Page 25 of Wistful Whispers

“Mister I’m pregnant if you haven’t noticed,” she sasses, but I can hear in her voice that it’s for show to distract him from me. I don’t want to waste the moment and I quickly pick up the tracker and press the silent alarm.

“Drive. To your boathouse,” he barks when Hannah is seated next to him.

The tension in the car is almost unbearably thick, pressing down on me with each passing second.Think, think!I keep glancing in the rearview mirror, straining for any sign of Hannah in the backseat. But she is out of sight now, lost in the shadows beyond my line of vision. My fingers tighten around the steering wheel and I swallow hard, keeping my eyes ahead while hoping to see the flash of police lights behind us. It would be a miracle to be honest—they’re miles back in Keswick, and even at top speed they couldn’t reach us for another half-hour. Still, the thought gives me something to hold onto.

Then my phone buzzes, a sudden vibration that sends a jolt through my chest. It sits in the cup holder, screen flashing a local landline number. That’s not the hotel and I don’t know anyone else who’d call me from a landline these days. Could it be the police calling to check in? Hope flares up for a split second.

“Leave it,” the guy barks from the back, his voice sharp and impatient like he’s ready to punch me. “You answer that and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Not that I’d planned to answer. Maybe if I ignore the call whoever’s on the other end will realise something’s wrong and get worried enough to send someone out. I keep my speedsteady, slow enough to drag this out without making it obvious. Every second counts. If I can buy us just a little more time… I’d take a detour if I could but this road is the only way from Fellside to Greenview Manor. The fact that he knows where I live can only mean he’s been watching for a while; he probably knows every route I could take. Every glance at the mirror is a reminder that we’re trapped.

He leans forward suddenly, shoving a phone in my face. "Hey boss, got them here," he says, his mouth curving into a twisted grin in the rearview mirror. “Say hello Jackie.”

I don’t even need to hear the voice on the other end to know who’s there. I grit my teeth, bile rising in my throat. “You’ll pay for this Grant,” I spit, putting as much venom as I can into the words. There’s a pause, and then laughter filters through the line—cold, mocking. The wanker chuckles along like he’s in on some sick joke.

“Enjoy the ride with Mincer,” Grant sneers, his voice dark and dripping with malice. “When it’s over neither you nor that pretty little girlfriend of yours will be around to tell the tale.”

My blood runs cold. Hannah’s quiet sobs from the backseat slice through me, twisting something deep inside. I’d take whatever they threw at me without a second thought, but the idea of him laying a finger on her is more than I can bear. “Fuck you!” It’s all I’ve got, but the rage in my voice feels like a weak attempt to fight.

Mincer snorts and leans back, muttering something under his breath. He’s taken Grant off speaker and is talking quietly.

“Make sure you’re seen publicly in the next few hours boss. Lark is getting me the other boat and we’ll call you when it’s all done,” Mincer says.

Fuck, there’s another one.

“Alright, later.” Mincer signs off before I hear the clicking of him typing something on his phone. “Got to arrange my taxi,” he laughs. If I only knew what he’s planned.

Greenview Manor’s illuminated sign looms ahead, casting a dim glow over the winding road. I flick on the indicator, waiting for a gap in traffic to turn onto the drive. Once on the driveway I head towards the main building hoping someone will spot us.

“Don’t even think about it,” Mincer snaps, catching onto my plan. “Turn left, down to the lake house.”

Damn it. He’s not just guessing—he really does know the place inside out. I veer onto the narrow path that snakes down toward the boathouse, a secluded road we usually use for deliveries or when guests want to head to the lake retreat. The gravel crunches under the tyres as we descend, the path winding sharply and narrowing with every turn. The weight of the winter mist settles around us, thick and oppressive, swallowing up what little light remains.

The boathouse comes into view, small and isolated on the lakeshore, its outline blurred by the mist rolling off the dark waters of Windermere. The lake is perfectly still, an eerie calm that only makes everything feel worse. This is exactly where he wants us—out of sight and out of reach.

The minute I turn off the motor a sick panic races through me. Whilst I was driving, I felt like I had some control over the situation but however little that control was, I’ve lost it now.

“Right, this is how we’re going to do this now. Jake, you get out of the car first, take five steps towards the boathouse and then wait with your back to the car. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I hiss.

“I count on you not wanting your girlfriend and baby to get harmed. Leave the car key in the ignition.” I want nothing more than to beat the shit out of this arsehole but I try to keep control. Any wrong move I make could harm Hannah.

“Move it!” he shouts. I unbuckle my seatbelt and climb from the car. My legs feel like jelly and my heart is racing. It feels like an eternity until I hear another car door open and Mincer barking at Hannah to follow him out of the car.

“Alright Jackie, you walk ahead of us. Girlfriend, tell him where my gun is,” he laughs.

“It’s… he’s pressing it in my back,” she sobs.

“I’m sorry,” I reply and wish I could pull her in my arms.

“Enough, love birds. Go. We’re going to take a trip out on the boat.”

My legs don’t want to work and I have to force myself to walk towards the small building. I feel I’m getting closer to the endwith each step and I don’t want it to end—not now when life has finally become so good.

Chapter 12

Hannah

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