Page 20 of Perfect Sin
“The internet is a powerful tool. I would imagine shortly after broadcast, or even before, the video of Jackson being drugged and shoved into the back of a car will go viral.”
Lucien stands, and the interview is effectively over. My heart sinks. We put too much faith in the reputation of Whitmore as an honest politician and Peter Collins as an unbiased journalist.
“Oh, one more thing. There’s audio and video recording devices set up in this room. If this interview is cut in a way to make it fit the narrative you clearly want to put forward, I’ll release this footage too,” Lucien warns.
Jerome sweeps into the room and escorts the camera crew and Peter Collins out. Lucien eyes me warily once we are alone.
“What?” I snap.
“I’m just debating whether or not I should leave you alone right now. I do need to go monitor chatter on the internet in case I need to follow through with releasing the full video.”
“You weren’t bluffing?”
“Little bird, I never bluff. While you were being buffed and polished, I was setting up hidden cameras, just like I told Collins.”
My nerves are stretched thin. Sin is still missing, the media claims he is running from a coerced marriage, and there are a stack of unread text messages piling up on my phone.
After I read the first message, I refused to open the rest of the messages that came in. Each time my phone buzzes I hope it’s Sin, only to be let down seeing that unknown number.
With my brother busy I’ve little to distract me from going down the rabbit hole of the messages.
You got married?
How could you?
I’m sorry I doubted you. I’ve seen the reports.
I’ll come and save you. Wait for me.
ANSWER ME!!!
Sorry, your messages are probably being monitored. I’ll be there soon, darling.
The phone slips out of my fingers and bounces off the carpet in my mother’s drawing room. I want to leave it there, but the chance Sin might get to a phone is too great to leave it behind. I need him. Out of all the threats against me in recent weeks, this one scares me the most. Maybe because this one has already drawn blood.
Reunion
Sin
Once Dr. Northleaves for the night, I’m able to convince the nurse on duty to let me out of my room for dinner. Apparently he didn’t leave any written directives to make her think I need to remain locked away.
There’s free time in the communal room after dinner where board games are set up. I take the time to look around more and learn potential weaknesses in the security. It seems they rely on a few cameras, locks, and guards to keep the patients inside the facility. All of these things are more an inconvenience than a real deterrent to prevent me from leaving.
When I walk by a couple of nurses I overhear the tail end of their conversation.
“Did you see the interview with his wife?” one of the nurses asks.
“I thought he was here for deprogramming. It really didn’t sound like he was forced to marry her.”
They don’t notice me, so I do what I do best, sink into the shadows.
“Why would he be forced? Did you see her? She’s stunning. If men have to be forced to marry women who look like her, what chance do the rest of us have at finding love?”
Raven gave an interview? I bet Arthur is fuming. He’s depending on convincing everyone my marriage isn’t legitimate.
This move has Damien’s stamp all over it, but I find I’m once again glad his goals align with mine. Him winning the governor’s race still isn’t an outcome I’d like to see, but I’m no longer certain Arthur is the right person for the job either.
Fighting my way free of this institution doesn’t seem like the right move anymore though. For one thing, an act of violence on my part will only serve to validate the narrative I’ve got mental issues. Thinking quickly, I formulate another plan. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of it earlier.