The Finishing School

58

CARMEN SHOOK HER HANDS OUT, feeling the blood rush back into her tingling fingertips. She rubbed her wrists where they’d been tied together, then stood up so quickly that she saw stars and began to sway.

“Whoa, careful there,” Bud said, steadying her.

Like he cared. He just needed her in one piece for a few more hours. Carmen knew that the biometric triggers didn’t work if she was dead, or else he would surely have cut off her fingers and discarded the rest of her. She couldn’t believe she’d once trusted this man. How stupid could you be? She touched the lump on the back of her head. The hair covering it was crusty with blood. She thought about asking for a doctor, but she knew he wouldn’t listen. He was only letting her out now because it was time. She knew where he planned to take her. Her best bet was to act all cooperative and wait for the right moment to make her move. She had to find a way to escape. Because knowing what she knew about him, he’d kill her for sure after they finished their business tonight.

He read her mind.

“Just in case you get any bright ideas, remember this,” he said, and pulled his big black gun from his coat pocket, displaying it for her.

Carmen stared at it with wide eyes.

“I’ll use it, too. I already have,” Bud bragged.

“On who?” Carmen’s voice, untried for days, came out as a hoarse croak.

“None of your business,” he said.

Carmen visualized her sister dead, and her eyes overflowed with tears.

“Shit! Stop blubbering. How the fuck am I supposed to take you out on the street like that?”

The tears rolled unchecked down Carmen’s cheeks. She just couldn’t help it. She was feeling so weak, physically and mentally. Really, she didn’t see how she could beat him at this game. He held all the cards. And now she was convinced he’d killed Lulu.

“It wasn’t anybody you know!” he exclaimed, exasperated. “But if you give me trouble, it will be. Remember, I can get to your sister whenever I feel like it.”

“No-oo, ple-ease!” Carmen wailed.

“I don’t know why you’re so fucking broken up over her! Lulu hasn’t done shit for you, Carmen. We both know she saw me at Whitney’s the other night.”

It was true. Lulu had seen him there earlier that night, had told Carmen about it. Ironically, his presence was part of what had made Carmen feel comfortable going upstairs in the first place when Whitney called her. Even at that late date, Carmen hadn’t suspected a thing. It wasn’t until the final, horrible moment in Whitney’s bathroom when she turned around and found him standing behind her that everything fell into place. She realized how corrupt he was, realized she’d picked exactly the wrong person to tell about the money. But by then it was too late. She was already caught.

“Lulu doesn’t know,” Carmen protested. “Just because she saw you, that doesn’t mean she understands.”

“Oh, she understands. Lulu’s a lot quicker than you are, Carmen. But she’s smart enough to look out for herself, so don’t expect her to come to your rescue.”

He put the gun away, grabbed a loose black overcoat and knit cap off a nearby armchair, and shoved them at her.

“Put these on. It’s time to go,” he commanded.

Looking into his dead eyes, Carmen saw no other choice. She swallowed her tears and did as she was told.