Page 77 of Whispers of Redemption

Cassie fought back the fear rising in her as desperation over her situation threatened to overwhelm her. The wire was gone and there was no way that Wade, Hugo, and Zack could know where she was now. If she was going to get free from this, it was going to be all up to her.

She started to make sounds behind the duct tape covering her mouth, and Brett frowned. “It’s no good, Cass. There’s literally nobody around for miles and miles,” he said. “I need to get this done and collect my massive reward.” He aimed the gun at her.

Cassie continued making sounds, and Brett sighed. “Fine, I suppose I can let you have a few last words.” He bent down to rip off the tape in one yanking pull. Cassie’s head snapped with the force of it, making the pain on the side of her head throb even harder, and red spots swam in front of her eyes.

She took in great gulps of the cool night air, steadying herself. Then she looked up at Brett. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“Yeah, Cassie, I do,” Brett said.

But she could detect a slight waver in his voice and she pressed it.

“You haven’t done anything yet that you can’t turn back from, Brett. Olga is the real thief here,” she continued. “I’ll bet you could get a deal, maybe even a reward, if you turn in any evidence you have against her.” As she spoke, she struggled to her feet, almost falling back down as nausea rocked through her with the movement. The stabbing pain in her head worsened, but she ignored it. Brett had remained silent, and she could see that she was starting to get through.

“If Olga’s having you do this to me, what’s going to stop her from doing the same thing to you?”

“No way,” Brett said. “She needs me. She wouldn’t be able to get this deal done without me.”

Cassie couldn’t stop a derisive laugh. “Need you? Don’t be a fool, Brett. She doesn’t need you for any of this. She’s probably plotting right now how to cut you out of the deal.”

“Shut up, Cassie!” he shouted. And the anger in his voice let Cassie know that she’d pushed him too far. “I’m not a fool. In fact, I’m wise enough to know there’s no point in wasting any more of my time talking to you.”

The gun, which he’d lowered while she’d been speaking, was once again squarely pointed at her.

Cassie had no idea what she was going to do now, only that she wasn’t going down without a fight. She took a step toward him so that the gun pressed up right beneath her collarbone.

“Okay, then,” she said, looking straight at him. “Go ahead. Pull the trigger.”

He hesitated.

“Do it!” she ordered. She was debating whether to shove him or drop down and try to sweep his legs out from under him when a series of sharp, staccato barks exploded behind her. A white ball of fluff rocketed out of the darkness, aiming straight for Brett’s ankles.

“What is it? What is it!” Brett’s voice was full of fear as Angel attacked his legs. He stumbled backward, tripping over the tiny dog and the gun flew from his hand.

Cassie spotted the dark shape as it landed against the starlit dunes and ran toward it, squatting down to pick it up with her hands still taped behind her. When she rose, she saw red-and-blue police lights flashing in the road down below. Cassie had never been so happy to see police lights in her life. She also saw four flashlights bobbing toward her over the dunes.

“Cassie!” That was Ani’s voice!

“Cassie! Are you okay?” Wade called out.

“I’m fine!” Cassie called back.

Angel continued to growl and snap at Brett, daring him to move an inch.

“I have his gun,” Cassie called out as they drew close.

A moment later, they were beside her.

Hugo took the gun. “And with your hands duct-taped behind your back? Nice work!” he said. He pulled a small knife out of his jeans pocket and cut her free.

“It wasn’t just me,” she said, rubbing at her wrists. “I had help from an Angel.”

They all looked over at the little dog who was busy circling the fallen Brett and barking nonstop.

Ani flung her arms around Cassie and sobbed into her neck.

“It’s okay, Ani,” Cassie said, hugging her back. “I’m really okay. How did you guys find me?”

“It was Hugo and me!” Ani said.

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