The Wrong Sister

I went through the next couple of days robotically. I did what they told me to do. I ate the food they gave me. I went to bed when they turned the lights out. I feigned the proper confusion, and worst of all, I had to take the meds they gave me, even if they made me drowsy. In some ways, I was appreciative of having something that relaxed me. It would make it easier to appear confused. My heart, however, began to pound when the nurse told me that Lisa was there to visit. “Okay,” I said, forcing myself to smile. Lisa entered the room just seconds later, and the nurse left. I hated being left alone with her, but I knew I had no other choice at the moment. I gave Lisa a quick once-over. She was dressed in jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, tan suede boots with laces, no makeup as usual, her wavy hair loose and a bit tangled… yet she still looked hot as hell. She was beautiful in a rugged sort of way. I could definitely see how she would attract more women than men. “Hey, how are you doing, sweet pea?” Lisa asked. Her demeanor was exactly as I expected. She faked concern for me, yet I could see the deception beneath the smile. I shrugged. “I’m very drowsy, I guess.” “Yes, you’ve had quite a setback. But that’s okay. We’ll get through it together.” I looked at her and tried to keep a straight face. Bitch. “My memory is really foggy.” I tried not to show hesitation as I struggled to find the right words. “I know I fell and hit my head at some point when I was running. Did I slip on the sidewalk?” Lisa’s eyes darkened just a tiny bit with suspicion, but also with a hint of hope—that I would actually not know she was the one who put me in this situation. “Lisa, what exactly happened? All I remember are these fragmented snippets, and I can’t put the pieces together. Was I really attacked, or was that just a nightmare?” If Lisa’s face softened, it was only for a few seconds. “I’m afraid so, hun.” I knew I was really attacked, of course, so that much was true. It sickened me that she would try to brainwash me into believing a stranger had done it. I decided to throw her for a loop, hoping to confuse her further as to whether I was truly confused. I knew exactly what had happened to me. Dr. Lacayo had been right: the less Lisa knew I knew, the better off I would be. Therefore, I had to play dumb and pretend I was going along with her story. “It was someone you arrested for prostitution who attacked me, wasn’t it?” Sure enough, Lisa’s eyes betrayed her surprise. “What?” she asked, confused. “Who attacked me?” I dared ask, looking her straight in the eye. “Was it someone you were investigating?” “We don’t know yet, honey, but we’re working on it. We’ll get whoever’s responsible.” Oh, will you? I wanted to say. “Do you remember cutting yourself?” I shook my head, now lowered so she couldn’t see my expression. “I don’t remember that at all. But I don’t remember my attacker doing it either. Didn’t he do it?” Lisa hesitated, as if deciding whether to take that suggestion and run with it. Finally, she said, “No, sweetie. You did this after the attack, before I got home. Fortunately, I was just in time. Who knows how much worse you might’ve…” She shrugged, letting her voice trail off. I was sitting on the edge of my bed, she was standing in front of me, and I wanted to return the kick to her lower abdomen that she had given me so badly—but I knew it was important to play it cool. If I was going to stand a chance of escaping this crazy bitch, one who happened to be a cop, I had to play my cards right. I no longer doubted that Lisa would kill me if she got angry enough or felt her job and security threatened by me. This was probably why she stole my file from the doctor. Not only was she curious about what I might have told the doctor that I hadn’t told her, but she probably wanted to see if I had slipped her an email about what was going on. Or maybe she wanted to see if the doctor had written anything suggesting she had suspicions about Lisa. “Was I raped?” I asked, knowing I had to play it up all the way. Her eyes bulged for a second. I guess the bitch hadn’t been expecting that either. “Oh, no, thank God! I don’t know if the guy got scared off or if you managed to escape, but no such thing happened.” Wow. My dear, sweet husband was a great liar. “How long do I have to be here?” Tears formed in my eyes. They were real tears, too. That much was no act. They were tears of fear and frustration. I was in a situation where I had no idea how to get myself out. I knew I had two choices: stay with her long enough to be killed, or get away and make sure I was never found. Perhaps I had no real reason to, but I preferred to live. Death by Lisa’s wrath would be no way to go. Putting on her best act of sympathy, Lisa stepped closer and put a comforting hand on my knee. It was all I could do to keep from squirming away. “We have to make sure you’re safe first, babe.” Although I knew she was pretending I needed safety from myself, I stayed dumb. “Well, I can’t go back home.” Lisa glanced at me quickly, eyes flashing with suspicion. “What do you mean?” “I know you’re a cop and can protect me, but you can’t be home all the time. What’s to say this guy won’t find out where I live and finish what he started?” I did my best to sound desperate and scared. As expected, Lisa digested my words. “Well, that’s why we want to keep you here until we’re sure.” “But that’s punishing me. Why should I be forced to stay in the loony bin when I’m the victim?” I could tell Lisa was trying to hide her growing frustration. “Because sometimes victims are left with issues to deal with on account of their attackers.” Well, she certainly had that one right. “Look,” she said, fighting to keep irritation out of her voice, “let’s not worry about that right now. All that matters is that you’re alive. You survived. You’re a toughie.” Yeah, tougher than a San Francisco police detective, I thought bitterly. I forced a weak smile. “How’s Burke?” “He’s fine.” I wondered if she really returned my rat to his home and was taking care of him. “So what do we do now?” “You just keep doing what they tell you to do, and I’ll keep doing my job on the outside.” A few awkward moments of silence, then: “You know you haven’t even hugged or kissed me?” “I wanted to,” I lied, “but thought you were mad at me.” “Why would I be mad at you?” She asked, suspiciously, instead of with empathy. “Because I was dumb enough to go out alone when I shouldn’t have.” Her voice softened. “Oh, sweetie, you can’t blame yourself.” I sobbed for real as she took me in her arms and tried to will my stiff body to relax. Then she gently placed a hand under my chin and raised my face to hers. I hoped to hell she couldn’t see the truth in my eyes. Whether or not she did, she said, “Hey, it’s going to be okay.” Then she kissed me on the lips. I was grateful it didn’t linger more than a second—or else I might have puked. “It’s hard to stay positive after all I’ve been through.” “I know,” she said, gazing past me and out the window. “I miss Stacey so damn much.” “Yeah, I know that too,” she said. “Have you seen Dr. Lacayo yet?” My mind churned. I suppose it was okay to admit she visited. I should only lie if it was absolutely necessary for my escape. “I did, but only for a few minutes.” “What did she have to say?” Lisa gazed at me intently, as if searching for the truth. “She was just sorry about what happened,” I said with a shrug. “Not much else she could say.” “But what did you say happened? I just want to make sure she’s not confused by your blotchy memory.” I’m sure you don’t, I thought sarcastically. “I told her I couldn’t remember everything and that I was told I was attacked when on the beach alone.” “Would you like me to talk to her for you?” “You can if you want, but you don’t have to. There isn’t much more you can tell her that I haven’t already.” “She coming back to see you again?” “I don’t know. I would think so.” Lisa glanced back at the window behind me, then back again. How could the same woman be so chilling and so hot at the same time? She was sexy-hot, and I knew I would be beyond turned on if it weren’t for the situation. At the same time, her eyes were dangerously cold and frightening. There was nothing but hate and evil present. Lisa no longer wanted to love and be loved. She just wanted to control and abuse. How had something so great gone so horribly wrong? I felt a shiver run deep through my core. How the hell was I ever going to get the nerve to be alone with this woman? I didn’t see how I would have a choice if I wanted to eventually make a successful escape.