Page 180 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

“Get this to forensics, let’s see if we can trace this.” Brandon said.

“Once you’re done bring it back. I want to see it.” Cole said.

“Cole…” Brandon began.

“No. I did this. I should have seen this coming, the least I can do is see the consequences.”

“With respect, that’s what they want you to think.” Becky said and they both looked at her. “Forensics will get a lead. We’re BlackWater for fucksake. We’ll get Maddie, and then we’ll make that arsehole pay.” She said.

Brandon smirked. “Yeah we will.”

Cole nodded staring at the floor like he didn’t quite believe it.

“Take it Becky.” Brandon said handing the laptop.

Cole got up pacing. “Three days.” He muttered.

“What?” Brandon said.

“We’ve got three days. I don’t care how we do it, I don’t care how much it costs, who I have to kill, we’re going to find her and we’re going to get her back.” Cole snapped.

Brandon nodded. “Yeah we will.” He said.

Maddie fidgeted tryingto get comfortable even though she knew it was pointless. She could feel her skin going numb, bruising even from how she was led. She groaned trying to stretch, trying to work out the cramp but there wasn’t enough movement even for that.

She was starving, her mouth was so dry and yet the air around her felt so damp, so moist, as if she were buried in a swamp rather than soil. The wooden base she was led on felt damp, clammy too. She’d pissed herself only hours ago because she couldn’t hold it any longer and she felt disgusted even though she knew it wasn’t exactly her fault. She hadn’t yet needed to poo but that was also only a matter of time and when she did she knew it would be make everything even worse. She’d die, choking on her air, covered in her own piss and shit.

She snarled wanting to punching the wood again but her hand was throbbing so badly from where she’d beaten that man to death and she didn’t want to exert the energy.

She heard the click, the tiny sound that told her he was back.

“Jamie.” She said quietly.

“How you doing Mads?” He asked.

“Where have you been?” She said as if they were having a perfectly normal conversation. As if she wasn’t buried in a box god knows how far underground.

“Oh you know me, just keeping myself busy.”

“Sounds great.” Maddie muttered shutting her eyes. They felt so dry too and she itched to wipe them.

“You’re not looking so great Mads…” He said amused.

“Fuck off.” She said.

He laughed. “I’d expected you to beg, to plead with me to save your life.”

“I think you’ve got me confused with someone else.” She said.

“Maybe. You are one of a kind Mads. It’s a shame to see you go like this.”

She shook her head.

“You could have joined us you know, I would have let you.”

“I would never betray Cole.” She said.

“It’s a shame Mads, a real shame. It would’ve been good having you on our side, I would have enjoyed it, enjoyed you.”

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