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“Was there anything on the computer?”
“Yes, but it was sent to me, not Pencil Dick. You’re good.” Ollie’s mouth lifted back to me. “Let’s go find the other girl.”
“She’s gone.”
“You found her?”
“I did. And she attacked me, and I thought she was the hag, and now she’s gone.”
Ollie straightened his creased shirt as he stood to his full height. He didn’t ridicule me. He simply nodded because he knew, despite my recent activities, I’d never kill someone innocent.
“Okay. Then let’s get her wrapped up and away from here. We can do a second trip for everyone else if you feel well enough to come back.
“I told you, I’m fine. Quit fucking babying me.” I kicked off from the shed, taking only a step or two, the chihuahua following.
My eyes moved from the dog to Ollie, pleading for him to act out his special animal skills and get this thing from me.
“You made a friend? You gonna keep him?” Ollie asked smugly. “He’s gonna need a new home.”
“Absolutely fucking not. I’m a cat person.” I walked off, unwilling to listen to him as he petitioned for the small creep.
Chapter 16
Catharina
“Penelope?” I called, closing us in with a click of the door.
The bed was empty, including the blanket that had been lost. I stepped around the wooden posts, finding a small mountain of cotton on the thick lilac carpet that felt nice between my bare toes.
“Penelope?”
The mountain rumbled and crumbled, her head popping through the layers she’d wrapped around herself as she sat up. Her big brown eyes met mine, staring wide and full with tears. Instant recognition sparked between us, and I dived on her, pulling her into a hug.
“I can’t believe you got away. Llewrehtom said Joseph caught you.”
Penelope shook her head, her dirty blonde hair grazing bony shoulders and tickling my nose.
“I’m so glad.” I was.
A full bowl of oatmeal was set at her side. The spoon rested aside the bowl, untouched, sparkling in the sunlight creeping in as it sat on the tray.
She hadn’t eaten. That wasn’t new.
But I always thought all she’d need was an escape from the shitty reality we all lived.
And that was why I tried to coax her out.
But Penelope was, as I thought, in the room of her own choice.
I guess she had her way of coping, and I had mine. And they didn’t match up.
Mine was wanting as much freedom as possible because I’d been caged long enough, but that didn’t work for her.
Penelope needed space.
And the pretty lilac room offered more protection than an old friend who shared her trauma, as did the desk chair she struggled to wedge against the door to lock out any unwanted guests.
She was relatively calm until I’d made the mistake of telling her about Remi, who had left to go and get the others with Ollie.
