Chapter 107
Newcomb pulled her from the van.
Madison almost fell to the ground.
He let her. And he laughed.
“Got your hands free, I see. We really need to upgrade the zip ties in this thing.”
“They aren’t handcuffs, goofus. We use these to tie off the trash in here every night. In case there are biohazards. And did you know your good old girlfriend Rhonda cut our budget? We had to get the cheap kind. Lucky for you, right?”
“More like lucky for you, Madison. Lucky for you.”
“I don’t like you, Ernie. I never have. You have always seemed so weak and pitiful compared to the boys in Major Crimes.
So brown-nosy and ass-kissy-kissy. Really off-putting and everything.
We were all glad when Marshall transferred you out.
You were such a waste of a desk. Miguel Rodriguez is so much better at it, and wow, does he look gorgeous doing it.
Of course, you never did it at all, did you?
All you did was take up the space and build your little business on the side.
Pathetic. You preyed on people. You are no better than the scum you should have been arresting. ”
He just laughed.
“You are very disrespectful when angry. I’ve seen you lose your temper.
You are so spirited. I like that. You are a very attractive woman.
I have noticed that, of course I have. So have the younger men at the TSP, too.
Probably a good deal of them. But alas, everyone knows you are Dom Acardi’s woman.
And have been for years. He rather has a reputation.
So are you his? Inquiring minds want to know. ”
“That I am. Proudly. I am finally getting him to understand that, too. He’s been a bit scared of me lately, you know.”
A pang went through her.
She really wanted to see her caveman again. They were done messing around. She was going to get to him and then she was keeping him.
They had waited long enough.
She was capturing her caveman and dragging him back to her lair, as soon as they could make it happen. Or the nearest courthouse. Her mom could plan a big service later. Maybe for their first anniversary. Vince could give his son away. Max could be her Max-of-honor.
Madison was going to walk out of here and have a life. No more hiding herself away.
Ernie yanked her from the ground.
The light from the entrance was dim. Barely enough to see a foot in front of her. Enough for her to see the weapon held in his hand, though.
“Okay, we are going to start walking.”
He had his phone in his hand.
No.
That was her phone, not his. It had the pink cat-shaped phone case. It had been a gift from Zoey’s kids for her birthday. That was her phone. From where he had taken it from her earlier.
The flashlight glow almost blinded her.
“We’re going to start walking. I will deal with you soon. And then it is on to a brand-new future for one of us. It is the only way.”
Madison didn’t have a choice.
He had the gun.
And the light.
All she could do was walk forward into the darkness.