Page 87 of Legacy of Lies
Chapter 21
Zach sat on a thick wooden chair in the middle of the room, his back to her. His head came up as the door opened. Was he okay?
Hank’s brother, Wyatt, hovered nearby, his bulging eyes darting all around. Despite the chill, sweat beaded his forehead.
Terror locked her legs into place.
“Damn it—move!” Hank shoved her through the doorway, and she fell, banging her knees on the uneven dirt floor. As she struggled back to her feet, she spied a Coleman lantern hanging from a nail near the door and a low pallet on a metal bed frame.
Zach’s whimper spurred her to action.
She spun around, no longer caring about her own safety. “Hank, how could you do this? To a child?”
“All Wyatt did was make sure the kid didn’t try to run off.”
Not caring about Hank, she knelt in front of Zach and hugged him. Poor kid. His nose ran; his hands were frigid. He reared back, and his eyes went wide with terror when Hank approached. Zach tried to move, but couldn’t.
His feet were tied to the chair legs.
Hank flicked his wrist, and a deadly looking blade popped out from a knife handle.
“Bro, stop.” Wyatt held up a hand. “You said you wouldn’t hurt the kid.”
Refusing to move, Sara stood in front of Zach.
“Step aside,” Hank growled.
“Absolutely not.”
“Sara, you always were a dummy. Relax, I’m cutting him loose.” Hank shouldered her to the side and sawed at the ropes tying Zach’s feet to the chair.
“Hold still, buddy. You’ll be fine.” Keeping her hands on Zach’s shoulders, she tried to pour reassurance into the boy.
His lower lip quivered, and he flinched as Hank sawed through the tight ropes.
Once free, Zach flew into Sara’s arms. Holding tightly to the boy, she glared at Hank over Zach’s head.
Hank snorted. “See? All better, son.”
“Let me take him home,” she said.
Zach had a death grip on her shirt, and every inch of his thin frame quaked.
“Oh, no. You’re not leaving, Sarita,” Hank said.
“Are you taking him home, then?”
“Nope. He’s going to do that himself,” he snickered.
“Come on, Hank. He’s a child.” She tightened her arms around Zach.
“He’s a Taggart. He can walk home.”
Even Wyatt’s jaw dropped. “Hank, you can’t be serious.”
She glared at Hank. “No. He can’t be out by himself. It’s dark. It’s snowing.”
Hank snorted. “He’ll be perfectly fine. It’s not that far. I’ll even point him in the right direction.”
