I could just see inside the room, too, through a gap in the curtains. There wasn’t anything to see, really. I saw Jamie’s legs, stretched out across the bed. I saw light from a lamp and the TV. The inside of the room looked like shit. I hated thinking about the two of them in there.
“What do you see?” Flash asked.
“Nothing much. They’re sitting on the bed. That’s all I can tell you. And it looks like hell in there.”
“Yeah, this place is a shithole. Literally. You should see what I almost just stepped in at the side of the building.”
“Oh, fucking gross,” Slate muttered.
“Guys. Seriously.” I crouched behind the car, listening to the stupid conversation. “This isn’t the time. Compare notes later on.”
“Sorry.” They shut up, and we waited.
I looked for any movement, any sign of anything going on. Blood pounded in my ears, my hands twitched. I wanted to get in there. I wanted to get them out. I wished I knew the right thing to do—if I didn’t love them both so much, it wouldn’t have mattered so much. I could’ve gone in and it wouldn’t have made such a big difference. If one of them got hurt, oh well. It was the price they’d have to pay. But not anymore. I wanted to save them without them getting hurt. I just had no idea how to be sure that would happen.
They got up. I saw Jamie for just a flash, then she was gone. They were going to the bathroom. I couldn’t imagine how disgusting it would be. “They’re in the bathroom. Shit. I wish we could’ve been back there. We could’ve gotten them out a window or something.”
“Negative,” Slate whispered. “The windows are too small. Gigi, maybe, but not Jamie.”
“Right, and when he found out we took her, what would he do with Jamie?”
We still could’ve gotten one of them. I could’ve gone in while they were in there. We missed an opportunity. I felt them slipping through my fingers, even though they were right in front of me.
They came back. I heard their voices, very faintly. He was pissed. She was pissing him off. “Don’t do it, Jamie,” I warned. “Don’t fuck with him.”
“What’s she going?” Flash asked.
“I don’t know. But he doesn’t like it.” My heart was in my throat as I watched and waited. He moved in front of the window. “Fuck, I can’t see what’s happening. He’s in the way.”
It didn’t take long for him to go back to where he started. I saw Gigi. She looked upset.
We couldn’t wait much longer. We’d have to go in soon, even if it meant risking an ambush from The Scarecrow’s guys. I knew it would be risky, but so was leaving the two of them in the room with him.
I’m right here. We’re all here. You’re not alone. I wished they knew. All I could do was stare at the window and think it over and over.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jamie
I must have drifted off to sleep at some point, strange as it seemed. The last thing my body wanted to do was relax, but my brain must have needed to shut down for a little while. Maybe it tried to escape the horror all around it. I didn’t know.
I dreamed I was with my parents. It was natural, too. I didn’t think anything of it. In the dream, they were still alive, so it wasn’t a big deal. We ate dinner together like we used to, laughing and talking.
Gigi was there, too, and Lance. We sat around the table, just like a normal family. It felt so good, so right. I didn’t understand why it felt significant, too, but it did. Like it shouldn’t have been happening. Like there was some reason this was strange or odd.
Mom smiled at me. “Honey, Daddy and I are going to a movie tonight. Do you want to go with us?”
I stopped smiling. I looked around the table. Why didn’t anybody understand why this wasn’t a good idea? I was horrified. Why weren’t they? Gigi was still telling a story about how acid makes pancakes fluffy. Daddy and Lance were listening, asking questions.
“You can’t go,” I said. “Don’t go. Stay here, with us.”
“Honey, there’s nothing to worry about. You always worry when there’s nothing to worry over. Doesn’t she?” She looked at my dad, who nodded.
“You always did. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Why do you think we shouldn’t go?”
“Because I know you shouldn’t. I know it. I don’t know how I know.” I was so important to stop them, but I couldn’t tell them why. I wasn’t sure myself. All I knew was they couldn’t go.