Page 95 of Fighting Conviction
She was exhausted, physically and mentally. She closed her eyes but refused to sit. She didn’t want to be caught in a worse physical position by sitting down with her hands tied behind her back.
She looked at Virginia. The poor girl was still breathing just as heavily, and her eyes were still closed. While the investigator had helped Ellie hop to the pantry, he’d had to drag Virginia. All she’d let out was a weak moan. As bad as it sounded, the low wail was still music to Ellie’s ears. Being in pain meant she was still alive.
Ellie caught movement in the sliver of light she had and she watched as the investigator sat down with his hand outstretched. The Russian placed a small bag into his hand and the investigator clutched it to his heart.
“I-is this gonna be all of it? Or can I have my supply back.” The investigator’s smoker voice came out warbly and hopeful.
“Boss is pleased with you. You work hard for—” Ellie frowned, trying to understand the word but caught back up when she realized it couldn’t have been English. “—They thank you with product you want from now on.”
The investigator paused from rustling around his side table from his chair and gaped. “Forever?”
“Da.”
The investigator huffed and gave a little laugh. “Ha, no shit. Hear that, Cici? We’re gonna be fine. We’re gonna get well and everything will be okay.”
“Who is this person you speak to? It is only me,durak.”
“S-sorry. Nobody.”
After a pause, Ellie’s pulse spiked with the fear she’d been found out. She took measure of her breaths to make sure the Russian couldn’t hear her.
“What is all this?”
“All what?” the investigator asked, sounding like something was in his mouth.
“This.”
“Oh, uh, my board?”
“Da.You have pictures and string on this…board.” There was atskingnoise. “Boss would be interested in this information, I think.”
“No… No, no, no. Uh, you won’t tell him, right? It’s just somethin’ I’ve come up with… Ya know, so Rusnak can have all the dirt on everyone he’s workin’ with?”
“You have many people on this board. Does boss know this thing?”
“No, oh, God no. Just me. I’m keepin’ tabs on people for Rusnak, like I said. I’ll be gettin’ him this info as soon as I’m done. No one needs to know yet. It can be just me and you. You won’t tell him, right?”
The Russian grunted. “I will leave you now.”
“Vlad! Vlad, you won’t tell him, right? P-please uh, I’ll get rid of it all, I swear. If he doesn’t want me lookin’ into things I’ll get rid of it.”
“Do not worry,durak. I will not tell boss about this thing.”
The investigator let out an audible sigh. “Th-thanks. Thank you, buddy. I owe ya one.”
“I will leave now. You are… busy. I will go leave by myself.”
“Oh, yeah, sure. Um… tell Rusnak I said thanks… please?” the investigator said it with a question in his voice.
The Russian grunted again and heavy footsteps came nearer to the pantry. Ellie backed away from the crack. She heard the rustling of plastic quickly followed by the flick of a lighter. Ellie heard what she assumed was the back door creaking open before she moved back to her position at the light.
The investigator had his sleeve rolled up and a rubber tie wrapped around his bicep. He was pulling the end with his teeth and held a shiny needle in his free hand.
Ellie backed away from the pantry doors. She wanted to get out of her hiding place, but not only did she need to make sure the Russian left, she also didn’t want to see the investigator inject poison into his skin.
Memories of needles pricking into her skin pushed to the front of her mind, but she fought back the panic usually accompanying those thoughts. Part of her wished she could stop him, encourage him to go to rehab like the ghost in his mind tried to do. But the part focused on survival and saving Virginia, knew the moments after he injected would be the easiest window of opportunity to escape.
As Ellie brainstormed, a long, loud, satisfied groan rattled through the house before it abruptly stopped. Ellie peeked between the doors to see the investigator with his head lolled to the side, mouth open, and the needle still in his arm.
