Chapter 57

• My heart thundered against my ribcage as I stood frozen, staring at the solid door of my cell like it might magically swing open. Less than an hour. That was all the time I had left to think of something anything that could pull me out of this nightmare. Alcott expected me to sign a forced confession under duress. Did he truly believe I’d parrot those lies in court later? He was delusional. There had to be a way out that didn’t involve being beaten into compliance. I just had to concentrate.
• My eyes flicked to the small, barred window near the ceiling. Being stuck in the basement meant the window had to be just above ground level. It was narrow, yes, but maybe just maybe I could squeeze through if I managed to open it.
• The bars looked old. Rusted. Weak.