Page 45 of Out to Find Freedom

I still couldn’t believe it. There would be moments when I wouldn’t feel safe, sure they’d come back for me somehow. I was certain of it. But right then, happiness started to form throughout my body.

No more Gloria.

No more Lenny.

Or two meals a day.

Or wearing ratty clothes.

I didn’t know where or if they’d left any money from my father’s accounts, but I would deal with that later.

I was out.

Away from that hellhole.

Elation had my chest expanding, a giddy laugh falling free while my stomach spun. I lifted my head into the pouring warm water and smiled.

Chapter Fifteen

Warden

When Emmie cleared the stairs and we heard the bathroom door open, I looked to Lan and Killer. We all wore weary and worried expressions. A shiver of anger ran over my body. I wanted to rip those cunts a new arsehole.

When I saw the basement, how she’d been living fortwoyears…. Christ, ripping them a new one hadn’t been my only thought. I pulled the notebook we’d found out of my back pocket and handed it to Lan.

“She wrote about her experience.” My jaw clenched. I’d read the first part and murder had been on my mind. They’d killed the guy she went on one date with. Right in front of her. She’d seen a girl on the couch, drugged out and raped. Marshalling my calm, I sucked in a deep breath. “I didn’t read it all, but what I did was enough to make sure none of them see the light of day for a very fuckin’ long time.” Lan turned to the pictures she drew—ones that were clear as day at identifying who they were. Bloody perfect. I pointed to one. “All except him. We don’t know who this one is yet. What we don’t have is a picture of the drug supplier who was there tonight. My guess is Emmie’s never seen him before.”

Lan nodded. “He’s been wanted for a hell of a long time. He’ll go away for an extended period as well.”

“This situation is fucked up.”

“Even worse, another thing I caught in there”—I pointed at the book—“was that those motherfucking cunts are connected to drugging, kidnapping, and raping women before they get dumped with no memory. It’s how all this shit started for her. She walked in on the cunts filmin’ a girl drugged out on the couch and getting fucked. They freaked, killed the guy Emmie had been with, and locked her in the basement.”

“Jesus Christ. Fucking hell,” Lan muttered. He snapped the book closed, rolled it, and put it in his back pocket. “When I get her recorded interview, that and the book will be iron-clad proof for the case. Like you said, they’ll be going away for a long time.”

I nodded. This whole situation was fucked. It had my gut coiling in revulsion. “At least my client will have answers as well,” I muttered, more to myself than the others.

“We have your client’s statement on file. I’ll add it to what we get off Emerson,” Lan said, then added, “Do you know why Emerson was freaked about Vi?”

“Not Violet,” Killer supplied. He leaned his arse on the arm of the couch. “It was more her voice, and the fact that she’s female. I think she’ll have to be watched around any woman. The aunt did a number on her.”

“What do you mean?” I clipped.

“You might not have seen them. Her thighs looked like they’d been sliced up with knives. I got a peek of her wrist and it looked the same. Her cunt of an aunt did it to her. I don’t know what else she’s done, but fuck, to live through that would be enough nightmares for decades.”

“It’s not only her thighs and wrist,” Julian said. We watched him descend the stairs, and when he stopped at the bottom, he went on, “Her full arms and chest as well. Currently, she might have cracked or bruised ribs. All from her aunt. I suggested we call Nancy, but she won’t have it. She doesn’t even want to go to the hospital to get checked out.”

Fury rang in my ears. Murder wouldn’t be enough for fucking Gloria. She needed pain, slowly, and for the rest of her life.

“Can’t say I blame her for not wanting Nancy near her right now,” Killer said.

Julian sighed and then nodded. “I’ll wrap her after the shower just in case. She’s only wincing, so I’m thinking they’re more bruised than cracked.”

I didn’t like the thought of Julian near her like that. Not that I understood completely why, but it chafed me the wrong way.

Yet I ignored it. I wouldn’t look like a dickhead saying shit and stopping Julian from helping Emmie.

“Where’s she gonna stay?” Killer asked.

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