Closer Than You Think Read Online Free Page A

promise.’
    The girl drew in a slow breath, still blotting Arianna’s face. ‘I can’t ever leave.’
    ‘Who says? I’ll take you with me. Please. You’re my only hope.’
    ‘I’m sorry.’ The girl’s hands froze, and in the silence that followed, Arianna heard footsteps.
    The door opened. Arianna heard the girl’s breathing accelerate. ‘I w-was only c-c-cleaning her,’ the girl stammered out. ‘Like you told me to.’
    There was a loud crack, his hand slapping the girl’s face. ‘You’ve been talking to her. I told you not to talk to her. I told you not to talk to any of them, but you dare disobey me. Get an empty box from the kitchen and pack my things. Yours too.’
    The girl didn’t say anything. Arianna didn’t breathe. He’s leaving? Why?
    But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he’d have to cut her free from the table if he moved her. That’ll be my chance to escape .
    The girl’s footsteps shuffled across the floor, then the door closed quietly. Arianna could hear him approaching . She braced herself, expecting the slap, but it still hurt when it came. Her jaw ached, her cheek burned. But she didn’t cry out.
    ‘Did you beg her for help?’ he asked silkily. ‘Did you ask her to untie you? She won’t help you, you know. She wouldn’t know how. You are stuck here. Forever. Or until I kill you.’
    Gritting her teeth, Arianna waited for the next assault, but he moved away. A moment later she heard the sound of metal clanking. Knives , she thought. He’s packing up his knives, putting them into a box. There was a loud, flat clang. The lid of the box being slammed down? Yes. Like a toolbox.
    The door slammed and he was gone. Arianna let the air seep out of her lungs. She didn’t know what had just happened, or why, but she knew she had a chance now. She’d survive, she vowed. She’d break free, find Corinne, and they’d get the hell out of this nightmare.
    Mt Carmel, Ohio, Sunday 2 November, 10.25 P.M.
     
    He slammed the door to his torture room, pissed as hell. ‘Roza! Where the fuck are you?’
    The blanket that covered her doorway was pushed aside and the girl came out into the hall. ‘I’m here,’ she said quietly.
    ‘I told you to pack my things. What’re you doing back there?’
    She hesitated. Dropped her gaze. ‘You told me to pack my things too.’
    That he had, he had to admit. It wasn’t like it would take her long. She owned maybe four things. ‘Okay. Fine. Get back to it.’ But she didn’t move. ‘Well? What’s the problem now?’
    She flinched. ‘Wh-wh-what about Mama?’
    He stared down at her. She was skinny, but she’d grown taller. Rounder in places she hadn’t been round before. He’d noticed. ‘What about her?’
    She glanced down the dark hall that led to her little room. ‘I can’t just . . . leave her here.’
    He shook his head. He’d known she was stupid, but she’d really surprised him. ‘You can’t take her with you. That’s just disgusting. She’s not prepared or anything. She’s probably a pile of rotting goo by now.’ The kid’s mother had died when he’d been away last year, and by the time he’d returned she’d buried the bitch all by herself. The body had already started to rot, so he’d left it alone. No matter. Time had not been kind to the woman. He wouldn’t have wanted to preserve her face anyway.
    He knew that the kid was attached to her mother’s grave. She talked to it, slept next to it. That he could understand. But taking the remains with her? The child was not right.
    ‘I left a takeout bag in the kitchen.’ It had grown cold as he’d driven around town, looking for Faith’s red Jeep. ‘Warm it for me. If you eat even one bite, I’ll know. I weighed it.’
    ‘All right,’ she whispered.
    That was better. He’d let her have too much freedom. She’d been talking to his captives when he wasn’t around. He’d been too easy on her since her mother’s death. He’d have to clamp down, show