Page 36 of Web of Lies
“My husband doesn't have any money.”
There's a very loud and long silence, then Shaun barks out a laugh that turns into a cackle. Larken nearly jumps out of her chair and we both glare at him.
“I'm sorry,” he chokes, holding up both hands. “I'm sorry.”
He isn't sorry. He's still laughing.
“Exactly what do you mean? I saw the house. I saw the cars. I saw the neighborhood.”
She smiles. “Did you see the bank statement?”
She's as obnoxious as Shaun is. “Why would I?”
“I guess you wouldn't,” she sighs, rubbing her thumbs together. “But I promise you, Adrian doesn't have any money. Not enough to pay someone to kidnap me.”
I look at Shaun. He looks at me, still smiling but no longer laughing, and motions for me to carry on with the interrogation.
“He'd pay you with my money,” Larken continues.
“Come again?” I ask.
“He'd use my money, from the company and the inheritance, to pay you. I'm essentially bankrolling this kidnapping.”
I can almost feel rage-fueled steam streaming from my ears. “Is it a kink? Some kind of fetish, BDSM malarkey?” So help me, if I've been stupid enough to get tied up in a couple's sexcapades I'm going to react very, very poorly.
“A kink?” she asks with a snarl. “What kind of kink would that be? No. I'm not sure why he decided to go this route, but it's most definitely not a kink.”
I'm starting to understand why she's been so calm and quiet this whole time. “I'm having trouble understanding why he hired us to kidnap you if the only money he has is yours. What would be the point of having you brought back? Why not pay us to simply get rid of you? Wouldn't that be so much easier than all this?”
“The money.”
I give her a dry look. “You're not very good at answering questions.”
“You're not very good at kidnapping.”
Shaun snorts.
“I kidnapped you just fine.”
She nods. “You did. But then we got here. I've never been kidnapped before, but I don't think forcing the kidnap-ee to drink water, eat food, and watch you pee in the bathtub is typically part of being kidnapped.”
“Kidnap-ee isn't a word.”
Shaun snorts again. I shoot him another glare.
“Maybe not,” Larken says. “But it's still true. The only things that have happened that are in line with a true kidnapping are when you took me from the house and when he,” she nods toward Shaun, “put me in the trunk and handcuffed me to the bed frame. You're not supposed to feed me and you're not supposed to keep me for days and days. It gives the police more time to track you down.”
“The police aren't looking for me,” I tell her. “Or you. This isn't something that will get out to the public because it isn't designed to do that. A public outcry for your rescue isn't necessary because the only person who knows you're gone is your husband.”
Her face falls. “You're probably right.”
“And that's where your troubles begin.”
She looks up at me, her brows wrinkling together. “What do you mean?”
“Now you’re really kidnapped.”
Chapter Thirteen
