He slapped, pinched, and punched her to make his point, and then he took her with force. When he was done, he slapped her bottom, kissed her forehead, and said, “Good night, sweetheart. See you in the morning.”
He left, locking the door behind him.
Susan looked at her friend now. “Adele.”
Adele looked at her, reflecting her fear.
“I’m sorry. So sorry that you’re here. And sorry for me.”
CHAPTER 69
Susan sat with Adele in front of the makeup mirror, thinking back on all that had happened to them, knowing in her heart that Carly had been completely taken in by Tony.
The morning after their abduction, when they were dragged from their beds and brought to the lounge, Carly went wild and fought for her life. She called Tony vile names, threw things at him, and ran to the door. Anyone could see that her attempt to escape was not only hopeless but infuriating the men.
Tony grabbed Carly by the shoulder and punched her in the belly. She crumpled and he dropped her. She gagged and threw up on the rug.
Susan tried to help her, but Tony flung her against the wall. Her head hit the plaster, and she slid down to the floor. She watched as Tony began choking Carly with his large hands, letting her breathe, then choking her again. He let up and Carly gasped and breathed out a long, terrible wheeze.
“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Susan.
Tony pulled Carly to her feet, dragged her up over his shoulder, and carried her out of the apartment.
Days later Tony showed them the pictures of Carly’s lifeless body, pale and stiff, wearing one of his shirts. She looked like a wax exhibit in a house of horrors.
Tony had meant for Susan and Adele to be so terrified, they’d obey and wouldn’t try to escape. But they knew more now than they had known during those first days.
Susan had played the piano for the beasts several times after the evening meal, and the music relaxed them. It gave her the idea for a fantastic plan. When the time was right, she and Adele would escape.
Sometime soon, maybe tonight while she was playing, Adele would pour the liquor and keep the glasses full. When the beasts were drowsy on food and alcohol, Adele could smuggle the fireplace pokers into the bedrooms and hide them under the mattresses while Susan played on.
Now, in the dressing room, getting ready for breakfast, Susan brushed color onto Adele’s cheeks and painted her mouth with lipstick.
Then she said, “Tell me, Adele. Tell me our plan.”
Adele said, “We’ll get them drunk. When they’re asleep in our beds, we will use the pokers to bash in their heads.”
Susan kissed her friend’s cheek.
“You got it.”
Susan had never even killed a mouse before, but she could picture raising the poker high and bringing it down on Tony’s head.
Could Adele do the same with Marko? She heard footsteps coming toward the dressing room.
The door opened.
Marko said, “Breakfast is served in the lounge, ladies. Now.”
Susan said, “Give us a minute, would you, Marko? We’re not quite ready.”
“I said now. Tony is in the house and he wants you. Comb your hair, Adele. Move.”
The door closed, and Susan said, “We’ll get out. We’ll find a way.”
Adele was shivering, and Susan knew that she was remembering the assault last night in the lounge in front of everyone, the beating, the rape by one, two, and then a third man.
Adele said, “Susan, the only way out is to kill them or kill myself.
“Honest to God. I don’t care which.”
CHAPTER 70
Marko herded Susan and Adele over to the gold tufted silk sofa in the lounge and told them to sit.
The man called Junior entered the room with a tray of food and drink: a bottle of good wine, a basket of bread, and two plates of chicken salad. He set up the meal on the coffee table and poured the wine.
Adele wasn’t hungry. And this wasn’t breakfast. She was no longer sure what time of day it was. Could be one of their tricks. Or it could be that she had been drugged again and had lost track of time.
She sensed a changed mood in the room that she couldn’t quite identify. On the surface today was like the days before. The day shift of three nameless men guarded the front door and served the food. Marko supervised.
But today the men seemed expectant.
Marko stood in front of the two women and said, “Eat. It’s good.”
Adele picked up her fork, stabbed some lettuce. Marko turned and Adele put the fork down. She heard heavy footsteps coming down a long hallway to the lounge.
Tony.
He filled the doorway. Puffed on his cigar. Smiled like a game-show host.
“Good day, ladies. Everyone sleep okay?”
Adele and Susan murmured in unison, “Yes, Tony.”
Adele remembered Tony raping her last night, pulling her hair, forcing her head back with one hand and squeezing her throat with the other.
When she’d flailed, he’d been amused at her fight and gasps for air, and before she could pass out, he’d let her go.
He had joked, “Was it good for you?”
Then he’d stood up, walked to the bathroom, and flushed the condom down the toilet. He’d stepped into his shorts and opened the door for Marko, slapped his comrade on the back. Just before Marko had crossed the threshold, Adele had heard the door open to Susan’s room and Tony’s voice booming, “What’s new, Pussycat?”
Adele shot a glance at the fireplace pokers only thirty feet away. There were too many men to take a chance now but maybe later.
Tony dragged over an armless chair and straddled it, facing the two women over the coffee table.
He said, “I have a surprise for one of you.” And then he laughed. “You both look terrified. Stop that. I’m just taking one of you out for a change of scene, maybe ice cream. And not what you call it? Funny business. I want you to have a day off.”
Susan grabbed Adele’s hand, and Tony held up a quarter for them to see.
Tony said, “Susan, the head or the tail.”
“Heads.”
The coin jumped into the air, spun, and tumbled until Tony caught it and slapped it on the back of his hand.
“Oh. Sorry, Susan. It’s the tail. But you’ll get your turn. Adele, there are some new clothes in your room. Get dressed,” he said. “Hurry, Little A. Before it gets dark.”
CHAPTER 71
Adele sat beside Tony in the front seat of the Jaguar as he sped along a two-lane highway, going where, she did not know.
Her hands were tied uncomfortably behind her. Her new jeans were tight and binding, and the waistband painfully pressed on the bruises at her hips and stomach. Over the jeans she wore a white sweatshirt with the logo of Pacific View Prep.
Adele’s arms were wrenched up behind her, and when Tony had fastened her shoulder belt, she’d pleaded with him to release the buckle.
“Tony, please no. It hurts too badly.”
“Of course, Adele. I care about you. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, Tony.”
He’d taken off the shoulder belt.
A blessing, but Adele was sure that the “change of scene” story was a hoax. She’d played along, even asking Tony if she could call her parents and let them know that she was okay.