Shane swallowed hard. “Some buddies of mine, we’re all fed up with having our hands tied when people slip past the law. So, we have this…group. We’re keeping tabs on ‘problems’ in the area. Sometimes we step in and, uh…solve the problem. Sorry I never told you, Kyle.” Then he looked at Gina like she was about to eat him.
“Go on,” she said flatly.
“One of the problems is a guy named Ricardo Del Rio. He hit our radar when he started roughing up his girlfriend’s son and trying to get the kid to sell drugs to his middle-school friends.”
“Jesus,” Gina said.
“He’s an enforcer with the gang. Del Rio has a certain way of talking. A lot of his statements are questions that end inhuh. Like, “You think you’re tough, huh? We’ll see about that, huh?”
Brock nodded vigorously. “That’s what Brianna said. That everything was a question, that he saidhuhconstantly.”
“She tell you anything else about him?” Shane asked.
“Just one other thing. She couldn’t see him through the blindfold, but every time he got in her face all she could smell was heavy cologne, and strong mint on his breath.”
Shane smiled grimly. “Del Rio marinates in after-shave, and he constantly chews on mint-flavored toothpicks. Likes to jab them into the kid.”
Every person in the room flinched and Alex’s stomach clenched.
“It’s him, it’s gotta fucking be him,” Brock said. “Where is he?”
“He lives with his girlfriend in Longmont, but one of my buddies is close by and I can send him to tail Del Rio. He can be to their apartment in ten minutes. Let me call inmyfriend for this one,” Shane said with a smile for Gina. Then he gave Alex a serious look. “No guarantees Del Rio already has Sylvie or that he’ll take her, but if she’s being turned over, it sounds like he’s our best shot.”
Alex nodded. “I appreciate it.”
Kyle clapped his hand on Shane’s shoulder. “We’re having a talk after this.”
“Yes, we are,” Gina added. Her phone buzzed and she looked at the screen. “They’re breaching the mansion now.”
Everyone held their breath except Shane, who was madly texting on his phone.
Time slowed and felt like forever to Alex before Gina looked up.
“She’s not there.”
He closed his eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. “Fuck.” The room filled with groans.
“We’ll get her back,” Shane said. “My guy’s already on his way.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
Time had lost all meaning for Sylvie.
After Frank left, so did the man who ordered Tom’s death. She heard him walk away, but she kept as calm and still as she could just in case he was testing her. Sylvie wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break. She tried to block out Tom’s muffled screams and pleas for mercy from the other room.
Right up until he went quiet.
He’s dead. As horrible as he was, no one deserves to die like that.
A door opened somewhere and she heard more footsteps. They faded as they climbed the stairs and Sylvie had the feeling that she was alone now, a feeling she didn’t trust. Even if no one was in the basement, they would be stupid not to have a camera on her.
Apparently, they knew a thing or two about cameras.
Her head was killing her from whatever Tom gave her. Her feet and arms had gone numb from the restraints. Her mouth was cotton-dry and she would have killed for a sip of water. But just the thought of anything in her stomach made her nauseous.
Don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing you suffer. Stay strong and focused. Now, how do I get out of here?
She tested the chair and was positive it was bolted to the floor. Each ankle was bound separately to one of the chair legs, probably with a zip tie. They’d used handcuffs to secure her arms behind the chair.I wonder if they’re my handcuffs, or Tom’s, or if they just keep spare handcuffs around the house. Maybe in the kitchen junk drawer or the bedroom sock drawer. She actually laughed at that thought before biting her lower lip.
