I managed a tight smile. “You’re right. He did. And he may not survive this encounter with her.”
Shaking his head, Skinner commented, “I’d rather she didn’t kill him. You know that. If she does, I sure hope it’s an iron clad case of self-defense.”
“That asshole kidnapped her,” I growled. “How much more iron clad can it get?”
He stared me in the eye. “You know what I mean, Brody. She might decide to kill him even if he can’t defend himself.”
“I think you know Lindsey better than that.”
“I hope I do.”
My cell rang, startling me. My hands shook so hard I barely picked it up to look at the screen.Please, Lindsey, please be calling me.The call was from a number I didn’t recognize. “Yeah?”
“Hiya, bro,” Austin said cheerfully. “How’s it hanging?”
My anger surged. “Where’s Lindsey, you fucker? What have you done with her?”
Skinner stood, pacing around the table to listen as best he could. I didn’t cover the speaker and held my phone slightly away from my ear so he might hear better.
“She’s safe, man, just chill. You got my cash?”
“Yeah. Where do I meet you? When?”
He chuckled. “I told Lindsey you lied to her. Poor thing still believes in you.”
“Where, dammit? And if you hurt her, I swear to God you’ll die a very painful death.”
“Chill, baby. Bring the cash to the intersection of the interstate and Highway Twelve. There’s a little store there. One hour. And no cops. I see or smell a cop, Lindsey’s dead.”
He hung up.
Instantly, Skinner got on his cell and called up the phone people. I paced, restless, hoping, daring to think Austin used his cell and we knew exactly where he was. Skinner’s face fell.
“Okay, thanks.”
He looked at me. “Rivers didn’t use his own phone. Probably used a burner.”
I grabbed my truck’s smart key off the counter. “I know where he’ll be in an hour.”
“Brody, you can’t go. Leave it to us, the police.”
“You heard him. He suspects you’re around, Lindsey’s dead.”
“At least let us put a wire on you.”
“Nope. And don’t follow me, Skinner.” I gave him look for look. “You get Lindsey killed, I won’t sue you. I’ll kill you.”
“Brody –”
Ignoring him, I charged from the house and into my truck, roaring down the street before he got to his vehicle. Of course, he could follow me. Of course, he knew where the drop was. All I could do was hope he and his cops stayed out of it.
Austin Rivers would die this night.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lindsey
Straining, my shoulders burning with agony, my wrists bleeding, I slowly edged two fingers into my pocket. My cell, uncooperative, slid to one side, evading my fingers. Not willing to take a break and rest, gather new resolve, I chased it, seeking to catch it between my index and second fingers. I forced it against the seam where it stayed, stuck.
