By the time I get back, Brick’s truck is parked next to the Jeep, but there’s no sign of Honon, and flashing lights are heading toward us on the other side of the road.
Brick’s face is pale when I get out of the truck and I imagine mine is not much better.
“We’ll find them,” he says, but he’s not half as convincing as he tries to be.
Panic running like ice through my veins is making it hard to breathe.
“Someone took them. Should’a told her to stay put. Would’ve been safer.” I feel myself become lightheaded and bend over, my hands on my knees.
Brick’s large paw clamps on the back of my neck.
“We’re gonna rip this fucking town apart until we have them,” he growls by my ear, as I hear the crunch of footsteps approaching. “Not gonna lose anyone else, brother. Not gonna happen.”
“She’s pregnant,” I croak.
“Say what?”
I lift my head and focus my eyes on him.
“Fee…she’s pregnant.”
Sophia
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
I wake up to a mantra of whispered apologies, but I can’t see a thing.
It’s dark and cramped, smelling like fuel, dirty clothes, and urine. I try to reach out my hand but my wrists are tied behind my back. My head is pounding.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Mandy?”
I feel movement at my back like someone rolled into me.
“Oh thank God. I thought you were dead.”
“Where are we? What’s going on?”
“You’ve gotta keep your voice down,” she whispers behind me. “We’re in the trunk. He may be able to hear us.”
“In whose trunk?”
“I don’t know. I never saw his face. I’m so sorry, he had a gun on me, I had no choice.”
It’s really hard to try and fit the pieces together when you find yourself tied up in the trunk of a car, after getting knocked out. At least that’s what I assume happened.
It all went so fast. One minute I was leaning over Mandy, the next I was out. I vaguely remember Mandy saying she was sorry then too. I have no concept of time or place, and I try hard to get a grasp as thoughts spin through my mind, but one I zoom in on.
Ravi.
“Did you see what happened to the boy?” I ask her urgently.
“Shhh,” she hushes me. “I got a glimpse of him heading for the woods when you were being dragged to the car.”
I squeeze my eyes closed against the sudden burning, praying Ravi got away.
Suddenly I feel the car swerve, rolling us into each other before it seems to straighten out again. I’m starting to feel evidence of being treated roughly all over my body, as we appear to be going over some rough terrain.
I’m on high alert when the vehicle starts slowing down.
“Mandy. There’s two of us, one of him, right?”
“I think so.”
“Two of us, one of him. We should be able to take him, together.”
“You’re crazy.”
I’ve been called worse, but there’s no way in hell I’m just going to let myself be taken without putting up a fight. I have so much to fight for.
“Roll on your back.”
“I can’t, my hands are tied behind me. It hurts.”
“You have to. It’s not that bad.”
I feel her shift beside me as the car comes to a stop and I hear a door slam.
“Quickly, pull up your knees and when the trunk starts to open, kick out as hard as you can,” I hiss at her. “We can do this.”
I’ve barely got the last word out when I hear a click and see a crack of light on Mandy’s side open.
“Now!” I yell, no longer caring if he can hear us as I kick up as hard as I can.
CHAPTER 25
Sophia
“GODDAMMIT, SONOVABITCH!”
The trunk is wide open and I scramble to get my legs under me, but Mandy is in my way. I can only lift up my body so far before I’m wedged behind her.
I yell at her, “Get out!”
Before she has a chance to move, the long barrel of a rifle slides over the edge of the trunk toward my face.
“Wouldn’t suggest it.”
The deceptively calm voice sends a chill down my spine. I’ve heard it before. Mandy has too, and she whimpers beside me.
“Get the blonde one out.”
Fuck. There’s two of them. One must’ve been waiting.
A man I don’t recognize, with blood streaming from a cut under his chin, leans in and grabs Mandy by the hair, yanking her upright before she’s hauled out by her arms. She screams and I hear a thud, followed by silence.
I’m afraid to move, the black barrel inches from my face.
“Now this one.”
The same guy reaches for me and I don’t fight him. Not when that rifle is still pointed at me. He’s none too gentle when he unceremoniously tosses me on the ground beside Mandy, who seems too still.
“She’s not dead,” the familiar voice shares. “Not yet anyway.”
I slowly turn my head and look up. He’s backlit so it takes a minute before his features come into focus.
“You.”
He grins, looking pleased I remember his ugly mug. Only difference is he’s not wearing his ball cap with the Clover Produce logo now.
“Me. You’re the only two who’ve seen my face and can connect me to the deliveries.” He waves the barrel at me. “Knew where to find you the whole time, but I had to find that bitch first. Luckily, her sister isn’t the smartest. Blabbed on social media…”
While he talks, I do a quick scan of my surroundings. I’m pretty sure we’re not in Durango, judging by the desert-like surroundings. I have no idea how long we’d been driving before I woke up, but I’m pretty sure we’re nowhere near the mountains.
This place looks like an old industrial park. The sparse buildings are old, run-down, most of the windows broken and others boarded up. Over time they’ve taken on the color of the dry sand around them.
“…made
