chains made of steel

answered, he

s voice was tight, clipped

"Something you probably di

," he said, ignori

wick. Talk to my lawyer. Oh wait, I don't h

ndmother,

t Johnna which fork to use without making her feel small. The only person in that cold

Johnna asked, h

asking for you. She's agitated. The

ew it was a trap. But it was a trap baited wi

e you?" s

ur phone," he sa

as idling at the curb, looking menacingly out o

ou," she

w," he

rgency and would be back in the morning. She walked

terior smelled of leather and Chadwick. He was sitting on t

aint-stained trousers, the sim

ry lets you dress l

the work, not the di

picked up a velvet box from the sea

is t

. Give it to her. Tell h

er. The green was deep, translucent, oily-Imperial Jade. She kne

r happiness?" Johnna ask

thinks we're happy. She doesn't know about the fil

e to lie,"

be kind," Chad

mptons. The drive was long. The silence in the back seat wa

took a sharp turn,

ned. Chadwick didn't move. She saw h

silence after an hour. "You

ndow at the passing tree

ht she was answering phones, let him. It made her r

said awkwardly. "It

nded like he was talking to a chi

ate. The gravel crunched under the tires. The main house loomed ahead,

t. The Golden Cage. She had escaped it for t

d. The driver

. She took a deep breath, fixing a fake, ser

-