The little ball of worry unraveled.“Hey,” Dez said.“I’m here at the...store.”She gulped over the word.Could she even call it that anymore when it was mostly ash and soot?“Did you go home?”
“No, I’m sitting in my car.Can you w-walk south?”
Dez frowned.She searched the crowd.Aiden was speaking with Hank and she didn’t want to disturb him, so she turned south and headed away from the fire.The lack of heat made the chill in her bones run deeper.
“Sorry, I had to take a breather.”
“It’s fine.”Dez passed Aiden’s car.Three more were parked behind his.She spotted Louise’s blue Toyota and quickened her pace.The commotion faded away.A blanket of calm seemed almost reachable.If she didn’t think about all that had been lost—the items and the store, and jobs—she’d be able to refocus.She approached the Toyota.Louise sat in the front passenger seat...and someone sat next to her.
A sharp voice replaced Louise’s over the phone.“Get in the back.”
Dez’s heart stopped.Tears coursed down Louise’s cheeks, and black mascara tracks marred her normally pristine complexion.
Dez spun her head toward the crowd.She opened her mouth to scream.
“Try it and Louise is dead,” the voice said in her ear.
Dez brought her attention back to the car.The person dressed in all black and wearing a dark ski mask lifted a gun to Louise’s temple.All the blood drained from Dez’s head.Nausea tightened its grip on her stomach, squeezing until she couldn’t breathe.
Lowering her phone, she grabbed the handle and slid into the back seat.Panic crowded her mouth.The urge to scream and alert someone was so great it almost overtook her.But she couldn’t risk Louise getting hurt.
“Let her go and I’ll cooperate,” Dez said.
The car pulled away from the curb and whizzed by the store.Dez spotted Aiden searching the crowd.For her.
“Hand over your phone.”
She didn’t budge.
“Do it now.”The gun still aimed at Louise’s head made a clicking sound, ready to go off.
Dez slid the phone onto the console.The attacker grabbed the device and rounded a corner then looked at Louise.“Get out.”
“Oh heavens,” Louise sobbed.“Don’t hurt her!”
“Out.Now.You old hag.”
Dez reached forward, clasped Louise’s shoulder, and squeezed.“I’ll be fine.Get yourself to safety.”She kept the tremor out of her voice, even though part of her wanted to get out and run with Louise.
We might make it...
Dez lowered her gaze to the gun pointed at Louise’s side.She couldn’t take a chance.
Louise turned tear-filled eyes to her and swallowed.Then a hard glint overtook the older woman’s eyes.Her message was clear: She’d get to Aiden.
Louise opened the door and climbed out then broke into a run.The shop was only about six blocks away.
The driver yanked off the ski mask and a head of blonde hair spilled out.Dez sucked in her breath.The woman turned and slid a nasty smile her way.“Hi, Desiree, nice to finally get you alone.”
Meredith Wilkes.
She sped away from the side of the road.Dez’s head spun with the movement and the revelation of who’d been targeting her.
She sat back in her seat and clutched the door handle.
“Don’t think about jumping out,” Meredith spat, lifting her gaze to the rearview mirror.“I’ll be sure to reverse and run over your stupid ass.And don’t think for one minute Louise can get to help fast enough.It’ll take her a while to reach the police and we’ll be long gone.”
Dez narrowed her gaze at Meredith.“What do you want from me?”
