“What did you do to Peabody?”I ask, setting the glass down and staring at him.
“Gave him a pretty new collar and left him in your lobby.My contacts say your men found him.They’re on top of things.”He takes a bite of his salad with deliberately slow movements.
My insides loosen just a little to know that Peabody is okay.
“What do you want from me?”I don’t dare pick up the fork.Lurch wouldn’t let me get close enough to stab it into Peter’s cold, dead heart, but I’d definitely want to try.
“You?”He chuckles and sits back with his wineglass.“You’re just a pawn in this game.”
“A pawn?”My heart clatters to a stop.
“You shouldn’t be here long.Your friends will have gotten my message by now, and they’ll come knocking sooner rather than later.”
“Your message?”I swallow.
“It’s basic hostage negotiations.They bring me my daughter and Tom.They get you back.Seems like a fair trade.”Peter leans forward.“I get the pleasure of your company while I wait.”
“You think I want to be here?”
He chuckles again.“No, Ms.Morris.I’m fully aware you don’t want to be here.That’s the point.Your men will do anything to get you back.Including going to the ends of the world to find your missing brother.If he’s harmed my Natasha, your stay will get considerably less comfortable.I find that an eye for an eye works wonders to keep order.”
Fire burns in his dark eyes as he narrows them on me.Fear crawls over me to settle around me.This is a dangerous man.I have no doubts he will do to me whatever Tom might have done to Natasha as retribution.I also know this isn’t the kind of man who will allow me to escape.
The darkness vanishes from his face like he flipped a switch.“I never cared much for the salad course.”
He sets his fork down and sits back.“Bring out dinner.”
Chapter3
Defined Benefit Plan
Finn
My chill is long past gone.Dante walks beside me as we enter the small coffee shop the Feds agreed to meet us at.This isn’t their division, kidnapping, missing persons, but they might have a better clue as to where this asshole may have taken her.
Our next stop will be Beth’s.
We argued about even talking to the Feds, but they know what we’re up against and we don’t.We don’t want them on board for this, because they’d call Sara’s parents and that’s not something any of us want to deal with.
The coffee shop is mostly empty.I get an espresso and Dante gets a coffee.We find a seat in the back away from the few tables already occupied.
The bells on the door jingle, and Agents Price and Martinez walk in.They glance around until their gazes fall on us and they make their way over.
They take the empty chairs at our table and look around to make sure no one is within overhearing distance.
“You rang?”Jacob Price lifts his eyebrow.“Do you have any news on Tom’s whereabouts?”
Dante leans forward, his elbows on the table.“He emailed his mother but that’s all the information we have on him.”
We already decided not to disclose anything to them.Not really.If they wanted to follow up on the email, that’s on them.Right now, we need to find Sara.
“We’ve been having issues with Peter Sokolov.”I’m blunt because I want to see their reaction.“He’s formed an unhealthy attachment to Sara, Tom’s sister.”
Ethan sits back, and I can almost see the wheels spinning in his head.
“Unhealthy how?”Jacob looks intrigued.
“He bought her a very expensive diamond necklace for the benefit we attended last night and threatened her on the dance floor.”Dante doesn’t even flinch.We don’t know that he threatened her.Maybe he did.Maybe he didn’t.But we do know that he has her.
