“What’s that supposed to mean?” she challenged.
“You hold back. You’re scared to vocalize your thoughts and emotions. And I think it’s because you’re scared to be honest with yourself about how you truly feel. And let’s face it, if you can’t be honest with yourself, you can’t be trusted to manage the security for Michael and his businesses. You’re a weak link.”
“Shut up,” Taylor barked lowly as she narrowed her eyes at me. Now focus, asshole. “Is that a black Mercedes approaching on the opposite side of the road?” she asked.
I squinted so I could get a closer look. It was definitely a black sedan, but was it a…?
“Yep,” I confirmed as the Mercedes raced past us toward Stockholm. Safely behind the Mercedes was another sedan. Though I couldn’t be certain, I was pretty sure it was Daniel.
“He looked to be alone in the car,” Taylor added. I glanced in the rearview mirror.
“Daniel was probably in the car behind him. He’s going to keep an eye on Wade while he’s in Stockholm.”
“Doing whatever it is he does.”
“I’m so curious as to what business he’s conducting with a couple of Russian guys,” I said.
“Maybe another time. Right now, we need to get to Aria’s house.”
I applied pressure to the accelerator to get us there a little quicker. A few minutes later we drove by the gas station where Daniel had been.
“We’re just a few minutes away now,” I announced. Houses and barns seemed to be haphazardly sprinkled along the snowy land.
“The house will be on the right side of the road.”
“Remember, we have to extract the targets as quickly as possible. There’s a chance Wade has the place being looked after while he’s away,” I told her.
“Hopefully, Aria’s mother has the kids prepped to leave. They’ll probably be scared.”
“We just need to get them in the car.”
“Sawyer, don’t be a dick. These are kids who have lived under an abusive tyrant their whole young lives. Have a little compassion.”
I thought back to the many times Michael would come over to my house crying after dinner. We were just in grade school, but I wanted to kill his father. Michael tried to act like he wasn’t truly fucked-up, but he was. We’d play video games to try to take his mind off things, but he watched the clock, knowing he needed to go home.
“The house is ahead on the right,” Taylor said.
I saw it. It wasn’t much of a house. A chimney poked out of the gray wood along the north wall. The frame was small, maybe seven hundred square feet. There were no cars parked in front or around the back, from what we could see as we approached. About a hundred yards behind their house was a smaller building. Daniel hadn’t mentioned anything about them owning a secondary structure. It was separated by a frozen lake and a bridge. Directly behind that little place was a forest. There was no vegetation. Nothing was green, and everything looked dormant or dead from the winter. There were no other houses or structures near these two for at least a few hundred yards.
“Is it just me, or are you getting some serious horror movie vibes?” I asked as I slowed down and turned onto the road that led to their home.
“Don’t, Sawyer. Focus. One adult. Four kids.”
“Possibly just three.”
“Pray for there to be four kids.”
CHAPTERNINE
Sawyer
Iput the car in park and then Taylor and I jumped out and hurried to the front door. Taylor was a step ahead of me, and the door flew open as we climbed the brittle steps to the porch. I grabbed Taylor and pulled her behind me as I drew my gun. A rail-thin boy appeared with a brick in his hand. This was the oldest boy, ready to defend his mother and siblings.
“No! Please no! Do not shoot!” a frail, blonde woman with bags under her eyes pleaded as she came running to the door. “Alek, they’re safe!”
He had wary eyes and a bright red cheek. He lowered his arm but kept his eyes on me.
“Are you Anna, Aria’s mother?” I asked as I let go of Taylor once I felt the threat had subsided.
