seeped from her nose. Christ, that hurt. “Is that the best you can do?”
He hit her again, hard enough that she toppled out of her chair onto the floor. “How was that?” he asked, kneeling down beside her.
A solid blow to an already broken nose. Who knew that such an action could hurt so much? “I’m mildly impressed.”
Murdock motioned to Fischer and Powell, who yanked her up by her wrists and shoved her back into her chair. Blood dripped down onto the table. He paced back and forth in front of her. “I’m fascinated by you, Gerard. You’re much less whiny than I thought you would be. Still annoying, of course, but not the hysterical woman I expected.”
Caroline pulled her head up defiantly, remembering Bob’s final words to her. They gave her strength. “You’ll never break me, fuckface.”
His lips turned up. “Maybe not, but we’re going to try. My supervisors expect nothing less.” Murdock walked over to the bag in the corner of the room. “Do you know how many bones there are in the human hand?” he asked, his voice nonchalant. He spun back around and returned to the table, a claw hammer in his grip. “Twenty-seven.”
What had he just said? She couldn’t take her eyes off the tool hanging lazily at his side.
“Do you like this?” he asked. “Picked it up earlier today. Fiberglass. About twenty ounces. High visibility.” He smiled at her. “You’re not the only one who pays attention to details. I just prefer useless knowledge about weaponry and handheld implements as opposed to obscure twentieth century politicians.”
Damn it. He’d been listening in during her troll session with the FBI. He’d probably been watching her in her cell, too. Analyzing her weaknesses, waiting to spring them on her at the worst moments.
The hammer had a pink handle. She could remain calm. Turn this around on him. Put him on the defensive. “Yes, Jeffrey,” she said. “I’m quite impressed with your pretty princess tool set.”
She could have sworn that Fischer and Powell both smiled, but Murdock ignored her remark. “Some interrogators are partial to firearms or other means but I thought this would be a bit more…personal, given our previous relationship.” He motioned over to the two guards, each of whom took one of her arms.
Oh, fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.
He slammed the claw hammer down, leaving a large indentation in the center of the table. Twenty ounces of weight and hundreds of pounds of pressure could permanently disable a person. She flinched, and he laughed.
“Of course, over half the bones in the hand are fingers. Phalanges and such.” Murdock looked at Caroline gleefully. She was doing a shitty job of trying to hide her growing terror. “Unfortunately, I was informed that I’m not allowed to cut off any body parts. Otherwise I’d have purchased a saw. I am, however, allowed to break bones. Have you ever broken a bone, Gerard?” He laughed shortly, squeezing her cheek as she cried out in pain. “Oh. How silly of me. I guess we know the answer to that question.”
Caroline closed her eyes, struggling in the guards’ grip. Someone had to be watching. Someone would come in and stop this. This was not allowed, under any circumstances, for any sort of interrogation within the borders of the United States of America. Even benevolent dictators had rules….right?
Murdock laughed again. “You think you can get away somehow? Your smart mouth can’t save you all the time.” He turned to the men. “Hold her still. And you, Fischer, get a nice grip on her left wrist. I think we’ll start there.”
Powell twisted her right arm behind her back, pinning it there. He wrapped his free hand around her throat.
“Good,” Murdock said. “I have to tell you, Caroline. I’ve never done this before. I’ve practiced, of course. But I’m so glad you get to be here for my first time. A mutual deflowering, we’ll call it.”
That last comment was meant to make her think about more than broken bones. The panic started to consume her. She couldn’t – she had to remain calm. It wouldn’t be so bad. But oh God, that hammer. It was so fucking big. He would destroy her hand. She couldn’t let him –
“Stop,” she whispered.
Murdock placed the hammer behind his back. “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”
“Have courage, sunshine. I’ll see you on the other side.”
Bob. Where was he now? Dead, gone, still suffering? He’d resisted them. She was obligated to do the same.