Unexpected: Day 16

Word Count: 109,002

Summary of Events:

Meinwen watched out her window as the yacht she was in approached a city, where it docked; she and Dr. Stiles were put into a car and driven around the city enough for Meinwen to confirm she had arrived in Jamaica before being put in a cell in the basement of a warehouse. She texted Hilton, as she was sure she'd arrived at her final destination, as well as asking him if he was aware of the ongoing manhunt. Unaware, Hilton became alarmed and wanted to depart immediately, but because it was closer to midnight than morning, he made himself wait before being graciously offered by Kerri's father transportation to Jamaica in his private helicopter. After lunch, Meinwen was taken up to an office, where she was presented to a woman who, because of her commanding presence, Meinwen presumed was the leader of the group which had kidnapped Dr. Stiles . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

The woman nodded, the shifting of her head revealing that the tight, precise cornrows on her head were gathered back into a ponytail.

“Where do you come from?” the woman asked. “And what did that man do to you to make you come after him?”

Meinwen presumed the woman was referring to Dr. Stiles, and the amount of venom with which she spat out her chosen term for him surprised Meinwen.

“I’m from Wales,” Meinwen replied, despite her nerves. “And I’m in this situation because I answered a telephone box that was ringing. The caller on the other end told me that, that his life was in danger.”

Before she could continue, the woman spoke what Meinwen was sure was a name with similarly venomous contempt before swearing. She then snapped her head up from where it’d been gazing to look Meinwen in the eye critically.

“Who did you tell?” she demanded angrily.

“I managed to determine which hotel… he was staying in,” Meinwen replied. “So I left him a note of warning, but he misinterpreted it, so I tried to contact him to clarify the situation, but unfortunately was unsuccessful. When he was kidnapped, I was forced to flee myself because I was believed to be involved.”

The upset on the woman’s face had faded as Meinwen had spoken, and been replaced with intrigue, that, with Meinwen now silent, shifted to pleasure.

“Wouldn’t he be so glad to know that his feeble efforts have given me the perfect scapegoat,” the woman said. “And with a story so insane no one will ever believe it.”

Meinwen felt her internal organs contract in horror. She actually regretted telling the truth.

“How decent of him, despite his efforts to act against me,” the woman said. “In the end, he acted for me, as he ought, and gave me someone to send to prison for life as a murderess, closing the case without my once being suspected or molested.”

“Why do you mean to kill him?” Meinwen asked, the further horror that rose in her compelling her to speak.

“What?” the woman asked, looking curious. “Do you care about that man?”

“Well, no,” Meinwen admitted. “But even if he has made me feel uncomfortable considering our age difference, Dr. Stiles hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Immediately the woman surged to her feet. “Do not utter that name!”

Meinwen recoiled at the volume and savagery of the woman’s voice, and her facial expression.

The man who’d escorted her to the room slapped Meinwen on the face hard, leaving her cheek stinging.

“That man most certainly did do wrong,” the woman spat with what seemed a double measure of venom. “And I mean to take his life as recompense for the life he took.”

Meinwen startled. This woman believed Dr. Stiles had killed someone?

“Who did he kill?” Meinwen asked.

“You don’t need to know any more,” the woman replied sharply. “You will go back to your cell and wait until I am finished.”