“Got what you need?”
“You doubt me, Ter?”
“Nevah,” he said around a playful, teasing grin.
His words warmed me, and no matter how hard I tried to shake them off, I was affected. So, I focused on the task at hand.
“Three people with her and the driver is probably armed.”
“Not a problem,” he said with a smile. “I’m always strapped, Kitty Kat.”
The more he used that damn nickname, the more it grew on me. Warmed me. The more it felt like an intimate pet name instead of a childish taunt.
“What’s the plan?” I asked.
At his raised eyebrow, I returned the same look. “Don’t tell me you haven’t driven around and figured out the best way to get Madison out of there.”
Terry’s playful smile made another appearance, and I squeezed my knees together until they started to sting.
“Yeah, I do have a plan,” he said and drove around behind the squat building while he explained.
It was a simple plan and I smiled. “Guess that G.I. Joe thing runs in the family.”
He barked out a laugh and shook his head, his blue eyes staring at me with something that looked a lot like affection. I couldn’t have that, so I looked away.
“Thanks for that.”
I groaned at his tone, wondering what I’d have to do to get him to see me as a woman, or better, a desirable woman. “Sure.”
“Here’s your phone. Ready your weapon,” he ordered and despite his bossy tone, I felt my nipples harden in response.
“When you’re ready,” he said and drove away.
I took a deep breath and counted until I found the bathroom window for room 121. The faint light at this early morning hour before the sun rose would turn out to be our ally.
TEN, I texted Terry to let him know I was in place.
NINE, he replied, letting me know he was in place. I should now call the room directly.
EIGHT, I sent a confirmation and then made the call.
A deep, slightly cultured voice answered. “I said no goddamn phone calls!” He sounded older than I realized, which meant it wasn’t Stephen McLaughlin, but likely Mueller himself.
The thought threw me off for half a second before I recovered.
“Hello Mr. Evans, this is Joanna Lemmings from Desert Telecom.”
First thing that came to mind. His growl of frustration let me know I hit the mark.
“Not interested. Don’t call back,” he warned and slammed the phone down hard enough to be heard through the shut bathroom window. Madison’s signal to make her move.
SEVEN, The sign to Terry that the call was successful; Madison wasn’t alone.
SIX, Terry replied he was prepared at the front door.
FIVE, I texted Terry when the bathroom light flickered to life and Madison appeared in the window with a black eye that was swollen and a gnarly looking split on her bottom lip. She clutched her side as she reached up on her toes to open the window a little further. “Ms. Ashby?”
I quirked a brow and smiled. “So now I’m Ms. Ashby? Not Kat or Rich Girl?”
She rolled her eyes and winced in pain.
“Trying to be cool since you’re being so helpful, savin’ my life and all.”
Her voice held the appropriate amount of bravado but the flash of fear in her eyes as she looked over her shoulder reminded me that she was just a kid.
“I need a hand,” she said reluctantly, embarrassment heavy in her tone.
It was a risk but I shoved the gun back in the holster and stepped in close to the window, hooking my arms under her pits to give her a good pull out the window. We both fell to the ground with a grunt.
“You all right?”
Madison nodded. “Alive.”
FOUR, I messaged Terry and his message came seconds later.
THREE, My cue to wait, which I did, impatiently.
Though not as much as Madison. “Why are we just standing around? They’ll notice I’m gone in about ten seconds,” she grumbled.
TWO, I confirmed we were waiting by the dumpster.
“It’s called a plan,” I told her and wrapped an arm around Madison so she could lean on me while we waited for Terry.
ONE, One second later he flashed the lights.
“Come on.”
I held her close and practically dragged her toward the car, shoving her in the back with a quiet slam of the door.
“That was fun!” I flashed a smile at Terry and when he smiled back, I had to resist the urge to lean forward and press my lips to his.
It wasn’t the right moment.
It would never be.
Terry turned the car around toward the street and just as we passed the front of the building, the door opened.
“Wait,” I called out as my eyes tried to focus on the grey-haired man who’d stepped out, that fucking beard etched in my mind.
“Holy fucking shit,” I muttered and reached blindly for my phone to snap a photo at the same moment the woman, Donna McLaughlin, stepped out beside him.
“Okay, go.” Immediately I sent the photo to Ma.
It was a foolish move, I realized after the fact, designed to bring more heat on the family, especially from the Feds who’d taken up residence in Glitz for the past few months. No matter what she did, I knew Sadie would want to know. Hell, she needed to know.
“Uh, Kat?”
Madison’s shaky tone alarmed me and I turned to her. “What’s up?”
“Not that I’m not grateful, ‘cause I am. Totally. But I uh need…” Her eyes fluttered shut and that was when I noticed the place she’d been holding was bleeding.
“Shit! Terry she’s hurt.” I leaned forward between the front seats and lifted the same ratty t-shirt she’d been wearing when she showed up at the hotel. A slice ran about four inches across her abdomen but the blood was black and dried, and it smelled. “She’s been stabbed.”
“Fuck.” That one word from Terry’s mouth held a wealth of emotions as he slammed on the gas and put as much distance between us and Mueller as he could.
Without thinking I climbed between the seats and held Madison’s head in my lap, stroking
