The New Husband(98)

Nina went cold inside.

“Dead?” She drew out the word, her voice quavering slightly. “What happened?”

“Overdose.” Catherine was matter-of-fact about it, as if this sad outcome was long expected. “I found him a few days ago. We were supposed to hang out, but he didn’t show, so I called the cops. And they found him, in his apartment, needle still in his arm.”

“I’m … I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Nina wasn’t sure what to say, or how to say it. As her thoughts swirled, a sinister possibility came to her, leaving her breathless and unsteady on her feet.

“Say, who are you again?” Catherine asked, now sounding suspicious, like Nina might be a rival for her dead lover’s affections.

“I’m a friend … again, I’m so sorry … you have my deepest condolences.”

Nina ended the call abruptly as her thoughts raced ahead. It was entirely believable that an overdose was how Hugh would meet his end, and guiltily she considered having contributed to his demise, but another, more disturbing possibility tugged at her: Simon. Had he done something to Hugh, given him drugs that would kill him? It was possible, just as he had done to Maggie. Nina no longer required any files to believe Emma Dolan had met her fate at Simon’s hands, but she had nothing to offer the police except for more speculation.





CHAPTER 53


Simon brought Daisy to Glen for a visit. Might as well, or so he said, since everyone was now staying under the same roof. During the course of his captivity, Glen had seen glimmers of kindness from Simon. Not every moment was spent torturing and tormenting. To do so simply required too much effort. He must have understood at some level they were all living beings with needs, wants, and desires. Some part of him must have held fragments of compassion. Some part of Simon was human.

Daisy went completely berserk when she first saw Glen, spinning in circles inside the box, licking his face, his arms, his hands. The second visit was more of the same. The third no different from the first. Dogs were the best that way.

Simon watched this reunion joylessly.

“Time is running out,” he said. “Why hasn’t Nina asked me to come back? She has to know I have her dog. At least she should have called by now.”

Daisy had calmed enough to rest her head on Glen’s lap, and it felt like a touch of heaven.

“It’s not going to work,” Glen said as he gave Daisy some gentle pats. She didn’t notice his chain, had no idea they were both on leashes. “Give Daisy back. We’ll come up with another way.”

Glen knew Nina’s rejection of him would cause Simon to snap.

Then the blood, the knife, live video feed of his family’s murder.

Simon shook his head defiantly. “No. No, it doesn’t work like that. She needs to come to me. I was so close, too.”

“Close to what?” Glen’s voice rose in exasperation. Despite the circumstances, all of the suffering, he had to know. What was it all about? What drove this man to such lengths? Why Nina?

“It doesn’t concern you,” Simon said. “Nina needs to come around, that’s all. Things are going to get bad, Glen, if she doesn’t. They’ll get so much worse.”

There was only one way for it to get worse.

Glen stilled. He swallowed hard, trying not to think the thoughts racing through his mind.

“What are you going to do?”

“I took you,” Simon answered flatly. “If I have to, I’ll take her, too.”

The darkness in his eyes deepened.

“The children?” Glen tried to keep his voice level.

The look on Simon’s face said enough. Empty. Void. Expressionless. Soulless.

Glen understood well enough. The box would become Nina’s new home. Perhaps the police would search the basement, but it was doubtful they’d find the hideout. It was too well concealed. Glen and the children would be disposed of somewhere and Simon would go on.

After a time, Simon yanked Daisy out of the box and closed the door behind him. Darkness again. No new batteries for his lone light. Dark as a coffin. Dark as death.

Glen screamed, and screamed again, but nobody on the outside, not even Daisy, could hear him.





CHAPTER 54


It wasn’t often I won an argument with my mother, but by Wednesday she had agreed to let me go to school. I knew she wasn’t comfortable with it, but I wasn’t comfortable letting Simon control my life. I missed Ben and I was falling behind in my work. She agreed I’d be safe there as long as I kept to the plan and stayed indoors. I was given strict instructions to avoid Simon at all costs. If he spoke to me, I had to ignore him. I also had to keep my backpack with me at all times, and there were no brownies from a mix in my lunch that day.

After first period, I had to get to science, which unfortunately required me to walk by Simon’s classroom. I would have done anything to avoid it, but there were only so many ways to get there.

Ben was with me because we had class together.

“Are the police doing anything?”

He was worried about Daisy, too.

The hallway was noisy, crowded with kids, as it always was between classes.

“Not a thing,” I said with disgust. “If anyone thought Simon took me, they’d break down his damn door. But since it’s a dog, well, ‘Go and talk to him.’” I said this in a deep voice, like I was imitating the police. “That’s their response for you,” I said, back to my normal voice. “Like he’s not totally suspect! Daisy’s there. I know it. I feel it.”