Minutes ticked past before Chance’s phone beeped. “We have the footage.” He opened the message, and we stared at the screen.
“Shit,” Chance muttered as we watched the kidnapping. Chance let it play and then rewound it. The men knew where the cameras were and kept their identities hidden under baseball caps. But the caps didn’t match the expensive suits they wore. Chance’s phone beeped again, and Sunny sent something else through.
“What the fuck?” Chance exclaimed as he stared at the two images before him. Sunny had caught their faces in a car’s mirror and in a window reflection.
“What?” I demanded.
“Why the hell is Clive Salisbury kidnapping your nurse?”
“Who?”
“Clive Salisbury. The kingpin of the dark side of South Dakota. Washington handed Salisbury his empire, and Salisbury has stayed out of Hellfire’s way since.”
Why the hell was the man who ruled the underworld abducting April? My frustration grew as Chance turned to Bear, who had arrived within the last few minutes. Bear was on the phone, and I waited for an explanation. Tension was ramping up as I barely held on to my temper.
“James. My prospect’s woman has been kidnapped. April Graham. Chance and I recognised the guys who took her. Both work for Salisbury, Sebastian and Felix, his two top-ranked captains. Why the fuck are they kidnapping an innocent nurse from the hospital?”
“I’ll contact him and get her returned,” James Washington replied.
“Hurry before Hellfire declares war,” Bear declared. Washington didn’t reply but cut the call.
“Get feelers out. Why is Salisbury in Spearfish and not Rapid City, his usual haunt? Find out why he’s taken April. Is it because she witnessed something, or because she’s a nurse?” Chance said.
“Salisbury’s got to be holed up here,” I snapped.
“Ain’t arguing, Harlequin. We’ll find her,” Chance promised.
Yeah, we would, but what condition would April be in?
April
“Come. The boss needs you. Remember to keep your mouth shut, do as you’re told, and nothing bad will happen. Just do as ordered,” the guy said.
“Okay,” I whispered. I was led a short distance to what I assumed was another room, then inside. The hood was removed, and I blinked into the dim light. A man sat on a chair, staring directly at me. He was well-built and clearly worked out. He wore a classy suit and tie and was handsome, some would say gorgeous, but his eyes were cold as they stared at me.
“Miss Graham, a pleasure to meet you. As you can see, I’m at a disadvantage, and I was wondering if you’d be so kind as to help,” he said.
I didn’t say a word, not to ask his name or scream that I didn’t have much choice in being here. Instead, I studied the pale, sweat-soaked skin and the pain on his face. His hands shook on his knees, where they rested, and his leg trembled as well. A gurney was close by with several packages.
“What do you need, Mr…Ah?” I finally asked.
“Boss will suffice. I was in a rather unfortunate incident. Sadly, I’ve been shot, and no, I can’t go to the hospital. GSWs must be reported to the police, but these can’t be, given the circumstances in which I received them. Miss Graham, I’d be most grateful if you could remove the bullets for me.”
I just managed to constrain a snort as if I had much choice if I wished to leave alive.
“Where are they?”
“I have one to my shoulder, the bullet is still inside, one close to my ribs and one in my thigh. Rather annoyingly, none of them passed through, so they needed removing.”
“I’m not a surgeon,” I blurted. If I killed this man, his goons would no doubt murder me.
A ringing noise burst through the room, and I jumped and backed against the wall. Boss sent me a chiding look as he glanced at one of his men.
“Seb?”
“Washington again, Boss. This is the eighth time in the last ten minutes,” Seb answered.
I recognised his voice from the man who’d spoken to me several times.
