Page 84 of Legacy of Lies
Panting as she ran through several inches of snow, she circled around to the back of the school. And stopped dead.
A different truck was parked on the far edge of school property near a stand of trees.
Sara stared at the vehicle and shivered. She should have put a coat on before leaving the building.
The buzzing in her hand startled her.
She recognized the number, even after a year.
With shaking hands, she answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Hi, baby. Miss me?” A figure in the truck waved at her.
“What do you want, Hank?”
“Come on over to the truck, and I’ll tell you.”
“What?” She began to back away toward the building.
“Get over here, bitch,” he growled. “If you want Zach to live.”
A wave of nausea smacked into her.
She crossed the snow-covered asphalt in no time, and Hank motioned her into the truck. After a good twenty seconds of debate, she approached the vehicle. Zach’s life was worth the risk. She got in, closing the door. The air was thick with her fear and Hank’s seething breaths.
“Okay. Where’s Zach?”
“I’m in charge here, Ms. Skank. I know you’re running around with that Taggart. What do you see in him, anyway? He’s a stupid fuck.”
“This is a bad time for the jealous ex-boyfriend crap, Hank. If you can’t help me find Zach, then I have to go.”
“No, I don’t think you should go. You’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
“Why?”
“Missing anything?” he snickered. “I mean, missinganyone?”
Her heart dropped out from under her, like coming off the top of a roller coaster, only there was no more track left. “What did you do?”
“Nothing. Yet.” His harsh laugh grated on her nerves—nails on a chalkboard.
“What do you want?”
Cold calm settled over her like a heavy, wet blanket.
He grinned. “Your big ass right here in front of me, right now. Begging.”
“What?” She’d lost her voice.
He’d lost his mind.
“You think your life is worth the life of a kid?”
Tears burned behind her eyelids. “Don’t hurt him!”
“We haven’t. Yet.” He belched. The stomach acid odor made her swallow back her own bile. “What happens next to young Mr. Taggart depends on you.”
“Please don’t hurt Zach. He’s just a child. You want me to beg? Fine. I’m begging you.”
