Page 56 of Girl, Bound

He snarled at that,his face twisting into a mask of rage. And then his hand came up, a glint ofmetal in the dingy light.

A knife. A shank. Ofcourse, this son of a bitch was armed. Ella felt a flicker of unease, a coldtrickle of sweat down her spine. But she pushed it aside, her training takingover.

‘Drop the knife,Connor,’ she said. ‘Don't make this worse than it has to be.’

But Bixby was too fargone, too high on his own junkie bravado. He lunged at her, the blade slicingthrough the air like a snake's tongue.

Ella sidestepped theclumsy thrust, her hand snapping out to grab his wrist. She twisted, hard,feeling the bones grind together under her grip.

Bixby howled in pain,the knife clattering to the ground. And then Ella was on him, slamming himface-first into the grimy brick. She wrenched his arm up behind his back untilhe squealed like a stuck pig, then she dug a knee into his back, pinning him inplace as she fished for her cuffs. Bixby squirmed, but Ella tightened her hold,forcing a scream of pain out of his mouth.

‘Connor Bixby,’ shepanted, the adrenaline still singing in her veins. ‘You're under arrest forassaulting a federal officer. You have the right to remain silent, butsomething tells me you won’t use it.’

The suspect went limpin her grip. She loosened it, then Connor fell to his hands and knees as hegasped for breath.

‘Dark,’ a voiceshouted from the void.

Ella glanced aroundbut saw no one. Just trash, planks of wood, and a breathless man who might verywell be a serial murderer.

‘Up here, woman,’ thevoice called again.

She looked up and sawRipley half-hanging out of a window.

‘What are you doing upthere?’ Ella shouted.

‘I’m in that asshole’sapartment. March him back up here.’

Ella looked down ather man. The idea of escorting him up a set of stairs wasn’t appealing.

‘Why?’

‘Just get up here.You’re going to want to see this.’

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Ella frog-marchedBixby back up the stairs, her hand clamped around his scrawny bicep like a vicegrip. The guy put up a fight, whining and sniveling the whole way, but Ellajust tightened her hold until he squeaked like a chew toy.

They burst back intohis apartment, Ripley waiting for them with a grin on her face. She'd alreadymade herself at home, lounging on the ratty couch like a queen on her throne.

‘Comfortable?’ Ellaasked.

‘Welcome back,lovebirds,’ Ripley drawled. ‘Hope you enjoyed your little jaunt around theblock.’

Ella just grunted,shoving Bixby towards the radiator in the corner. ‘Cuff him,’ she barked,tossing Ripley her backup pair of bracelets. ‘And make sure they're tight. Idon't want him wriggling out of them.’

Ripley complied withgusto, snapping the cuffs around Bixby's bony wrists and giving them an extrayank for good measure. The junkie yelped like a kicked puppy, eyes bugging outof his head.

‘This is brutality,’he wailed. ‘I know my rights.’

‘Your right is to shutthe hell up,’ Ripley said. Ella already regretting not gagging the guy when shehad the chance. ‘Dark, over here. You gotta see this.’

Ella followed Ripleyinto what passed for a hallway. ‘What?’

‘I hit the motherlodewhile you were playing tag with our man. Get a load of this.’ Ripley swung opena closet. Ella took in the contents, nearly doing a double take.

A boiler was attachedto the wall.

But on the ground, itlooked like a pet store had exploded in there. Bags of kibble and cans ofmystery meat. Hamster bedding, chew toys, even a goddamn snake terrarium,complete with a heat lamp and a fake rock.