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I ripped the duct tape off. She gasped a ragged breath and screamed.

“No one’s gonna hear you, sweetheart,” Colin called from the driver’s seat with a dark chuckle. “Scream all you want. We’re miles from civilization.”

“Please,” she gasped, voice hoarse. “What do you want? I’ll give you everything—just let me go. I won’t tell anyone, I swear to God. Please—you don’t have to do this!”

“It didn’t have to come to this,” I said.

“Are you guys gonna kill me?” she whispered, tears streaming.

“Of course not,” I replied flatly. “We’re taking you somewhere. We have some people who are gonna take real good care of you. Keep you nice and quiet.”

Marcy’s face twisted in horror. “No… no, please! Don’t do this. I have a family, they’ll know something’s wrong. They’ll look for me, they’ll call the cops—you can’t just—”

Colin glanced back, tone mocking. “They won’t find you where you’re going. Not a chance. Save your energy, sweetheart. You’re gonna need every bit of it.”

She kept begging and sobbing. The hours rolled by on the dark highway, woods thickening around us. I checked on her periodically. She’d quiet down exhausted, then thrash and scream again until her voice broke into weak whimpers.

Hours later the road narrowed through dense Oregon forest, towering firs pressing close. As we approached the high stone wall and heavy iron gate, Colin slowed and leaned over.

“My brother and his friends just got this place. Our parents bought it for him since he needed more free rein to engage in his extracurricular activities.”

I nodded. Colin hit the intercom. A crackle, then a calm voice: “Come in.”

The gate swung open. We drove up the long gravel driveway. At the end loomed the sprawling gothic stone manor. It was a massive, foreboding structure of weathered gray stone and dark timber, its jagged turrets and steep gabled roofs cutting sharply against the night sky. A low mist curled around the foundation, giving the entire place an isolated presence.

Three young men waited on the wide front steps. Colin’s brother was the tallest, with slicked-back blond hair that caught the light and a polished, almost charming demeanor. Beside him stood a man with neatly combed dark hair, a warm yet unsettling smile. The third had a short buzz cut, intense light eyes and a cold, brooding presence in a black sweatsuit.

We hauled Marcy out, her legs shaking badly. Colin introduced her casually.

“Marcy,” he said, “meet my brother Elliot. Him and his friends are gonna take real good care of you.”

Elliot stepped forward, smirking as he looked her up and down. Marcy shrank back in pure terror.

“Hello Marcy. Welcome to the manor.”

Chapter 13

Samantha

By the time dinner was almost ready, I had nearly convinced myself I was being ridiculous.

I stood at the kitchen island helping Leanne finish the salad while Elena moved around us preparing the rest of dinner. Dad had disappeared upstairs to change, leaving Leanne and me to talk while Elena finished dinner.

The incident at the farmer’s market still sat in the back of my mind. The woman’s pale face. Her shaking hands. The way she’d looked at Richard when she said Jessica’s name.

“You’re quiet,” Leanne said.

“Just thinking.”

“About Richard?”

I looked at her. “How did you know?”

“Because he’s coming to dinner and you’ve checked the clock about six times.”

I rolled my eyes. But internally, I was melting. This was the first time I’d ever had a guy I actually liked over for dinner with my dad.

The doorbell rang and took me out of my thoughts.