The pieces of the sandwich in my stomach churn. I’m going to be sick. “You wouldn’t…”
“Oh, I definitely would.” He smiles at me. “And in the morning, you won’t even know Ziggy existed. Except he’ll remember you. He’ll remember you when he is in a cage, wondering where you are, why you let this happen to him. Maybe you’ll be his last thought when they give him the injection…”
I feel like I’m going to choke. I look into Graham’s eyes, and I realize he means it. He will absolutely do what he’s threatening.
“Fine,” I manage. “I’ll write the letter.”
He lifts his eyebrows. “Now was that so hard?”
I glare at him.
He slides the paper toward me again. “I’ll make this easy for you, Tess. I’m going to tell you exactly what to say…”
Chapter 38
I don’t know where Graham ended up putting the letter I wrote.
I feel sick at the thought of the words I wrote in the letter. I said horrible things about Harry. In the morning, I’m going to read that letter and I’m going to believe Harry Finch is a terrible person.
But I have one safety net.
Graham confiscated my phone, but I’ve still got Harry’s number written on my thigh. In the morning, I’ll see it there. I’ll know he was trying to help me. And maybe I’ll be able to find him.
Unless he is still in jail.
I climb into bed at around ten o’clock. At first, I’m worried Graham is going to climb into bed next to me, but he doesn’t make any movement to take off his clothing. “I’ve still got work to do,” he tells me.
“You mean for my company.”
He sneers at me. “If not for me, your company would be bankrupt by now.”
I’m not so sure about that.
“Anyway,” he says, “go to sleep. I’ll come in later. And in the morning, you won’t remember any of this. You’ll believe me when I tell you what a piece of shit Harry Finch is.”
Maybe. Maybe not.
Graham shuts the light as he leaves the room, and I lie in bed alone, staring at the ceiling. I wonder where Harry is right now. I assume he’s in a jail cell somewhere. Maybe sleeping on a cot.
I hope he is still thinking about me the way I’m thinking about him.
He’s my last thought as my eyes drift closed.
_____
It’s much later in the night when I get woken up by a sharp sensation.
At first, I think it must be morning. And it’s a miracle because I still remember everything about the day before. But no, it’s still pitch black outside. It’s the middle of the night. And I hear movement within the bedroom.
I rub my right buttock, which feels sore to the touch. I don’t know what that was. That pricking sensation just came out of nowhere.
I roll over in bed, blinking through the darkness as my eyes adjust. Graham is standing at the foot of the bed.
“Graham?” My voice is slurred by sleep. “What… what are you doing?”
He doesn’t answer me right away. I squint through the darkness and I can just barely make him out. There’s something in his hand.
Oh my God. It’s a syringe.
“This is so much easier to administer when you take the other medications that knock you out.” He slides the cap back onto the syringe. “That way we don’t have to have a conversation about it. You mostly sleep through it.”
I don’t know what it was he gave me, but my brain feels fuzzy. I don’t know if it’s from sleep or whatever was in that syringe. “What did you do?”
“The same thing I do every night.”
It’s true then. I’m not losing my memory because of a brain injury. Graham is drugging me. He’s doing this to me. And I don’t even know why. Could he really be this evil?
“Go back to sleep,” he says.
“You… you drugged me!” I choke out the words.
He gives me an exasperated look. “Go to sleep.”
“I’m not going to sleep!” I try to sit up in bed, but it’s impossible. My body feels almost paralyzed. “You just injected something into me! Why would you do that?”
“Just go to sleep. It’ll be easier that way. Stop trying to fight it.”
“You took my whole life!” I scream at him. But I’m not actually screaming. My voice is a whisper. “You’re a monster. You won’t get away with this.”
Graham doesn’t even answer me. He shoves the capped syringe into his pocket and walks out of the room. I try to get up, but my body won’t obey me. Sleep is tugging me under. Suffocating me. I open my mouth to shout for help, but nothing comes out. In another few seconds, I’ll be unconscious. I can’t fight it anymore.
I can’t…
DAY FIVE
Chapter 39
Dear Tess,
This is a hard letter to write to you, but you need to know the truth about Harrison Finch.
Many years ago, you were engaged to be married. But you called off the engagement two months before the wedding when you caught him kissing another woman. It was a massive betrayal.
Of course, he begged you to forgive him. You were very successful at that point, and he had become accustomed to living a certain lifestyle. He didn’t want to lose you or your money. But you held strong. You should be proud of yourself.
Throughout this tragedy, Graham was there for you. He was a friend, and then later he became more than a friend. Your wedding was the happiest day of your life. And after you were in a terrible car accident and lost your memory, he gave up his life as he knew it to take care of you and save your business.
Unfortunately, Harry Finch saw your accident as an opportunity.
Harry found you and convinced you that Graham didn’t have your best interests at heart. He took advantage of your memory problems and the fact that you couldn’t remember the terrible things he did to you. He told you lies, constructing a world in which he was the good guy. Fortunately, you were able to go to court and get a restraining order to keep him from bothering you ever again.
At the time I am writing this letter, Harry is in jail for attempting to kidnap you. That’s where he belongs.
Stay far away from this man. He only means you harm.
Love,
Tess