Page 19 of Atonement

My eyes watered, but I refused to shed tears as Meyer turned his head an looked at me, his face completely free of emotion yet covered in bruises and scabs. Someone had done a number on him.

He deserves it, I told myself, though I didn’t quite believe it.

He only held my eyes for a moment before looking me up and down, then turning to his father. “She’s lost at least ten pounds, Conrad. I’m not sure I’d call that healthy.”

Conrad shrugged as he looped the chain attached to my collar around a sconce near the unlit fireplace. Meyer looked at me again as he did so, both of us undoubtedly recalling the day he himself had tied me to as similar ornament in his home.

“Not my fault she wouldn’t eat for the first few days. I think she missed you.” He winked at his son before cuffing me on the chin, almost affectionately. I snapped my head away so hard the metal cut into my neck, and I couldn’t help but wince. Conrad chuckled, then walked to his desk.

With his back turned, I took a quick look at the length of chain holding me to the wall. He’d given me about five feet to move with, maybe a little less. My fingers felt around the edge of the collar and there, underneath the hole where it connected to the chain, was space for a key. The key I now held in my back pocket. But how could I escape when both Meyer and Conrad were sitting here looking at me? Where would I even go? I’d been so focused on finding out what the key went to, I hadn’t thought through what would happen when I got out. I didn’t have shoes or a coat, and through the windows I could see harsh winter wind pushing leaves through the air. Goosebumps rose on my arms at the mere thought of stepping outside.

When I looked up, however, neither of the two men were no longer anywhere near me. Meyer had joined Conrad near his desk, and was unbuttoning his jacket as he sat stiffly in a chair. Maybe one of them would lose their jackets at some point. I could grab it as I ran out; it might buy me some time outdoors before I froze to death.

“I heard about that mess in your car the other day. I think you understand it couldn’t be helped.”

What mess?Meyer went absolutely still. “I find that hard to believe. I think you could have avoided it rather easily, if you’d tried.”

“Well, let’s agree to disagree.” Conrad smiled as he opened a leather portfolio and pulled out a single piece of paper, which he passed to Meyer over the desk. “Look that over.”

Were they just going to ignore me completely? “I assume you brought me down here for a reason.” I rattled the chain a little as both of them raised their heads to look at me. “I’d hate to think you locked me up like this just for decoration.”

Meyer opened his mouth to speak, but Conrad beat him to it. “We’ll get to you in a moment, my dear. Please hold your tongue until then.” He smiled at me, sickly sweet and dripping with malice, before turning back to his son. “Read that.”

Meyer blinked at me once before looking at the document again. There was silence as he read, except for the clinking of metal as I paced in the small space allotted me. I wasn’t about to sit quietly while they sat there deciding where to bury my body. I needed energy if I was going to run. “While I’m down here, do you think I could get something with protein in it?”

“Hang on, Maddie.” Meyer held up one finger without looking at me. I gaped and came to a halt. He was going to call meMaddiein front of Conrad? More than that, he was going to shush me?

“I think we’re beyond you telling me what to do,” I snapped when I regained the power of speech. “Last time I listened to you I ended up with this goddamn chain around my neck.”

He set the paper on the desk and sighed, ignoring me. Conrad, who had been watching me with amusement, sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his stomach as Meyer spoke.

“How did you arrive at this solution?”

“You have her to thank for it.” He nodded his head toward me. “I brought Alexander over and showed him the byproduct of that night he spent with Eva. He was willing to do quite a bit to make sure her existence stays a secret. We thought about trying to somehow pin this on her, actually. But the risk of somehow exposing Alexander as her father is too great, at least in his opinion. You should thank me, really. He wanted to give me money for her. If I’d accepted, she’d have a bullet in her head right now.”

My mouth was dry. I swallowed, trying to understand their words. Were they talking about what was going on with the company? That’s what he’d asked Alexander to do. What solution had he come up with that fit onto a single piece of paper? Though I knew Conrad would never allow it, I wished Shawn were here. He’d at least show me some sympathy. Maybe work on getting me some food so my stomach didn’t hurt so much.

“And you think this will work?” Meyer tapped the paper for emphasis.

“Whether or not it does is up to you. If it doesn’t—”

“Boss.”

All three of us turned in unison at the sound of Joshua’s voice. He stood halfway inside the room, panting slightly.

“We have an issue.”

“I’m a little busy here.”

“This needs your attention. Immediately.”

Conrad sighed as he rose, displeasure clearly evident in the purse of his lips. “Can I trust you alone with her for a few minutes?”

Meyer sat back in the chair and tented his fingers. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Conrad squinted at him, clearly not convinced, but after a moment he followed Joshua out of the room. The door clicked shut, and we were silent for one heartbeat. Two.

Meyer leaped out of his chair and rushed across the room to me.

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