Chapter Nine
Emergence
The trip back was largely uneventful. Well, uneventful in the sense that nothing happened on the way back that didn’t on the way out. Maribeth set the pace again and I struggled to keep up with her, but while my body tried to match hers as a ponygirl, my freed mind roamed.
Janine. Who was this woman? Sure, she was married to Ryan and slaved to him, but how did I find out more about her? Gerard had already given me all he was going to tell. Then who did I ask? Ryan? No. Whenever the subject of Janine had arisen he closed up. Maura? No way would I ask her for help. Then who? Francesca? Chandler? One of the others?
“That’s it! That’s it, Velvet,” Maura called out. “Show us what you got.”
I glanced sidelong at Maribeth. It was worth it too when the whip cracked agai
