A terrible thought occurred to her—had her mother done something to her father to prevent him finding out about Nita?
Nita realized the sergeant was waiting for her response. If she stayed on the line, she’d incriminate her father for sure. She didn’t have any confidence in her subterfuge skills. If she hung up immediately, she might make him look equally suspicious. What to do?
“Oh. I must have the wrong number. I’m sorry.”
Nita hung up before she could hear the response. She closed her eyes, head lowered. She was sure it looked horribly suspicious, but she wasn’t the best at improvising.
After the phone clicked off, she realized she could have fished for information. She could have asked to speak to her father, seen what they said. Though that might have made things worse, depending on why the cops had her father’s phone.
Well, she wasn’t calling back now.
Turning her head to look at the video screen, she found Kovit waving up at the monitor. He must have heard her call.
Nita watched him for a moment, debating whether to go over to the cage. He stopped waving and sat back down with a sigh, but his eyes were still on the camera, as though he was watching her.
I gave you a book when you were in the cage and bored, and you won’t even answer me, his eyes seemed to say.
Not that Nita actually felt guilty. She could still hear Mirella’s screams. And Nita’s wound from when she first met Kovit was still scaly and half healed. Her fingers danced over it, pausing on the rough edges, remembering. She could heal it fully now. She was feeling well enough. But she hadn’t, focusing her energy on her myriad other injuries. And perhaps a little bit of her wanted that physical, tangible reminder of why she needed to be careful with Kovit.
But she got up and went down the hall to his cage. She had to go there eventually anyway.
As Nita rounded the corner, Kovit got to his feet. “Hey.”
Nita ignored him and started examining the angle of the entranceway. If she stood just here, Reyes wouldn’t see Nita when she entered. If Nita had some tranquilizer, she could take the woman down before she knew what was happening. There probably wasn’t tranquilizer. But a rope? Choke her until she passed out? But what about Reyes’ gun? Maybe a blunt object to the temple was better.
“Uhhh, Nita?” Kovit called, as though she hadn’t heard him the first time.
Nita turned to him and crossed her arms. “Yes?”
He gave her his best aren’t-we-friends-I’m-not-crazy smile. She ignored how it made her heart rate spike with fear. Screams echoed in her mind.
“You sticking around for the night?” His voice was smooth and friendly. Not his casual voice, like when they’d been playing cards. This voice was fake somehow, like a used-car salesman.
“Yes.”
“Where’s the dolphin wannabe?”
Nita looked away.
He raised one eyebrow and quirked a smile—something Nita had seen people do in movies, but never in real life. “All right, fine. Keep your silence. But would it be too much trouble to feed me?”
Oh. Oops. Nita had forgotten about that. She wasn’t good at remembering to do things for herself, never mind taking care of other people. She was not going to make a very good captor.
“I’ll get you something.” Nita paused. “I didn’t see bread. Where is it?”
“Bottom shelf of the fridge.”
“You keep your bread in the fridge?”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t mold that way.”
Nita didn’t argue. She turned around to find food, when Kovit stopped her. “Water too, please, if you don’t mind.”
Right. People needed water.
Nita fetched a bottle of water and a piece of bread from the fridge and put some beans on it. She took a detour to check the dissection room for tranquilizer, but there wasn’t any. However, she did find a hammer. If she swung it at Reyes’ spine, she could paralyze the woman.
Or kill her.
But then how would Nita find out where the money was? Not ideal. Best to avoid that.
Nita pocketed the hammer anyway, along with a piece of twine that was holding a crate closed. It looked good for strangling. She didn’t want to be unprepared if Reyes arrived while she was feeding Kovit.
Nita brought Kovit his food and put it on the tray, but it stuck. Of course it did. Nita hadn’t taken out the piece of plastic she’d wedged in there.
“If you want food, you’ll have to get rid of the thing I shoved in the mechanism,” Nita told Kovit.
He felt around a bit before pulling the piece of plastic out. The food and water slid through.
Kovit gave her his only-a-little-crazy smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Nita backed away. She hesitated, then asked, “Is there itch cream?”
Kovit looked up at Nita and laughed. She rubbed her mosquito-bitten arms, and then lowered her hands. Scratching would only make the bites worse. She could have just healed them, but it was like using a hammer to snap a cookie in half. Itch cream would do fine.
“No.” Kovit gave her a self-deprecating grin. “Reyes wouldn’t let me bring anything like that. She’s quite strict about what can and can’t come here.”
“Why?” What was the harm in itch cream?
Kovit shrugged. “Beats me. She probably wants me to suffer.”
Nita gave him a dubious look, and Kovit laughed. “You didn’t think I actually wanted to be in this horrid shit-hole market, did you? It’s miserable and hot. Counting you and Reyes, I’ve spoken with four people since I came here.”
Nita wondered about that—she didn’t think it was a language barrier problem, since she’d heard so much English on her way to the pier. So why hadn’t he been speaking to others?
“And,” he went on, waving one hand in a chopping motion, “there’s no internet here, and Reyes won’t let me use hers. Who in their right mind would want this position?”
Nita hadn’t actually thought too much about it. But it was odd, now that Kovit mentioned it. Why send a zannie to do a job anyone could do? Zannies were coveted by corrupt governments, mafias, anywhere torture was useful. Even having one on staff and using it as a threat was effective. Putting one in the middle of the jungle, to guard prisoners, was an absolute waste. Sure, Reyes did use him as an enforcer—for the prisoners. Anyone could do that.
And why had Kovit agreed to come? Zannies really could get hired anywhere. They could charge insane rates for their services. Ending up in a cage in the middle of the jungle was not something she thought any zannie, especially Kovit, would want.
“So why are you here?” Nita asked, arms crossed.
“Why does anyone get the shitty posts? By screwing up.” Kovit’s voice started out amused, but lost its humor by the end of the sentence.
Nita tilted her head to the side. “Reyes doesn’t seem like the type to give second chances.”
Kovit laughed, but there was something like fear in the sound. It made Nita flinch. Then she straightened her back. She had nothing to fear from Kovit. She was on the outside of the cage now.
Finally, Kovit calmed and gave her a sad look. “No, she doesn’t give second chances.”
Nita clenched her teeth. He was trying to remind her that Reyes would kill him when she returned.
So what? Nita thought. She needed to escape, and no matter what, he’d be punished for it. And Nita was much fonder of her own life than she was of his.
Kovit looked at her, and she wondered, Isn’t it better for the world if he dies? Zannies were on the dangerous species list for a reason. If he lived, he’d keep hurting people.
Mirella’s screams echoed through her memory.
Exactly.
Then, a terrible, wonderful thought occurred to Nita. Her fingers twitched with the need for a scalpel. She felt like an addict, deprived for weeks.
You could do it, her mind whispered at her. You could poison the food or water. Something simple, tasteless. This is the Amazon, sure
ly you can find something poisonous. It would be a mercy, compared to what Reyes has planned.
I could, Nita agreed, licking her lips. And then I’d have a body.
Her hands ached for a scalpel, but she could use Kovit’s switchblade. It wouldn’t be quite the same, but she could make it work.
Nita didn’t realize that she was pressed against the cage, a hungry expression twisting her features, until she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.
Kovit had backed up to the other side of his cage, and was staring at her with wary eyes. “What are you doing?”
Nita’s voice was almost dreamy. “Thinking of how I could dissect you.”
“What?”
Nita smiled, a small, slightly crazy smile not dissimilar to some of Kovit’s. “I like to dissect things. I need to dissect things.”
Kovit stared at her, fear creeping into his voice. He wasn’t smiling anymore, his mouth downturned, brows drawn together. “What . . . what are you?”
“Me? You know what I am. But what I do? I dissect people.” Nita’s fingers were warm on the cool glass. “My mother used to bring me bodies. Lots of bodies. Kappa and mermaids and unicorns. Zannies too.” Her smile widened as she looked over at Kovit. “Lots of zannies.”
Kovit was staring at her, his expression morphing into something nervous and definitely frightened. Nita wasn’t sure when they’d well and truly switched positions. Nita on the outside, the psychopathic captor with the crazy smile that kept on stretching. Kovit on the inside, afraid of the implied threat and his own powerlessness.
That made something skittery and unhappy bounce around in her chest, like a marble had gotten loose and it was hitting strange things inside of her. She didn’t want to be that person. It was too much like her mother.
This was different, though. Kovit really was evil.
You’re just making excuses to justify your creepy craving, a snide part of her mind commented.
Shut up.
You’re really going to go there? Murder someone and then dissect them? When did you cross into serial killer territory?
SHUT UP.
Silence, except for the heavy sound of her own breathing. Finally, Nita rose and schooled her expression.
She couldn’t dissect Kovit. She ought to—he’d tortured Mirella, he’d killed who knew how many people. The only thing that awaited him was a horrid death. But she couldn’t.
She remembered his face over his homemade playing cards, talking her through her fear. She flexed the fingers she still had attached because he hadn’t gone through with Reyes’ orders. She thought of the shitty book he’d loaned her.
She couldn’t dissect him, because she knew him. She didn’t dissect people she knew.
Her fingers twitched for a scalpel.
Coward, her mind sneered. You can’t even be honest with yourself about your own decisions.
Nita ignored it.
Kovit watched her with wary eyes. “Have you decided to dissect, or not to dissect?”
“Was that an attempt at a Hamlet reference?” Nita gave him a confused look.
“No. I didn’t even think of that until you mentioned it.”
“Oh.” Nita swallowed.
He watched her with wary eyes. “Well?”
“No.” Nita let out a breath and lowered her hand. “I’m not going to dissect you.” Then she turned and walked away. “I’ll let Reyes decide what to do with you.”
“Is that supposed to cheer me up?” Kovit called out, but Nita had already gone.
Twenty
NITA DOUBLE CHECKED that the front door was locked, not because she believed it wasn’t, but just because she felt comforted seeing the lock and knowing there was an obstacle between her and Reyes.
Then she checked Kovit’s phone—Reyes’ number had to be in there. Maybe Nita could text her and lure her into a trap.
Nita found a recent text from Reyes. It read Customers coming at noon tomorrow. Have everything cleaned up.
Nita hesitated. What was supposed to be cleaned up? And how would Kovit respond to this? Nita opted for a simple Understood.
Then she put the phone down and plopped onto the chair. The phone vibrated, and Nita picked up again.
I will be there at eleven to make sure there’s no repeat of last time.
Nita wondered what happened last time, but she didn’t type anything except another Understood.
The phone didn’t buzz again.
Well, that was fine. Nita had a timeline. She could do this.
While she considered more effective ways to incapacitate Reyes besides a hammer or rope, she decided a shower would be good. She felt disgusting.
There was a tiny bathroom attached to this room. It was so small the showerhead was above the toilet bowl, and Nita had to straddle the toilet while she showered and still barely had room to turn around. She stepped into the shower fully dressed. She peeled off her clothes underneath the ice-cold water—what a fantastic idea. Who needed hot water out here anyway?
Once she was scrubbed and had fished her shirt out of the toilet—stupid design—she stepped out. She couldn’t find a towel, so she dried off with one of the shirts on the laundry line. They smelled clean—dirty things were very obvious in this kind of heat. She took a different black T-shirt and put it on.
Most of Kovit’s T-shirts were black or dark red. Probably to hide the bloodstains, Nita thought, and then pushed that idea away. She didn’t want to think about that.
She stole a pair of his jeans too, glad that he was skinny and lean. The waist was a bit too big, but the pants stayed up because she had hips where Kovit didn’t. The rest of it was a little baggy, but not ridiculously so. The legs were a bit short, stopping just above her ankles, but Nita didn’t care too much.
Finally clean, Nita lay down on the bed. She tried to think of a way she could lure Reyes into the cages instead of just hitting her, since that seemed fraught with dangers, but she was too exhausted and her mind so muddled that her eyes drifted closed before she could think of anything.
She didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she dreamed of Mirella’s death. In the dream, the scene where Mirella’s body was slammed into the ground by bullets was overlaid with the screams as Kovit tortured her. Her pink-gray hair stuck to her face, and her eyes stared out at Nita, wide and accusing. Why didn’t you help me? they asked.
Nita woke up silent. No screaming. No crying. Just woke.
She let out a breath and rose. She checked the phone. The middle of the night.
Sighing, she leaned back. She didn’t want to be left alone with these thoughts.
Unbidden, her eyes turned to the screen, where Kovit was still awake. He was making origami cranes with the pages of the terrible book.
She tapped a finger on her leg, then rose and went to see him.
He looked up when she approached. “Still here?”
“Obviously.”
He shrugged. “If I were you, I’d have been long gone by now.”
“I would too.” Nita sat down in front of his cage. “If only I had some money to pay for my ride out of here.”
A look of understanding crossed his face. “That’s why you came back.” Then he frowned. “I don’t have any money.”
“Really?”
“You already suspected as much, or you would have asked me earlier.” Kovit shook his head, then tilted it to the side. “You’re after Reyes’ money, aren’t you?”
Nita didn’t respond.
Kovit sighed. “Why? Just go pickpocket someone.”
“I don’t know how to pickpocket. And there’s no guarantee the amount would be sufficient.”
He frowned. “I think you’re making excuses.”
Nita was silent.
Kovit was quiet for a long time. Then, in a soft voice, he asked, “What happened?”
“Mirella is dead.” Nita’s jaw clenched.
“Oh.”
Nita raised her eyebrows, but Kovit’s expression was going v
acant. “Oh? That’s all you have to say?”
He gave her a poisonous look, and then deftly changed the subject. “So now you want to target Reyes? Out of vengeance?”
“No.” Nita pursed her lips. “Practicality.”
“Hmm,” he said, but it didn’t sound like he believed her.
The hum of the air conditioning unit droned in the background, overlaid by the buzz of cicadas outside.
“So,” Nita began, letting curiosity get the better of herself, “who did you piss off to end up here? I’ve been wanting to hear that story.”
Kovit laughed. “Have you, now?”
Nita shrugged, not hiding anything.
His eyes sparkled. “Well, I’m happy to tell you the story. But”—his grin widened, almost like a snake—“I’d like to hear yours first.”
“Mine?”
“Sure. How did someone whose mother gives her bodies to dissect end up on auction here?” He spread his arms, gesturing at the glass cage, like a square fishbowl.
Nita looked away, clenching her teeth. To tell him or not? Did it matter? She didn’t care what he thought of her, and she was curious to hear his story. She wasn’t sure how much of his story she’d be able to believe, but she wanted to hear it anyway.
“Fine.” Nita shrugged, feigning indifference. “It’s not much of a story. My mom sells unnatural body parts online. I cut the bodies up for sale.” She paused. “I used to cut the bodies up for sale.”
Kovit leaned forward, waiting.
“One day my mom brought me a living boy instead of a dead one. He wasn’t dangerous or anything, and I didn’t particularly want to kill him, so I let him escape. Mom wasn’t happy about it.” Nita waved at the room. “And here I am.”
“Your mom sold you?”
Nita was silent for a long moment. When the words came out, they were small and tight and angry. “Yes.”
Kovit’s expression had lapsed into something like a poker face. Nita had no idea what he was thinking.
She nodded to him. “Your turn.”
Kovit was silent a long time, watching her. Then he smiled, but it was a sad, very sane, normal smile. “I’m afraid my story isn’t too different from yours. I’ve been working for a certain crime family in the United States since I was about ten years old.”
Not Even Bones Page 14
