucky you hadn’t hit puberty yet… Tut, tut. I don’t want to trouble you, little sister.” Heidi gave a whistle and made a whirling motion near her head. “Real tough times, let me tell you. I mean like, wow. Hellish. Truly, hellish. And once you escaped, Dad tripled everything. He just went off on us! Hard! I’m lucky he didn’t kill me too, though it was a close thing. Because of you not sticking to the plan.”

“I’m so sorry. If I’d remembered. If I knew—”

“All right, shut up. I don’t want to hear your pity party. If I’d remembered. If I knew.” Heidi began to hyperventilate, her eyes wide, her lip trembling. A single tear traced down the inside of her cheek all of a sudden. “I just need help. Please, he’s after me.” Just as quickly as she adopted the mask, she let it slip again, smiling, wiping away the tear and winking. “It was so easy. You shrinks think you’re so smart. All your degrees and training. Famous Ilse Beck, therapist and psychologist, or whatever it is you call yourself. It’s all shit. You can’t even see through the easiest con I’ve ever done. Granted, I have had some practice. It took a little to get across the border; I’ve been living in California, actually. For about five years now. It was a pretty good life. Well, at least as good as you can get. Got some trouble with the cops down there. You know how it is.”

“I don’t know how it is.”

“No, I guess you wouldn’t. Because, if we both remember, you got out. And I was left stuck there to fester. Because you lied. And you never came back.” She pointed both fingers at Ilse now, accusingly.

“I don’t know what else to say besides I’m sorry. Three weeks is a long time. But we’d been down there for years. And I didn’t even remember who or where to come back to!”

“Yes, but we all knew how he would react when one of us escaped. He told us what he’d do! He warned us! He drew pictures, demonstrated. You knew, and you still didn’t stick to the bloody plan!” Heidi screamed. “I’m not looking for an apology, little sister. I’m going to kill you. Horribly. I’m still trying to think of how to do it. There’s got to be some poetic way. I think they’ll probably write a book about us one day. Maybe I’ll write it, on the run or something.”

Ilse fingers were numb. Her lips trembled, but she forced herself to stay calm as best she could. “I understand that you’re angry.” Ilse could feel the trickle of fear along her back. She could feel the weight of her sister’s words latching on like burrs. She couldn’t show fear, not yet. She tried to strain, tried to move her hands.