Page 51 of Pretty Cruel Love

I nod. “Briefly.”

“Did you know her—or him? Be honest.”

“I thought I did.”

“Before you were accepted into this experiment, when was the last time you thought about this person?”

“I think abouthimevery day.” I pause. “I wonder if he’ll eventually get caught, since he’s probably still killing people.”

He blinks, looking like he’s torn between believing me and having me committed to a psych ward. “So, you werefriendswith this person? He was your accomplice, wasn’t he?”

“No.” I glare at him. “Please stop…”

“When was the last time you talked to him?”

“Maybe a year or so ago,” I say softly, admitting a truth I’ve hidden for years. “He promised he would help me get out but I got frustrated because he was taking too long… I hung up in his face and ignored all his call requests after that. I still opened his letters, though.”

“Is he currently in prison for something you did?” he asks.

“Feels like it most of these days.”

“Sounds like you need to work on who let into your life and upgrade to someone better,” he says, moving past me. “Since I have a lot of research to handle, you can have outdoor privileges for the rest of your stay here.”

“How does that work?”

“You let me know when you want to step outside, and I’ll let the team know to disable the alarm for an hour while you sit on your room’s patio.”

“Thank you.” I look over at my room, confused as to what patio he’s talking about.

“It’s hidden behind a panel,” he says, reading my mind. “Let me show you.” He stands to his feet and reaches for my hand, but then, realizing we’re not alone, he slides it into his pocket.

“Follow me, Sadie,” he whispers my name like a secret, showing me two panels in the wall that open outward.

The trees sway in the wind, whispering and beckoning me to listen to them sing for the rest of the afternoon.

I start to ask him for a chair, but I spot a guard pacing in the distance, ruining the scene.

“Can I sit on your patio?” I look at him.

“My patio?” He tilts his head to the side. “That’s where I was planning to do my work today.”

“I promise not to bother you.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your patio,” he says. “It has the same view of the lake as mine does.”

Yours doesn’t have guards.

“Okay, thank you. I appreciate this, Dr. Weiss.”

Not wanting to push my luck, I head to the hallway closet to grab a few towels. I take my time choosing a blanket and sunscreen, and suddenly, Dr. Weiss is behind me.

He presses a palm against the small of my back and whispers against my neck.

“Yes, you can sit on my patio,” he says. “I left you a note on pages fifty and fifty-two in yourMonte Cristocopy on how to do so…”

He walks away and I wait a few seconds before returning to my room. Picking up my book, I flip to the pages he suggested and again, decipher all the underlined letters in the printed words.

Roll a comforter under your bed sheets so it looks like you’re sleeping.

---