Page 90 of Spiritwarrior

He started the car and turned toward her. “This better not be a trick. Your parents won’t make it through the next hour if you’re lying.”

“I’m not lying,” she gasped out, feeling as if her stomach was on fire. Ignoring the pain, she pressed the button to lower the window.

He immediately raised it back.

“I’m … having … breathing…”

He lowered the window halfway.

Raising her hand, she pointed to the exit of the parking lot. “You can go—”

“I know where I’m going. You think I haven’t been keeping my eye on you? I know every move you’ve made since you came to town.”

“Why didn’t you just break into the restaurant and take the clock? You didn’t have to involve me or my parents.”

“You stupid bitch, the restaurant is across the street from the sheriff’s office.”

“All you had to do was ask me for the clock when you came to the restaurant, and I would have given it to you.”

He didn’t respond.

Clasping her hands together in fear, she knew from his lack of response why—he didn’t want her telling anyone he had wanted something from inside the restaurant. Without saying it outright, she knew he was going to kill her.

She was clenching her hands together so hard they started to go numb.

They were still a few miles away from the turn into the Colemans’ property when he turned into a parking lot.

“Why are you …?”

He struck her across the face before she could jerk away.

“Shut the fuck up.”

Holding her cheek, she watched him take out his phone.

“There’s been a change of plan.”

She sat in fear as he told the other person on the phone about the clock being on the Colemans’ property.

“We’re going to do it the same way. I’ll park close to where she’s staying, and she can go in and get the clock. I stopped at the bar before the Colemans’ place. If I don’t call you back in ten minutes, kill them.”

“It will take me that long to walk to the trailer on foot. At least give me twenty minutes,” she begged him, keeping her head close to the window in case he backhanded her again.

He repeated what she said in the phone. Then, after closing the phone, the man drove back onto the road.

Afraid to press her luck any further, she remained quiet the rest of the way.

Have him turn into my driveway.

“The turn is coming.”

The man shot her a menacing look. “This isn’t the turn you make when you come and go.”

“This way is closer. I take the other turn because there is more parking there. This way is closer to where I’ve been staying.”

“Bitch, if you’re lying—”

“I’m not going to do anything that will get my parents hurt.”

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