Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Master locked the door to the basement, that little room no one ever used anymore, and they went back up the stairs and through the hallway: Helena, Titus and the prison guards that the warden had personally assigned to her. They walked right out of Crawley Prison, got into the vehicles they would ditch and drove away.
* * *
Blythe carried the tray with the pot of tea on it into the room, looking so calm and serene Ambrielle wasn’t certain she really understood who her visitor was. How could she? Mila Devin sat in the great room with her perfect posture, wearing her smug expression as if she had them all fooled. She gave Ambrielle the creeps. Mila wore a tight red skirt and a silk blouse that buttoned up to her neck, with a large bow that tied just under her chin. To Ambrie the outfit looked ludicrous, as if Mila were trying to look like a doll rather than a real person. Her high heels were nearly stilettos, and Ambrielle would bet her last dollar Mila was adept at using them as weapons.
The man she introduced as Titus stood to the right of the window, his attention on the outside of the house, not on the inside. He didn’t see any of the women or children as a threat. He was clearly Russian, a big man with a lot of muscle that didn’t stop him from moving fluidly. Ambrielle watched him closely. He was the one she knew she would have to take out fast when the time came.
Darby sat very quietly on the long couch with her sisters, Emily and Zoe, on either side of her and Jimmy, the newest member of the family, in her lap. Beside Emily was Kenny, a gangly teenage boy, staring at Mila with watchful eyes. He had strict orders from every member of Torpedo Ink not to provoke either Mila or Titus.
Blythe poured tea for their guest first and then for Ambrielle and herself. “What do you take in your tea, Mila? It’s so lovely that you’ve come to visit Viktor after so many years.”
“I prefer milk in my tea, thank you,” Mila answered.
Blythe obliged her and added milk to her cup as well. “Perhaps you’ll be able to straighten out whatever happened between you.”
“Perhaps,” Mila said. “The two of you certainly have enough children. Who knew Viktor would want so many.”
Ambrielle noticed Blythe’s fingers move on her thigh, tapping out a rhythm. The code. Czar must have taught the Torpedo Ink code to his children, and Blythe was communicating something to them.
“I’m unable to give birth to children, so we’ve taken in survivors of human trafficking. It would be such a coincidence if you had handed over one or more of our children to the pedophiles who tortured and raped them before Viktor and the others were able to rescue them and bring them home. My sisters, who also live on the farm here, have taken in children, some rescued from ships where they would have been killed and thrown overboard after being used. You may have had a hand in turning those children over to those men and woman as well. That certainly would be coming full circle, wouldn’t it?”
Ambrielle couldn’t believe the sweetness. The absolute serenity. Blythe could have been discussing the weather, not the fact that her guest turned children over to pedophiles. There was no one sweeter than Blythe when she wanted to be, and her face was relaxed, her expression friendly.
Ambrielle couldn’t help feeling horrified at the way Blythe so casually discussed the children’s backgrounds. She glanced at them. They appeared as stoic and unaffected as Blythe. She realized their mother had warned them of what she planned on saying using the Torpedo Ink code, so they were prepared.
While Blythe’s features never lost their calm demeanor, Mila’s took on a deep horror as color blossomed, darkening her skin. “No, no, that isn’t true. Who told these terrible lies about me? Did Viktor tell you that?” Her serene voice rose to a note of near hysteria. Even the fine china shook in her hand.
Titus turned around and took a step toward Mila. Ambrielle inhaled deeply to clear her mind, her hand remaining loosely over the revolver she intended to kill Titus with. Just not yet. They had to stall for time. Try to get the children out of the room if possible. That was the ultimate goal. They were banking on the fact that Mila would want Viktor to witness his family dead before he died. To exact the revenge she wanted, Viktor had to be present.
“No, of course Viktor would never make such an accusation without proof. Another young man told us he was certain you provided young victims for pedophiles.”
“That would be impossible,” Mila assured calmly, bringing her teacup to her lips and sipping delicately. “I was a victim myself.”