Chapter 16

Even with a knife pressed against him, Leo remained perfectly calm. His gaze stayed fixed on Phyllis, the corners of his lips curling ever so slightly, as if he were looking at a mischievous pet. He leaned forward to meet Phyllis' eyes. "Lissy, you're smart, but have you ever thought that maybe what I've wanted from the very beginning was you?" His fingertips easily pushed the scalpel aside. He stepped back slowly, took two steps toward the door, and left the room. Just like that? Phyllis was thrown off by his sudden departure, almost forgetting that she'd been planning to escape. When she tried pulling out the monitoring tubes connected to her, the glass door opened again. Leo walked in holding a gold-trimmed picture frame in one hand. Through the gap, she could just make out the faint outline of its edges. He gently turned the frame toward her. It was a pencil sketch of a woman's profile. She had long hair down to her waist and a small beauty mark by the corner of her eye. The