[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
and Damien perched elegantly on the sofa arm farthest from her. Hastings didn t budge
from the door.
As I was saying before the others arrived, Miss Hennen, we know where your
sister has been taken, Damien said. She is being held at a secluded estate about sixty
miles northeast of here.
Is she all right?
She was as of ten-thirty last night.
How do you know?
Because I saw her, Jacob said. She was standing on a balcony of the house I had
under surveillance. I recognized her from the posters you put up everywhere.
How can you be sure it was her?
She has a distinctive eye color.
Mr. Hastings, if you were so close you could see the color of her eyes, why on
earth didn t you get her away from there?
Because she wouldn t have come.
What do you mean she wouldn t have come? A stranger takes her against her will
to a secluded area to do God knows what to her and you think she wouldn t have taken
the opportunity to get away? Besides, she must be half out of her mind with worry and
fear and you left the decision up to her? Eleanor rose and stomped over to him. Why
didn t you grab her and run? What kind of an idiot are you?
He crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb. I m the idiot who found
your sister.
Miss Hennen, please. Damien stood up. We asked you here to offer you our
help.
The only help I need from you is the address of the house where they re holding
my sister. The police can take it from there.
I told you this was a waste of time, Jacob said.
Please, Eleanor. May I call you Eleanor? Damien asked. Come back and sit down
and I will explain the situation.
Eleanor quickly considered her options. She could leave, provided they let her,
which she was not so certain of, go to the police and tell them about Mr. Stewart and his
associates, assuming the police believed her, which seemed unlikely. Or, she could stay,
risking bodily harm, listen to what he was offering and maybe find out where her sister
32
Dyad Dreams
was. Letting out a sigh, she headed back to the sofa.
I m listening, she said as she sat down.
There is truth in what Jacob said, Damien began. Your sister most likely would
not have come away with him. To begin with, she does not know him. He is a stranger
to her. She could think she would be going from the frying pan into the fire. Also, she
may not think she is in any danger.
What do you mean?
I mean she may want to be exactly where she is.
That s impossible. Alice would never leave without telling me. She simply
wouldn t do that to me. And she wouldn t leave the clinic to run itself. Too many
people rely on her.
Damien smiled sadly. Eleanor, you have to understand the man who took Alice is
a very magnetic, extremely persuasive being. He may have convinced her going away
with him was the right thing to do.
Do you mean he hypnotized her?
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mike roll his eyes and snicker.
Damien shot Mike a disapproving glance. Yes, something like that. If you send the
police to rescue Alice, she will simply tell them you are mistaken and she wants to be
where she is. The police will do nothing, other than blame you for wasting their time.
The next day, your sister will be taken to a new location and you will never see her
again.
Why did he pick Alice?
Your sister is very special, is she not?
Yes, she is, she Her voice choked and she couldn t go on.
Damien walked over and sat on the table in front of her. He took her hand in his.
Expecting a cold jolt from his fingers, she was surprised when his hand felt warm
against her skin. She usually didn t like strangers touching her, but Damien s hand was
comforting. He looked deeply into her eyes.
Alice is not like other people, he said. There is something about the pureness of
her soul that shines through for the world to see. She is a truly good person. There is an
absence of evil in her. A saint, if you will. The man who took her is attracted to her for
those reasons. He has made of his life such a living hell, your sister s presence eases
him. Think of it, Eleanor. If you live in constant excess and debauchery, causing pain
and suffering to all those around you, would it not be wonderful to have a little oasis of
goodness and purity you could turn to? Nothing is entirely evil. Even the worst of us
longs for forgiveness now and then.
How do you know all this?
We are interested in this man for other reasons. Your sister is not the first person
he has taken.
What happened to the others?
33
Ann Hinnenkamp
Eventually they became like him.
How do you propose to get her away from him?
I cannot tell you all the details now, Eleanor. What I can say is, we need you to
accompany us tomorrow night. Our hope is you will be able to convince your sister to
come away. We are counting on your close bond and sisterly love to win her back.
Now, are you willing to come with us?
There were so many parts of this she didn t understand. Who or what had taken her
sister? Why would Alice choose to stay? What did Damien and Jacob want with him?
Gathering her courage, she decided to take the bull by the horns, or the bat by the
wings. Answer one more question, she said.
If I can.
What are you?
Ah. He dropped her hand. You will have to take my word that it is better if you
do not know. For your own protection. If all goes well, we will bring away your sister
tomorrow night and you will never see us again. It is best not to open any unnecessary
doors.
That s it? That s all you re going to tell me?
I am asking you to trust me, Eleanor. To trust all of us.
Trust him? Trust someone who could control the temperature in a room? Someone
she suspected wasn t human? Who had looked at her as if she were supper? And what
about the other two? The boy s first words at seeing her were to swear and wish she
hadn t come. And Jacob Hastings, despite what she d felt between them at the
fundraiser, had been shooting bad vibes at her from the doorway ever since he d
arrived. Trust this happy trio? Not likely. But aloud she said, All right, I ll come with
you.
Damien was suddenly standing. Was that a trick of the light? One second he was
sitting in front of her and the next he was standing. Eleanor could swear she hadn t seen
him move.
Excellent, excellent, he said. We will start from here tomorrow night at seven.
Please dress for a cocktail party. We have been invited in.
Eleanor looked at him, surprised. You mean he knows we re coming?
Why, yes, he said brightly. That is usually the easiest way in, is it not?
But
And now, if you will excuse us, Michael and I have some unfinished business.
Jacob will escort you home.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]