Chapter Thirteen #2
“It’s okay, boy. We’re going to find her and take out these assholes.” I refused to consider any other options. I gave the dog a quick pat on the head before turning back to study the cabin.
* * *
Kimberly
“Think she’s awake yet?”
The voices were getting louder, clear enough to make out the words.
“Maybe. I’m not sure how much of that stuff she breathed in before she passed out.”
“You’d better go check on her. The boss will be pissed if anything happens to her while he still needs her.”
“Good point. The way my luck’s been running lately she could choke on her own spit and he’d blame us.”
Patience. They could come to check on me any time now. I had to be in position, ready to run when they did.
Minutes ticked by slowly. Panic receded.
I’d never been particularly religious. Growing up in the foster system didn’t give one much hope in a benevolent deity.
Still, I sent up a silent prayer to whoever might be listening.
I had to succeed. Diego needed me. The spirit bear needed me. And then there was Ryland.
I deserved a chance to explore the feelings between Ryland and me.
We had a special chemistry between us. I’d always felt awkward in social situations, but with Ryland it was different.
I felt safe. Warm. Cared for. Was that love?
Not really sure. Maybe. I didn’t have much to compare it to, but just maybe…
I tensed at the sound of a chair scraping back on the floor.
“I’m tired of just sitting around waiting for something to happen. The bitch must be awake by now.”
The voices were getting familiar now. The guy speaking was the one who wasn’t upset at the thought of murdering me. Good. If he was the first through the doorway, I’d have the element of surprise on my side. The other guy might hesitate to do anything fatal, even if I didn’t get him right away.
Footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor, getting louder as they came closer.
I braced myself, clutching the open jug tightly. Ignoring the sickly-sweet fumes rising from the open bottle, I forced myself to breathe calmly. I’d only get one shot at this.
I quashed down the sense of panic threatening to overwhelm me. No time for nerves. I had to get out of here.
The key sounded loud in the lock. Then the knob turned.
The door started to open with an ear-splitting screech of rusty hinges. I held the bottle a little tighter, the broom handle in my other hand.
Just a few more seconds. I needed to splash this directly in his face.
The kidnapper’s head appeared in the gap, and I flung the liquid without letting go of the bottle.
He let out an ear-piercing shriek, stumbling backward. “The bitch blinded me!”
I dodged around him and out the open doorway, the bottle and broom handle both still gripped tight.
The second man was less than two steps behind the first and I flung the remainder of the liquid at him, dropping the empty jug. Clutching the broom handle in both hands, I sprinted for the door to freedom as the men cursed, pawing at their faces.
I wasted precious seconds struggling with the door before it gave way with a jarring jolt. Yanking it open, I dashed outside and looked around wildly for somewhere to hide. I could already hear the kidnappers regrouping.
Did they have guns? Probably. Would they shoot me? I didn’t plan to find out.
I sprinted across the unkempt yard toward the tree line. Although the footing would be easier, I knew better than to follow the driveway. They’d expect that.
A slight gap in the thick brush to the right of me indicated a path, most likely used by deer or other creatures. I scooted into it, ducking to avoid the overhanging branches that reached out to snare my clothing. The smell of damp undergrowth filled my nostrils.
I was free!
I felt a pang of remorse at the absence of Diego.
Why had I followed instructions and left him behind?
Normally he would be running just ahead of me, warning me of danger.
They would have killed him though. He would have tried to protect me, and they wouldn’t have hesitated to shoot him.
Better that he was home and safe with Sasha.
I paused for a moment to look around. Nothing seemed familiar, not the tree groupings or the outcroppings of rock. Where was I? I’d been unconscious on the way here, so I had no idea how far they’d brought me. Would this path lead me back to civilization and safety, or further into the mountains?
It didn’t matter. For now, I just needed to put some distance between me and my captors. I automatically reached into my pocket for my cell phone, groaning when my hand closed on empty air.
Dumb. Of course they’d taken it from me, otherwise, I’d have been able to call for help.
I should have bought one of those smart watches last year when I’d been admiring them.
They were pricey, but they had GPS, Wi-Fi, and mapping on them.
At the time, I had no idea I’d ever be in a situation like this and decided against it. They might have overlooked a watch.
The path took a sharp turn to the right, and I followed it. Veering off into the thick brush would slow me down too much. I needed to put as much distance between me and that cabin as I could. Fast!