“I don’t,” Ben says. The sweat on his forehead says otherwise.
“Well, the people we work with are going to be very, very unhappy if they don’t get what they want.”
“You’ll get your money,” Ben says.
“That’s not what they want. You know that.”
The people we work with.Does he mean the cartel?HasBen been working with them? If so, why is he holding out on them now? Ben’s a smart guy. But double-crossing the cartel is not a smart move. Something is not adding up.
“It’s your choice,” Ray tells Ben.
“I don’t care what you do to me,” Ben says. This is clearly not what Ray was hoping to hear.
“I know you don’t care about yourself,” Ray says. “So let me raise the stakes a little.” His grin looks wider, his teeth look bigger, as he puts his hand in his pocket.
Metcalf tries to stop him. “Ray, you don’t have to—”
“Shut up,” Ray tells him as he pulls a gun out of his pocket. He walks to the couch. Amber and Hailey scream. Lily starts to cry. I hear the click as Ray Taggart releases the safety catch and aims the gun at Amber and Lily.
MyLily.
My baby.
CHAPTER 80
“CAN SOMEBODY SHUT THAT baby up?”
Ray Taggart is still aiming his pistol at Amber and Lily. Amber and Hailey are sobbing, Lily is screaming, and Ray is pissed.
“Listen,” he yells at Amber, trying to be heard above the baby, “either you shut her up or I’ll do it for you.”
He aims the gun directly at Lily’s head.
Now Amber, Hailey, and even Ben are screaming. I have to shout over all of them.
“I think she needs changing!” I yell. I look at Amber, who nods yes, so I walk toward Lily. “Let me just take her upstairs and—”
“You’re not going anywhere!” Ray says, swiveling aroundand aiming the gun at me. I sit down and fold my hands in my lap so he can’t see that I’m shaking.
“I only meant… we keep her diapers upstairs,” I say.
“Where?” he asks.
“In the nursery.”
He turns to Metcalf and gestures with the gun. “Go with her,” he says. “Make sure she doesn’t try anything funny.”
I stand up.
“No,” Ray says, changing his mind. “Better yet, go yourself,” he tells Metcalf.
I sit down again.
Metcalf as somebody’s flunky. If this weren’t a life-and-death situation, I’d find it funny.
“Nursery is the second door on the right,” I tell Metcalf as he heads to the stairs. “The diapers are in a drawer of the changing table. Bring down some wipes and the Tubby Todd Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste too. Also the changing pad. And the organic talc-free cornstarch.”
We all listen as Metcalf wanders around upstairs. We hear him open a drawer, then close it. It feels like he’s upstairs for a few weeks, but finally, he comes bounding down the stairs, holding everything. He walks over to Amber.
