lips came together in a humorous show of defiance.
“Primarily,” Mason began, walking around her chair, “the tongue receives its blood supply from a branch of the carotid artery.” He skimmed the blade over her neck. “You know, this one.” He moved the scalpel and placed his fingers on her neck. “Right now, I feel your pulse. It’s hammering like a drum. If I gave you the smack you want, it would slow.”
The mention of the heroin changed her focus. “What do you want to know?”
“When did you see Nancy?”
“When she lived in Dad’s basement.”
“She lived in the basement?” I asked.
Her gray eyes came to me. “She was his pet.”
I had never thought I’d feel anything but abhorrence for Nancy Pierce, but there was something in Zella’s tone that put a crack in that assumption. I made a mental note to have the basement searched.
Mason ran the scalpel across Zella’s neck, not penetrating the skin. “You said was his pet. What happened?”
“You know how it is with bitches? They run away.”
“Is that what happened? Maples was housing and feeding her, probably supplying her with dope. Why would she leave?”
“Maybe she was in heat.” She laughed at her own joke. “Maybe she got tired of his dick in her ass.”
This time Mason pushed the scalpel deep into her thigh. Her scream filled the air.
“Answer the fucking question.”
Zella shook her head. “I can’t. I ain’t supposed to say.”
“Then tell me what you know about her receiving money.”
“The bitch spent it or lost it. Daddy said she had a sugar daddy paying her, but when that ran out and no one would pay for her smelly cunt anymore, she ended up on his doorstep.”
“What was the sugar daddy paying her for?” I asked.
Zella sneered my direction. “Not her loose cunt. She said the money would just show up twice a year until it didn’t.”
“Show up where?” I asked.
“Figure it out. I don’t know, maybe under her pillow like the fucking tooth fairy.”
I exhaled. “What was she being paid for?”
“I’ll tell you if you give me the snow.” She narrowed her gaze. “How do I know it’s real?”
Mason brought the baggie from his pocket, licked his finger and placed it in the bag. Bringing it out, he took his finger to her lips. Without direction, she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue.
He laughed, pulling his finger away. “It’s real and it’s good.”
Zella’s breathing quickened. “The Mexican girl. I don’t know who paid for her, but that cunt sold her.” She looked up at Mason. “She never gave two shits about any of you.”
It wasn’t much more than we already knew, but it was confirmation.
“Where did Nancy go?” I asked.
“Like I said, I can’t say.”
“Why?” Mason said, walking in front of her. “What will happen? Will someone kill your daddy, take your kid, and then kill you?”
Her cheeks paled with the realization that was all happening. “You’re going to kill me anyway, you piece of shit,” she spoke defiantly. “Why the fuck would I tell you anything?”
“You’re right. You’re going to die. It can either happen with this smack in your system, or I will continue this little carving session, add a few of my favorites like cutting off a finger or toe and pulling a few of your rotten teeth. Then, I’ll give you just enough heroin to keep you awake as we leave and the rats finish the job.”
Her eyes widened. “What about Gordy?”
“That’s the first time you’ve asked about him,” I said. “Do you care?”
“Yeah, I care. You killed his daddy. If you kill me, who’ll take care of him?”
“Where is Nancy?” Mason asked as he made a long slit over her thigh.
“Daddy sold her.”
“To who?”
“I don’t know their names.”
Mason made another cut in the other thigh as the screech from the nearby facility returned.
“Make it stop,” Zella screamed.
“What did they look like?” Mason asked, speaking above the screech.
Reid
Turning off the hot spray of water, I inhaled, hoping the residual offending odors from the warehouse had disappeared down the drain, along with the copious amount of soap and shampoo that I’d used. My ribs ached, but not as much as even earlier in the day. Prior to the shower, I’d removed the bandages the doctor had placed. Reaching for a towel, I wrapped it around my waist, noticing above the enduring ringing in my ears from the loud screech at the warehouse that the nearby shower had also stopped.
By the time Romero drove Mason and I back to the tower, the