Chapter 43

Nick was led to the stairs. Again, he tried to make his feet keep pace, but he stumbled and tripped more than he walked under his own steam. The room he was taken to made his heart flip right along with his stomach. It was the same suite he and Todd had stayed in. He could see through the bedroom door that the wide, lattice headboard bed was gone, as were the comfortable chairs and couch in the sitting area.

Two long tables filled the one end of the room to the right of the door. To the left, in front of the fireplace was a round table with a few chairs surrounding it and next to it, an armchair. In the part of the bedroom Nick could see, there were single-person cots bolted to the floor with chains anchored to each corner. Nick was taken to the middle of the room. One of the officers watched him while the other went back into the hall. Nick swayed on his feet, standing by nothing more than sheer will, refusing to give them the satisfaction of collapsing.