"Let me have her," I muttered, fists at my sides. "I'll give you what you want, but I want her first."
"You don't make the rules," he said. He almost whispered the words.
"So, what, you do? I don't think so."
"Think what you want," he whispered. "I'm not here to bargain with you. Do you want her? You're gonna do as I say." In a flash, he took my arm and pulled me into the room, slamming the door. Locking it. With his other hand, he wrenched the purse from over my shoulder.
"You won't need this," he said, tossing the bag aside.
"Hey!" I shoved him, and he took me by the arms. My heart pounded, blood rushing in my ears. His hands were like vices, squeezing me with no mercy. I could feel his fingers digging into me, and I yelped before I could stop myself.
"Stop! Stop! Don't hurt her!" Gigi cried out from the bed.
I shook and fought against him until he let go, laughing at me.
"Sweetie." I rushed to her before The Scarecrow could reach for me again, throwing my arms around her. I could have wept with joy. She didn't look hurt, but there was no way of knowing just by looking.
"Did he hurt you?" I whispered, looking her over.
"He grabbed my arm, and that hurt."
"Anything else?" I searched her face, willing her to tell me the truth.
"I don't touch the merchandise, if that's what you're asking her," he snarled from behind me.
"What's that mean?" she asked.
"Never mind, sweetie." I turned her until she faced me. I didn't want her even to see him if she didn't have to. "Just look at me, okay?"
"Okay." Her chin wobbled.
I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight against me. I glared up at our captor. He looked just like I would imagine a drug dealer to look. Scratch that-he was worse than a dealer. He peddled human beings. I wondered what else he was capable of, with his grungy clothes and dirty hands. His nails were filthy. What the heck did he do with himself?
"Don't you ever bathe?" I shot him a withering look.
"Sometimes you gotta blend in, bitch. When I'm doing business, I gotta look like other people in the business. I don't wanna stand out."
"Right." I rolled my eyes, patting Gigi's head. She shivered, and I heard her crying softly.
"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm here with you. You don't have to be afraid anymore." I didn't believe a word coming out of my mouth, but I had to comfort her in any way I could.
When she looked up at me, her eyes were huge, haunted. "He killed Erica," she whimpered.
"What?" I brushed her hair back from her face. "What are you saying?" I looked at him, then back at her.
"Shut up," he commanded. His voice reminded me of a snake's hiss.
I glared at him. "Don't tell us what to do."
"I'll tell you whatever I wanna tell you, bitch. And you'll do it."
I held Gigi closer. "No, I won't. We're going to leave."
He stared at me, then started laughing. He closed his eyes, head thrown back, and roared like he'd heard the funniest joke ever. "You're hilarious," he said, wiping his eyes. "You really think it's that easy. Like this is some kind of movie where you're the hero. Right? You're the hero teacher, and now you're gonna be the hero who saves the little girl from the big, bad man. Right?"
He crouched down beside me, and I felt his sour breath on my face. He repulsed me with his nasty, jagged teeth and pitted skin. His eyes burned into me as he glared. I held Gigi away from him, putting myself between them.
When he spoke, his words were clear, sharp. "You don't leave. Not now. Not until I tell you it's time to leave."
"What are you holding us for? I've told you already, I'll give you whatever you want."
"Yeah, you will." He reached for me with one hand, gently stroking my hair. I shuddered and flinched away, still shielding Gigi with my body. "You'll give me everything I want. You'll be worth a lot of money."
I swallowed back the bile that threatened to bubble up out of my mouth. "Right. Like I said, whatever you want."
The Scarecrow snickered. "You don't get it, bitch. The money's not coming from the ATM-although," he glanced at my purse, "I want your cards and PINs. That's a good idea. But you won't be using them. I will. You'll be long gone."
My insides froze. "Where am I going?"
"Wherever my man wants to take you. Once I hand you over, you're his. And trust me." He leaned even closer. I willed myself not to flinch away again. "He's not gonna be as nice to you as I am."
I gulped, doing everything in my power to avoid showing him how terrified I was. I stared willfully into his eyes, telling myself he couldn't break me down. He had to know he wasn't dealing with the average woman. I wouldn't break down in front of him.
He chuckled nastily, glancing at Gigi before standing.
"That's your plan for her, too?" I gasped, squeezing her in my arms. I would let him kill me before I'd let him take her away for some pervert.
"Yeah. That's the plan. Now I know why you're a teacher. It's 'cause you're so smart."
I looked down at her. There was no way for her to understand what we were talking about. She was too young. But she'd understand all too soon if I didn't do something about it.
"What are they gonna do to me, Jamie?" she whispered.
"Don't worry about it, sweetie." I kissed the top of her head, then climbed up onto the bed with her in my arms. "He won't touch you."
It was a promise I didn't think I could keep, and it terrified me.
The Scarecrow left the room, stepping outside. I heard him talking on the phone and strained my ears to hear what he said. Nothing was clear. He watched us through the window, so there was no way to get to my phone. I was afraid to make a move.
I looked around for a weapon. Something, anything. There wasn't even an antenna on the ancient TV. I leaned over Gigi, one eye on the door, to open the nightstand drawer. A Bible-ironic, but nothing that could help me fight him. I had nothing. Only my fists and my feet. I would use them.
Gigi was shaking, crying. "Honey, it's gonna be okay. Don't you worry about it. You have to be brave now."
"But Erica. He killed her." She laid her head on my shoulder and wept.
"Why do you say that, sweetie?"
"He hit her. She had blood all over."
I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth. "What happened?" I whispered.
"We were playing checkers, just her and me, and he came in."
"Nobody else was around?"
"No. Traci went home. Everybody else was playing cards in the other room, with the door closed. Erica told them to close the door 'cause they were using bad words."
"Then what happened?"
"She jumped up and screamed, and he hit her. She punched him and kicked at him, and she told me to run away and get help. He hit her again, and she was bleeding. I didn't wanna leave her." She wept, almost convulsing with the strain of her grief.
"It's okay. It's okay." I rocked her, trying to soothe her. "She might have been knocked out, you know? That's all. I don't think she was killed."
"Then he took me. I tried to scream, but he had his hand over my mouth. He put me in his car and I screamed and screamed, but nobody heard me."
"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. I should've been there with you." And what had I been doing? Eating cereal with my feet on the coffee table. Wondering if I ever had to go back there at all. Meanwhile, Erica was fighting tooth and nail to keep Gigi safe, and it still didn't matter. He might very well have killed her for all I knew. And I was watching TV. I'd never forgive myself for not being there.
I fought the tears that threatened to overwhelm me, telling myself she couldn't see me cry. I didn't want her to see me fall apart like that. I had to be strong for her.
"What's he gonna do?" she whispered.
"I don't know," I answered, lying. I thought she could tell I was lying, but she was too good a kid to call me on it. She always thought of other people's feelings, the poor thing. I couldn't let it all go down like it was. I had to think of a way out. She needed a chance in life. I couldn't let her become just another lost little girl.
The door opened, and The Scarecrow leered at us. His nearly yellow hair stuck up in all directions, reminding me of straw. I wondered if that was where he got his name, or if he styled himself to fit his branding. I almost laughed, it was all so surreal.
"I wouldn't smile if I was you," he sneered.
I scowled instead. "Better?"
"Yeah, better, wiseass bitch."
"Could you not use language like that in front of her, please." I held her tighter still, my hand over her ear.
He laughed. "She's gonna hear a lot worse than that soon."
I shuddered. Her little heart raced so fast. Her body trembled.
"My man is an hour away, maybe more. Held up on some other job. He's on his way, though."
My heart leaped, a spark of hope kindling there. More than an hour. That was more than enough time for Lance to find us. He would. He had to. That was the only solution.