by Lisa Harris
“So all of a sudden you’re their butler.”
“No, I just thought—”
“No, that’s the problem. You didn’t think. We’re not here to cater to their wants and needs. We’re here for one reason, and one reason only.”
“We need to talk.” Sawyer pulled King aside, but not far enough out of earshot that Caden couldn’t follow the conversation. “This isn’t what I signed up for. There are witnesses that can identify us. If the authorities find us—”
Caden glanced at Gwen. Maybe he had gotten through to the man.
“You’re welcome to walk away if you don’t want to take the risk. If you don’t want your half of the money—”
“Of course I want it, but it was supposed to be simple. No one was supposed to get hurt. If the authorities find us now—after kidnapping them, plus, the man you shot—we’re going to prison for a long time.”
King’s jaw tensed. “Is that what they’ve been telling you? Scaring you with their theories—”
“No.”
“Last time I looked we’re the ones with the guns, and they’re the ones tied up in chairs. Stop worrying. This will be over soon, and you’ll have your cut. After that, I don’t care what you do.”
“But—”
King held up his hand. “Enough.”
King turned to Caden and kneeled down in front of him, so he was at eye level. “You’re here for one reason, and one reason only, and that is to ensure she cooperates. To be honest, at this point, my patience is almost finished. So you will do exactly what you are told to do and nothing further. Do you understand?”
Caden nodded, but the seeds of dissension had already been planted. Now he just had to pray that they would come to fruition.
“And you…” he said, turning to Gwen. “You better hope your brother calls back.”
NINE
Gwen glanced at the clock on the microwave. An hour had passed since King had sent the photo to her brother, and so far, there had been no response. Which had her worried. She had no idea where her brother was, or why he hadn’t responded. She had no details on what had actually happened when he’d escaped, but at least he was alive. She also knew him well enough to be sure he would have come looking for her to find out if she was alive. He had to be somewhere nearby. But the message. It was possible he was still in the canyon with no cell phone reception, but if not, why hadn’t he answered the message?
Right now their own escape seemed impossible. The men had tied both of them to the solid wood chairs, and trying to get loose had only managed to rub her wrists raw. Conversation between her and Caden was limited, while King and Sawyer continued to argue. She could tell they were nervous, and as far as she was concerned, they should be.
She turned to Caden, glad that for the moment, the men didn’t seem to be paying attention to them.
“Do you think you can get loose?” she asked.
“Not easily. The guy knows how to secure someone.”
“I was hoping your training would have given you some…secret way to escape.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not giving up.”
But she caught the expression on his face and knew he was worried. She felt guilty, knowing he was here because of her. No matter who he’d been before, the man had integrity and courage, not to mention he wasn’t bad-looking, either.
She stopped the nervous laugh from erupting, then quickly shoved aside the ridiculous thought. Knights in shining armor came in all kind of packages, but in real life—unlike in a fairy tale—it didn’t mean you were obligated to a happily-ever-after ending with them.
Especially if that knight was Caden O’Callaghan.
“Why hasn’t he answered?” Sawyer’s raised voice broke into her thoughts.
“Be quiet.” King had his back turned toward them, but his answer was still loud enough that she could hear him. “They won’t find us. No one can trace us here. They have no idea which way we went and can’t lead anyone to us. Without taking risks, we will have nothing.”
Sawyer clearly wasn’t convinced. “Except this isn’t what we agreed to. We were going to follow him and take him. No one hurt. And if the brother doesn’t respond, all of this will have been for nothing.”
King hesitated. “Then we’ll have to get rid of them, but for now, we have everything to gain.”
Get rid of them.
Their voices dropped off to where she couldn’t hear them anymore, but she’d heard enough and what she’d heard chilled her.
She pulled on her hands. “Caden…”
“I heard them. We just have to wait for the right time. They’ll make a mistake.”
“What about a plan? I’m not sure that turning them on each other is going to be enough.”
“Sawyer thinks they’ve already gone too far. That’s to our advantage. Hopefully he’ll keep King in check.”
“And if he doesn’t?” she asked. “Because I don’t think the man is bluffing. King’s definitely the one in charge. If Aaron doesn’t answer soon—”
“All that matters for now is that they need you. It’s the only way your brother will turn over the cash to them and they know it. We’ll figure this out, Gwen. I promise. Trust me.”
Trust me.
How could she trust the man who’d devastated her best friend? And yet, how could she not? He’d gone out of his way to rescue her and protect her when he could have simply waited and called the authorities. He’d risked his own life and come after her. She nodded, realizing that as crazy as it sounded in her mind, she did trust him. And at the moment, she couldn’t imagine anyone else she’d rather have on her side in this situation.
“I’m assuming you’ve been in situations like this?” she asked.
“Tough situations, yes. Situations with my life in danger, yes. But kidnapped…no.”
“What happened?”
She saw the muscles on his face flinch, and realized she’d struck a nerve. Her questions had been too personal, and yet, she needed some ray of hope that they were going to get out of here alive.
“I spent time working in military intelligence, as well as Special Forces, so there was more than one situation where I wasn’t sure I’d make it out alive.”
“And yet you did.”
“Thankfully, yes, though I wasn’t sure at the time. I decided God still needed me around for some reason.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me, too.” He turned and caught her gaze. “I’m not going to make you any promises that this will end without anyone getting hurt. I can’t do that. But I can promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Just follow my lead.”
She nodded as King and Sawyer walked back into the room a moment later, both frowning. Her stomach churned as she tried to stuff down the panic. She had no doubt they would get of rid both of them, if they were no longer needed. But what would they do if her brother didn’t call?
King grabbed one of the chairs, sat down across from her and leaned forward. “I’m struggling a bit, trying to imagine what’s going through your brother’s mind right now.”
He paused, as if waiting for her to say something. But while she had the same questions, she had no desire to interact with the man.
“I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have gone to the police,” he continued when she didn’t respond. “That would be far too risky, because they would find out what he did, and once that happens, he’ll lose everything. So knowing he’s a bounty hunter, used to handling things on his own, I’m trying to figure out what he’s thinking.”
She pressed her lips together, still not sure where he was going with the conversation.
“I would have assumed all along,” King continued, “that he would have been worried about what happened to you and come back here. He could be searching for you right now, which also means—depending on
where he is—he might not have phone coverage. That would be one explanation of why he isn’t responding. The other option is that I judged him wrong, and he really doesn’t care what happens to you. Meaning he cares more about the money now in his possession than his sister.”
He paused again, letting his horrible suggestion gain traction. Her mind started reeling with the consequences of the situation. Because like it or not, the jab struck, just like King had wanted it to. She’d been running the same scenarios through her own mind. Her brother couldn’t go to the authorities for help without them finding out what he’d done, and even if he did, he had no idea where she was.
But Aaron would come for her, she had to believe that.
“Tell me about your brother,” King said.
She hesitated, uncertain of what she was supposed to say. “What do you mean?”
“Are the two of you close?”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because I need to know if this photo I sent is going to be enough motivation for him to bring me our money.”
“We’re pretty close. We try to take a couple weekends off together every year to go hiking. And we spend time together when we can.”
“Did he tell you about the money?”
“No.”
“If you are as close as you say you are, I find that hard to believe. You spent most of the weekend with your brother, and you’re telling me he never mentioned he was suddenly three hundred thousand dollars richer. I’d imagine a secret like that would be hard to keep to yourself.”
Her jaw tensed. “I don’t know what you want me to say, but he never talked about the money. In fact, we didn’t talk much about work. It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend.”
“Something that didn’t happen,” Caden added.
King stood up and took a step backward. “Let’s try something else then. If he can’t go to the police or any of his informants that help him track down people, who would he go to for help?”
“I don’t know.”
“A best friend? Fellow bounty hunter that might help him?”
“I really don’t know.”
“We’ll, that’s a problem. He’s not responding, and I’m running out of time.” King glanced at the phone again. “I want you to leave a second message. And this time you’d better convince him you’re worth saving.”
Caden frowned. Even though he wasn’t in a position to fight back, he’d still had enough of the man’s intimidation tactics. “Maybe instead of all your threats, you just need to give Aaron some more time. He’s probably trying to figure out what to do, just like you are.”
King stepped in front of him. “The problem is I don’t have the luxury of time. I need to put an end to this. Now.”
“And then what happens?” Caden asked.
“Does that matter to you?”
“Considering the fact I’m sitting here, tied to a chair and having my life threatened, what happens next does matter to me.” Caden chose his words carefully, still feeling as if his best option at the moment was to turn the two men against each other.
“A hundred and fifty thousand dollars is a significant amount of money,” he continued, “but I’m not sure if you could disappear completely. That is what you’re planning, isn’t it? Disappearing. I’ve heard Colombia has nice beaches, or maybe Peru, where you can live a comfortable lifestyle for far less than here in the US. But how long will the money actually last? I don’t know…eight, maybe ten years. With twice that, you’d be set for at least twenty years.”
Sawyer took a step back. “King isn’t going to cut me out—”
“No… I was just thinking out loud,” Caden said.
But it was already too late. Caden caught the renewed panic in Sawyer’s eyes. Another seed had been planted.
“Enough of this nonsense. Sawyer, don’t listen to them. Because here’s what is going to happen.” He turned to Gwen. “I’m going to contact your brother again, and this time you need to make sure you get his attention.” King pulled his weapon out of the holster and pointed it at Caden’s head. “Because if you don’t, I will shoot him. Do you understand?”
Gwen’s lip quivered as she nodded.
“Good.” King unlocked the phone. “I want you to convince him that I’m serious about my threats. And that if he goes to the authorities, you’re dead. The choice is his, but he’s running out of time if he wants to see you alive.”
King dialed the number, then held up the phone, warning her one last time to do exactly what he’d told her.
Caden’s jaw tensed. He was frustrated that there wasn’t anything else he could do to stop what was happening. Instead, Gwen took in a deep breath and waited for the call to go through.
No answer.
“Leave a message,” King said.
“Aaron…” Gwen’s voice cracked. “I don’t know where you are, but I need you to know that these men are serious. They are threatening to kill me if you don’t make the exchange. Do what they say. Please. And Aaron—”
“That’s enough.” King ended the call.
Caden stared at the phone as if that would somehow make the return call come through faster.
“I can make something to eat,” Sawyer said.
King dropped the phone onto the counter. “Fine.”
Sawyer started pulling out sandwich ingredients from the fridge. A clock ticked off seconds above the stove, while the TV ran muted in the background on one of the kitchen counters. Caden could only imagine what Gwen was thinking. Fear, anxiety, even guilt. It was one of those situations you never imagine happening to you. Only to someone you read about in the news cycle. And yet, this was real and if they didn’t figure out a way to stop the men, it would be their shocking deaths people would see reported on the ten o’clock news.
Tensions seemed to escalate with each passing minute. Time ticking by, frame by frame, like a horror movie where you’re not sure if the good guy’s going to make it out alive or not. He wanted to talk to Gwen, to reassure her that they would get out of here. Somehow. He’d figure out a way. If he couldn’t undo the bindings, he’d find another opportunity. It was what he was trained for—running into trouble and figuring out a solution.
The phone rang.
King snatched up the phone. “I see you got my messages.”
Caden tried to read King’s reaction, wishing he could hear the conversation, but King turned away from them and kept his voice just barely above a whisper.
King muted the phone. “Your brother wants to make sure you’re still alive.”
Proof of life.
The entire scenario seemed so surreal. How had his weekend away ended up here?
“Tell him you’re fine,” King said. “Nothing more.”
King unmuted the phone then held it up in front of her.
“Aaron—”
“Gwen…are you okay?”
“For now. I’m here with—”
King muted the call again, then continued the rest of the conversation on the far side of the room. A minute later, he hung up.
“What did he say?” Gwen asked.
“He’s a smart man. He’s agreed to the exchange.”
“And after you get the money?” she asked.
King stopped at the edge of the hardwood floor. “Now that is always the problem with an exchange. I don’t trust your brother, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t trust me.”
“So what’s the plan?” Sawyer asked.
“I’ll take care of the details, but we’ll meet in the morning.”
“And in the meantime?” Caden asked.
“The two of you will have to come with me. I need a place to ensure you don’t escape again.”
“Wait, King…” Sawyer’s face had paled.
“What is it?”
Sawyer dropped t
he knife he’d been using to spread mayonnaise. “We have a problem. We just hit the news cycle.”
He turned up the volume on the small flat-screen TV, where a reporter had just started talking.
“According to witnesses, a female hiker fell off one of the canyon walls yesterday afternoon, but there seems to be an unexpected twist in the case, leaving the authorities with more questions than answers in this bizarre story. Two men who make yearly trips to this part of the state claim that they encountered the woman while rafting down the river and offered to give her a ride. But instead of having to deal simply with the rapids, one of the men was shot in the leg by an unknown assailant, and the woman was kidnapped. The injured rafter is now recovering, but the woman is still missing, and the identity of both assailants is still unknown.
“We will update the story as more information becomes available.”
“They’re onto us,” Sawyer said.
“Don’t worry,” King said. “They can’t identify us and they can’t trace us here.”
Sawyer’s breathing increased. “Except your assurances aren’t exactly working. You told me all we had to do was grab the guy, and we’d get the cash. How long is it going to be until they figure out who we are? Until our faces are on the news next to hers.”
“Her brother would be foolish to mention us. He’d end up going to prison, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want that. We’ll be long gone by the time they identify us.”
But Sawyer was clearly not convinced. Caden could see it in his eyes and the furrows on his forehead. A simple plan, they’d thought, had suddenly spiraled out of control. But whether that would work to his and Gwen’s advantage or not, he wasn’t sure.
“You can’t guarantee that we’re safe here,” Sawyer said.
“Stop worrying. I said they won’t find us.”
“You can’t promise me that. You might be able to disappear, but I have two kids to worry about. I’m not going to prison.”
King grabbed a slice of cheese from the package and folded it into fourths. “You should have thought about that when you decided to do this with me, but instead you’ve contributed nothing and complained the entire time. And you know what else? Our hostage here was right. Three hundred thousand will guarantee that I can disappear for the rest of my life. Buy a little cantina south of the border and spend my days sunning on the beach…”