Chapter 2 - The Locked Bedroom
Dererick reached for the phone.
Anna twisted his wrist sharply enough to stop him.
“Don’t.”
His eyes moved from her face to the bedroom door.
Anna had locked it before getting into bed.
He knew the key remained on the nightstand.
She knew he was stronger.
The only thing keeping her safe was that he did not yet understand how much she had prepared.
“Let go of me,” he said.
“No.”
“Anna, you’re having another episode.”
She almost laughed.
There it was.
The phrase he had used every time she questioned him.
An episode.
Paranoia.
Confusion.
Memory loss.
Words designed to make her distrust herself.
Anna reached beneath the pillow with her free hand.
Dererick’s body tensed.
She pulled out a second phone.
Its camera was recording.
His face changed.
“You’ve been filming me?”
“You taught me the importance of evidence.”
He lunged toward the phone.
Anna released his wrist and rolled away.
Dererick hit the mattress with one hand, but she was already off the bed.
She ran toward the dresser and grabbed the miniature camera.
He moved between her and the door.
“Give me both devices.”
“Why?”
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.”
“I understand you drugged me.”
“I was helping you sleep.”
“You filmed me unconscious.”
His jaw tightened.
“You were sleepwalking.”
“With scissors near my clothes?”
Dererick glanced at the black bag.
Anna followed his gaze.
The zipper remained open.
Inside, she could see a folded black cloth, adhesive strips, small evidence bags, and a silver USB drive.
No medical supplies.
No harmless explanation.
Dererick stepped closer.
Anna held the miniature camera behind her back.
“What did you record on this?”
“Nothing.”
“The red light was on.”
“It’s new. I was testing it.”
“At two in the morning?”
He took another step.
Anna raised her second phone.
“The police are already listening.”
It was a bluff.
The phone was recording locally, but no call was active.
Dererick stopped anyway.
Then someone tried the bedroom door from the hallway.
One quiet turn of the handle.
Anna and Dererick both froze.
A woman’s voice spoke from the other side.
“Dererick? Is she asleep?”
May you like
Anna recognized the voice.
It belonged to her sister.
