with a phone against his ear. “Cyrus pulled one of the secretaries’ jaw off. I don’t know what her status is. She passed out because of the pain or is shocked out.”
“Which secretary, Doc? We’re trying to account for as many people as we can.”
“The one that works over near HR, brown hair, about fifty. Kyle Snyder is unconscious in the hall. Wait, Cyrus is talking to someone on the phone.”
“That would be us. He says he wants to talk to you. They’re going to patch him through, but we’ll have people on monitoring the calls. You need to stall him, Doc. There are guards down all over the place and a full-on riot in Cell Block C. I’m thinking this wasn’t a coordinated effort, but Macmillan capitalized on it, just like the other two in the bird’s nest. The techs are ready to patch you through now.”
“What am I supposed to say?” Jeremiah stared down the hall, making eye contact with Macmillan.
“Do your doctor thing, man. Just keep him talking as long as you can.” The line clicked several times, and he knew the second someone connected him to Macmillan. He could hear heavy breathing across the connection.
“You wanted to talk to me?” He held the phone to his ear as he stared at Cyrus.
“What a very fortunate turn of events for you, Doctor.” Cyrus’ head cocked to the side and his eyes narrowed. “You know, I thought you’d left the penitentiary. We haven’t visited in years.”
“I learned my lesson, and you satisfied my curiosity.” Jeremiah glanced up at the clock, noting the time. How the fuck long did they want him to stall this man?
“Which is particularly interesting because you did nothing but tweak my curiosity. In fact, over these past years, I have done nothing more than run that scene in the interview room through my head. The mistakes I made, such a shame. You should be dead. I should have snapped your neck instead of trying to strangle you.” Macmillan cocked his head. “Did the FBI agent die?”
Jeremiah leaned against the door jamb. “You know the answer to that. If he had, they would have charged you with another death.”
Cyrus laughed, “Oh, Doctor, what difference would it make? I have only one life to serve and seventeen life sentences. Executions are on hold in this state. They’d bang the gavel and then march me back to my box to live in solitude. It’s a shame, you know. FBI Agent Docker and you, Doctor Jeremiah Wheeler, are the only two victims I tried to kill who are still alive.”
Jeremiah blinked at the man’s words. Docker, yes, that was the man’s name, but Cyrus would have only heard it once when they were all introduced as he entered the interview room. “Sorry to disrupt your plans.”
Cyrus smiled at him. “Disrupted? No. Delayed? Perhaps. That depends on what happens here today, doesn’t it? I’m bored. The woman is going to be my distraction. I want you to watch. If you don’t, it will be so much worse for her and the man.”
“You don’t want to do this.” His hand shook as he held the phone tight to his ear.
“Oh, but I do. I assure you I do,” Cyrus chuckled. “If the morons who run this establishment hurry, she will not have to suffer long. Ten or twelve hours if they take their time. I have coffee and snacks. I’ll be fine.” He held up the metal door guard of the vending machine. “Sharp stuff, but dull, too. It will make jagged cuts. Don’t you love jagged cuts? I do, but not as much as the sharp straight ones that bleed freely. I wonder if I can strip her skin from her. Strange, I’ve never tried that, and I have plenty of time. Remember now, you will watch. If I see you aren’t, I’ll move on to the man and torture them both. Your choice, Doctor. Eyes wide open.” Macmillan dropped the receiver and moved back to the woman.
“Please tell me you have someone coming in.”
“Doc, we’re trying,” the guard’s voice echoed in his ear. “We have cameras on him.”
Jeremiah held his breath as Cyrus stripped the woman. He flipped her onto her stomach and…
She lasted nine hours. Cyrus drew pictures on the wall with her blood. Jeremiah dropped the phone three hours into the ordeal and tried to watch but not see. It was impossible. The screams, the pleading, and then finally Cyrus’ soft singing as she died haunted