Page 2 of No Escape

“Miss Dansberry?” The impatience in his tone was sharp and clear.

“No, should he have?”

Digesting her remark, he took the time to puff on his cigar, his brown eyes squinting at Sarah through the heavy swirls of blue smoke. She knew he was trying to scare and intimidate her. And it was working. She hated showing any kind of weakness, but he had a way of making her feel like a bug about to get squashed.

“You are nervous?”

“Wouldn’t you be?” she snapped, losing her temper. Her eyes narrowed angrily, hating his superior attitude as he sat there with that evil twinkle dancing in his eyes. What woman wouldn’t be in my situation? “I’ve never been kidnapped before.”

He shrugged his narrow shoulders with cold indifference. “It was necessary,” he said smoothly, examining the tip of his glowing cigar.

“I take it you and Mark was friends?”

Sarah didn’t like the sound of his laughter, nor the way his eyes moved over her.

“Not even close, Miss Dansberry.” Raul crushed out the half-smoked cigar in a crystal ashtray, snapping his fingers to get the attention of someone behind her. “Would you care for a drink?”

No, she wanted a gun and someone to show her the way out of there. “I want to know exactly what’s going on, if it’s not asking too much.” Sensing movement behind her, she turned to see Mano had walked to the bar and was in the process of pouring his boss a drink. Her lip curled, and before she could stop her runaway tongue, said scornfully, “I’ll have to get myself a dog when I get home and train him to jump at my command.”

She realized her error at once, but it was too late to take back the words. Susan had several dogs, among other various pets. It came with the territory of having kids. The breath locked in Sarah’s throat as she watched Raul for any kind of reaction that indicated he knew he had the wrong woman, releasing a breath when he didn’t.

“You’re here because I want you here. Before your brother died, he gave you something…a very priceless item that belongs to me.” Accepting the heavy glass from Mano, his gaze never left Sarah. “I want it back Miss Dansberry.”

She watched him stir the amber liquid with his little pinky, before bringing it to his mouth. Shooting beams of sunlight through the glass window behind him captured the jewel in his opulent ring.

“I’m waiting.” His face was an expressionless mask, giving nothing away, unlike his icy tone.

Whoever said ignorance was a blessing had never been sitting in her seat. If Susan received something from Mark, she certainly hadn’t shared that knowledge with her. Sarah knew Raul would only wait so long, and he didn’t seem like a patient man.

“Why didn’t you just ask me for it? If I still have it, I’ll be glad to give it back to you.” Hopefully, it was one of the many souvenirs Mark had sent Susan and the boys over the years, and at this point, Sarah was willing to say anything to save her ass.

His laughter threw her off, causing Sarah to frown. Even the two thugs behind her were making a noise that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a chuckle. She didn’t find anything amusing, and the more Raul laughed, the more she worried.

“You have a sense of humor, Miss Dansberry, but this is not a joking matter.” He sat back in his ornate, throne-like chair, narrowing his eyes on her. “You expect me to believe you’d just give it back, when your brother took it from me in the first place? I wasn’t born yesterday.”

Sarah just barely managed to stop herself from saying something smart in return, something about his age. However, he didn’t look like the type of man who would find being the brunt of a joke very amusing. In fact, although she’d heard him laugh, he didn’t look like he had an amusing bone in his body.

“You’re trying my patience!” The situation wasn’t going his way and his tone clearly revealed he was getting very annoyed.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rodriguez, but I’m scared and confused by this whole mess. My brother wasn’t a thief; why would he steal something from you?” She was stalling, but if she admitted the truth he might just kill her, and then go after Susan. She couldn't let that happen.

“That need not concern you. But I know he gave it to you to hide for him.”

Why couldn’t he be a little more specific? Sarah doubted Susan was hiding anything. If Mark had sent her something before he died, Sarah would know about it. She couldn’t imagine her friend of ten years having something so important and keeping it a secret. They told each other everything.

“Miss Dansberry!” Raul slammed his glass down on the desktop, his lips drawn back in an ugly snarl. The red creeping up his neck revealed his blood pressure was probably rising as well. His hands were clenched into fists of pure rage. At the moment, he looked far more dangerous than his thugs.

Sarah’s heart skipped a beat as the liquid in his glass sloshed over onto the table. “I’m sorry, but I—”

“Enough!” He leapt to his feet, and Sarah jumped in her seat. “I’m tired of this game. You will simply remain here until you return what belongs to me. But my patience has limits,” he warned.

Her eyes grew round with disbelief. “And exactly where is here?”

He waved her off. “That need not concern you,” he said in a flat and emotionless tone, the last traces of civility gone.

“And what should concern me?” she hissed, forgetting her situation. What did he expect, for her to break down and cry? To beg him to let me go? He might have gotten that from Susan. Susan was a sweet, fragile woman and single mother of two. But Sarah had a temper and she wasn’t afraid to use it.

Raul leaned so far over his desk that he practically towered over her; if a man just over five feet could tower over anyone. She sank further into her chair to get away from him, seeing that her unconscious reaction pleased him. He was enjoying the battle, certain who the victor would be in the end.

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