Page 110 of Buckled in Barbwire

I stare out the window but don’t see the passing landscape. “Who took her?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out.”

“Holy shit.” I grab my phone, thumb poised to request backup.

Bianca blindly smacks it out of my hand. “No.”

“But—”

“I won’t let them hurt her. Brody isn’t allowed to know or they’ll do just that.”

This is beginning to sound entirely too familiar but in a much more extreme context. “We’re supposed to go alone?”

“Yes.”

Pulse squeezing my throat, I try to find logic. “This seems… scary.”

“The guy who called earlier assured me that there’s nothing to fear unless I don’t follow their directions.”

My blank stare whips toward her. “And you believe him?”

“What’s the alternative?”

I rake trembling fingers through my hair, no longer caring about the tangles. “How did this happen?”

“Uncle Jimmy handed her over to them to pay off a debt.”

“You better be joking.”

“I’m just repeating what I was told,” she exhales roughly. Her hands tighten on the wheel. “My uncle is in cahootswith these nincompoops. He’s fallen off the wagon again. Worse than before. Dad is going to lose his shit when he finds out.”

“What if we don’t get the chance to tell him?” This must be related to the bad news Jimmy was talking to the other day.

“They’re not going to hurt us. Aren’t you listening?”

“You can’t be that gullible, Bee.” One glance at her bleak expression confirms otherwise. “This is just like the gummy bears.”

Bianca’s posture slumps. “This creep has my mom’s horse. What else was I supposed to do?”

“Tell Brody,” I cry. “He’d burn their shady operation to the ground.”

She shakes her head, eyes on the road. “I couldn’t risk it. He sounded serious, like he won’t hesitate to inflict harm for fun.”

“And we’re driving straight into his trap.”

Her gulp is audible and she turns up the radio. “Don’t assume the worst.”

But as civilization evaporates into rural fields, it’s obvious we’re in trouble. The address appears to be in the middle of a wooded area. It looks abandoned or undeveloped. There’s nobody out here to help even if we yelled. My blood pressure is ready to blow as we crawl along a gravel path.

“There!” Bianca points at a lone building straight ahead.

“I have such a bad feeling about this.”

Her hand sneaks along the center console to clutch mine. “We’ll be okay.”

As she parks, I send a text to Brody. It’s basic and bland, but will hopefully soothe his feathers that are certainlyruffled by now. I’d call him if it were up to me. Bianca seems convinced that would end poorly. Unease slithers down my spine and I can only hope we escape this situation unscathed.

Bianca cuts the engine when a man appears in the doorway of the steel structure. His stature suggests we don’t delay. A sideways glance reveals that my friend is eager to get this over with. I follow her bold lead, hopping out into the morning chill.

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