He looked concerned.
Almost gentle.
“You collapsed.”
“Where am I?”
“Somewhere safe.”
Tess tried to stand.
He stopped her.
“You can’t go outside.”
“Why?”
His answer began the real imprisonment.
“They’re looking for you.”
Tess thought he meant rescue teams.
She was wrong.
Michael told her that local residents were furious she had entered protected land.
That people had seen her photographing sacred places.
That armed men were searching the canyon.
At first, Tess did not believe him.
Then she heard dogs.
Shouting.
Gunshots.
Footsteps above.
She panicked.
Michael calmly locked the door.
“Stay down.”
He told her he would protect her.
Every day, more sounds came through the walls.
Angry voices.
Dogs.
Sometimes screaming.
Tess came to believe search parties outside were not searching to rescue her.
They were hunting her.
What she did not know was that powerful speakers had been hidden behind the soundproofing.
Michael controlled everything she heard.
