Page 47 of Jael

“In this case, it is.”

Chapter 12

Burger moaned,and Christopher patted his face. “Morning sunshine. You have a good sleep?”

Eva squirmed. Whimpering into Danny’s shoulder. He released her hand and whispered. “Plug your ears.”

Her hands slapped over her ears, and her face pressed harder into his arm.

Burger’s head lolled to one side, then he lifted it. One eye was swollen shut, but the other eye looked up at Christopher, then slid across to Danny. When he noticed Eva, he came fully awake and strained at his restraints.

“Eva, no.” His words were muffled by his swollen lips and tongue. “Please.” His one good eye focused back on Christopher. “I’ll do anything.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” He turned to Danny. “See how much easier things are now?”

“You don’t need her to be here to threaten him,” Danny said.

Christopher turned from him as he focused back on his task. “Does that mean we’re in agreement?”

Burger’s head dropped in defeat. He might not be a good man, but at least he cared about his daughter.

“I’ll do whatever he wants,” Burger said. “Just leave Eva alone.”

“Leave her alone?” Christopher’s lip curled up on one side. “Is that a request or a demand? Because it looks to me like you’re in no position to demand anything.” He walked over to Eva, who was humming softly between chokes of tears with her head squeezed between her hands.

Christopher ran his finger across her knuckles, and Danny stiffened, waiting for him to cross a line.

“It’s a tough world out there,” Christopher continued, sitting on the other side of her. She squirmed closer to Danny, her body shuddering.

“I think that’s enough,” Danny said. “Burger said he’d do what you want. We’re done here.”

Christopher feigned offense. “What is it you think I’m going to do to her?” Then he grinned. “But if I did do anything, it would only be a favor. Prepare her for the harsh realities of life.”

“I’m sure she’s seen enough for one lifetime. Leave her alone.”

Burger was watching Danny with his one good eye. It was damp with tears and full of pleading hope that Danny had the power to make it stop. Burger would know that, if he spoke, it would only make things worse, and Danny could feel the weight of his desperation.

“You think she has a nice childhood here with Burger?” Christopher said. “You believe all that crap he’s feeding us about caring about her? You think she hasn’t already faced the horrors of life with a man like that?” His face hardened, and he grabbed Eva’s ponytail, yanking her hair.

In the seconds that followed, Burger bellowed in fear, Eva’s hands reached for her hair as her eyes bulged open, and she screamed. Danny jumped to his feet a moment away fromthrowing his fist at Christopher’s face but pulled up short when he found a gun pointed at him.

Christopher tsked, shaking his head. He let go of Eva, who scrambled to the other side of the couch and compressed herself into a ball, shaking in terror. She was sobbing, but not making any other noise.

“Back at Gregory’s house,” Christopher said, slapping the back of Burger’s head as he walked past. “I really thought you could gel with us, Danny. I thought you had a real chance. You still have your uses, but I thought we’d hooked a real winner. Trouble is, now you’re in too deep. And if you’re not with us, you’re against us. Which is it going to be?”

“You got what you came here for. It’s time to go.”

“Isay when it’s time to go.”

Danny’s eye shifted to Eva, whose face was pale. She’d stopped crying, but her lips were pressed firmly together, and she was rocking back and forth. A brave girl, despite the terror that filled her eyes.

“You’ve totally ruined the moment,” Christopher said, tucking his gun away. “I was ready for a good day today, but I’ve lost motivation.” He walked over to Burger and backhanded him. Eva screamed, then clamped her hands over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.

Burger was silent, and Danny thought for a moment that he’d been knocked out, but then his head tilted to check on Eva with one bloodshot eye.

“Nowit’s time to go,” Christopher shouted and marched toward the front door, but Danny moved around behind Burger to untie him.

“I said now!” Christopher shouted as he grabbed the door, throwing it open so it smacked into the wall and was held fast by the door handle now embedded into the wall.

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