Page 43 of Double Trouble
I groaned, looking to Jimmy, whose face was inconclusive.
“Huh,” he said after a minute, peering into the small screen on the box on his side. “Actually worked.”
“It did? Are you sure?” Jake asked, looking over Jimmy’s shoulder like he knew what he was seeing. Jimmy’s gaze was still on the screen. “You boys are in for it.” He lifted his gaze to fix us with a significant look. “It’s on Clair Creek Drive.”
“But Clair Creek Drive is…” Jake began.
“All but abandoned, yeah,” Jimmy said with a shrug. “Pretty sure there’s still a handful of buildings left standing, though.”
“And that’s it?” Jake said incredulously. “Your little box thing narrows it down to a whole district?”
“Hey,” Jimmy said. “This isn’t NCIS.”
I gave my friend a pat. “Thanks Jimmy. Sorry about Jake, we’re just… we really like this girl.”
Jimmy nodded. “I can tell.” He came around the counter to give me a back-beating sort of hug. “Good luck to you.”
A few minutes later, Jake and I were on the road. While I drove, Jake was fiddling around in the overflowing glove compartment, looking for something.
“What are you looking for in there?” I asked, trying to keep my eyes on the road.
“These,” he said a few seconds later, holding out two knives. I’d all but forgotten about them, our self-defense tools from when we’d been younger.
Clair Creek Drive, despite its innocuous name, had the worst crime rate around. It was where overdose victims were found, were gang shootings went down, and where shady fuckers held innocent, unassuming women hostage.
We’d be lucky if knives where all we’d need.
31
Cin
“Cheer up, sunshine,” the fat floral-dressed woman cooed. “Soon as we get our money, you’re outta here.”
I glared dully at her, not saying anything. With my feet and hands tied up, what was there to say – ‘please let me go free’? I’d already said that several times. Her and the other two beefy assholes guarding me in this derelict room were all but deaf to my pleas.
It had been several hours since I’d been taken, and I had no idea where I was or if anyone was coming for me. I could only hope that Jake and Owen had called the police or something.
The woman had caught me by surprise in the bathroom, just seeming like a middle-aged housewife asking for help. Only when she’d pressed a knife from under her cardigan into the small of my back had I realized what was going on.
We’d crept out of the bathroom, and I could even see Jake and Owen, busy with autographing, oblivious. I’d longed to cry out, but not willing to take the risk. I knew all too well how fatal a knife wound could be, and I had no plans of experiencing one firsthand.
Now here I was, stuck here for reasons I still wasn’t sure of. I’d heard some mention of money at some point, and figured that was the motivation for my kidnapping, but couldn’t quite wrap my head around Jake and Owen being tangled up with people like this.
The taller male guard stalked around me, his gaze roving over me uncomfortably.
“You better get used to it here.” He spoke with a Southern accent. “Your boyfriends are never going to come up with the money.”
“If it’s money you’re after, I’ll give it to you. I have money of my own; how much do you want?” I asked them.
“Well that’s not the way it works sweetheart,” the man said. “Your boys gotta come up with the boss’ cash or no dice.”
I shook my head. “What does it matter where the money comes from as long as you get it, right? If it makes you feel better, you can tell your boss the money came from them. No one but us four will know and then you can let me go. It’s a win-win.”
The woman let out a couple of laughs, which sounded like a donkey braying.
Now the other, shorter guard joined in. Strutting over, he nudged my leg with the toe of his boot. “Look at her. She actually thinks she’s getting out of here alive.”
They all laughed at that one. I closed my eyes; I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing the uncertainty in my gaze.
Although I didn’t doubt that the twins would find a way to pay whatever ransom these pigs were demanding, I did doubt that these assholes would just accept it and send me on my way. They seemed the types to take and take and take. It wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up taking the money and leaving me to rot here without telling the twins where I was. After all, I had seen their faces.
The door to the room opened and a man approached. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It was the same pudgy balding one who’d been staring back at me during the boxing match.
