"What is it?"
I glance over at Hogarth when she speaks up and take in her rigid posture and the way her eyes never leave the road in front of her, before realizing what I'd done and wincing, "Sorry, sorry, you're free of my command. I need to learn to watch what I say."
She immediately relaxes before glancing over at the paper and then back to the road, "So, what does it say?"
I look back down at letter, only to find it blank now. That's okay though, I won't be forgetting its contents any time soon. Folding up what is now just a piece of printer paper, I direct our conversation down another tangent, "I want us to build a strong relationship Jeri. One with a foundation of trust. I think that together, we can help each other for a long time to come. Don't you?"
She doesn't hesitate when she responds with a simple, "Sure." But she does sound… distracted.
Part of my doesn't want to question her, doesn't want to fall into a paranoid mindset where everyone is out to get me. Is it too much to hope for one character that will have my back despite me wearing Kilgrave's face? But a far larger part of me knows what everyone most definitely is out to get me and despite what I just said about a foundation of trust, I really can't afford it right now.
So with a sigh, I break my promise again, this time on purpose, "Now answer honestly Jeri."
Before she can even look at me her mouth is open and she's speaking, "There's no possible way we'll ever have a strong lasting relationship. I don't expect you to survive the month."
I grit my teeth together and find my hands are curling into fists. Noticing Jeri's hands growing white knuckled on the steering wheel, I speak up before she can do anything rash, "Pull over safely and stop the car, then stay absolutely still."
She freezes up after doing as I say and I spend a moment composing my thoughts before speaking again, "Tell me why you don't expect me to survive the month."
Jeri can't even turn her head to look at me as she answers truthfully, "I was planning on having you killed once you force Wendy to sign the divorce papers. A sniper could probably handle the job before the month is out."
I close my eyes and breath out slowly through my nose. After a moment my fingers come up to rub the bridge of it, "Were you always planning this? Tell the truth."
"No. I only started planning to kill you once I experienced your control first hand. When you had me threaten my life with that pen to freeze up Jessica. I don't like being made to feel powerless."
With a heavy sigh I slump a bit, "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Start the car back up. Drive us safely to my parent's motel, Albert, give her directions. And Jeri, stay quiet while doing it, I've got a lot to think about."