“I care about her a great deal. And I love her mother deeply. I always have.”
“Why did you do this? To us. To those other girls. Can you tell me why?”
He paused, considering, his brow furrowing.
“My mother was terribly abusive. She was young. Too young when she had me. She used to lock me in a closet when she wasn’t doing terrible things to me. She’d let the men and women she brought into our home do terrible things. It was a horrible existence, and it stayed with me. It shaped me. Made me who I am today.”
Lily stared at him, shaking her head. “You’re lying, Rick. You’re putting on a show, and I know it.”
He smiled. Lily could tell he was pleased.
“See how well you know me, Baby Doll? Tell me, why does anyone do anything? Because I wanted to. Because I could. I’m sure that doctors and therapists will want to label me, to define me. Borderline personality disorder. Narcissist. Psychopath. They probably all apply. But it wasn’t my upbringing. My mother was a decent woman. Smart, competent, devoted. She didn’t make a lot of money, but we had more than enough to go around. I wasn’t abused. I wasn’t bullied. I was popular and well liked. Things came easily to me. School, work, women. The trouble with society is that they need to understand and define everything. But there isn’t a reason for what I did other than that I wanted you. I needed you to be happy. You needed me too. Maybe you can pretend now that it was all a lie, but I know you were happy too. You can’t fake that, no matter what you tell yourself.”
Lily’s stomach churned; sweat trickled down her back. This man repulsed her. This was what he wanted: a forum, a chance to manipulate her yet again.
“The girls, Rick. Tell me about the other girls.”
“You were my favorite. I need you to understand that. But there’s something about a new girl. They are so exciting in the beginning. So full of life.”
“Are you going to tell me, or should I go?”
Annoyance clouded his face. “I have a stipulation before I give up their names.”
She nodded her head in agreement. The same way she’d nodded her head thousands of times before. She was so close to getting what she wanted, she would indulge him in his games for now.
“I need you to agree to something before I tell you where they are,” Rick said. “And that is my unborn child remains unharmed. You must carry him to term. You agree to that, and I will give you their names.”
She stared back at him. This was what he wanted. This was why he’d forced her to come here. She sat waiting. Was he going to ask for a lawyer? Demand that she put it in writing? Lily was running through all the angles. What he might be thinking. How this might play out. He sighed.
“Lily, do I have your word?”
She took a deep breath, shaking her head.
“Yes, of course. Rick, you can’t possibly think I would hurt my child. You’ve seen how much I love Sky. She’s my world. You know there’s no way I could ever give up a baby. Our baby.”
He leaned back, studying her, no doubt searching for any tells that she might be lying.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
“Do you remember our second anniversary?”
His eyes lit up. He was proud of what he’d done. She could tell that. Rick had tried to trick her. He’d given her photos of Abby. Snapshots of Wes. Recent photos of all of them. She’d stared at their faces, the smiles he’d captured, and then Lily ripped the photos to shreds. It’d been a trick. She knew that. She’d told him that was her past. He was her future, and he could do anything he wanted to her. Rick had obliged.
“Remember what we did that night? I do. And I know I defied you. But you’re right. Not all of it was lies.”
Lily took a breath and reached out to take his hands in hers. Agent Stevens and the guards moved to stop her but Lily held up her hand. She saw a visceral reaction come from Rick. Her touch still affected him. She knew she was so close to getting the truth.
“No matter how much I want to forget you, I can’t. And I’d never hurt your child. You have to believe me. This is your baby doll talking.”
Her words were powerful. Lily could see that, could see how much he loved hearing her say the name he’d blessed her with. Satisfied, Rick leaned back, ready to talk. “I needed your assurances. Now if someone is ready, I’ll tell you where you can find the others.”
Agent Stevens leaned down. “Start talking. Now!”
Rick nodded and began to speak, casually and confidently, as if he were narrating a tour.
“Bree Whitaker is sixteen and Shaina Meyers is fourteen. They’re at an old abandoned farmhouse off Highway 12.”
He continued talking, but Lily kept replaying their names over and over again in her mind. Bree Whitaker. Shaina Meyers. Bree and Shaina. Sixteen and fourteen. Two more girls whose lives were ruined. Two more families destroyed.
“How did you take them?”