Chapter 29
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
LINDY
The three of us scanned the clearing.“No sign of a vehicle or a bike,” Wes whispered.
“Dad could still be in there.”
“Sure could. You see any lights or cameras? I don’t,” whispered Minty.
“I don’t,” replied Wes. “But there could be tiny ones in the trees for all we know, and if he has an app, he’ll see us. Then again, if he had an alarm system set and he’s inside, it would have gone off already, right?”
“Terrific,” Minty grumbled.
“I’m going to check out the periphery of the cabin,” said Wes. “Stay with Minty.”
“Wes—”
“Remember the keys. Don’t stop, don’t turn back, don’t wait. Promise me.”
My muscles tightened. “Promise.”
Wes pressed his cold lips against mine, and he was gone.
“Kid might find something out there. ”
“In the meantime, let’s head to that window.”
“I’ll go. You stay here.”
“For Pete’s sake—” Crouching low, I darted forward. Minty came up behind me, the two of us tracking toward the lone square window on the side of the cabin. Our breaths were puffs in the cold night air. Raising up, I peeked through the glass. There was a shutter on the inside, and it was slightly open. My eyes strained in the dark, my pulse pounding. “I see something…a big mound on the floor,” I whispered. “Could be him.”
Minty lifted up and took a look through the window. “Fuck it.” With his gloved hands, he took his gun out of his holster and butted the glass. It broke, cracked. He pushed at it and, shattering, it gave way.
The mound moved. A small groan.
Minty hoisted himself up and darted through the broken glass. “Pick?”
Taking off my jacket, I put it on the window sill and climbed through. My father’s voice cried out, and my heart flew up my throat. “Daddy?”
“Lindy?”
My heart pounded wildly. “It’s me.” The cabin interior was icy cold, and I put my jacket back on.
“Good to see you, brother.” Minty squatted down next to Dad as I patted Dad’s chest, his shoulders, his arms. A bandage covered his left hand, and my insides twisted.
“Why the hell d’you bring Lindy with you?” Dad barked at Minty.
“You shitting me? I found her here!”
Straining, Dad leaned his head against the wall. “You got to leave, baby. Now.”
“We’re all going to leave together, Daddy.”
“You gotta go. Both of you, go now!” The whites of his eyes glowed in the flashlight of the cell phone Minty had propped up by a chair. Minty whipped out a knife from his boot and cut the ties at Dad’s ankles. He went to his back, and cut again, releasing his arms. Rolling over, Dad’s body twisted slightly as he groaned.
“Dad, did Raptor do this to you? Was it him?”
“I’m telling you now, go, leave!” my father roared. He lifted up, stretching his arms out. The bandage was bloody and dirty. He yanked on Minty’s jacket. “Brother, take her now, get out, the two of you! Leave me and go. He can’t find her here. And he sure as hell can’t find you.”
“Fuck him. We’re taking you with us, man.”
“I’ll just slow you down. I’m telling you, you gotta go!”
“Daddy, it’s Raptor, isn’t it?”
Grunting, he nodded.
We ignored Dad’s pleas and helped him stand. Gulping in deep breaths, he stumbled and leaned against the wall. I darted to the door, and running my hands along the edge, found the bolts and released the locks.
“Listen to me—” Dad sputtered. “He went to go get supplies. Always does it in the middle of the night, then he’s back before sunrise. There’s no time.”
I’d never heard my father talk like this before. Not ever. Obviously, he was strung out, exhausted, in pain, but he sounded anxious . He always stood up to threats, to challenges, to the dare of being dared. Roared back, fought back.
Not now.
Had Raptor double-crossed him? Or maybe Raptor just out and kidnapped him.
Minty’s heavy gaze snagged on mine as he hitched an arm around one side of Dad. I darted over and took up the other side of him. With Dad weak, groaning, and stumbling between us, we finally made it to the door and down the two steps. “I’ve got a truck. We’ll take him there,” I gritted out. The three of us hobbled across the small clearing.
The distant roar of a motorcycle ripped through the quiet of the forest, and we froze. Dad pushed at me. “Run, go!”
“I won’t leave you!”
The engine grew louder and louder.
“Minty, take her and go. That’s an order.”
Gripping Dad, I steadied myself. “Come on. We can do this.”
“Lindy…”
I fisted Dad’s shirt. “Come the fuck on!”
The three of us shuffled across the grasses, the tall trees around us rustling in a sudden cold breeze. An eerie warning. Dad grunted with every step, his feet dragging. A cold sweat prickled my skin. If only I had the iron muscles to match my iron will to haul Dad to the truck quicker. “Over here.” I guided him toward where Minty, Wes, and I had entered the property.
Where was Wes?
Crunching and stomping sounds rose up behind us, and a shot exploded in the air. Minty howled, his body jerking and crumpling to the ground. My heart stopped.
“Don’t fucking move!” a deep, harsh voice exploded, and my pulse jammed in my neck. Dad’s grip on my tightened as we turned around.
Raptor stood before us, a towering beast of anger and muscle. Aiming a gun at me, he kicked at Minty, who cursed, blood seeping through his jeans from a gunshot to the thigh. “Saw that Flames cut, couldn’t control myself. You know how I feel about traitors, don’t you, brother?” Snarling, Raptor smashed his boot into Minty’s chest.
Minty’s agonized howl ripped through the dark.