Page 49 of For the Birds

I didn’t think that was possible, but I found myself saying, “I’m listening.”

“We’ll promise to lay low,” Dermotsaid.

“You can promise me the moon, but there’s nothing to stop you from shooting me before we get to the end of theroad.”

“If we wanted to shoot you, we would have done it by now!” Buck shouted.

“And who’s to say you won’t take me back to Fenton County and then hold me hostage there?”

Buck took several steps toward me and stopped. “We could just toss you in the damn trunk like Landry did. But we haven’t. I need you, and even though we’ve gotten off to a rocky start, I think we can still salvagethis.”

I released a sharp laugh. “You call this a rocky start? I’ll let you take me back, but I want your phone. I’m calling Mr. Malcolm before we leave. If I don’t return home safe and sound, I want him fully aware that you are responsible. Then and only then will I get in yourcar.”

“No,” he barked.

I turned around and nearly fell when pain shot through myleg.

“Dammit, Buck!” Dermot shouted. “We’re supposed to be savin’ our asses, not puttin’ the stamp on our death warrants! Give her the damn phone!”

“Why in the hell would you trust her to make thiscall?”

“We don’t have a choice thanks to your trigger-happy finger.”

I’d taken several steps, trying my best not to limp, silently chanting I’m as badass as Neely Kate over and over in an effort to suck it up and ignore my pain, when Buck said, “Fine. Takeit.”

I turned around and saw Buck holding out his phone to me. He approached slowly, his gun still hanging at hisside.

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, that’s not doin’ it.” I pointed to hisgun.

He shoved it in his pants, and I took the phone and started to punch in the number, thankful I’d committed James’ number to memory in case I ever neededit.

“Where the fuck is Rose?” James snapped into the phone with plenty of venom in his words. “If you’ve hurt her, I swear to God I’ll make you suffer until you’re begging me for mercy.”

I hid my shock. James had Buck Reynolds’ number programmed into his phone.

“James,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “I’mokay.”

“You stole Reynolds’ phone?”

“No . . .” I looked into Buck’s face. “He gave it tome.”

“This is a ransom call.” His hard edge wasback.

“No. It’s a long story, but the two men who kidnapped me are dead, and Buck and two of his guys freedme.”

“They’re the guys who showedup?”

“Yeah, but like I said, I’ll explain it all to you when I get back to Henryetta.”

“Where areyou?”

“Buck says Louisiana, but I don’t know any more details. He and his men are bringing mehome.”

“Don’t get in a car with them, Rose. Give me the location, and we’ll come getyou.”

“That’s what this call is about—their guarantee to deliver me safely. Because now you know that my well-being is in their hands.”

“Put me on speakerphone,” he snarled.

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