“That’s not what I saw yesterday,” I riposte.
“You guys need to talk.” He shakes his head, displeased by my reaction. “Being apart is not the solution.”
“And we will…once I know what it is that they are up to.”
Chapter 4
The Netherlands, December 31, 2020
Tess Hagen
I’m becoming more and more desperate as the days go by. Every single day is the same doleful routine; I wake up, shower, then Winter comes in with my breakfast. I eat, read a book, then Winter comes in with my lunch. I eat, keep reading, then Winter comes in with my dinner. I eat, and read until I fall asleep. And worse, I haven’t seen anyone except for him. I’m starting to believe the pills he’s giving me are to prevent me from falling into a deep state of depression or from going crazy. Yet, since I haven’t swallowed any of them, I’m feeling anxious all the time for being locked up here. I haven’t step outside since I arrived and the only rays of sunshine coming in are the ones from the window that stands too high for me to reach. They are testing me—I’m sure they are. They want to drive me to the edge until I have a breakdown and give them what they want. The day I tell them I’ll no longer share the report with Jan is the day they will set me free. At least that’s what I think. Fortunately, Winter brought me some books upon my request, which has helped me stay sane. Make no mistake—this is even worse than a prison; in prison, those who are incarcerated can go out and walk. Here, I have barely walked and my body is starting to feel it. And they can talk to other incarcerated too. Meanwhile, here I have no one but my books to talk to. Despite everything, I can’t lose hope, I’m sure the police and Carice are searching for me. Plus, Winter and I have been speaking and getting closer. Maybe one day he’ll call the police and they will come here to rescue me.
The creaking sound of the door opening no longer startles me—I have come to expect Winter every day. Yet as I look at the door, I’m a bit put off by the fact that it’s not Winter that is walking in, but rather the security agent that forced me to do a voice message to my daughter on her wedding day. Despite sitting against the headboard of the bed, I straighten myself, my brows furrowing as I watch him marching in my direction.
“What do you want?” I snap while he grabs a chair to sit at my bedside.
He’s carrying a recorder with him and I know at this point he wants me to do a new voice message.
“Good morning, Tess.” His tone might sound agreeable but I don’t bother to reply. “You know what day is it today?”
I shake my head because I have no idea; all I know is that it feels like I have been here for an eternity.
“The thirty-first of December,” he answers happily. “So why not leave a cute Happy New Year to your friend Carice?”
“Carice?” I ask, my heart already on my knees at the idea they have been tracking her. “What do you know about her?”
“All I know is that she misses you.”
I take a deep breath in and out, trying to tame my growing pain; the fact Carice is still looking after me and risking her life at the same time makes me want to cry.
“Please, don’t hurt her,” I plead, sounding weak and exhausted. “She knows nothing.”
The security agent doesn’t say a word. Instead he just takes a sheet from his inner pocket and hands it to me. As I start reading the letter, my heart squeezes at the lies I will have to tell my best friend. But I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she isn’t a target. And if I have to read a script and lie about my well-being so be it.
“We need you to read this,” he instructs, his tone demanding. “There’s no point going off the script because we won’t send anything until it’s exactly as we want.”
My stomach is in knots as he stands the recorder in front of me. I clear my throat a few times, making sure I didn’t lose my voice. I close my eyes for a brief moment as I try to find some strength to get through this. He then nods, giving me the okay to go ahead. “Hi, Carice, it’s me, Tess. Um, I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year and let you know I’ll be spending the rest of the winter away, reflecting on my life.” I pause for a beat as I struggle to steady my emotions. “Don’t worry about me, I just need some time alone.” I focus on breathing in and out despite wanting to cry at everything I’m going through. “I’m not telling you where I am because I simply don’t want to be found, but I’ll be fine…” I look upwards, tears resting on my eyelids. Fortunately as I look again at the letter, I see I’m nearly done. “I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year and I hope you’re enjoying your evening. I love you. Bye.”
And he presses stop. “Good. That’s all we needed.”
Without saying anything further he just stands up and before he can start walking, I ask, “I’m not going to do a new one for my daughter?”
“No,” he snaps. “The less you talk to her, the better.”
I can’t help but shake my head at his disgusting answer. What a bunch of monsters! If I ever get out of here, I swear I’ll call her straight away and tell her everything. Heck, I’ll even take a plane and go see her in New York to tell her the whole truth.
While the security agent opens the door and leaves, someone else comes in.
My brows raise up in surprise and I blink twice, barely believing it. “Van Dieren?”
“Good morning, Tess.”
The sound of his voice makes my blood boil and my throat clog with rage. If I’m here, it’s because of him, it’s because of this despicable and disgusting man. One day or another, he’s gonna regret everything he has done. “You have no shame, do you?”
Alex saunters in my direction, wearing a long black coat and gray tweed suit. He looks tanner than usual, which I assume is because they likely spent their honeymoon in a tropical place. “Well, if I can’t kill you, then I’m left with no other choice but keeping you here.” He pauses, standing in front of me, his hands casually hanging in his pockets. “At least, here you aren’t a threat to anyone.”
“How are you gonna explain to Petra after a year that I haven’t returned to the Netherlands, huh?” I snap, my tone filled with anger and hate.
“You will simply disappear,” he answers flatly.
I snicker at his pathetic plan. “Carice is looking for me as we speak!” I retort. “You’re done! Sooner or later, you are done!”
“Carice can search as much as she wants, she won’t find anything.”
Then my heart freezes at the eventuality she might go through the same fate if she does find something. “Please, don’t kill her. She knows nothing.”
“I don’t intend to do anything to her. She isn’t a threat.” He pulls the chair and sits at my bedside, blowing out a breath in exasperation. “What a pity you have so much hate in you, Tess.” He then leans in, getting closer to me, his forearms resting on his knees, and my stomach bottoms out with repugnance as I see the wedding band on his finger. “Do you realize just because of your behavior, you’ll spend the rest of your life here, alone and miserable, instead of alongside your daughter?” Despite his tone being laced with disappointment, I don’t let myself be fooled into his trap. “If you were reasonable, you could even spend New Year Eve’s with us all. Your daughter would’ve been delighted.”