Page 100 of Arrogant and Merciless

One of the suited men approaches. "What do you remember, Miss Jarvis?"

"The night I disappeared, I woke up with someone in my room. At first, I thought William had come back," I say, and I see the pain on his face. I squeeze his hand to let him know it’s okay. "I was still half-asleep but soon realized it couldn’t be William because he didn’t have the key."

"But your neighbor Bonnie did," the man points out, proving that William must have already told him a lot about my case.

"Yes. I woke up, maybe a day or two later, inside a cage."

"Jesus Christ!" William groans.

"Calm down," Athanasios warns.

"Go on, Miss Jarvis."

I recount everything I remember: how my father was a police officer and trained me for situations like that because he had enemies and worried about my safety.

I explain how I tried to manipulate my captor, even though I was blindfolded and terrified.

"Blindfolded?"

"Yes." Then, suddenly, I turn to William and bolt upright. "The last day, when I escaped, he removed the blindfold at my request. My God!"

"Taylor, what is it?"

"I remember why I ran away that day specifically."

"Why?" they all ask at once.

"The man who kidnapped me . . .looked exactly like you, William. I thought he had to be your brother."

"Brother?" He looks stunned.

Memories start flooding back in order now.

I tell them my captor wanted me to call him ‘William’ too, and that he intended to kill my William. I explain how he constantly asked about our relationship and seemed obsessed with my child’s father.

"He’s not William. His name is Curtis Roane," Athanasios says.

"Could your father have...?" L. J. leaves the question unfinished.

William’s expression darkens with pure hatred. "We’ll know soon enough. I want a DNA test done on him."

I lean back against the pillows, feeling exhausted. My hands are cold, and the room blurs.

Vaguely, I hear William asking everyone to leave.

"What happens now?" I ask when he returns.

"We find the missing pieces—and then, we make them pay."

* * *

William

One month Later

"You didn’t have to watch his testimony," I say, and ignoring her protests, I lift her into my arms and carry her to the car, where the driver waits with the back door open.

After she sits, I fasten her seat belt. Then I settle in beside her.

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