She was bored with watching cartoons; that was all she had done since Hammer carried her into the small house. He wouldn’t even let her go outside to play, despite how many times she asked. Tugging the Teddy bear that Hammer had given her closer, she rubbed her cheek against the soft fur, pretending it was Trudy.
She didn’t even raise her head when she heard a soft knock on the door, having become used to Hammer’s friends coming to talk to him or to use the shower.
None of his friends talked to her, making her miss Trudy even more. Her sister would have been able to talk Hammer into letting them go outside to play and get his friends to play with them. Trudy was good at games, much better than she was. She always messed up and got in trouble when she played the games the wrong way.
“We need to talk.”
Evangeline trembled at the voice of the man who had come to the door. He had been in the boat when Hammer had finally let her sit up.
Evangeline didn’t want to tell Hammer that the stranger gave her an icky feeling. What if she told Hammer she didn’t like his friend? Would Hammer get mad at her? She really didn’t want to get him mad at her. Since she had been staying with him, he had let her eat anything she wanted and watch as many cartoons as she wanted. She had asked him if he had a little girl, and he had told her he didn’t. She bet he would make a good daddy. She wished he was her daddy. She didn’t like hers, and she really, really didn’t like her mother. She didn’t miss them at all like she missed her sister and grandmother.
Her stomach flipped. What did the man she didn’t like want to talk about that he didn’t want her to hear? Was he going to talk about Trudy and didn’t want her to know? He was using the same tone of voice her mother and father used when they didn’t want her and Trudy listening in to what they were saying.
Evangeline made sure she didn’t move as footsteps approached the bed.
“She’s asleep. We can go outside.” Hammer’s low voice trailed away as he moved away from the bed.
After she heard the door open and close behind them, she stayed still until she was sure that neither man was coming back. Carefully opening her eyes, she made sure she was alone in the room before sliding out of bed.
Hammer hadn’t let her go outside to play, but he had let her play wherever she wanted inside. Hurrying up the narrow flight of steps in the small cabin, she crawled along the loft to a tiny window. Sitting under the window, she slowly pushed the window open a crack before wrapping her arms around her knees to listen.
“What in the fuck in going on, Commander? There was supposed to be a female officer sent to relieve me two weeks ago. I was only supposed to be here one day, two at the max.”
Evangeline tightened her arms around her knees at the bad word Hammer used. It was one of the words that Trudy told her was very bad when Manny once used it in front of them.
“There’s been a change in plans.”
“What change? And why wasn’t I notified before now?”
“I decided that it was better to wait. I didn’t want any inquiries about why we needed a female officer until the child’s death was accepted. It would have been too suspicious for a female officer suddenly being ordered to go off the grid.”
“That wouldn’t have been a problem if you had chosen a female member for the team, which I and the others have been saying we need.”
“Are you questioning my decisions concerning the team?”
“No, I’m not questioning your decisions; I just don’t like them.”
Evangeline jumped at Hammer’s raised voice.
“Don’t make me write you up for insubordination. You wouldn’t like it if I did. There are worse jobs to do other than playing babysitter.”
She shivered at the threat that even she could understand. Hammer must have heard it too because he acted more courteous, like Trudy did when she got in trouble with their parents.
“Yes, sir.”
Evangeline thought that Hammer was finished talking to the mean commander and was about to sneak back downstairs. Getting on her knees, she started to crawl away, then froze in place when Hammer started talking again.
“Did everything go as expected?”
“Yes, as far as everyone is concerned, Evangeline is dead, as well as the pilot. Trudy was the only one successfully recovered from the plane crash.”
“Then my replacement’s on her way?”
“Not exactly.”
“What do you mean not exactly?”
“There has been a change in plans, as I said, one that ultimately rests in your hands.”