Bounty's End (Bounty for Hire) Page 9

  Chapter 15

  Wen wasn’t sure if it was still night or day. There were no windows and ‘Mr. Smooth’ talked nonstop, asking her about her current projects, anything that she found, what she’d informed the police of. Every hour though, she had been released to use the bathroom. Regardless of needing to use it or not, she took the break to stretch her legs, wash her face in the sink and rinse her mouth out.

  It had to have been morning, because she had a crick in neck from obviously sleeping. Her hands were not in handcuffs behind her back. When that happened she wasn’t sure, because of the numb feeling she had coursing from her shoulders to her fingers.

  After the last round of questioning, she finally caved and made up a story about finding drugs in a desk she was working on in her basement. Her only hope was that Thomas would be home and would be able to help her, because as pissed as this guy was now, he was about to get reach nuclear when he discovered she made up a story just to get out of the hell hole he was keeping her in.

  The only reason she finally caved was because Mr. Smooth announced he hated killing women, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t to get what he wanted or needed.

  Wen wanted to cry and ask why me, but she understood that none of that would help her. She needed to get out of this. Her only hope was that her family and Thomas were out there looking for her.

  Oh god, what if they didn’t know she was gone? Wen didn’t have her purse or cell on her. The rat bastard could have easily made it look like she just left.

  Shit.

  “No,” she uttered into the darkness that surrounded her. Her parents, as well as Thomas, would be looking. She didn’t know how, but inside, she knew that he was trying to find her right now.

  “ ‘No’ what, Ms. Snow?”

  His voice caught her off guard and made her jump in the chair.

  “I did not mean to frighten you.”

  Yeah, right.

  “My men went to your house during the middle of the night.”

  “Please tell me that they didn’t break any more of my windows,” Wen murmured.

  “No, Ms. Snow, we are not common thieves. There is a thing called class.”

  “Class? There is class when it comes to breaking into houses?”

  She knew it was the wrong thing to say, especially when he took a step closer to her. They might not be touching, but holy cow, she could feel the heat emitting from him.

  “Ms. Snow I do not appreciate your attitude or your defiance.”

  “Seriously, this is not attitude or defiance. This is me being kidnapped and held against my will. This is me waking up to some smelly god-forsaken place, and this is me wondering how the hell you got into my fucking house!” The screamed reply was long enough to make Wen out of breath. Panting, as she watched his eyes shift left and right. Sometimes she was really stupid.

  “It does not matter how my boys got into your house, lady. What matters, is they got in without any detection, even though your cul-de-sac was surrounded by cops.”

  Wen felt the breath she was holding leave her body. Oh god, if they got in and out without the cops seeing, how was anyone supposed to find her?

  “Now, Ms. Snow, do you want to explain about your fucking basement one more time?”

  Wen heard the venom in his words. Oh god, he was pissed. Why was he pissed?

  “I-I-I told you everything.”

  Stay strong, stay strong.

  “Would you believe, Ms. Snow, that they did not find anything in your basement other than an old table and some other antiques? They called and woke me up from a great, wonderful dream, just to tell me there was nothing there. Well, let’s just say class went out the window, and my boys smashed every piece of china that was in your basement looking for my shit.” His last words were screamed at her.

  Wen could feel her heart rate picking up. She didn’t understand.

  “I-I don’t un-understand,” she stuttered out. Of course, she didn’t understand why he would send his men. Oh god, she meant for him not to do that. She wanted him to take her with him to get out of this place.

  “You. Don’t. Understand? Do you think I am a stupid man, Ms. Snow?” His words were spewed through gritted teeth, making her flinch.

  Wen didn’t answer, for she figured that this was just a rhetorical question on his part. As much as she wanted to put her face down to keep away from his stare, she held her head high. He could stare her down all he wanted.

  “I can see that you understand that I am not a stupid man. I like to consider myself a very diplomatic man. I swore that if you gave me the drugs, I would let you go. Now, I find that you lied to me, so our previous agreement has been rescinded.”

  “I didn’t lie!” She shouted at him, straining to get closer to him. This playing demure shit was for the birds. She was tired, sore, hungry, pissed and by god, she needed to pee. “Listen, buddy, I told you that I found drugs in the desk.” She made her voice sound strong.

  “Yes, in your basement,” Mr. Smooth interjected, and for the first time since she had been taken, he stepped into the light. He pushed is face just mere inches from hers.

  “Right. In my basement…”

  “Yes, and…”

  “In…in my basement is where two kids broke into my house looking for drugs, so you know I hid it…” A lie with a truth. She might just be able to get out of this after all.

  “Why didn’t you just tell me where you hid it?” The words were whispered into the air.

  Keeping her eyes focused on him, she stated, “Because, asshole, I’m not inclined to give way vital information when I’m strapped down to a chair. You might say you will let me go, but until my body is out of this god-forsaken place, you only get minimal information. If you want your shit, get me the fuck out of here now!” she threatened.

  Without another word, Mr. Smooth left her and walked up what she presumed to be basement stairs. She didn’t have to wait long before he returned.

  “All right, Ms. Snow. First, let’s get you to the bathroom and then some food. It seems as though you and I need to have a conversation. If you can be good, I will even let you keep the cuffs off your wrists.”

  Wen took care of all her needs and then was escorted up the basement stairs. This was bad, she thought to herself. If she was seeing the light, then she was going to die. It was official, she was going to die. She hadn’t gotten to talk to Thomas or her parents.

  Hitching back a sob, Wen took one step at a time. Ready to face her doom.

  Chapter 16

  Wen was exhausted emotionally and physically. Through the sheer black mask that she wore, she could see the clock with bright red numbers read just after seven o’clock in the morning. Well, if her calculations were correct, she was only gone a night. A single night that her family and Thomas had to worry. If she was a kick-ass woman like Keylee, Wen planned to break off Mr. Smooth’s balls as soon as she could. Granted, it was currently just a fantasy in her mind. But still, it was nice to think about crippling the guy who kidnapped her, bound her, and scared her.

  After Mr. Smooth’s earlier anger, he made some calls and now here she was in the back of a car with a mask over her head. Why the mask, she was not sure; maybe to keep her from seeing where she left from. Trying to think like a criminal was hard work. Work she didn’t understand, nor did she want to.

  “It’s for the best, dear,” he said to her as he’d placed it over her eyes.

  Not that she believed him, because seriously, she was dead one way or another if her plan didn’t work out.

  Please be home, Thomas, please be home.

  “Tell me again what took place at your house, Ms. Snow.”

  “I told you already, two kids broke into my house looking for drugs they had stashed in some pieces that my parents bought at an auction. What I know is the kids are locked up and I have a freaking mask on my face,” she screamed at him. Pissing him off further probably was not a smart thing, but her patience was running thin and she was not about
to give the kid up.

  “There is no need to get snippy, my dear. I am taking you to your house, am I not? I have not hurt you, have I?

  You kidnapped me, you douche bag, she wanted to say, but held silent as he paused before continuing.

  “Then there is no reason for your attitude. Soon this will be all over.”

  Yeah it would; she would be dead or he would—either way, it was going to be over.

  * * *

  The morning brought more worry and concern for Thomas as well as for James and Andrea Snow. Thomas watched the older couple walk into the kitchen from the living room. They looked rumbled, tired and scared.

  He and Keylee were up early talking to Anthony who came over to the house after he got off duty. Thomas called Eva back and all she could report was that she could see a man get in Wen’s car around 4 p.m. and never left it. Just after 5 p.m., Wen got in her car and drove off in the direction of home.

  However, she was able to let him know that Wen’s car did drive five blocks in the direction of her house, only to pull into an abandoned gas station. From there, a tall white male in a black shirt and black pants got out of the backseat and moved into the driver’s seat. After that, she lost them, but planned on getting on his trail. When Eva disconnected, Thomas didn’t know whether to be happy that Eva found something out or be worried because she didn’t see Wen get out of the vehicle.

  His worries would have to take a backseat for a moment as the Snows came into the kitchen. Thomas offered up coffee and tea to both of them. The silence that filled his house was overwhelming. So, to give them some info about their daughter, he told them about how her car was seen driving five blocks, only to stop and a guy climbed out of the back and into the front driver’s seat.

  As he watched her parents process this information, Thomas realized that he needed to get out of the house and take a breather. Heading out, he closed the door and just stood there on the step, letting the air fill his lungs with each inhale that he took into his body.

  Thomas started to walk off the three steps from his front door when he watched as a black sedan pulled onto his street. Normally he would not have paid attention, but the hairs on his arms started to rise. Quickly jumping off the last step, he ran to the Snows’ car and hid. The sedan pulled into Wen’s driveway. He pulled out his cell phone out and dialed Anthony who was still inside his house.

  “Anthony here.”

  “Listen, don’t say a word. I’m outside and a black sedan just pulled up to Wen’s house.”

  Thomas stopped talking, nearly stopped breathing for moment, as he watched a tall white male in a dark grey suit step out of the car, followed by a blindfolded Wen.

  “Fuck. Anthony, he has her blindfolded. This is all kinds of fucked up.”

  “Shit,” Anthony replied. “All right listen, you hang tight. I’m calling in back-up. Don’t move, Thomas. I swear to God, I will throw your ass in jail if you move.”

  Thomas knew it was true, but honestly didn’t care. He would do time if that meant getting to Wen and getting her out of this situation.

  “Not going to happen, Anthony. I know how to sneak over there and find out what the hell is going on. I need to be there.”

  Thomas could hear Anthony’s breathing change. He was wearing down.

  “This is so against protocol, but I will deal with that later. You’re probably right. If we wait, who knows what will happen. Do not move until I come out. We move together.”

  Thomas disconnected and waited the seconds for Antony to come out. He could feel the seconds ticking by as he watched Wen move away from the car and be helped into her house. He had to admit these guys had balls moving a woman around in the broad daylight, especially a woman who had a black cover around her head. When her house door shut, Thomas felt like bolting across the lawn and breaking it down.

  “Where are they at now?” Anthony asked from behind him.

  “Wen and another guy went into the house. I can see a driver still in the car, and as you can see, there is another man standing just behind her front bushes.”

  “Is there a back way in?”

  “Yeah, she has a back door.”

  “All right, buddy, let’s move and let’s make it clean, because I seriously do not feel like having to write up a fucking report. It’s bad enough that I’m going to have to report to my commander my inability to follow his command.”

  They figured the best way to get to Wen’s undetected was to walk to the back of Thomas’s house and cross the backyards of the three houses on his side of the street before switching over to Wen’s side of the street. This was a benefit of living on a cul-de-sac road.

  As Thomas and Anthony headed toward the back of the house, Thomas prayed they would make it in time.

  * * *

  As Wen was helped in to her house, she stumbled and nearly fell, but Mr. Smooth caught her by the arm.

  “Easy there, Ms. Snow. Wouldn’t want you falling and breaking your neck.”

  Oh God, why did that sound like a promise inside of a threat?

  “Can I take this blasted thing off my face? I really don’t know how you expect me to help you find whatever you’re looking for with this stupid thing covering my eyes.”

  “Right, you are, my dear. Right, you are,” he muttered close enough to her ear, causing Wen to stiffen up.

  “Careful, Ms. Snow, it seems as though your house was not prepared for guests.” She was not sure what he meant by that, as her eyes were still adjusting from coming in from the sunlight. He slowly removed the black cloth that covered her eyes.

  Once the cloth had been removed, Wen held perfectly still, blinking her eyes rapidly, trying to get them adjusted. When they were finally adjusted to the indoor light, Wen wanted to weep at the mess her house was in yet again. Someone definitely had been in her house. It was official; she was moving out if she got out of this mess alive.

  “Lead the way,” Mr. Smooth announced at the same time placing his hand on the small of her back. As much as Wen wanted to look at him, or yell at him to remove his hand, she kept her back straight as well as her head. It was bad enough her skin was crawling. She could do this and she knew she would find a way out of this.

  As they made their way down her stairs, Wen was met with more tragedy. Her beautiful china pieces were destroyed. Every last one of them in small pieces that would have to be trashed. She didn’t care. At the last step, she took off and ran to the overturned table and collapsed onto her knees, picking up different pieces of the china.

  She didn’t care if she sliced a finger or a hand. She wanted to grieve for the loss. These pieces meant something to her, meant something to the person that they once belonged to. However, she was not allotted time to cry over them before she felt a sharp pain in her upper arm as she was yanked back up to her feet.

  “Ms. Snow, we are not here for broken things. We are here for my things,” Mr. Smooth warned her.

  Turning toward her work station, she saw that the desk had not been broken and was still in its upright position. As she and Mr. Smooth made their way over, she could clearly see a small drawer sticking out from the back of the desk.

  A hiss could be heard from her side as no doubt he noticed the drawer too. She felt him let go of her arm and watched as he ran to the desk. When he looked into the drawer, Wen felt her body go still as he screamed and then pushed the desk over.

  This was her chance. With his back to her, she could take off. Yet her feet stood still. She was not going to be her own hero. She knew she was about to die when Mr. Smooth turned on her with a gun pointed directly at her head.

  Chapter 17

  Thomas and Anthony made it into the house with ease.

  He could see that the man outside was enthralled with something and was not in the least conscious of the fact that he and Anthony were in the house. Things were working out for Anthony and him. It just had to stay that way. Nothing else mattered but getting to his girl. His lotus flower. Thank God, the baseme
nt door was open.

  Thomas could hear a man talking to Wen. His voice was tense which was not good for her. Thomas watched as Anthony gave the signal to follow him, because it was now or never; they literally did not have much time.

  Silently thanking Wen for having carpet on her basement steps, they carefully made their way down them. As they arrived at the near to last step, Thomas stood frozen in time as he slowly watched the man in the suit raise his gun and point it directly at Wen.

  “Do you know, Ms. Snow, that my guys had to break into your parents’ shop twice in the attempt to find this merchandise? Both times were utter failures. I am not in the mood for failures right now.”

  “So you broke into my house as well?” Wen asked. Thomas could hear her voice trembling, but he stood there in the darkened stairwell smiling at her strength. He made to move when Anthony halted him with his hand out.

  Obviously, Anthony wanted to hear more.

  “My dear girl, I had nothing to do with your house being broken into. Nonetheless, that mystery is something that I too will have to deal with once our transaction is taken care of.”

  It was then that Thomas watched Anthony move the last few steps entering the basement fully. Thomas did not waste any time following.

  “Police, freeze! Drop your weapon! Anthony commanded.

  “Step away,” Thomas yelled coming from behind Anthony’s position. Thomas looked at Wen, trying to give her some reassurance, but her eyes held nothing but pure terror.

  “Wen, honey, walk toward me,” Thomas tried coaxing her away from the man who was just two small steps away from her. The guy could easily pull Wen to him or yet pull the trigger taking her down with him. That was something that he could not allow to happen.

  “I don’t think so. Once this gun goes down, you will be taking me down. I have no intention of going to prison.”

  “Wen, come to me, now.” Thomas tried to emphasize each word, praying that she would get his meaning. He and Anthony knew that there was a good chance that this was going to become a shootout.