The room fell into a heavy silence, pressed against the walls and settled into the chest of those present in it. The only sound that remained was the steady ticking of the clock, each second stretching longer than it should.
Mathieu stood in front of her.
Annabelle sat still, her head lowered, her hands fidgeting with each other, fingers pinching and twisting as if she could disappear into herself if she tried hard enough. She looked small like that, like a child waiting for punishment.
Mathieu exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing just enough as he slid the gun back behind him.
"Are you ready to talk?"
No answer.
She shifted slightly, her gaze glued to the floor, her breathing uneven.
Mathieu tilted his head a little, watching her. "If you don't talk now," his voice dropping, "I'm going to make Karen make you talk."
That did it.
Annabelle's head snapped up immediately, panic flooding her face. "Please don't tell Ms. Benjamin!"
