Forty-Four Box Set, Books 1-10 (44) (38 page)

“Of course not,” he said nonchalantly. “You’re the star, Abby. You will lead the way.”

I was quiet, listening to the burning wood crack and hiss.

 “So you’re not going to hurt me?” I said after a while.

Nathaniel inhaled.

“Hurt is such a subjective term. I can’t promise that you won’t feel a certain measure of pain. But I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to keep you as comfortable as possible. That said, there are tests that need to be done. Extensive tests. You’ve been through the first phase already. I know it left you with migraines. As I said, I believe they were a reaction to the sedative we were using. In these next two phases of our study, there won’t be any drugs administered to you, so you need not fear a return of those headaches. That’s the answer and the honest truth.”

I looked over at the fire, thinking about the lost days and deep dreams and how my head had felt like a volcano exploding into the night sky, over and over again. The idea of more tests of any kind scared me, but I kept my expression serious and reflective, trying not to show any fear.

Maybe I needed to take my chances with the kayak even if the storm didn’t let up.

“So when does it start again?” I asked.

“In three days,” he said. “Until then, I want you to enjoy yourself. Do what you like. Rest, relax.”

Three days. I had a little time.

“And you’ll let me go when this is over? You said that last night, but I find it hard to believe. That I could just walk away from all this when you’re done getting what you need from me.”

“Yes, you can leave,” he said. “If that is your choice.”

“What the hell does that mean? Of course that is my choice. That would always be my choice.”

Did he really think the soccer field and room service were going to make me want to stay?

He stood again, slowly walking around the room. I sat listening to the rain, ready to go back upstairs.

“I have high hopes for you, Abby. Hopes that you can’t begin to fathom.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My hope is that you’ll join me,” he said softly. “That you’ll want to be part of all this and all that is to come.”

His insanity seemed to know no limits.

“That’s never, ever going to happen. I’ll never be part of this. At least not willingly.”

He smiled.

“You can’t see it now. But I want you to know that I see something that perhaps no one else does, including yourself. Your potential.”

I rolled my eyes. Now he was starting to sound like one of my math teachers back in high school when I kept getting
C
s on my exams.

“You are an extraordinary girl, Abby. I’ve watched you from afar for a while and I must admit you’ve touched my heart. You survived your tragedy with an uncommon dignity bordering on elegance. Your courage and determination have moved me in ways I can’t explain and don’t fully comprehend.”

The white cloud around him reached toward the ceiling. I shifted in the chair uncomfortably, stunned at what I thought he was saying.

“You don’t belong living a small life in a small town. You deserve something bigger and better. And I wish to give it to you. The very best hotels, the very best experiences in the best cities of the world. Barcelona. Florence. Paris. Places where you can study art and literature and science. Perhaps even sharpen your growing culinary talents.”

I tried to think of something to say, something to stop him from talking this way. But he moved closer to me and I could see that his expression had changed. It chilled me to the bone and I just sat there, numb.

“And I want to be there with you, Abby, as you discover a new world.”

He took my hand suddenly and kissed it.

“Thank you, Abby, for a lovely evening,” he said after what felt like an eternity. “You may go now, if you wish.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t think of the words.

I got up and left the room, completely confused and shaken.

CHAPTER 12

It was another night of troubled sleep. I couldn’t get Nathaniel’s voice out of my head, his crazy ideas banging around my brain all night. His serum and his tests, the wealthy people who believed him. And most of all, his twisted idea that he had fallen in love with me.

It had all the makings of a nightmare and I was stuck right in the middle of it, unable to wake up.

I prayed that the rain would stop, that the storm would pass so I could escape. But it didn’t. In the morning, I rushed to the window and looked out. The sky was still dark and full of thick clouds and the wind was even more intense than before. The waves pounded along the shore. Out in the strait, the large swells were full of frothy whitecaps.

There was no way I could make it in these conditions.

I let out a long sigh.

Nathaniel said I had a few days until the next round of tests, and for some reason I believed him. I still had time. I just needed to be patient. I could spend the day finding out more about the house. I tried to focus on the positives.

Breakfast was on the desk and I ate it quickly. I had to use the day the best way possible. I got dressed and headed out the door.

It was quiet in the house, as usual. I walked along the hallway and went into the other rooms on this level. The doors were open. There were four of them and they looked similar to mine, each decorated nicely. Each with its own bathroom. Mine had more furniture and the flat screen, but otherwise they were identical. They all faced the water and had large windows with spectacular views. They looked unlived in.

I checked the nightstands and dressers, just in case, not sure what I was looking for and not finding it.

I headed downstairs and walked around the living room and then to the dining room. I tried to remember what door led out of the house into the backyard. I walked through the dining room. It looked the same as when I ate dinner the first night with Nathaniel, the long table with candles. I walked over to the library and looked out the windows, out at the water.

And then I saw someone outside. It was the woman I had seen when I had those headaches.

She was in the rose garden, in the back of the house, walking in the rain. I watched her as she tugged at the roses, smelling each of them. She must have been the one who was leaving the flowers for me.

I had to get outside, had to talk to her. Maybe she would help me get a message to Kate.

I headed over to the door at the side of the library, but heard a voice behind me.

“Hello, Miss Craig… I mean Abby.”

I jumped even though I knew it was Simon. He was standing in the doorway. 

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to frighten you. It’s just that I was hoping you’d come down today. I wanted to show you something, if you have time.”

I stared at him for a moment, trying to recover. His energy seemed normal and calm. I didn’t fear Simon like I did the others. I felt like I could trust him.

“Sure,” I said. I looked back out. The woman was still there in the garden and I hoped she would be around after I saw what Simon wanted.

At least I knew now that I hadn’t imagined her. I hoped I hadn’t imagined her kindness.

I followed him back through the dining room and down another hall, looking at the abstract art that was hanging on the walls. It was the kind of art that Kate’s old boyfriend painted. They actually looked pretty nice in their frames and it made me wonder if I had been wrong about Matt, and that maybe I just hadn’t fully understood his talent.

We walked into a huge, beautiful kitchen, the same one I had seen from the outside when I had taken my walk.

“I wanted you to see this,” he said, rubbing his small goatee with one hand.

“Wow,” I said, the word leaking from my mouth before I could stop it. The kitchen really was amazing. There were two large ovens, with six burners on each one, and a grill between them. There was a built-in wine rack, an espresso machine, pots of all sizes hanging down. There was a huge, stocked pantry and an extra wide refrigerator completely full.

In the middle of the room was a large granite island. A small breakfast area was over by the windows. I could see the guest house in the distance.

It was a dream kitchen and I could tell Simon was proud. He showed me some wine bottles, and talked about each one, what kind of meal they should be paired with, what region of the world they were from. Then he pulled out some of the strange utensils in a drawer, and showed me what they were used for.

“We have every kitchen gadget that has ever been invented in these drawers.”

He pulled out the food processor and showed me how to use it.

“State of the art,” he said. “Just let me know if you need something, and I’ll find it for you.”

“Need something?” I asked.

“Well, I mean, if you ever want to do any cooking down here all you have to do is just let me know if you need anything,” he said.

I was confused and it probably showed on my face.

“You have full use of all of this, Abby. I’m in here cooking breakfast and dinner each day, but the rest of the time the kitchen is empty. No one comes in here but me. And I don’t mind sharing or having company. I heard you liked to cook and wanted to invite you to do so, anytime you want.”

“Okay, but I usually need recipes.”

Even if I wasn’t planning to escape, I couldn’t imagine cooking here. Regardless of who owned it or who did the cooking, it was Nathaniel’s house.

“Got everything you need right here,” he said, opening up a large cabinet.

All sorts of cookbooks lined the shelves. Giada, Alice Waters, Julia Child, Bobby Flay, Nigella. All the books I had gotten out of the library back home during the year. Did they buy them just for me?

“Do you use these books, too?” I asked.

“Oh, no,” Simon said, closing up the cupboard. He took off his apron and hung it on a hook in the corner. “Not that a few of the recipes aren’t decent. Oh, and if you need any sort of special ingredient, I can get it for you. Just let me know.”

“Okay,” I said, playing along.

“Let me show you this too,” he said, pointing to a wooden cart. “Here’s a music dock. You just have to bring down your iPod and you’re set. Cooking and singing are my favorite activities. Also, there’s an iPad here. It’s just in this drawer. There are more recipes that have been downloaded.”

I studied it, excited. Again, he must have read my face.

“But of course, there’s no internet,” he added.

When he said that, it reminded me that I was a prisoner and that I had no business being interested in this gourmet kitchen, no matter how nice it all was. There was no point in coming down here and wasting time cooking. Unless I was planning to poison everyone. I had to put all my attention and focus on escaping. And maybe even have a few different plans.

“So, you’re a chef?” I asked. I wanted to keep him talking and see if he would help me.

He looked over and stared at me for a moment with his light eyes.

“Well, I guess you might call me a jack of all trades. I do a lot of things, but cooking is what I love best. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

I pressed on.

“But you‘re also one of these scientists,” I said. “Right?”

He paused before nodding his head. The question seemed to surprise him.

“We’re all very excited about this discovery, Abby. And I’m honored to be working with you. I wanted you to know that.”

I tried to control the anger boiling up inside. 

“Well, it’s not an honor for me, Simon. I had no choice. I was kidnapped, remember?”

An awkward silence settled in as he looked away. I could tell he didn’t mean anything by it.

“Simon, I just want to go home. I have people I love there. A life I love. I need to get back.”

I felt vulnerable, asking this stranger for help. It was a long shot, I knew that, but I had to try.

“It’s not for long, Abby. Just a little while, and then you’ll be able to have all that again.”

I wondered if Nathaniel had told them all to say that, if Jack had been told that, too. Or if they knew what the bigger plan was. Because I knew the bigger plan. I knew it in my heart and in my soul. Nathaniel was not going to let me ever leave and go back home. Not ever.

“Really?” I said. “How much do you know about Nathaniel? I mean
really
know. Because I know quite a lot about him. I watched him kill those other people he was experimenting on. I was there. And he’s going to kill me, too.”

“That’s not true, Abby,” Simon said. “That’s not true at all. It’s just for a little while. And you’re not just one of his experiments. Far from it. Look, I have to get back to work. But, please, make yourself at home in the house and especially in the kitchen. It may help to get your mind off things.”

I couldn’t tell how much he knew, but regardless, I could tell he was loyal to Nathaniel or the work or maybe both.

I tried not to be too disappointed, but I was.

Simon was a dead end.

CHAPTER 13

It had been a strange, awkward day of waiting for the rain and wind to stop. Plus that conversation with Simon stayed with me long after I left the kitchen.

I decided to take a stroll along the beach but ended up walking all the way down to the tip of the island again in the storm. I checked on the kayak. It was still there, waiting for me. I stared out at the massive gray water, both full of fear and excitement. I was ready to go, but I needed the weather to cooperate.

I thought about Simon and wondered why he was part of all this, why he wasn’t a chef working at a fancy restaurant somewhere.

When I got back to the house, I was drenched. It was getting dark. I took a shower and ate a little dinner that Simon had left on the desk.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Nathaniel and the things he had said to me the night before. Was he really falling in love with me or was it a strategy to get me to play along? I was pretty sure it was real, judging by the white energy I had seen.

I was dreading seeing him again. I didn’t want to talk about his serum or doctors or the people who were funding him. And I especially didn’t want to hear about his feelings for me. It made me sick all over just thinking about it.