They parked in Elena’s driveway.At least they didn’t take me out to the empty plains, never to be seen again. Then she realized why Daddy still had her phone and why they’d taken her car—in order to fool Jake. She quickly picked up her notebook and set it on the back seat. Maybe if he saw it there as he walked up to the house, he might be suspicious.
Rachael tried to open the car door, but Hank had set the child safety locks. She almost laughed at the irony—a safety feature that endangered her life.
Hank opened the door and grabbed her arm. He yanked her out of the back seat, practically wrenching her shoulder out of its socket, then picked up her tote.
“You’re a liar,” she spat at him. “Tell him you have the—”
Hank’s fist silenced Rachael. He pushed her ahead of him and behind Daddy, who ambled up to the porch where the front door opened.
Sheriff Wilbur Stevenson stood in the doorway, smiling at his old friend. “’Bout time you got here, you old cuss,” the sheriff said as he made way for Daddy, Rachael, and Hank. “Our girl here’s got a nice supper going for everyone, something Mexican,” then he shouted back over his shoulder into the house, “ain’t that right, Elena?”
Elena didn’t answer from the kitchen, but Rachael could smell meat and onions frying with cumin and chilies. Her stomach churned. The last thing she wanted was food. Hank handed the sheriff Rachael’s tote, then pushed her down on the couch and sat beside her as Daddy and the sheriff took the recliners.
Sheriff Stevenson rummaged through Rachael’s tote. “Jesus. The lipstick and bottle of perfume, a packet of tissues, I get that. But the can opener? A screwdriver? What the fuck?” He looked up at her. “You a prepper or something?”
“Gotta be self-sufficient and ready for anything when you don’t have a mama around.”
Rachael touched her face where Hank punched her. She looked for Tina. Where had they stashed the little girl? Was she in the kitchen with Elena, either scared to death, or sitting calmly at the table with a coloring book, told everything was all right? No, she couldn’t be. Elena would have run out the back door with her by now. Maybe she was locked in her room down the hall, kept separate from her mother as insurance. Rachael prayed the little girl was as safe as the circumstances allowed.
“Tote’s got every fucking thing in it but the book,” Sheriff Stevenson said as he dropped her bag. It landed half on a shopping bag that clanked like it was full of metal.
Kitchen knives, Rachael thought.He confiscated them all.
Daddy pursed his lips. “Well, shit. The boys tossed her house earlier, I checked her office, and Hank here searched her car this afternoon. No book, no key to a deposit box, nothing.”
“That’s because I don’t have it.”
Daddy shook his head andtsked. “I was hoping for easy, that it’d be in her bag and we could call this a misunderstanding and go from there. All right, little girl of mine,” he said, unlocking her phone. “Time to send a text to your new boyfriend. Let’s get him over here, join our little soirée. I bet he knows where it is.”
Rachael clenched her fists. Her nails dug into her palms, creating a different pain to distract her from her throbbing jaw and her growing fear. “I won’t do it. He’s not part of this.” Rachael turned to Hank. “Tell him you have the book, because you do. You’ve been hiding it.”
“You’re fucking crazy,” Hank said, cool as anything. “Or you’re trying to protect your new fuck buddy.” He looked at Daddy. “Forgive me, that was disrespectful in front of you.”
Daddy shrugged like Hank had just excused himself for belching. “I know my daughter’s a lying whore, ready to blackmail me and run away. Takes after her mama that way.”
Rachael flew to her feet. “Don’t youevertalk about my mom like that again!”
Daddy looked bored. “Hank.” He waved a hand at Rachael.
Hank grabbed Rachael and flung her to the couch where he pinned her. “Show your daddy some manners, whore.” His knee met her belly, knocking the wind out of her. “And stop lying about me.” He sat back down as Rachael struggled to regain her breath.
Daddy poised a thick finger over Rachael’s phone. “What shall we text Jake, hmmm? I want the words coming from you so it sounds right.”
I’ve got to warn him somehow. What should I say? She remembered that Daddy thought they were meeting at the Hideaway.That might do it.
Daddy smirked. “And don’t get cute, little girl. The second I think you’re tipping him off, well. It won’t be you who Hank disciplines.”
Elena sobbed from the kitchen, where she could obviously hear the conversation.
“Won’t be you, either, Elena,” Daddy called. “So who does that leave here?”
Rachael didn’t bother wiping away her tears. Just the thought of Hank laying one finger on Tina made her sick. “Okay, okay,” she wheezed, still winded from Hank’s kick. “Tell him, um. Tell him, hey, instead of The Hideaway can you come to Elena’s? Tina’s sick and I’m helping.” She fought back nausea, hoping Jake would know something was wrong without giving her away.
“Good girl. Smart girl.” Daddy smiled as he typed in the words.
Her phone dinged when Jake texted back. Daddy’s smile disappeared.
Oh my God, what did you say, Jake? Oh, shit, you gave me away.
