Rosie came back into the room and mopped up the water while Lola jumped all over her, trying to lick her face. We chatted for a few minutes about their potty training efforts. Rosie recounted the story of Cris picking Lola up mid-pee to run her outside, ruining Cris’s leather loafers in the process. But soon the dog’s energy made it impossible to carry on a conversation. We said goodbye with promises to find a day soon for another visit. After hanging up a smile lingered on my face, grateful for the quick call that took the edge off the upcoming FBI visit. When I turned around, Andie was staring at me with one eyebrow cocked.

‘One of these days you’re gonna come home from Connecticut with a dog that we’re gonna have to hide from the landlord, aren’t you?’ Andie said with a laugh.

‘It’s definitely a possibility,’ I replied with a smile.

VICTIMS 8 & 9

Sasha Thomas & Rachel Wagner

1997

CHAPTER 10

The man had the needle in one hand and a small black device in the other. Sasha and Rachel stood in the center of the room clutching each other, whimpering.

‘I’m going to inject you both with a mild sedative.’ He held up the device and clicked the button. An electrical charge appeared between two prongs. ‘If you’re good, then you’ll just get the injection. If not …’ he clicked the button a few more times, ‘… you’ll get the stun gun.’ Sasha and Rachel said nothing. ‘Go stand against your walls.’

Sasha began crying, ‘No please. We’ll be good. You don’t have to inject us. We’ll do whatever you say without it, we promise.’

The man inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring, and closed his eyes like he was trying to calm his anger. ‘Do not question me. Move to your walls. NOW!’ he shouted.

The women jumped at his deep baritone growl. It reverberated through them, raising the hair on Rachel’s arms and the back of her neck.

‘Just go to your wall, Sasha. It’ll be okay,’ Rachel said, backing away, but Sasha clung desperately to her shirt. Rachel gave Sasha a nod of encouragement in an attempt to calm her, pulling her shirt out of her friend’s grip. Sasha’s eyes were wide, her lips trembling. She gulped a few times but finally mirrored Rachel by backing up to her own wall. The man smiled at their obedient retreat.

‘Turn around and face the wall.’

The girls hesitated, anxious about turning their back on the man and his unknown intentions.

‘Now!’ he bellowed.

They turned around quickly, their noses inches from the wall. Rachel whimpered, tears continuing to stream down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, willing it to all be a nightmare that she would soon wake up from.