Page 7 of 56 Days
“Did you sleep?”
Karl attempts a shrug, then winces at the pain this move causes him. “Dozed. Hey, do you think you could free me before this interrogation continues? I’d get better treatment in the cells.”
“How did you text me if—”
“Siri.”
Karl nods toward his phone, lying on the bedside table.
“She got a letter wrong in the last one,” Lee says.
“You take your time.”
“Look, you’re lucky I came at all. And I’m just dying to find out what Plan B was.”
“I know this is the best thing that’s ever happened to you, Lee, but I can’t actually feel my hands here.”
She indulges in an eye roll before relenting, fishing her keys from her trouser pocket and moving toward the bed.
“Whatever you do,” she says, “hang on to that fitted sheet.”
Karl scoffs. “Like you wouldn’t love a look.”
“I’vehada look, remember? Although I barely do. Wasn’t particularly memorable.” She pulls Karl’s right wrist toward her—he yelps in pain—and bends to work the small key into the cuff’s lock. “So where is she, then?Whois she?”
“Fuck knows. On both counts.”
“Ever the romantic, eh, Karl?”
“I’veseenyou open cuffs. What the hell is taking so long this—”
The key clicks in the lock and Lee ratchets the cuff open enough to slide it off Karl’s wrist.
His arm drops onto the bed like a dead weight that’s been cleanly detached from his body. Gingerly, he tries to bend it but only manages a few degrees before spitting out a string of curse words, closing his eyes and giving up.
“Are the keys even here?” Lee asks, moving to the other side of the bed to work on the other set.
“Took them with her. Told me she was going to flush them down the toilet. Well, joke’s on her because it isn’t even connected.”
Lee makes a face. “Where are you...?”
“Porta Potti. Out by the shed.”
“Did she know that before she came back here?”
“No, and she cameover.” He grins. “Andshe came—”
“If you finish that sentence, I swear to God, I’m locking you back up.”
When the second set is removed, Karl lurches forward, wincing as he tries to bring his arms closer to his body, increasing both the vehemence and the range of his muttered swears with every inch.
“Christ. My arms feel like they’re onfire.”
“Well, let that be a lesson to you.” Lee steps back from the bed. “And she lives less than two kilometers away, I suppose, this mysterious, angry woman?”
“Don’t know.” He shrugs. “Didn’t ask.”
“Karl, for feck’s sake. Youwillend up on Snapchat at the rate you’re going and evenIwon’t be able to save your arse then.”
