It had been nice getting out in the morning even for oatmeal. After he closed the door and turned the locks, I said, “When are you going to put me in your high-tech system so I can get out and visit Juleen without your help?” When he didn’t answer, I said, “At the very least, I’d like to take a walk. It gets claustrophobic after a while. You told me you’d do it as soon as I got a little better.”

“I’m responsible for your safety, Teresa.”

“No one is going to break in here. You’ve got a guy on me and guards everywhere.”

He looked at me, blue eyes focused on my face. “You’re already in the system. I just have to set you up with fingerprint and pupil recognition.”

I was quiet. Then I said, “When did you do that?”

“Right after you asked me to do it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You didn’t ask about it so I didn’t say anything.” When I stared at him, he said, “The truth is I prefer to keep you locked up. It’s safer.”

“You can’t keep me locked up forever.”

“Actually, I could. Who’d stop me?”

And what could I say to that? He waited for an answer. I finally said, “No one, I suppose.”

“Think about that.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to go back to my office. I’ll set you up with the system tomorrow morning.”

“Why can’t you do it now?”

“Because it’ll take time and I have a lot of business to take care of.”

“Then you’ll do it tomorrow?”

“Yep.”

“Promise?”

He smiled at me. “What are my promises worth?”

“Zero.”

“More like fifty-fifty.” He laughed. “Tomorrow I’ll show you how to get your freedom.” He bit his bottom lip. “I’m not sure how much I’m liking that idea.”

“What freedom, Chris? I can’t go anywhere. I’m completely without resources. What are you worried about?”

He raised an eyebrow. “So, if you had resources, you’d leave?”

“That’s not what I meant.” I walked up to him and stroked his cheek. “Look, I know you don’t trust me—”

“I don’t trust you at all.”

“Well, I don’t trust you either.” A pause. “What a relationship, based on mutual distrust.” He didn’t answer. I said, “I won’t leave you, okay?”

“Well, that’s not true,” he said. “As soon as you get your kids, you’ll move away.”

“And when will that be?” I asked.

His face turned unreadable. If he had something, he wasn’t going to tell me. There was no sense nagging him.

I said, “I’ll be here every other weekend. I promised you and I do keep my promises.”

“Mostly.”