Fortunately, she didn’t have to. It was Eric, and the chain on the door confused him. “Sorry,” she said. “Hold on. Wait, is there anyone else out there?”
He looked from side to side. “No. Are you expecting someone?”
She smiled before she closed and unchained the door. Quickly losing her tank top again, she tossed it to the side and swung open the door, striking a pose to reveal herself.
“Whoa!”
She pulled him into the room and pushed him toward the bed. “Like what you see?” she asked.
“What’s not to like?”
They began kissing, and she jumped up on him, wrapping her legs around him. She pushed against him and immediately, she could feel he did, in fact, like what he saw.
He laughed. “All right, let me join you, then!”
As he pulled his shirt up over his head, there was a loud crash, and the giant, arched window shattered into a thousand pieces that showered the room. They both dove for the floor as shards of glass flew everywhere. There was the loud roaring of an engine outside, and the room filled with the fresh smell of the island air. The engine noise died out immediately, and a voice yelled up to the window, asking if everyone was all right.
Eric realized what had happened and walked over to the window. He was careful not to step on the glass, although he still had his shoes on. Looking through what used to be the window, he saw the grounds crew, preparing the yard for the finale in the morning. He waived to a stout, local man who was standing on top of a riding lawn mower. The poor guy looked both terrified and concerned. “We’re okay!” Eric shouted.
“I am so sorry!” The man’s panic came through his heavy accent. “I heard the glass shatter. I don’t know what happened. The mower must have kicked up a rock or something. Is everyone all right up there?”
Eric waved and called back, “We’re fine!” He turned around and said to Abby, “You’d better put some clothes on. My guess is there are a whole bunch of folks heading this way.”
He was right. Abby pulled on her shorts just as the cavalry arrived and began pounding on the door. They assured security they were fine. No one was bleeding or hit by any glass. A couple of the men walked around the room, looking for whatever had shattered the glass. When they wrapped up, one of the men apologized and told them a cleaning crew would come by to take care of the glass. For now, they might want to find someplace else to be.
Abby was getting together a few things when Robert arrived with the cleaners. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “They told me you two are fine, though? No one was hurt?”
“We’re fine,” Abby said.
“Good! I would hate for you to make it off the island just to catch a piece of glass in your eye while you are a guest in my house. I’ll have them make up another room for you tonight.”
“No need,” she said. “I have a place to stay.” She smiled at Eric.
Robert beamed. “That is damned adorable. America is going to eat this up!”
***
The window incident had given them a scare and killed the mood for a while. However, after dinner, when they found themselves back in Eric’s room, they managed—quite easily—to rekindle the fire they had started earlier. Afterward, Eric began to snore, while Abby lay in his arms. She giggled a little bit. Never having heard him snore before, she figured she must have really worn him out. There was something comforting in the sound as she drifted off herself.
Abby opened her eyes in the middle of the night with an uneasy feeling. She felt a hand on her shoulder from behind. She knew it was not Eric’s hand. He was in front of her, in the same dead-to-the-world position he had been in when they fell asleep. Without so much as a flinch, she rolled over to see one of the security men next to the bed. She recognized him from earlier but didn’t know his name. He was the tallest of the bunch. With his dark hair, dark eyes, and dark suit, he certainly looked the part.
He held his finger over his lips and motioned for her to follow him. She slid out of bed. He watched unapologetically as she slipped on Eric’s t-shirt to cover herself. Creep. She followed him out of the room and into a sitting room across the hall, where he nodded to another security man, and then entered the room.
“Sit down.” He pointed to a plush leather chair.
“I’d rather stand. What’s going on?” She figured it was about the blond-haired man. Maybe they had some sort of lead on him—or worse, he was here somewhere. Why else would they have woken her up in the middle of the night?
“Have a seat.”
She sat with a huff that was unnecessary, since the thick, leather chair let out its own sigh. “Is this about that guy?”
“What guy? You will have to be more specific.”
“The blond-haired guy. The one you’re supposed to keep away from me.”
He laughed. “Oh, yes, that guy.” He sat down in front of her and pulled his gun from its holster under his jacket. Abby sat up straight. “That man is your husband, and he is my employer.” He paused. “You look surprised. I was told you might not remember that little detail—or much else, for that matter. Know this: He is very powerful, and he has people everywhere. There is nowhere he won’t find you. Do you understand?”
Abby sat, motionless, staring at the floor, absorbing that detail. The man in the picture is my husband. I’m running from my husband.
“Tell me you understand.”
“I understand,” she said without lifting her head.
“So, this is the plan. In a few hours, they’re going to get you out of bed, get you made up, and put you on national television for the finale. Immediately following that, you will come with me. We’ll leave here to return to your husband. We will go quickly and quietly. We will leave without anyone noticing. Tell me you understand.”
“I understand.”
“Good. Just so we’re clear, I’ve been watching you on the show. You handle yourself pretty good but don’t be fooled. There are more of us than there are of you. Your husband doesn’t want us to hurt you, so we won’t. However, if you don’t cooperate, your new boyfriend will pay the consequences. Do you understand?”
Again, Abby sat, motionless, staring at the floor. She felt a helpless and familiar feeling—she felt trapped. The man put his gun against her forehead and used it to push her head back, lifting up her chin, until her eyes met his. She never flinched. She never blinked. She spoke as if they were idly chatting over coffee in the kitchen. “Why not just take me now?”
Without lifting the gun from her head, he said, “Excuse me?”
“Why not just take me now? You don’t have to threaten Eric or anyone else. You and I can walk out the front door and be gone before anyone is the wiser.”
“It’s not that simple.” He removed the gun and holstered it. He couldn’t believe how cool she was, despite having a gun to her head. “Follow the plan. No one gets hurt.” He gestured for her to stand and return to Eric’s room. “I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep tight.”
Abby spent the next several hours lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering how she was going to find a way out of this one.
28
A FEW HOURS LATER, they were up and getting ready. Abby was in her underclothes, strapping her knife to her thigh. She had not worn it since they got off the island but in anticipation of what was going to transpire over the following few hours, she felt she should have it at her side.
She had been provided a rack of clothing options to wear to the finale. She settled on a mostly white, flowery sundress—mainly because it was long enough to conceal her weapon but offered fast access if she needed it. When she needed it, she reminded herself.
Abby slipped it on over her head as she heard a knock on the door. The knock came again almost right away. As she walked over, she lifted the edge of her dress, releasing the safety latch on her knife and grasping the handle. Opening the door just a crack, she saw it was Robert. She let the dress slide back down to cover the knife as she opened the door to greet
him.
“Are you excited or nervous? I suppose it can be both. I’m excited!” It was clear when he entered the room he’d had more than his share of morning coffee. “We took care of the paperwork yesterday; the financials are all set. You can check your account right now and see the money is in there.”
“I trust you.”
“Good! And you remember the account numbers?”
Abby tapped her temple. “They’re locked in.”
“Good, then.” He studied her face and tilted his head sideways.
She suddenly felt self-conscious. “What?”
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Abby raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“You forget, Abby; we know each other much better than you think. We spent nearly three months together before we were island-bound. I can tell something is wrong. What is it?”
She considered telling him about her visitor last night, but decided against it. She trusted Robert, but she didn’t know whom else she could trust. The man who threatened her was part of Robert’s security team; likely one of the extra guys brought in to protect her. Ironic. He’d said her husband had people everywhere. For all she knew, there were a dozen guys on the island, ready to act. Who knew what would happen if Robert blew the whistle and the wrong one heard it?
“Nothing. I’m just nervous, that’s all.”
“Don’t be. You’ve been on camera in front of tens of millions of people already, and you were great. They love you.”
“That’s not what I’m nervous about. After the show—immediately after—I’m planning to leave. Is that all right with you?”
“Well, obviously, I would prefer you stick around for awhile and do the talk show circuit, either via teleconference here, or you could fly back to the States. Given the situation, though, I figured you wouldn’t be doing that. I was thinking about it, and I think it will add to your mystique. It suits you.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll miss you, but you know you can always call on me.”
Before Robert left, he reminded her a showrunner would soon bring her to have her hair and makeup finished. When Eric came out of the bathroom, he found Abby, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Who were you talking to out here?”
“Robert.”
Eric thought her voice sounded stiff and sad and didn’t come with the usual joy she said Robert’s name with. “What’s wrong?”
Abby shook her head. “Just nervous, that’s all.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re a natural. Nothing to worry about. Just give them that beautiful smile, and the audience will be yours.”
Abby wrapped her arms around his waist and looked into his eyes. “You’re serious about coming with me and starting over?”
He assured her he was.
“We’re going to have to go quickly, once the show is over.”
“Why is that?”
She debated telling him about last night, but if she told him, he might insist they leave now. She decided not to. “I’m worried he’ll show up,” she said. “I just want to get out of here as quickly as we can. When the interview is done, we walk offstage, bolt to the boats, and take off.” It wasn’t a great plan, but it was simple—the best kind.
“I like it. If anyone sees us, they’ll think it’s just part of the show; the two of us riding off into the sunset together.”
She smirked. At this time of day, it would be a sunrise, which would be even more fitting.
***
Abby never imagined so many people would be at the finale. The audience seemed to be made up of mostly local people and the production crew. It was nearly five in the morning local time, and the sky in the background was still dark, but that wouldn’t last too long. The stage was simply set with several chairs for Robert, Abby, and Eric. It was flanked on either side by giant screens, on which the people in attendance would watch the final broadcast.
There wouldn’t be a live feed from the stage to show Abby and Eric until after the first part of the broadcast, when the viewing public would assume they were dead. The episode picked up the night when Abby had found Emily’s camp and was surprised by Eric. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but in fact, only a few days had passed.
Seeing Emily living and breathing on the giant screen was difficult for both of them. Abby tried to fight back the tears, but a few ran down her cheek as she watched Emily untie her. The woman was completely unaware she would lose her life in a few days. She was just as unaware Abby was about to try to end it in a few short moments. Thankfully, Eric had intervened, and Abby didn’t have to live with that mistake.
Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Emily should have been sitting there onstage with them. It was such a tragedy. Were it not for Abby and Eric, Emily would have lived out the next few weeks on the island and won when she hit the one-year mark. Instead, she was in a casket, being transported home to her grieving family.
She tried to blot the tears from her eyes with her fingers, but all she managed to do was smudge her makeup. A stagehand—or more likely, a makeup artist—came out and dabbed her cheeks with a sponge. After quickly but gently touching up her makeup, he grasped her hand and said, “Be strong.” The nervous look in his eyes caught her attention.
When he walked away, Abby looked down into her hand to find a small, folded piece of paper in her palm. She discretely opened and read it. After reading the few words twice, she looked up to see Eric, looking at her. He just about had a question mark painted across his face. She gave him a nervous glance as the commercial break ended, and the show came back to life on the giant screens.
The rest of the prerecorded broadcast went as planned, though Abby wasn’t paying any attention to it. Her mind was elsewhere, trying to figure out their escape. She should have at least told Eric and Robert her husband was there with a small army to snatch her. It was too late now, though.
Robert asked, “Are you both ready?”
This snapped Abby out of her trance, though the look on her face told Robert she was in full-fledged panic mode.
“This is nothing.” He smiled. “Just like in rehearsal. Follow my cues, and you will be absolutely fantastic. Nothing to worry about.”
When they came back from commercial, Robert did a short introduction, explaining what they’d just seen on the screen and the tragedy that might have been. When the camera zoomed out to show Abby and Eric sitting with him, the couple hundred people in the audience went crazy. No doubt, the millions sitting in their living rooms across the country did, as well. The producers had really played up the danger and the impossibility of the two of them escaping the cavern. The last shot they had seen prior to the commercial was of Emily’s body, floating hundreds of yards out to sea.
Abby saw the two of them on the giant screen. They certainly looked the part of celebrities, thanks to the hair and makeup teams. They were a far cry from the filthy, sweaty, unwashed people who had been running around on the screen for the past hour.
It was all so surreal; made more so by the note she held in her sweaty palm:
At the end of the show, when the lights go out, kiss Eric and tell him you need to use the ladies’ room. Quickly walk off the right side of the stage. I will be there to escort you.
When she first read it, she hoped it was a last-minute instruction from the producers. She knew that was not that case, though. This was from the security man she had spoken with in the middle of the night.
After Robert asked Eric a few questions she didn’t hear, the screen came to life again to tell the story of how they’d escaped on the raft. When the show came back after another commercial, Robert started with the questions again.
“So, you two have become quite the thing,” Robert announced. “Any plans to stay together, now that you are off the show?” Abby had kept her marriage hidden and never discussed it in any of the pre-show interviews that had aired leading up to her arrival on the island. None of the producers saw any reason to make it public now—esp
ecially given the love story that had developed.
Abby realized that, while her mind was elsewhere, the show had continued, and Robert had moved to the interview portion. She cleared her throat and smiled. “We barely know each other, Robert.”
He laughed. “But, you have been through so much together! And, he is a pretty good-looking guy, wouldn’t you say?”
The women in the audience whooped and hollered loudly.
Robert played it up. “Eric, if this one doesn’t keep you around, I don’t think you will have any trouble finding a date.”
The women cheered louder, and some of them started whistling.
Abby spoke up when they’d calmed down a bit. “Hey, let’s not start making other plans just yet. We have been through quite a lot, Robert; you’re right. I’m sure we’ll keep in touch.”
Eric feigned a hurt look and clutched his heart, hamming it up for the camera. The three of them laughed, just like in the rehearsal, then Abby grabbed the back of Eric’s head and brought him close for a steamy kiss. The audience went crazy, whistling and hollering.
Robert finally spoke up. “All right, you two, I think there are kids at home watching. That’s enough.”
As they pulled apart, Abby found herself smiling. Genuinely smiling. The thought hit her like a truck: She loved this man. Unable to decide whether that made her terrified or happy, she settled on a little bit of both.
They looked out into the audience to smile and wave as Robert announced they were taking a quick commercial break and would be right back. Abby kissed Eric again for the cameras as they were cutting the live feed. As she pulled away, she spotted him. Sitting in the audience on the far right corner of the stage was the man she had spoken with last night. Seated directly behind him was the blond-haired man from her nightmares. Her husband.
[Escape 01.0] A New Life Page 21