She cracked her eyes open, but everything was so blurred she couldn’t make anything out.
One blink. Two. But even when her vision started to clear, she had no idea what she was looking at.
The back seat of a car? No, not even the back seat. She was on the floor, facing the space beneath the driver’s seat.
“I didn’t…no, that’s not…”
Who was Cass talking to? And what the hell was going on?
She closed her eyes.Think, Addie. How did you get here?
Her eyes flashed open…the bathroom. Cass had arrived and asked to use it, Addie turned, then…nothing. Cass haddone something. Hit her? Maybe with the glass container of brownies?
Her heart beat faster. She was part of it. Cass was part of whatever was going on.
“Iknowdrugging her would have kept her out for longer, but like I told you, she asked me to leave. What was I supposed to do, shove them down her throat? My choice was knock her unconscious or walk away. I chose to hit her. And trust me—it feltgood.”
The brownies had been laced…Jesus.
She had to attack Cass. Yes, it would be dangerous while the other woman was driving, but what was the alternative? Wait for her impending death or whatever the hell was about to happen?
“The trunk?” Cass gasped. “Are you kidding? I could barely drag her limp body to the car. And I already risked a neighbor seeingandNoah coming out and witnessing what I was doing. I got her out of there as quickly as I could.”
Noah…oh, God, he’d know she was gone by now and he’d be losing his mind.
Stupid. She was so stupid for opening the door while she was by herself. But she’d been so distracted with the photo of Jules that she hadn’t been thinking.
“Look, I’m just pulling into the park now, then she’ll be all yours.”
Addie’s heart gave a giant thump. Allwhose? Who the hell was behind this? And they were at the park?
She tried to push up, but a wave of dizziness had her falling right back down. The second she hit the floor, nausea coiled in her belly.
No. She couldn’t be sick. Not now.
“What do youmeanyou’re not here yet? I’ve done my part—I’ve gotten her here. Now you have to take her so I can get thehell out of Amber Ridge. And when the money comes, you give me my cut.”
Money? What money?
The car suddenly stopped.
Shit. She needed a weapon. She lifted her head, grateful the upper half of her body was behind Cass’s seat so she couldn’t see her.
But there was nothing. The floor was completely bare.
“No. I’m not waiting in this fucking parking lot with the woman I kidnapped in the back. I may as well call the sheriff to arrest me. I’m dragging her ass out, hitting her a second time so shestaysunconscious, then getting my ass the hell out of town. You’d better hope you get here before she wakes up.”
Addie didn’t have a weapon and she was out of time. It took every ounce of strength she had to remain perfectly still as the front door opened.
A second later,herdoor opened.
Breathe, Addie. Just breathe.
Hands slipped beneath her arms and dragged her out of the car. Her lower body hit the ground with a thud, but still, she made sure to remain limp. Then Cass let her upper body go, and her head hit the ground. This time, it was hard not to wince at the bite of pain.
Footsteps sounded beside her. She took a deep breath before opening her eyes to see Cass walking back toward the car.
Addie lifted her leg and kicked the other woman in the calf as hard as she could.
