Something hard cracked me on the back of the head. It was painful enough to make my vision go blurry for a moment. I reached up to grab the back of my head only to find my hands captured as I was yanked to my feet.
I wobbled, feeling dizzy and slightly nauseous.
That wasn’t good.
I saw a hospital emergency room in my future…if I had a future.
“Sal!” It wasn’t a scream like before, but it produced better results.
“Get your hands off him!”
I whimpered as I turned my head to see Sal standing there, gun in hand and pointed right at the man who was keeping me from running to the safety of Sal’s arms.
“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Sal said in the coldest voice I had ever heard.
I was really glad it wasn’t directed at me.
It wasn’t until Burke and Clarke appeared with guns drawn that the meathead holding me let me go. The moment I felt his hand lift off my arms, I bolted across the room to where Sal was. I was so happy to see him I could have cried.
Instead of taking me into his arms where I wanted to be, the man pushed me behind him.
“Sal.”
I was not a happy camper.
“Go to the alley, Lany,” Sal said without looking away from the men he was holding off at gun point. “Lyn and Eddie are waiting out back in the car for you.”
“Sal—”
“Now, Lany!”
It wasn’t frustration or anger that made Sal’s voice so harsh. It was pure fear. It was a tone I never wanted to hear in Sal’s voice again.
“Okay, Sal.” I brushed my hand over his back—the need to touch him overwhelming—before turning and heading toward the back of the gallery.
It killed me to leave, but I knew Sal would be too worried about me to do his job properly. The best thing I could do was get to a secure location so Sal could handle the situation and take the bad guys down.
And maybe shoot them in the foot…or something. I wouldn’t be thrilled with the paperwork involved, but it might be worth it.
I walked calmly as I could with fear coursing through me until I reached the hallway, and then I ran like my pants were on fire. I wanted out of the gallery. I wished Sal could come with me, but that wasn’t going to happen and I knew it.
I spotted the SUV as soon as I stepped into the alleyway. It was parked just a little ways down the alley and off to one side of the narrow passageway. As I neared the vehicle, I started to get a cold knot in the pit of my gut.
It was empty.
I pulled open the front door and looked inside, and then the back, just to be sure.
Yep, empty.
The keys were in the ignition. Eddie’s crutches were laid across the back seat. Other than that, there was nothing to indicate they had even been in the vehicle. I did a quick circle around the large car, trying to see any sign of where Lyn and Eddie might have gone. There was nothing. It was almost as if they had never even been here.
Sal was going to flip.
I ran back toward the building, growling in frustration when I found the door locked from the inside. I should have thought of that. I considered banging on the door, but with all those guns drawn inside, I didn’t think it would be a good idea. I didn’t want to spook anyone and have them shoot indiscriminately.
I had no clue where my phone was, so calling was out. I must have dropped it when I got his and fell to the floor.
That left going around to the front of the gallery.
