by Wilder, L.
“Thanks for the heads up.”
“No problem.” Gunner reached into his sack and brought out another burger. As he offered it to Rider, he said, “Do us both a favor and eat this instead.”
We all settled in and finished our lunch as we continued down US 45. We’d almost made it to Tupelo when my burner started to ring. I reached down and took it out of the cupholder, and when I checked the screen, I was surprised to see that Gus was calling. As soon as I answered, he asked, “How far out are you?”
“We’ve still got about an hour and a half to two hours.”
“I was afraid of that.”
There was something about his voice that set me on edge. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“It’s Riley.”
I could feel the weight of the world pressing down on me when I asked, “What about her?”
“I don’t have all the details yet, but from what I can tell, she’s been taken.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
While mine was frantic and full of anger, his voice remained calm while he continued, “There was a situation out at the Nichols’ place … an exchange that didn’t go down as expected, and they took Riley at gunpoint.”
My breathing became more rapid, more shallow, as I barked, “Who was it?”
“I don’t know yet. Nichols called looking for you, and I couldn’t understand much of what he was saying.” The thoughts were racing too fast in my head. I wanted them to slow down so I could think as he told me, “I was trying to explain that you were out of town when the line went dead. I’ve tried calling him back, but I haven’t gotten an answer.”
“Fuck.”
“Murphy,” Gus warned. “I know this isn’t easy, but you’re gonna have to keep it together until we find out what the hell is going on.”
“I’ve got to get to her, Gus.”
“I know and we’ll see that you do, but for now, you need to get back here in one piece. You got me?”
My ribs felt like they were bound in a vice as I tried to take in a deep breath. I was in full-blown panic mode which never happened—not to me. It was me who always kept a level head, but I’d let my rules fall by the way side and it cost me. “Yeah, I got you.”
“I’ll keep trying to get Nichols and see if I can get any more information on Riley. You focus on getting back home.”
“I’ll do my best.”
I hung up the phone and threw it into the cupholder. “Dammit!”
“What’s going on with Riley?” Blaze asked with concern.
As I told him what Gus had just told me, he didn’t ask questions. He just took in the information and did his best not to get me any more worked up than I already was. Once I’d gone through everything, I said, “Gus is supposed to call me back when or if he gets back in touch with Nichols.”
“I don’t know, brother.” He seemed certain when he said, “I think we need to head straight to the farm and see for ourselves what’s going on. If Nichols is as upset as I think he is, he’s gonna end up forgetting something important. Besides, it’s on the way.”
“Agreed.”
“Good. I’ll call Shadow and let him know what’s going on.”
When he picked up the phone, I eased down on the accelerator and hauled ass down the interstate. An hour later we were Somerville, and I was hanging on by a thread as we turned into the Nichols’ driveway. I was doing my best to keep it together as we made our way down the gravel road, but then I saw Riley’s favorite mare sprawled out on the driveway with a pool of blood around her head. Once we’d pulled up at the house, I threw the truck in park and got out. With Blaze and Shadow at my side, we started walking towards the house. I hadn’t gotten far when Riley’s father and her brother came rushing out the front door. With his pale complexion and worried expression, Mr. Nichols looked like he’d aged twenty years as he raced towards me. He shook his head and said, “You were right … you were right about everything.”
“None of that matters now,” I told him. “Right now, we need to focus on getting Riley back.”
“I won’t be able to live with myself if they hurt her.”
“Who exactly are ‘they’?” I pushed.
“I don’t really know … the Hurricanes or something. They’re some inner-city gang.” He went on to tell me about Devon, and the argument over the shipment that we’d purchased from him several weeks before. He explained how he’d reached out to his contact and a new shipment was in route, but there had been some bad weather up north and it had caused a delay. Tears filled his eyes as he told me about Devon shooting Anna Belle, and the devastated look he’d seen on his daughter’s face when she realized he’d killed her. He continued talking, but I couldn’t hear anything after he told me about Devon putting his gun against Riley’s head. After that, it was all static. I clenched my fists at my side as I inhaled a deep breath, hoping it would help center me, but I was too far gone. I was going to end this guy Devon and every one of those asshole gangsters who were in that car with him. Nichols’ voice trembled as he went on, “There was no way I could know that they’d just take her like they did. If I’d known that, I would’ve killed them myself.”
“How long have they been gone?”
“Not quite two hours.” He took a step towards me as he pleaded, “You’ve gotta help me get her back, Murphy.”
“I’ll do everything I can. You have my word on that.” After I gave him the number to my burner, I told him, “We’re going to need to leave our trailers here, or they’re going to slow us down. You good with that?”
“Absolutely. Do whatever you need.”
Once we unhitched the trailers, I turned to Nichols and promised, “We’ll be in touch as soon as we know something.”
I got in the truck and closed the door behind me. Once my brothers had done the same, I pulled out of the driveway, and as I started back towards Memphis, I tried to think of the fastest way for me to find Riley. I had no idea where Devon had taken her, and trying to find her in a city with over a million people in it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. If there was anyone on the planet who could come up with a way for me to find her, it would be Riggs. Praying that he would have the answer, I reached for my phone and called him.
CHAPTER 16
Riley
I’d never realized how powerful fear could be until I was trapped in that car with Devon and his friends. With each second that passed, I could feel the terror in the pit of my stomach growing with every beat of my racing heart. Like a wild animal, it clawed at me, demanding to be freed. I tried to fight it, tried to focus on something other than the men next to me with their guns sticking out of their waistbands, but no matter how hard I tried, the fear was still there. I could feel it pressing against my organs, digging into my ribs as it swelled inside of me. When it finally made its way to my throat, I looked up in order to open the passageway for some air to enter my lungs, and then I inhaled a shallow breath. It felt like I was suffocating when my mind drifted back to the moment Devon killed my sweet Anna Belle. A wave of nausea washed over me and I could taste the bile at the back of my throat, but I forced it down. Inhaling a slow cleansing breath, I tried to concentrate on steadying my heart rate, hoping that it would be enough to calm me down. I had to keep my wits about me and focus on the hatred I felt towards these men for kidnapping me and killing Anna Belle. I needed to use that that anger to keep myself in control. It was the only way I was going to survive this.
I looked out the window, and even though it was getting dark outside, I knew we were entering Frayser, one of the roughest parts of Memphis. It was gang territory, known for its violence and endless illegal activities, and people who had any sense at all about them did everything they could to steer clear of the area. More than eighty percent of the people there lived below the poverty line, and it showed. Gang graffiti marked every street corner. The homes were so dilapidated that it was hard to believe anyone actually inhabited them, and the businesses w
ere often dirty with old, dingy storefront signs that hadn’t been updated in years. The streets were lined with various hoodlums searching for their next score, and prostitutes looking for their night’s companion. I didn’t know which was worse—the danger that was looming in the car with me or the danger that lurked in the dark alleys of the ’hood. I assumed I was safer in the car, thinking they wouldn’t hurt me as long as my father got them their weapons, but then one of the men turned to me and said, “You sure are a pretty thing.”
I didn’t want to respond, thinking it would only open the door for more conversation, but he wouldn’t stop looking at me. Feeling like I had no other choice, I replied, “Thank you.”
“Ah, look at that. She’s not only a looker. She’s shy, too.” His eyes skirted over me, and a creepy grin spread across his face as he said, “You know … there’s just something about the quiet girls that gets to me.”
“I think you’re on to something, Leon.” Marcus chuckled from the front seat. “It’s the quiet ones who can surprise ya. Hell, some of ’em get downright freaky when they want to.”
“What about you, cowgirl? Are you a lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets?” The conversation was going south fast, and I was scared that anything I said would just provoke him to take things further. When I didn’t answer, Leon snickered, “That’s all right. I’ll find out for myself soon enough.”
I knew exactly what he was insinuating and was horrified by the thought of him or any of the others raping me. I could feel the tears burning my eyes as I turned my focus back to the side window. I thought he would continue harassing me, but thankfully, the man sitting to my right leaned forward and said, “Give it a rest, Leon.”
“What’s wrong, Zeek? You don’t want a piece of the prissy, little cowgirl?”
“What I want is for you to shut the fuck up for a minute and remember why she’s even with us right now,” Zeek growled. “You got any idea how pissed Malik is gonna be if we don’t get that shipment to him?”
Devon cleared his throat as he looked up at the rearview mirror and glared at Zeek. “That’s enough out of both of you.”
The car grew quiet as we continued down Crump Boulevard. We’d been in that damn car for hours. Other than a few random stops, we’d just been driving around, and I was in desperate need of a break. I needed to stretch my legs and go to the bathroom, but I was too afraid to ask, fearing they might use the stop as an opportunity to do vile things to me. I shifted in my seat, doing what I could to relieve the pressure on my bladder as I studied the men who had kidnapped me. They were each dressed similarly in their puffy winter coats, loose-fitting jeans, and bright white sneakers, but they each had their subtle differences. Even though Devon appeared to be the youngest, it was clear that he was in command of the group. He wore a thick gold chain around his neck and a fancy watch on his wrist, and whenever he spoke, the others listened. Marcus was tall and lanky with narrow, dark eyes and dreadlocks that went down his back. While the look of him made me uneasy, it was Leon who worried me the most. He was muscled up like a linebacker with tattoos covering his hands and neck. There was a large diamond earring in his left ear, and his teeth were too big for his mouth, making him look even more threatening. I would’ve been even more terrified of him if it hadn’t been for Zeek. Of all the men in that car, he was the only one who didn’t seem completely evil. While it wasn’t easy to see with his burly build and rounded jaws, there was a kindness in his eyes that the others didn’t have, but I knew better than to count on him to keep me out of harm’s way. He was one of them, and in the end, I was nothing but a pawn and none of them would think twice about putting a bullet in my head.
Just as another hour was passing by, Marcus looked over to Devon and announced, “I need to take a piss and get some more smokes.”
“You ain’t the only one,” Leon told him. “I need a cold one, too.”
“I’ll stop up here at the Little General,” Devon told them as he put on his blinker. Once he pulled into the parking lot, he reached into his pocket and took out some cash. “Grab us a twelve pack, and I need some smokes, too.”
Once Marcus took the money from his hand, he and Leon got out of the car and headed inside. Several minutes went by, and I was considering asking Zeek if he would let me go to the bathroom when Devon shouted, “What the fuck is taking them so long?”
After seeing that Devon was losing his patience, I decided to keep my mouth shut. I glanced over at the empty seat beside me and the door handle that was just a few feet away. For a split second, I actually considered trying to escape, but knew that Zeek would just grab me, preventing me from making it very far. Feeling hopeless, I sank back into my seat and sighed as I waited for Marcus and Leon to return. When I looked through the store’s front window, I could see them standing at the cash register, and they were both busy flirting with a young woman behind the counter. My attention was on them when a red and black Camaro pulled up beside us. I wouldn’t have thought anything about it if Devon hadn’t muttered, “Damn. Looks like we might have trouble.”
Zeek peered out his window as he asked, “How many does he have with him?”
“Can’t tell. Looks like it’s just three of them.”
About that time, another car drove up behind us and parked, blocking us in. When Devon noticed what the driver had done, he growled, “Motherfucker.”
I had no idea who these men were, but it was clear that Devon was shaken by their arrival. At first, neither Devon or Zeek moved. I could feel the tension radiating off of them as they sat there waiting for Marcus and Leon to return. I could hear Devon mumbling, “Come on. Come on.”
Just as Marcus stepped outside, the Camaro’s doors opened and three Hispanic men got out. Marcus’s eyes grew wide as the men started towards him, but his confidence quickly returned when Leon stepped up behind him. Leon puffed up his chest, trying to make himself look more intimidating as he nudged Marcus in the side with his elbow. “Well, look what the cat dragged in.”
One of the Hispanic men stepped forward, closing the gap between them as he snarled, “My brother, Carlos, was on his way home last night when a bullet found a way into his heart. You or your boys know anything about that?”
“I don’t know shit about your brother.” Leon’s eyes narrowed as he said, “So, get the fuck out of my face before a bullet finds its way into your fucking head.”
“Watch your tongue, amigo, or I’ll cut it right out of your fucking mouth.”
“You know better than to threaten a Hurricane, Mateo.” Leon gave him a shove. “Now, back the fuck off, cholo!”
I had no idea what Leon had just called him, but it was obviously not a compliment. The Hispanic man cocked his head as he told Leon, “You just made a big fucking mistake, cabron.”
I thought they were just spouting off until the guy pulled a knife out of his back pocket and aimed it towards Marcus. Marcus shook his head as he warned, “You don’t want to do that, man.”
Mateo ignored him and lunged forward, doing his best to stab Leon in the gut, and when he missed, a fight ensued. From there, everything moved in slow motion—their body movements, their facial expressions, and even their words. From what I could tell, Leon and Marcus were holding their own, but it didn’t last for long. As soon as the men in the second car got out and joined in the action, Leon and Marcus were no longer able to fight them on their own. Knowing he had to do something, Devon shouted, “Come on, Zeek. Let’s end this shit now.”
And just like that, they opened their doors and jumped out, leaving me completely alone in the car. I had my chance for freedom, but I had to muster the courage to take it. My heart raced with apprehension as I took a quick glance around me, gazing for a brief moment at the door handle, and back to the front of the store. Customers were scattering as fists flew through the air, and it was at the moment that I convinced myself that Devon and his friends had forgotten about me. It was doubtful that I would get another opportunity like this, so I decided
to go for it.
My hands were trembling as eased over to the empty seat beside the door and lifted my hand up to the door handle. I inhaled a deep breath as I slowly pulled it towards me, opening the door with just a small crack. I looked back over to the fight once more, making sure they hadn’t noticed what I was doing, and when I saw they were still fighting, I opened the door and slipped out. The cool night air hit me with a rush as I crouched down and carefully closed the door. On my hands and knees, I crawled towards the trunk, hoping that I could stay hidden long enough to put some distance between me and their car. I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through me as I made my way over to the next vehicle in the lot. It was amping me up, making me want to just make a run for it, but I couldn’t take the chance on them noticing me. I inched a little further and managed to make my way behind a third car. I glanced back over to the others, and I could no longer see what was going on. Worried that my time was running out, I took a deep breath and took off running. I dug my feet into the pavement and ran harder, faster than I’d ever run before. I had no idea where the hell I was going, but I never checked up. I just kept moving forward, hoping against all hope that they weren’t coming after me. And then it happened.
I was just about to skirt behind one of the local businesses when I heard a gunshot. Before I had a chance to think, I felt a searing, burning sensation in my side. I’d been shot. I had no idea how bad, but I didn’t stop. Even though I could hear them calling out to me, I didn’t look back. I just kept running, praying that they wouldn’t shoot me a second time and darted behind a thicket of trees. It wasn’t long until their voices grew faint, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I kept moving, remaining in the shadows as I raced from one street corner to the next. My lungs burned and my legs were growing numb, but I kept pressing forward. When I felt certain that I’d finally lost them, I slowed my pace, and for the first time since I took off running, I looked to see where I was. I didn’t need a map to know that I was in the heart of Orange Mound—a place where a young, white female should never be alone, especially at night. Damn. I’d just jumped from the frying pan into the fire.