First Family (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 4)

“You have plenty of time. You can still have a family.”

“Who says I want one now?” Diane said bitterly.

Willa fell silent as she watched Diane rub her hands nervously together and stare down at the tabletop.

“We’re never getting out of here, you know that, don’t you?” said Diane.

“I think we will, if things go according to Mr. Sam’s plan.”

Diane leapt up. “Stop calling him that! It makes him sound like he’s somebody’s doting grandfather and not some crazy freak.”

“Okay,” Willa said fearfully. “Okay. I’ll stop.”

Diane sank back down in the chair. “You miss your mom?” she said in a low voice.

Willa nodded. “I miss everybody. Even my little brother.”

“Did he tell you that everybody was okay in your family?”

“Yes. He—” Willa broke off and looked sharply at her. “Why do you ask that? Did he tell you something differently?”

Diane looked surprised. “No, I mean, we didn’t talk about it. Him and me… I don’t know anything.”

Willa stood, her gaze searching the woman’s face, easily boring through the thin veneer of lies.

“He told you something,” she said accusingly.

“No, he didn’t.”

“Is my family okay? Are they?”

“Willa, I don’t know. I… he… Look, we can’t trust anything he says.”

“So he did tell you something. What did he tell you?”

“Willa, I can’t.”

“Tell me! Tell me!” She raced at Diane and started slapping at her. “Tell me! Tell me!”

Footsteps could be heard outside of the room. A key turned in the lock. The door was thrown open. Quarry ran over to them, lifted Willa up. She turned on him, slapping at his face.

“Tell me that my family is okay. Tell me!” she yelled at Quarry.

Quarry glared once at Diane, who shrank against the wall. “Willa—stop,” he said.

But she slapped him on his injured mouth. She kept punching, hitting, slapping. She was uncontrollable.

“Daryl,” roared Quarry.

His son hustled in, carrying a syringe. He uncapped it and popped the needle into Willa’s arm. Two seconds later she was slumped in Quarry’s arms. He handed her off to his son.

“Take her back to her room.”

When he was alone with Diane, Quarry turned on her. “What the hell did you tell her?”

“Nothing. I swear it. She asked about her family.”

“You told her you were her mother?”