“What’s happening?” she cried, her eyes wide with fright as they landed on me.
I felt an odd calm sweep over me then, motivated by the need to comfort her and the desire to not give in to my fear.
There was no doubt in my mind who was behind this.
“This was orchestrated by my ex,” I gritted out, wincing as I shifted. I’d be bruised tomorrow from the fall. Hopefully that would be the only injury I sustained. “I’m so sorry, Laurie.”
“Where are you taking us? Who are you?” Her questions shot out in a panicked tirade.
The man grinned. “I always was a sucker for a nurse. The deal was to deliver you in one piece.” His eyes shifted to me before moving back to Laurie. “Now, you. You I can have some fun with.”
“You’ll be dead before you can have anyfun,” I gritted out. “Do you know who you’re messing with? Do you know who my man is?” I asked, my tone incredulous and underlined with a confidence I felt down to my very soul. Cal would come and he’d come to kill.
The man reached out and grabbed my hair roughly. “You’re pretty confident for a bitch with a gun pointed at her head,” he snarled, his face an inch from mine.
I stared up at him in silent standoff, determined not to show the pain his rough treatment induced.
“Fiesty one, eh?” he jeered, shoving me away roughly. “I like that. Now, sit down and shut the fuck up. Both of you.”
I shifted close to Laurie, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her body shook with fear and I wished like hell I could tell her it would be all right. I couldn’t offer any such promise.
I knew deep down I’d never seen the full extent of what Tim was capable of, and I had a sinking feeling that we were about to find out.
****
We didn’t drive for long. A stolen ambulance was bound to attract attention and I suspected our kidnappers knew as much. From what little I could see out the windows, we drove into a large garage bay with a door closing behind us with a resounding slam. My only relief came at knowing we still had to be in Hawthorne. We hadn’t driven far enough to be anywhere else.
“Show time.” Our captor winked as the doors were opened by the man who’d posed as the paramedic.
“Bring them over here, Sanders,” he ordered with a tilt of his chin toward the far wall.
I stumbled to my feet as I was shoved from behind. A look around confirmed that we were in some sort of abandoned garage. A few empty lifts remained, along with the smell of grease still permeating the air. Aside from a few frosted windows that let a bit of light in, the space was relatively dim. My eyes darted around the cavernous space with dread. I was sure Tim would emerge at any moment.
“Let’s go,” the man I now knew as Sanders instructed as I felt the press of a pistol into my back.
Laurie and I moved to the far wall, turning to face the two men. I really looked at them for the first time. They could be brothers, with their dark hair and eyes and similar builds. Both were tall and broad and looked like hired muscle.
“He’s not here yet?” Sanders asked the other man, looking momentarily worried.
The other man shook his head. “Must have gotten caught up snatching the kid.”
My heart froze in my chest.
Mason.
The fear coursing through my veins became eclipsed instantaneously by a ferocity previously unknown to me. If Tim thought for one second that I’d allow him to hurt my child, then he didn’t know whatIwas capable of.
Think, Jill, think.Laurie and I couldn’t incapacitate two men on our own, but I needed to have the upper hand by the time Tim arrived. It sounded like I had mere minutes before that happened. My thoughts spun, trying to glom on to a strategy.
“How much is he paying you?” I asked. It was my best shot.
Sanders’s brows lifted before he grinned lazily. “Aw baby, you’re cute. You couldn’t afford me.” He tisked. “Thompson, how about you? You willing to take a pay cut for a couple of cute nurses?” he asked his companion.
Thompson dropped his gaze over me and Laurie, his eyes darkening in a way I didn’t like—not one bit. “Maybe,” he allowed.
“I’m talking cash,” I gritted out. “Whatever he’s paying you, I’ll double it.”
They both laughed, shaking their heads. They weren’t taking me seriously, that much was clear.
