Page 86 of Until Ace

Most importantly, we don’t know where he took my woman.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Two minutes later, Lindy is back with a statement.

“They don’t know anything. Only Ken saw him coming into the dealership, but he didn’t pay any mind to him. Says he just walked in and went in the direction of the reception desk, which is normal, since she’s put there to be on display and to direct people where they need to go. The fact that she looks like a model helps with that, and that way there’s no waiting period or agents trying to steal clients to get better commission. The next thing Ken saw was Jim carrying an unconscious Mandy out.”

Fuck, unconscious?

The fucker knocked her out.

Serves to prove he doesn’t know his sister. She would walk out willingly if it meant she could help him.

“Ken ran out after them, but they were gone. He didn’t see anybody else. As far as he knows, the guy was alone. Three minutes later, you came in. Then the calvary arrived.”

“Fuck,” Cobi hisses.

He knows what that means. We have nothing.

Where he took her is anyone’s guess.

At that thought, my phone vibrates.

I take it out of my back pocket, look at the screen, and put it to my ear. “Where?” I bark, knowing Nico wouldn’t call unless he had something.

“Motel Eight,” he says, then hangs up.

Fucking hell. That idiot.

He took her to the very same motel where we stashed our witness two months ago.

By the time I put my phone back into my pocket and start walking, Cobi and Frank are already in their car. Through an open window, Cobi shouts, “Where?”

“The Eight,” I growl, prowling to my car, then get behind the wheel.

Mandy

“Where is he?” Jim paces to the window, peeks through it, then glances back at where I sit.

He has me in a motel room. A dirty one. By the looks of it, it’s the seediest one he could find.

“Where’s who?” I ask quietly, pulling on the cuffs, trying to get free, even though I know I can’t.

“Don’t ask stupid questions. All you need to know is that, when he finally gets here, your brother will be free. I did what was needed, and I paid my debt.” There’s a maniacal grin on his face. He’s clearly enjoying this. He relishes the fact that he’s going to use me to get himself out of trouble yet again.

I have to do something.

I have to get away.

If I don’t, there’s no telling what he’ll do to me.

“Please,” I whimper, pulling my hands hard, the metal breaking my skin.

“Please, please,” he mocks. “There’s no one here to listen to your pleading.”

He walks to the table and takes off his jacket.

“You can beg and scream all you want, doll. There’s no one here for miles, no one to hear you, no one to rescue you. That’s why your boyfriend chose this place to put that moron who was supposed to stand as a witness.”