Page 82 of Obsession

“Speak English?”

The man responded with a glare, so Teddy ground his foot into the guy’s Adam’s apple. Out of desperation, the kidnapper grabbed Teddy’s leg again and tried to push it off, but immediately let go when Teddy jammed the business end of his silencer into the guy’s forehead.

“English. Yes or no?”

“Yes,” the guy croaked. “A little.”

“Where are you keeping her?”

The man’s eyes flared in surprise, then turned guarded. “Keeping who?”

“Nice try, buddy. I’ve already killed your friend Kordo, and if you don’t want to help me, I don’t mind getting a little more blood on my hands.”

“Kordo? Kordo’s dead?”

The man’s response confirmed what Teddy had already hoped to be true: he was definitely in the right place.

“I guess news is a little slow getting around. Now, where is she?”

The guy tried to swallow, which was near impossible under the circumstances.

“If you’re not going to talk, I guess I have no choice.” Teddy lifted his gun and moved his aim from the man’s head to his chest.

“She is... she is upstairs. Room in center of... building.”

“See, that wasn’t so hard. Sheisstill alive, isn’t she?”

“Yes, yes! Still alive. Neno just take her dinner.”

“Neno? That’s your friend who just walked out of here.”

“Yes.”

“How many more of you are there?”

“What?”

“You, Neno, Kordo. How many more?”

The man glanced away and then back. “Ten.”

“If you’re going to lie, then I have no use for you.”

Teddy’s finger moved along the trigger, as if it was about to pull it.

“Wait,” the man squeaked. “No more. Only me and Neno here.”

From the look in the man’s eyes, Teddy could tell this was the truth.

“Thank you. One more question. When were you planning on killing Rebecca?”

The man blinked. “Killing? No, we... we letting her go. Tomorrow. Letting her go tomorrow. Yes. No killing.”

“And you were doing so well,” Teddy said, knowingthiswas a lie.

He squeezed the trigger.

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