lanie sat in the dark cell, her back resting against the cold wall, wondering how Adam was doing. He should have woken up by now... but even as that thought drifted into her mind, another quickly followed, quieter yet heavier. If he had woken up, he would have nad the killer for sure. Or even if he hadn’t seen who stabbed Saira or attacked him, at the very least, he would have told them that she hadn’t done it.
Wouldn’t he? Of course he would.
So, that could only an one things, he hadnt woken up yet...
She exhaled sharply, and told herself- again- not to panic. Still, the unease clung to her ribs like a vice. By her best guess, it had been three days since she was dragged in and detained here, but it was hard to be certain in this place. Ti blurred in the dark. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it had only been two. Or four. Maybe- just maybe- when the person ca by with her food this ti, they might actually be willing to speak. Maybe they’d tell her the ti. Maybe they’d say sothing.
Anything.
She rubbed her arms, trying to fight off the persistent chill that seed to seep straight into her bones. The silence was almost a weight of its own, pressing down on her as she tried to settle her thoughts. The quiet was too loud, the stillness too cruel. But at least this place was clean, she told herself. That was sothing. The walls might have been bare and the air might have slled faintly of damp stone, but there was no filth. No rats. Just shadows.
With a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her lips, she tilted her head back and stared up at the ceiling- or what she imagined was the ceiling since she was looking up. ’This is what you wanted to save from when you took away from him, isn’t it, Grandma?" she whispered into the stillness. "And yet... here I am."
Here she was, back in a cage. A different kind, perhaps, but a cage all the sa.
Funny, in a twisted way, how the punishnts she’d received as a child-the hours of silent isolation, the cold als, the dark rooms ant to teach her obedience- were now what helped her endure this. Who would have thought that the very things ant to break her would end up being what kept her calm now?
She curled her knees to her chest, folded her arms tightly around them, and let her mind drift to a different place away from this dark place.
Just then, the sharp click of a lock turning broke through the silence. lanie stiffened. Her arms froze where they were wrapped around her knees, and she imdiately moved to throat and question the person who had co here. Was it already ti for food? She had no idea.
"You can leave now," the person said simply. No explanation. No emotion.
lanie stared at them, her mind scrambling to make sense of it.
Leave? Leave?
She blinked, still wrapped in her own disbelief, heart thudding unevenly in her chest. That could only an—Adam. He had to have woken up. That had to be it. He’d cleared her na. Told them the truth. That she wasn’t the one who hurt Saira or him.
Of course he had.
She got to her feet slowly, though she wanted to rush up and run out, but her muscles were too sore and stiff from sitting in the cold for so long so she could only move slowly.
Her balance wavered slightly as blood rushed back into her legs. She moved toward the doorway, but as she turned the narrow corner near the wall, her hip scraped hard against the protruding edge of a stone bench. She gasped, wincing at the sudden jolt of pain. It would bruise later, she knew. But she gritted her teeth and kept walking.
The door opened fully this ti, and without another word, the guard stepped aside.
The mont she stepped out, light struck her face like a slap.
She flinched, lifting her arm against the sudden brightness. After days in that dark box, even the hallway lights were blinding. Her eyes watered, but she knew she had to see Adam soon so she simply walked forward.
Finally, she walked out and there was Elias Krar waiting for her.
Relief flooded her. She exhaled shakily and made her way to him, a small, grateful smile breaking through the tension on her face. "How is Adam doing now? she asked the mont she reached him. "Did he wake up? Is that why they’re letting go?"
Elias Krar winced inwardly at her question but outward he showed no expression and simply shook his head," Why bail? If Adam woke up and cleared my na—"
But Elias shook his head and cut her off gently. "We’ll talk outside," he said quietly. "Once you’ve finished the release formalities."
As the man turned around and walked towards the police desk to complete the ’formalities’ lanie felt her stomach fall. Did Adam not wake up, yet?
She stared at him, but sothing in her warned not to push—at least not yet. Her heart beat faster again as she felt the icy uncertainty creeping back in.
She followed him and signed the required papers, chanically listening to the officers telling her to not leave the country and presenting herself when summoned.
Once outside, she imdiately turned to Elias who once again cut her off, "You need to freshen up and move to go to the hospital imdiately. My sources tell that Spencer Collins is here."
"Why is he here?" lanie asked wide eyed.
"Because he is legally his brother and even though you are listed as the ergency contact, with you under suspicion, they had to call soone."
"So, they called Spencer? No! That is not right. Adam has a secondary ergency contact as well- Max. He should have been the one contacted."
Elias nodded and said," I think he is here too. But you have to get there soon."
lanie nodded at that and was about to say that she could handle Spencer right away but then shook her head. It was better to take a few monts to freshen up and then go there...
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