“The mental institution was the best thing I could think of. A stay like that can last a long time, sometimes even an entirelifetime. No one would have been surprised if you hadn’t come back.”
His words hit me as hard as Troy’s punches in the stomach. “You knew from the beginning that Isaac had something to do with the abduction, didn’t you?”
Dad remained silent.
“You knew what he wanted to do to me…and yet you hesitated for so long to meet the conditions…you could have admitted your guilt right away…couldn’t you?”
“He wouldn’t have let you go anyway, child. His hatred for me was too great. I was certain he would…” His voice trailed off. “Why admit something when you’re not going to get back what you love anyway.”
It was the profound honesty of his words that finally broke my heart. The heart of little Willa, who still loved him despite everything he had done. Because of all the magical memories that were still there in this mess of lies. A sea of lights full of tender, beautiful moments. He and I ice-skating in Central Park, snow in his eyelashes; he and I in front of the fireplace, reading the Christmas story, a cup of cocoa in our hands; me riding on his shoulders in the garden at Rosewood Manor. I still loved the dad he had been to me, I couldn’t just switch that off. That was impossible, his words, however, pierced me like a dagger in the heart.
I gasped, shocked. “You…you didn’t even try. You didn’t even try to save me…” Tears ran down my cheeks. “I would have given my life for you. They lured me away because they said they would shoot you. I…I just left without thinking.” I couldn’t continue.
Dad briefly held out his arm to me. “You were always different from your mom in that respect. She always only thought about herself. You were the complete opposite of her.Such a sweet, well-behaved child, so selfless…let me make it up to you.”
“You can’t…ever.” And I had only been such a good child because I always believed I had a debt to pay. I stared at him and wiped the tears from my face with one hand. Now I wanted to know the whole truth. “Why did you suddenly give in?” I asked. “Why did you offer to reveal everything to Isaac and the others?”
“As I said, we were tipped off. We wanted to buy time, shoot them all, and free you.”
“You wanted to kill them all so that nothing of what you had done would become public! That was why you used Arrow Corp. Those mercenaries follow orders and don’t ask questions… You only ever wanted to protect yourself!” I raised the gun a little higher. “Why did you give Isaac money?”
“Because Bill Luther and his team didn’t find you on the Agamemnon. The cutter was deserted. We were back at square one, and at one point, Isaac offered to release you.”
“Never! You’re lying again. You just stated that you never believed Isaac would let me go. You paid so that Isaac would keep quiet even after I died.” This realization only trickled into my mind in small drops. “It wasn’t money for the ransom, it was hush money.” The gun shook in my hand.
“That’s not true, Willa. I always had the irrational hope that he would let you go in the end. That’s the only reason I paid. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Like I always loved your mom. But she wanted to leave me and take you with her. I couldn’t lose both of you… So, I did what I had to do. To keep you. You said that you didn’t want to leave me. Basically, I did it for both of us.”
Outraged, I gasped. “I was a child. I didn’t know the truth.” I walked around him. “I’m going now and you’re not going to stop me!”
“Willa!” Dad’s warning tone made me pause before the stairs. I turned to him. “Mr. Cox will never open that door for you. I won’t let you go.”
I blinked, disturbed by how positive he sounded.
“Dr. Moore will help you. He will give you something to calm you down.”
“I don’t need to be calmed down!” I shouted angrily.
“You’re pointing a gun at me. You’re sick, honey.”
I glanced down into the foyer. “Mr. Cox will open the door if I threaten to shoot you.”
Dad smiled gently. “What are you going to do? Drive me in front of you like a human shield? That won’t work. Mr. Cox has a gun too. And we both know you would never pull the trigger.”
The vein in my temple throbbed. I had the horrible feeling that I had fallen into a trap, especially since I couldn’t even fire a warning shot. Unlike Dad’s security men.
“You’re not getting out of here, Willa Rae.”
I’m not getting out!
The thought was like a tight rope around my neck.
I’m locked in!
In the most shameful way…
The familiar fear of being trapped rose inside me and my vision became a wall of red stars. I blinked and saw Dad coming toward me.
“Come on, Willa Mouse, there’s no point in this. Give me the gun,” I heard him say as if through water.
