“You can’t leave?”
“I’m considered too dangerous. Last time I escaped, I…” She lowered her gaze. “Never mind. Let’s just say they caught me and brought me back.”
“How did you escape?”
His amber eyes stared into her soul. Compelled to confess, she shared her shame. Trusting him with top secret information, although she had never confided with anybody. “I released five attack trained Doberman pinchers.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “They killed a handler…a friend…who tried to stop them. Two guards came and they attacked them. I made my escape. One of the guards died. The other survived minus an arm. The poor dogs were shot.” She sighed. “That was ten years ago when I was fifteen years old. A rebellious teenager.”
He frowned. “But they keep you prisoner?”
“More like a curfew. As long as I get permission, I can come and go.”
/>
“That’s called probation.” He frowned. “Are you allowed to visit your family?”
“I don’t have a family.”
“Everyone has a family.”
“Until Director Giles found me, I lived in foster homes after the death of my druggie mother.”
“He adopted you?”
“Technically, he was my legal guardian, but no, he never acted like a real father.”
“If you could, would you leave?”
“Part of me wants to, but if I did, I would be a danger to others.” And targeted for execution.
“Because you can make Fido bite his owner?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Along with every other creature she had been told to work with. Death by birds, tiger, lion, bear and so many more.
“You act like you have no control.”
“I’m better at it, but I’m too scared to find out.”
“How old were you when you were brought here?”
“I went from foster home to foster home until I was six. As a child, I caused animals to attack kids that bullied me. None died, but a few scarred emotionally and even maimed. I had anger issues. One foster parent even put me through an exorcism, thinking I was possessed.”
“Because you made dogs bite?”
“Because I called over two hundred cats to stand guard against that particular foster parent.”
“What did she do to provoke you?”
“Rules about turning my lights off at the night. They scared her but only two of the cats attacked.” She thought better of mentioning what dogs did to her next set of abusive foster parents.
“What happened to your parents?”
Her eyes moistened. “My mother died of a heroin overdose when I was four. No relatives came to identify her or claim me. She put an ‘x’ through paternity on the form.” She sold her body for drugs so it was anybody’s guess the identity of her father.
“I’m sorry.”
Gaby changed the subject. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” Odd. She felt as though she snapped out of a trance.
He smoothed his thumb over a single tear on her cheek. “I didn’t mean to pry.” He sighed. “I’m just hoping knowing about you will trigger my memory.”