Tessa shook her head. “No, I don’t have anyone. My dad took off when I was young, and my mom died four years ago.”
Theresa sighed. “I have a husband, but I’m guessing he moved on, too.”
Emily shook her head. “No, I don’t have anyone. My parents died, and the state put me into the foster system when I was young.”
“Do you have a family?” Mindy asked her.
Ella shook her head. “No, I was abandoned behind an old warehouse when I was two or three.”
“Oh, God. What kind of mother does that?” Theresa exclaimed.
The girls jumped when someone pounded on the floor of the room.
“Whores, clean up. Guys don’t want skanky smelly twats.”
Ella looked at the others and saw their shame. “Guys, don’t let them psyche you out. They’re trying to make us feel as bad as we can about ourselves.”
The girls livened up and got to their feet.
“Come on, Ella,” Emily said as she struggled to stand.
“You need more rest, honey.”
Emily shook her head. “I can’t. He won’t let me.”
That motherfucker is going to die.
They crammed into a bathroom and undressed. Ella wanted to cry when she saw all the marks on the women.
She whispered to Emily. “Does he have a camera in here?”
Emily shook her head but put her finger to her lips. “He has a listening device, though,” she mouthed.
“Turn on the shower,” Ella said, “And then the bathroom sink full blast.”
She pulled the girls close. “See if you can find any weapons at all.”
“They will be hard to hide,” Mindy said. “Teddy makes us wear flimsy outfits, and if he gives us coats, we have to give them back when we walk in the house.”
“Do they check you over?” Ella asked.
“Not anymore,” Bridget said.
“We’re going to get out of here. I’ll do whatever I need to.”
“I heard one of the men talking when he was drunk,” Rachel said. “I don’t know if it’s true or not, but Teddy has explosives in here, and if the cops or trouble comes, the guys will leave and then blow us all up.”
The women started shaking.
“We’ll figure it out. Let’s get washed quick,” Ella said.
Theresa hugged her tightly. “Thank you. We ran out of hope a long time ago. It feels good.”
“You’re welcome. If anything happens to me and I’m alive, I will come back and get you.”
Theresa blinked her tear-filled eyes and smiled. Ella saw the emotions and almost broke down. She had to get out of there and help these women. One way or another.
Chapter Five