Page 41 of Captive Hearts
Ashley looked at Gina. ‘I’m making it all up as I go along. I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m doing.’
‘Ofcourseyou don’t know what you’re doing. But you’re doing it anyway. You just gottakeepdoing it.’
‘You really think I can keep him calm? Get more people out?’ Ashley asked with deep uncertainty.
Gina nodded. ‘I really fuckingdo.’
Ashley’s mouth turned up ever so slightly at the corners. ‘I really don’t know if you mean that. But it’s good to hear it.’
Gina frowned. ‘Why wouldn’t I mean it?’
‘Because I’m hard work. You said so. Many,manyhave said so. And someone who’sthatrubbish at talking to people-’
Gina shook her head, smiling. ‘But you’re not rubbish. Not at all. If anything, you’re too good at it. You see into the heart of people, you showed me that in the cupboard. You knew right away about my stepmum. I’ve never even really been able to admit that to myself. And you just,’ Gina clicked her fingers, ‘Saw it. Easy. The only difference is that what you’re trying to do now is not expose him. He’s doingthatfor himself, all the time. No, what you’ve got to do, what youhavebeen doing, is using that skill to convince him to give us what we want. And I know you can because I’ve watched you. You’ve made him think every compromise he’s made has been his own idea.’
Ashley frowned, taking in Gina’s words. Gina could see she was turning them over, trying them on, feeling their fit. Gina hoped she’d see the truth in them. Ashley could get them all out of this, if she only believed in herself.
