The flight back to Canada was quiet. Oliver and Bethany sat on opposite sides of the plane. They separated Ben and me. They ignored each other and just made the odd snarky comment.
We go back to Canada, but I don't know how long this fight between Oliver and Bethany will last. This will delay Ben and I's departure.
When they fight, they separate the two of us. I just had to focus on what was important: I was getting off that island.
We landed at a Canadian airport. Oliver handed me the dark sunglasses. We stepped out of the plane and several staff were unloading our luggage from the plane. A worker pulled Oliver's car up to us. He got out of the car and handed the keys to Oliver.
"Get in the car," he said to Bethany.
"No," she said.
"Beth, let's talk," he said.
"No." She shook her head. "I'm not going home with you. We have nothing else to talk about."
She pulled the ring off her finger. She threw it at Oliver and it bounced off his chest. He tried to catch it but missed and it fell into the overgrown area.
"You're overreacting," Oliver said. He reached out to grab her, but she took a step back. He lowered his head and bit his lip. "Come on, Beth. Please, don't do this."
"I'll call a taxi," she said. "Let's go, Ben." She turned to one of the workers. He nodded and grabbed two bags from the trunk of Oliver's car. He wheeled them into the building. Bethany looked at us with tear-filled eyes and walked away.
Ben turned pale. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He turned and followed Bethany into the building.
"Get in, Diana," said Oliver.
I nodded and got into the passenger seat. Oliver got down on his hands and knees and searched the grass. I looked at the steering wheel, but the key wasn't hanging from the ignition like I'd hoped. I searched around the driver's seat, but there was nothing there.
Oliver returned to the car. I straightened up and fastened the seat belt over my chest. He got into the driver's seat. He tossed Bethany's engagement ring into the cup holder.
He drove us back to his house in silence. He gave me a strange look, but I didn't notice because I was too focused on staring out the window. I tried to remember the way out of Oliver's house.
"Wait for me," Oliver said as he pulled into the driveway. He walked around to my side of the car and opened the door. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me out of the car. I wrapped my hands around his wrists and gritted my teeth.
"Let me go!" I shouted.
He pulled me into the house by my hair. My scalp burned and I clutched Oliver's hand. My feet stumbled as he pulled me down the stairs to the basement. I reached for the railing, but Oliver caught my wrist with his other hand. He pushed me to the floor. I screamed as I blocked it with my elbow. My arms ached and tears filled my eyes.
"Diana, what are you thinking about?" Oliver asked. I looked up through blurred vision to see Oliver towering over me. I folded my arms across my chest and rolled onto my back.
"I'm sorry," I cried.
"How many times have you done this?" he asked.
"What?"
"How many times have you slept with Ben?"
"Just that once. Just that night."
Oliver took a deep breath. I put my hands on the floor, pain shooting up my arms. I hissed, pushing myself up with my other arm. Oliver's eyes were wide open as he knelt down.
"Let me see your arms," he said.
"No," I said.
I tried to push myself away from Oliver. He grabbed my arms and kneed my legs. I squeezed my eyes shut as I pressed his fingers into my elbows.
"Bend your elbows," he said.
I clenched my fists and flexed my arms. A sharp pain shot up my arm. I pushed my hand in and out, warm tears streaming down my cheeks. "Very well," said Oliver. "It's not broken, just scratched."
He pulled me up. He kept his arms around me. We walked into my room. He helped me sit on the edge of the bed.
"Stay here," he said.
He left the room. I squirmed, trying to look at my throbbing elbow. The skin has not changed color yet. Oliver returned to my room and placed the suitcase next to me.
"Do you need me to help you change clothes?" He rushed out of the room and slammed the door.
I rummaged through my suitcase. I immediately changed into a set of pajamas. I shuffled across the hall and into the room with the TV. I collapsed on the couch and grabbed the remote. I searched various channels until I found the message.
Ben was my ticket out of trouble. He has built trust with his professors. But now all may be gone. If Oliver and Bethenny get back together, they won't trust Ben around me. I can't rely on Ben anymore.
I had to hope that the world was still looking for me.
News anchors joke about celebrity feuds. The screen switches to a weather report, then a man in a helicopter talking about traffic conditions. Each story passed by and my heart sank into my chest, but not a single story was about me.
I can't bear this disappointment anymore. I stood up from the sofa and walked over to the bookshelf, holding a movie collection in my hand. I dug through them and grabbed a bunch of black and white movies. I put one in. I put a stack of movies on the coffee table. When I got back to the couch I wrapped myself in a blanket. I tried to calm my worries and let my mind go blank. I had just started my second movie when I heard the stairs creak.
Oliver walked into the room. I didn't recognize him at first. I was used to seeing him in a clean cut dress shirt and pants with a lab coat on top. Now he shuffles into the room, wearing sweatpants and a stained T-shirt. He had a bottle of beer in his hand. He tossed the pizza box onto the coffee table. He sat down on the lounge chair and stretched.
"Have you talked to Dr. Phillips?" I asked. "She won't answer my calls." He took a swig of beer. "You really messed this up."
"What did I do? We didn't lie to you."
Bethany cheated on him with Ben, but I knew to keep my mouth shut.
"You're embarrassing us," Oliver said.
"Then why did you two break up?" I asked.
Oliver shrugged and took another drink.
"You have to keep calling her," I said. "She's going to get over this, but you can't give up."
"Is this so you can see Ben again?" he asked.
"No." I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. "You look like you're in pain. I just want you to feel better."
Oliver chuckled and took another sip of beer.
"Bess won't make me feel better," he said. "I don't need her anymore. I have you. You'll help me."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I hope you really spent all your time studying. You're going to need it tomorrow night." "You're not going to have surgery already, are you?"
"Well, that's my plan. Tomorrow night we're going out to find my new patient."
"us?"
I jumped off the couch. My fingers were curled so tightly into the blanket that my knuckles ached. Oliver raised his eyebrows.
"I wouldn't do that," I said. "I won't help you kidnap innocent people."
"You have no choice," he said.
"Or what?" I asked. "You're not going to kill me. I really have everything you have now, especially now that you don't have Bethenny."
Oliver reached into the front pocket of his shirt. He took out a small card and smiled.
"58 Livingston Avenue," he said. "Is this your address?"
My jaw dropped and Oliver chuckled. I squinted and saw him holding my driver's license.
"If you don't want to help me find new patients, I can always find your family," he said. "It's nice to see your mother again, isn't it? You said your sister was it? You said your sister was a nurse. It would be very helpful if she survives."
"You can't kidnap them. The police will figure it out. They'll track you down."
"No, they won't. They haven't found you yet, have they?"
I took a sharp breath. Tears burned my eyes.
"How did you do it?" I asked. "I mean, I'm the twelfth man. How can you get away with it?"
"Outside help," Oliver said. “I hired people to help me.
I think back to that night when I was walking home from practice. A hand suddenly reached out and covered my mouth, and my arm suddenly squeezed. I struggled to free myself as I fell into unconsciousness. I have never met this person.
"You didn't kidnap me?" I asked.
"No."
Then why do you need me? ” I asked. “Why don’t you hire this guy again?” "
Oliver stood up from the recliner and sighed. He took just a few steps before he tripped.
"I lost touch," he said. He opened the lid of the pizza box on the coffee table. He picked up the remaining piece and took a bite. "You better get some sleep, kitten. Tomorrow is going to be a big day."
