Chapter 6 — Taken from the Only Safe Place

Evelyn let go of Luke’s sleeve.

“That isn’t a reason to make yourself responsible for me.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

He moved his chair back slightly.

“I’m not asking you for anything.”

“People always say that before they ask.”

Luke was quiet.

The storm continued beyond the closed window.

Evelyn pulled the blanket over her knees.

“If I tell you to leave tomorrow, will you?”

“Yes.”

“And if I tell you to stay?”

“I’ll stay.”

She listened to him breathe.

Then she moved her hand across the mattress until she found his.

“Tonight, stay.”

By morning, the broken window had been boarded over.

Luke described the damage while Evelyn ate breakfast.

“The branch came through the left pane. They’ll replace both.”

“Will they cut the tree down?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ask them not to.”

He paused.

“You’re worried about the tree?”

“It didn’t come looking for me.”

A laugh escaped him.

The sound was soft, almost startled.

Evelyn kept eating.

“Your voice is different when you forget to be careful.”

The laugh stopped.

She set down her spoon.

“Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes.”

“Then you don’t have to talk all the time.”

“I thought the silence bothered you.”

“It depends who’s in it.”

He said nothing after that.

She let him sit beside her while she finished.

For two weeks, Evelyn began to do things because she wanted to do them.

She asked her instructor to show her the route to the garden gate.

She learned how to organize her clothes so she could choose them herself.

She listened to messages from friends she had ignored for months.

One afternoon, she called the woman in London whose spare room she had never reached.

“I’m sorry,” Evelyn said.

Her friend cried.

Evelyn cried, too.

Afterward, Luke found her sitting with the phone in her lap.

“Bad news?”

“No.”

“Do you want to tell me?”

“Someone was happy to hear from me.”

He sat down.

“I’m glad.”

She turned toward him.

“You don’t sound surprised.”

“I’m not.”

Then his visits became irregular.

The first time, Rosa said he was unwell.

The second, a nurse said he had an appointment.

On the third morning, Evelyn waited until eleven before asking.

“Is Luke coming?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Then call him.”

The nurse hesitated.

“I don’t have his number.”

Evelyn lifted her head.

“He works here.”

“He’s privately arranged.”

“By whom?”

“I’d have to ask the administrator.”

Evelyn said nothing.

When Luke arrived that evening, she was waiting in the chair by the window.

“Where were you?”

“I’m sorry.”

“That isn’t where.”

“I had something to take care of.”

“Can you tell me what?”

“No.”

She folded her hands.

“Then tell me when you’ll be gone.”

“I will.”

“Before, Luke. Not afterward.”

He came closer.

She heard him stop beside the chair.

“All right.”

“People don’t stop worrying because they can’t see you.”

His hand settled on the armrest, near hers.

“I know.”

Evelyn reached out.

He caught her fingers gently.

For a moment, she felt him lean toward her.

Then he pulled back.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t do that.”

His breathing changed.

She waited.

Finally, he said, “I wish I’d met you before you had so many reasons not to trust me.”

Evelyn withdrew her hand.

“Then don’t give me another one.”

The next afternoon, she went into the garden without him.

Her instructor had walked the route with her that morning.

Evelyn counted the doorframes, found the outside handle, and followed the stone edge of the path.

She reached the bench.

For ten minutes, nobody asked whether she was comfortable.

It felt wonderful.

Then footsteps approached.

“Mrs. Cross?”

A woman’s voice.

“Yes?”

“Your companion asked me to bring you inside. He’s waiting near the front entrance.”

“Luke?”

“Yes.”

Evelyn stood.

“He said he’d find you himself?”

“He’s on a call.”

Something in the answer made her hesitate.

“Tell him I’ll wait.”

The woman touched her elbow.

“It’ll only take a minute.”

Evelyn pulled away.

“I said I’ll wait.”

A second set of footsteps came from behind.

She opened her mouth to shout.

An arm caught her around the chest.

A hand covered her mouth.

She struck backward with her cane and heard a curse.

Then something pressed against her face.

She fought until the path seemed to move beneath her.

The floor vibrated under her cheek.

A vehicle.

Her hands were bound.

Two people were speaking in front.

“She hit me.”

“Keep your voice down.”

“Who said she couldn’t see?”

“She can’t.”

Evelyn kept still.

She counted turns until she lost track.

Once, the vehicle stopped beside a road. She heard trucks, a door slamming, and a man complaining about the price.

When she tried to move, someone noticed.

The next stretch of the journey disappeared.

She woke on a mattress that smelled of damp fabric.

A radio played in another room.

She listened before moving.

No traffic.

No voices beyond the walls.

Somewhere nearby, a dog barked.

Evelyn slid her feet to the floor.

Her wrists were free.

She found a bedside table, a wall, and a door.

The handle turned.

She stepped into a narrow corridor.

A woman spoke immediately.

“Well. You’re awake.”

Evelyn gripped the doorframe.

“Where am I?”

“Come back inside.”

“Where am I?”

The woman seized her wrist.

Evelyn pulled away.

A slap caught the side of her face.

She stumbled against the wall.

“You can make this difficult,” the woman said, “or you can eat.”

A man approached.

“Don’t mark her up.”

“She tried to walk out.”

“Then lock the door.”

Evelyn faced his voice.

“I have a lawyer. People know where I was.”

The man laughed.

“People knew where you were yesterday.”

The woman pushed her back into the room.

Evelyn caught herself against the mattress.

“What do you want?”

“We paid for a wife,” the woman said. “That’s what you’ll be.”

The lock turned.

Evelyn stood without moving until the footsteps disappeared.

Then she felt along the walls again.

The window was above the mattress.

She climbed carefully, found the latch, and pushed.

Paint cracked.

The frame opened a few inches.

Outside, she heard wind moving through leaves.

She tore a strip from the pillowcase and tied it to the latch, marking where she had found it.

When the woman brought food, Evelyn asked for water.

While the woman turned, Evelyn pushed the door hard into her shoulder and ran.

She followed the corridor by touch.

At the end, she found another door.

Cold air reached her face.

She went toward it.

Gravel cut beneath her bare feet.

Someone shouted.

Evelyn kept moving.

She reached a wire fence, turned along it, and found a gate.

Her fingers were on the fastening when the man caught her.

He dragged her back despite her kicking.

This time, they tied her wrists.

The woman removed the cane she had been holding when they took her.

Evelyn heard it break.

On the third night, the man came in with someone younger.

The woman stayed by the doorway.

“Be good,” she said. “You’ll only make it worse.”

Evelyn sat against the wall.

“Tell me your names.”

Nobody answered.

“Tell me what you think you can do to me without someone finding out.”

The younger man approached.

She kicked when his hand touched her knee.

He fell against the bedframe.

The older man grabbed her ankles.

Evelyn screamed.

The woman told him to shut the window.

Evelyn screamed louder.

A crash came from the corridor.

All three stopped.

Someone struck the door.

The frame split.

A man entered so fast that Evelyn felt the air change.

“Get away from her.”

The older man released her.

There was a struggle.

Something heavy struck the floor.

Evelyn scrambled toward the corner.

Footsteps approached.

“No,” she said. “Stay back.”

They stopped.

“Evelyn.”

She knew the voice.

She pulled her knees to her chest.

“Don’t.”

“Look—”

He stopped himself.

She heard him take a breath.

Another person entered behind him.

Julian.

“We need to get her out.”

Evelyn began shaking.

The man in front of her knelt.

He did not touch her.

His voice came again, lower now, rough at the edges.

“It’s me.”

She turned toward him.

“Luke?”

“Yes.”

Her breath broke.

“Where were you?”

“I’m here now.”

She reached out.

He put his hand beneath hers.

She found the scar near his thumb.

Then she gripped him so hard that her fingers hurt.

“Don’t let them take me again.”

“I won’t let them near you.”

Julian cut the binding at her wrists.

Someone placed a coat around her.

Luke asked whether he could lift her.

She nodded against his shoulder.

When he carried her outside, she heard engines, men calling to one another, and a woman protesting that they had paid.

Luke’s arms tightened.

Evelyn felt his heartbeat against her cheek.

She held on.

“Luke.”

“I’m listening.”

“Keep talking.”

His breath caught.

“What do you want me to say?”

“Anything. I need to know it’s you.”

He said her name.

She pressed closer.

Behind them, Julian spoke quietly to someone.

Evelyn heard only the first word.

“Nathaniel.”

The man holding her went still.