“Holy shit. That was amazing,” I said and tried to jerk around in my chair as well but I only came out resembling a dead fish.
She laughed at me and then put her hands on mine ripping the duct tape from my arm. “I learn all the good stuff on YouTube, and I tried to tell him the tape wasn’t effective.”
Vonnie jerked my second hand free of the tape, pulling all the hair off my arm. Shit. It hurt.
I’d lose way too much hair if I started jerking the way she had, and I couldn’t guarantee I’d be quiet about it. We heard another thud above us and we both froze.
“What now?” I had just about my limit of bullshit for the day. The next person who tried to kidnap me would get an ear full. In that moment, I understood why Vonnie wanted to yell at someone.
Right then, however, she smiled. “That, my friend, is our rescue. Which is good because I’m not sure my ass would’ve fit through those tiny windows.”
“Me either. Whoever designed them didn’t have a basement escape in mind,” I said, proud of how calm I sounded. It wasn’t the case on the inside.
Vonnie nodded and tapped me on the shoulder, an indicator she thought I’d done a good job.
The stairs to the first floor behind us shook and rattled as something large bounded down them. We both twisted, ready to meet whatever happened next. I reached for my chair, looking for something I could chuck at an old or new kidnapper.
Except it wasn’t the man who taped us to the chairs but one who came to rescue us from them. Albeit a little too late. Still, his lack of a rescue didn’t stop me from running and jumping into his arms. Riley hugged me as I hung from his neck, and the gun he carried with him rested on my back as he squeezed me forcefully.
Vonnie stood behind us, and then Riley took a step away and pulled her chair weapon from her hands. “I don’t think so.”
“I can’t believe you found us,” I said, still hanging on to him even though we were no longer in a deep embrace. He let me slip down his body until I hovered on my feet.
We were already up two stairs when he turned to look at me and then tipped my head up so he stared into my eyes. “Babe, I’ll always rescue you.”
“Technically, I rescued us,” Vonnie said as we reached the top of the staircase.
Riley kicked the door open with his foot. It led into a kitchen where three men lay on their sides secured by thick bright yellow rope.
“Sick rope,” Vonnie said. “Nice touch. It cuts into the wrist.”
I glanced at Riley as he stared at Vonnie. “She’s nuts,” I whispered.
“I know.” His smile grew. Maybe he was as well since he took down three men, tied them up, and left them in the kitchen while he rescued his non-girlfriend in the basement. “Also, I am your boyfriend and you didn’t need to rush me into anything. This has taken years too long.”
“How did you hear that?” I asked.
Riley put his arm over my shoulders and brought me into his chest. “Babe.”
“What are we going to do with them?” Vonnie asked as she stepped over Derek’s body and shook her head totally in a “told you so” way. “You heard him. He only has enough room to bury two more bodies and we have three of them.”
The man in question squirmed on the floor, wiggling his body on the dirty kitchen tiles.
“I called the local police. They’re en route,” Riley said, walking with me toward the living room.
Vonnie hovered over the body, frowning. “That’s boring.”
25
RILEY
“Are you sure she’ll be okay?” Cass asked as we stood shoulder to shoulder outside the balcony of the cheap hotel where I’d reserved a room for the evening.
I was exhausted and not particularly looking to returning to Pelican Bay to answer a lot of questions. In some ways, it was better to send Vonnie along first. She’d spin a good story.
Cassandra waved to Vonnie in the back seat of the squad car as the officer started it up. Vonnie waved back, but she wasn’t as enthusiastic. She was not happy with being kicked out early.
“Yes, Officer Daniels and Ridge have worked together in the past. He’ll get her home safely.”
