She was getting out of here. To hell with the consequences. She’d had it with the lies and the false hopes. This time she was leaving for real. But she had to hurry. They’d be coming for her soon, and she’d need every second of a head start she could get. She prayed for a ten-minute lead, but doubted she had a chance for that. Seven, then. Whatever. As she fumbled with the button on her shorts, she tried not to see the deep purple bruises on her arms. Ooh, sorry. We’re almost there. You sure have tiny veins. Sure, blame her veins. Forget about the railroad spikes they called needles. Now there was a favor she’d like to return one day. When they yelled and cussed at her to be careful, she’d be sure to smile and tell them in that soft voice that it was really for their own good. See how they liked it. Let somebody else be their chemistry set for a while. With her pants on and fastened, and her T-shirt in place, Nicki slung her purse over her shoulder and moved tentatively to the door, pausing a beat to thumb the TV remote that was part of the call button that was looped around the side rail of her bed.
