Page 64 of Save Her Life

“I’m sorry, but without more I don’t see how I can?—”

“He has something I want,” he roared. “You do as I ask, or your daughter is dead.” He ended the call, consumed by rage, and turned his phone off.

“What’s going on, LJ?” Dennis had come to from his sleep coma. He hadn’t stirred when the girl had cried out twice but Lonnie’s raised voice had roused him.

Lonnie lowered himself down and put his face in the girl’s. “Your mother is a stubborn bitch.”

The teen glared at him with contempt and balled up her face. There was no doubt she’d have spat in his face again if it wasn’t for the gag. He reached out and slapped her. Her head lolled to the side and blood poured from her nose.

“Hey, hey, hold on.” Dennis stepped up next to them and wedged himself between him and the girl. “Do we really need to hurt her?”

“Are you kidding me? She needs to learn some respect.”

“We got into this without thinking it through, and now we’re in over our heads. Her mom is the freakin’ FBI, for God’s sake.”

“You’re losing sight of the goal here. She’s a mother first. She’ll do what we want her to if she ever wants to see her kid again.”

“Did she say she would?”

Lonnie replayed the conversation. Lots of talk, no outright promises. “I’ll make her see the light.”

“Uh-huh, and if she does what we want, are you going to give her the girl?”

Lonnie looked at the teen. The blood from her nose was now dripping from her chin, and her eyelids were fluttering. Was the plan ever to return her alive? He wasn’t so sure he saw that future anymore.

“LJ, you’re kind of scaring me, man.”

“I guess we’ll see, but for now this girl is our best bargaining chip. We use her to get what we want.”

“And then what? You still haven’t said. We give her back, right?”

“We get rid of her.” He looked his friend in the eye, serious in his commitment.

“But none of this is her fault. She didn’t ask to get caught up in this.”

“Then her mother should have thought through the consequences of her actions. Patton’s still in prison because of her. She’s why we’re still waiting on our due from decades ago. My patience has run out.”

“No.” Dennis shook his head and stepped back. “I didn’t sign up for this. Not murdering a teenage girl.”

“What are you saying, Dennis?” Anger was rising in Lonnie’s chest and making it hard to take a full breath, but he put his hand into his coat pocket, wrapping his fingers around the grip of his gun.

“I’m just saying it’s not necessary.”

“Huh, but as you just said, her mom’s a fed. We get caught, we’re going away for the rest of our lives. Not that I have any intention of getting caught, but I say we give the woman something that will stay with her forever.”

“Nah. I want out, LJ.” Dennis was shaking his head like the brain-dead idiot he was.

But maybe Dennis was handing him a gift. After all, he’d already played his part by getting the van in place and driving them here. And if he was going to whine at every turn, he’d be more hindrance than help. Suddenly any bit of loyalty he felt toward Dennis was gone. “Fine, you want out, you’re out.” He pulled the gun and shot Dennis between the eyes.

One yelp, and he dropped to the ground.

The girl screamed behind the gag, her eyes wide and full of tears, as Dennis’s blood sprayed her face.

“Don’t worry, princess, your time is coming.”

THIRTY-ONE

Sandra’s legs buckled, and Brice caught her.

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