Page 101 of Hold the Line

Phoebe

Deaconwastakingnochances with my safety. Until we got things settled with Richie, my walks were history. As much as I enjoyed my daily ritual, I didn’t have a problem with it. Me driving to work set both our minds at ease.

It had been two days since Jennifer’s middle-of-the-night visit, and Deacon had been on edge since. We had an appointment to speak with a lawyer tomorrow, and I hoped it would mark the beginning of the end.

Since Hailey needed a ride home, having my car at the shop worked out well this evening. She chattered away as we went through our end-of-the-day routine, cleaning and packing up leftovers. She was taking a box of muffins home to her siblings, and I had a few of Deacon’s favorites.

I couldn’t make Richie go away, but I could give Deacon cookies.

“Are you seeing my brother tonight?” Hailey asked as I locked the door.

“Every night,” I replied. “After I drop you off, I’m meeting him at Joy’s. She’s got him fixing a cabinet for her. It’s really just an excuse to get him there so she can lay her eyes on him.”

Hailey hummed. “I don’t know why Aunt Joy couldn’t have been our mom. Think of how different our lives would have turned out.”

I bumped her with my shoulder. “I don’t know, sweetheart. Seems like your and Deke’s lives are pretty rosy these days. The Spellmans adore you.”

“Yeah, they do.” She grinned. “And you adore my brother.”

“No doubt about that.”

We walked around the back of my car together, the setting sun still warming the air. As I popped the trunk, Hailey slung her backpack off her shoulder with a grunt. The sheer size of it never failed to amaze me. I had no idea how she lugged it around, and what was inside would remain a mystery for the ages.

I reached up to close the trunk, and something hard jabbed into my lower back, freezing me in place.

Hailey yelped.

An arm snaked around my throat, locking me in a crushing grip. Hot breath blew against my ear. “Get in the truck.”

My blood ran cold.

“Richie?” Hailey’s voice was strangled with disbelief. “What the hell are you doing?”

He yanked me tighter against his chest. “You too, Hailey. Both of you. Get in the truck, or I shoot her. I only need one of you.”

My breath caught. The pressure against my spine pressed in harder.

A gun.

It had to be.

I slid my eyes toward Hailey. Her face was flushed, gaping in shock as she stared at her brother.

“You don’t have to do this,” I rasped. He wasn’t cutting off my air, but his hold made it hard to speak. “Let’s talk to Deacon about this.”

Hold the line.

“I’ll talk to him once I have you somewhere safe,” Richie snapped, the barrel digging into my back. “You don’t move, I’ll put a bullet in her head and take you anyway. You think Deacon’ll keep you around after that? Nah, I don’t think so.”

“Fine! I’ll get in the truck.” Hailey scrambled backward, and before I could tell her not to, she climbed into the truck.

They always said to never go to a second location, but there was no way I would let Richie take Hailey without me. If I went with them, I could protect her.

“Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll come.”

Richie shoved me into the back seat, closing the door behind me. I lunged for the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. He must’ve had the child locks engaged.

He hopped in the driver’s seat and took off down Main Street like a bat out of hell, careening around a corner, nearly mowing down a pedestrian. In less than a minute, he took us away from the heart of town and onto a country road. During that time, I strapped Hailey and myself in, having zero trust in Richie’s ability not to crash into a ravine.

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