Lisa and Officer Hughes came over and stood behind him as he continued talking.
“You see, I thought I knew Dale, but I was wrong.I thought he was a trustworthy guy and believed him when he said he had a solid plan for the Fentanyl we were moving.He assured me that marrying you would be the best move because you were so desperate to be loved that you would marry anyone.We even worked with Lisa, who hired you and gave you a job, even though she knew your background.We all thought that with your record of embezzlement, you would be an asset to our team.Never once did we think that you would cross all of us.”
I glanced at Lisa, trying to read her face.It had seemed like pure luck when she approached me at the diner that day, noting how upset I was when I’d lost my job as a waitress at the local bar.She’d offered me a job on the spot, even though I had zero experience working in a salon.It was an entry-level position where I handled all scheduling, stocking supplies, and basic cleaning, but it was a job.I never would have expected her to have ulterior motives the entire time.
“So, that leaves me with one question,” he continued, his body rigid as he sat in front of me.“Where is the information on the new identity that Dale had created for you?”
I looked away from him, not bothering to answer because it didn’t matter what I said.I had no idea what he was talking about, and telling him that would only make him angrier.
His nostrils flared as he got up, threw the chair across the room out of his way, then reached down and grabbed me by the throat.He pushed my back against the wall as he lifted me, his fingers tightening to the point I could barely breathe.
“I’m not fucking playing.I want that information, and I want it now.I know that Dale had several other offshore accounts open under that name, so you’re going to tell me before I kill you,” he snarled.
My eyes watered as I tried to claw at his arms, the effort useless.My body was sore, and I still felt weak from whatever drug they had given me.
Just then, the door flew open, followed by loud voices and something that sounded like a gunshot.He pressed harder on my throat until everything went black, and silence fell around me.
Thirty-Six
Patrick
Ipaced the entrywayof the inn for what felt like hours while Gage stood by, watching me.I couldn’t read the expression on his face, but I knew he was as pissed off as I was about being told to stand down.While I like Keith and valued him as a friend, right now I wanted to kick him in the nuts and tell him to go fuck himself.I wouldn’t be able to rest until I knew that Poppy was alive and safe.
I glanced at my watch, noting how long it had been since he’d called and said that they’d located her.Twenty-seven minutes.
Twenty-seven minutes and no fucking follow-up on the woman I loved.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay as calm as I could as my mind raced with all of the thoughts of what could have happened to her.
Just then, my phone rang.
With trembling fingers, I pulled it out and answered it.
