Page 36 of Liar For Hire (For Hire 1)

“You’d better eat it while

you have the chance,” he told her. “If he gives the order I’ll gladly kill you.”

She suppressed a shudder of fear, but the way he narrowed his eyes told her he sensed her fear like an animal. “You people really are a cult. You think you’re above the law.”

“Not above—outside.”

“Come again?”

He grinned. “We’ve never lived subject to human law. How can we? Think about it. There are human rules for flying in machines, set by the FAA. What would we need with machines, and why would we ever limit ourselves to them telling us when we can fly? Do they govern the birds of the air? No.”

She blinked at him. “You’re telling me you guys can fly?”

He snorted in disgust at her and left the room. She took a look at the plate and had to admit the steak and baked potato with green beans looked good. Her stomach growled, but she didn’t think she could keep a thing down.

They could fly? No way. This must be a dream. She was still unconscious. Either that, or a whole group of people were delusional.

“Even if they are delusional, I need to worry about it.” Carl’s threat haunted her, making her sick.

She tiptoed over to the window and twitched the curtain aside. No one was in view, so she as quietly as possible eased the latch open and raised the window. Her heart raced as she threw a leg over the sill.

Voices nearby froze her in place. When the arguing started, she took advantage of the ruckus and dropped to the ground to crouch in the bushes. The road was just yards away. She ducked low, gathering courage to make a run for it. Declan’s name stopped her cold.

“Declan, you’ve come. Welcome.” Patrick’s tone made it sound like Declan had come for afternoon tea.

“You have two seconds to tell me where Janessa is. I know she’s here. I tracked her this far.”

“Tracked her? Wow, I’m impressed. Honestly, I didn’t think you had it in you. I was going to send Carl to get you.”

Declan swore at him. There was a tussle from the sound of things, and Janessa worried about how many people were trying to take down Declan at that moment. Could they fight their way out of there? She’d taken a class or two for self-defense a few years ago. Little good it did her to end up in this situation. Either way, she would fight with Declan.

She ran around the house to the front entrance where everyone was gathered. “Declan,” she cried out. Just seeing him unleashed her emotions, and she found it hard not to cry.

He gathered her in his arms in the time it took her to blink. She clung to him, pressing her face to his chest.

“I’m sorry you got pulled into that man’s mess,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Declan. You know I would—”

“Shh, this isn’t your fault.” Declan’s eyes glittered with rage when she looked up at him. “It’s his, and he’s going to pay for putting his hands on you.”

Patrick scoffed at them. “Be careful, Declan. You have no one on your side here.” With his words, a group of five men as big as Declan surrounded them. Patrick gestured for everyone to follow him inside. Declan balled his hands into fists like he wasn’t above fighting his way out. He gazed down at Janessa and sighed.

“I’ve got your back, Declan,” she whispered.

Every one of the people surrounding them looked at her like she was stupid, and she felt it. They were marched back to the room where she had been held. Patrick ordered everyone out.

“Think about the position you’re in,” he advised Declan. “You’re not willing to lead them, and I am. Why don’t you stand with me, support my leadership, and I’ll be glad to let you two live any way and anywhere you want.”

“Let?” Janessa couldn’t believe his gull.

Patrick’s smile broadened. He must know that calm act he put on drove her crazy. After he left them alone, Janessa went to investigate a sound at the window and discovered a guard there. She groaned and turned back to Declan.

“Well, we’re stuck with some crazies. What are we going to do? Wait, tell me you have your phone, Declan. We can call the police. They took everything I had on me.”

“We can’t do that.”

“Why not? I told you they’re crazy. That one guy threa—” She clicked her teeth together, deciding not to tell Declan what Carl said. It might set him off. “We have to get out of here before things get out of control.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s time I shared all the truth with you.”

---