Page 34 of Captive of Outlaws

“Thank you kindly,” Jack says. “And Miss Maren, we’ll have everything packed up and brought around to the valet. Shouldn’t take more than...” He trails off, his boyish face draining of all color as he looks over Rob’s shoulder to something in the distance.

I feel, more than see, Rob tense. He whips around so fast I nearly jump.

But then I see what he sees.

Two khaki-clad deputies, mirrored sunglasses blocking their eyes, are making their way in from the entrance: one tall with dark brown skin and a shaved head, the other stocky but strong, with a military high-and-tight and a ruddy face.

A hand wraps around my elbow and pulls, hard. As Jack jumps out of the way, nodding, Rob tugs me through the door behind the register and snaps it shut, hiding us away in what appears to be a stockroom.

“What’s going on?” I hiss, yanking my arm away from him. A CCTV screen is mounted above a desk a few paces away, and I watch as the deputies navigate the islands of foldedsweaters and ghostly mannequins.

“We’re leaving early,” Rob’s voice is urgent, but strangely unbothered. “Unless you want to stay and chat with Sherwood’s finest out there?”

I shiver a little. “No, but I...”

“Can I help you gentlemen?” I hear Jack’s voice from the other side of the door, his Southern charm laying on extra sweet and syrupy.

“He’ll stall for us,” Rob explains, glancing around the room. “But we’re going to have to be quick about it.”

“Looking for who now?” Jack says, his tone just a touch higher than before. “We’ve been awful slow all day, I’m afraid.”

“Quick about what?” I, too, dart a glance around the room. It’s just a stock room, nothing special, and the only way out is the way we came in. “We’re stuck in here.”

Rob flashes me a grin. “Ah, Maren, where’s that famous imagination of yours? Come on.”

In a single bound, he’s leapt onto the desk in a crouch. He straightens, and reaches up to the corner of the ceiling where there’s a...

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say. It’s a literal heating vent. Like this is a movie or some shit.

“Serious, I’m afraid.” Rob slips a pocket knife out of his jeans and flicks out the blade. “Deadly.” He sticks the tip of the knife into the corner of the vent cover and twists, and before I can blink, four tiny screws have fallen to the floor,tink tink tink tink.

Rob clicks the knife closed, pockets it, and offers his hand. “You coming, pretty lady?”

I still can’t help but gape. “What is this,Mission Impossible? We can’t climb out through a vent.”

“Can and will,” Rob says. “And it’s very possible. But it’ll be a lot easier if we do it before they get in here.”

“Mid-twenties? Auburn hair?” Jack’s voice pierces through. He’s obviously talking loud enough for our benefit. “Could you be more specific?”

“Maren,” Rob says, the joking gone from his voice. “Now.”

I suck in a deep, incredulous breath.I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

“Fine,” I say, and let him pull me onto the desk. “Here goes nothing.”

Chapter Ten

MY HEART KICKS UP INtime with the engine as we peel out of the shopping center.

“Look behind us,” Rob barks. “Are we being followed?”

I almost swing out of my seat as I turn around at the exact moment he hooks a hard left. We’re clearly not going back the way we came.

I scan the parking lot, looking for the blue-and-reds. Nothing. Then I spot the vehicle: a Chevy Tahoe with SHERWOOD COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT emblazoned on the sides. Just the sight of the words alone makes my stomach turn.

That, and the whiplash-inducing turns Rob is making.

But the Tahoe is parked. Lights off. They haven’t noticed we’re gone.

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