“What if she’d shot me?” Chad blurted out, his head feeling like it was submerged under water. He was in shock.
Merchant lifted his eyebrow incredulously.
“She had the safety on,” he said, crouching down in front of Chad and untying him. “You didn’t notice that?”
Chad blinked and tried to remember. Had the safety really been on? He looked over at Karen, but he couldn’t get a good view of the gun.
“So I could have stopped her?” he asked. If she’d really had the safety on, then maybe Chad could have gotten free and subdued her before Merchant got there. Maybe he could have prevented her getting shot.
The thought made him want to throw up.
“You’ve got a pretty nasty bump,” Merchant said, feeling along the back of Chad’s head. His fingers were blunt and not at all gentle. “Follow my finger but don’t move your head.”
Merchant started moving his finger, and Chad followed it without any difficulty.
“Seeing double?” Merchant asked.
Chad shook his head.
“She didn’t have my parents. Did she?” he asked, needing confirmation even though he all but knew the answer.
“No. She just spoofed your mom’s number.”
Chad bit his lip, relieved despite how foolish he felt.
“You’re going to be fine,” Merchant said. “Why don’t you go sit on the front step and wait for Peter. He’ll probably be here any second and I can’t imagine he’s going to be in a good mood.”
Chad nodded, standing with Merchant’s help and walking out the front door. He avoided looking at Karen’s dead body.
“I should call him,” Chad said, knowing that if Peter knew that he’d been kidnapped—again—he would be frantic. “Tell him I’m okay.”
“Good idea,” Merchant said. Chad reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone, calling Peter and lifting the phone to his ear.
“I’m fine,” he said the second Peter picked up. “Merchant killed Karen.”
“You’re not hurt?” Peter asked. His voice was clipped and angry.
“Just a bump on my head.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. Stay right there.”
Peter hung up the phone, and Chad just stood there for a second before he turned to Merchant.
“He sounded mad,” he said. It was an understatement. Peter had soundedfurious.
“He won’t hurt you,” Merchant said, his tone placating and reassuring. Chad blinked.Hurt him?Of course Peter wouldn’t hurt him. What a stupid thing to say.
“Of course he won’t,” he said, offended that Merchant would even consider that Chad would think that.
Merchant smiled like he thought Chad’s reaction was funny.
“What?” Chad asked. Merchant just shook his head.
“It’s good to see that you’re not afraid of him.”
Chad frowned. “I wouldn’t be with him if I was afraid of him.”
Merchant grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “Good for you.” He then looked at the door. “I’m going to head inside and take care of the body. Will you be all right out here by yourself?”
