“Then why ask?”
“Because if I’d murdered them, the knife would have been in my left hand.”
“Your left hand?”
My gaze focuses on the bowl he’s holding … in his left hand. I think about him playing and pausing the videos. He’d used his left hand then, too.
Oh god … his dominant hand is his left. If he’d been attacking someone, that’s the hand he’d have used.
He places the bowl down, and moves behind me. My wrists are free a second later.
“Eat your breakfast.”
He walks out of the room.
The bowl in front of me contains oatmeal.
I hate oatmeal.
Almost as much as I hate the guilt filling me up after watching the video.
Why don’t I remember the first interview when I was alone with the detectives? Why do I see Zain holding a knife every time I close my eyes, when I claimed he didn’t have it originally? Why did I change my story? Why did I lie?
Why did I lie?
After watching his recording, I completely understand why he hates me.
Who wouldn’t?
I hate me!
But it also tells me something else.
It doesn’t matter what I do, what I say, Zain will never forgive me. He’s going to continue to torment me, and if I don’t get away from him, it’s going to get worse every single day.
I’m on my feet and across the room, and it’s only when I push open the door leading from the kitchen and into the yard that I realize what I’m doing.
I’m running.
I’m risking my mom going to prison.
And at this moment in time, I can’t stop myself. Because if I stay here, if I allow Zain to take out his anger on me, he will become worse than the monster I painted him as all those years ago.
There’s a gate at the end of the yard, leading out into the forest beyond.
I glance down at my feet.
I’m almost naked, dressed only in my underwear, barefoot, and I’m about to walk out into the trees.
What’s more dangerous? Staying here with a man who hates me, or risking someone seeing me without clothes on?
It’s daytime. It’s early. I should be able to make it to the road and flag someone down.
But then you’ll have to explain why you’re undressed.
One problem at a time. Focus on getting out first.
There’s a stone path leading toward the gate. I glance behind me to make sure Zain hasn't reappeared, then take off.
