Rules of Survival(5)

But it was all he needed.

There was a dull click and snap, and I felt a band of cool metal close around my left wrist. “Did you just—” I started backing away, but he was too fast. Hand seizing my right wrist, he snapped the other cuff securely in place and pressed down hard to tighten it. Shock and anger—not to mention embarrassment—rolled over me. “You handcuffed me? There are people, like, a mile away trying to kill us, and you handcuffed me?”

“Pretty sure those people are trying to kill you, not us,” he corrected with a note of arrogance. It made me want to kick him in the nuts. Mom would have approved. “And of course I cuffed you. I got bills to pay, kid. The price tag on your head is enough to keep me going for almost a year and you’re a slippery little thing.”

I balked. Almost a year? Desperate detectives sometimes hired bounty hunters under the table to track down leads. The hunters were only in it for the cash, so all the credit went to the detectives. Win-win all around. But no way in hell did they pay that well. That’s when I realized he still hadn’t answered the question from earlier. “Who did you say hired you?”

It was Shaun who answered. His eyes were on me again, and I had to resist the urge to shuffle from foot to foot beneath the scrutiny. “His name is Jaffe.”

It didn’t sound familiar. I was sure Mom never mentioned it. My memory was pretty good when it came to names and faces. Numbers, on the other hand, were a totally different matter… “Jaffe? Who’s that?”

Patrick shrugged and spun me in the direction of the road. “No idea. I don’t ask questions.”

He nudged me forward and we started walking. I listened to the frosty leaves crunch beneath our feet as I scanned the area for an out. There was nothing. Mom purchased the cabin specifically for its secluded surroundings. Our closest neighbors were over a mile away in each direction, and town was at least six. There was a small chance I could break away and run, but with two of them on my ass and my hands cuffed, I didn’t like the odds. Not to mention I would never make it to town before I turned into a Popsicle. It was only the beginning of October, but the frost had come early this year. The area had already seen its first snowfall and there was more on the way.

I rubbed my hands together to keep the blood circulating. “So you’re just going to hand me over, collect your cash, and be done with it?”

“That’s my plan,” Patrick answered simply. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Shaun. Shaun made a face, then shook his head, lips twisted in disgust.

“And it never occurred to you to ask questions?”

“I told you, I don’t ask questions. I do my job and get paid. That’s all.”

I stopped moving. Even though I’d tried to walk slowly, we were back to the road already. A few feet away was a black Ford Explorer partially hidden in the bushes. They’d parked here and walked to the cabin. It was something Mom would have done.

Patrick gave me a gentle push forward, but I resisted, digging my feet into the slush. This was my last chance. I needed to make it count. If he got me into the back of that car, it was all over. I’d never find the truth, and I’d probably never see daylight again.

“Look, I know you think handing me over will complete your life’s mission to screw over my mom, but did you ever stop to think that this guy who hired you is the * who had her killed?”

Bounty hunters were rabid wolves with no moral code. Offer them enough cash and they’d turn in their own grandmothers, pockets open, with a big fat smile on their faces. It wasn’t really a stretch to think the person responsible for Mom’s death would seek out one of the best hunters around to do the dirty work.

One who also just happened to have a personal beef with us.

Patrick didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed my arm and dragged me the rest of the way toward the car. This was it. I needed to bring out the big guns. I let loose with the waterworks. It was a pathetic attempt in my opinion, but Mom would have been proud. Do whatever is necessary. It was one of the rules.

“Please.” I sniffled, swiping a cuffed hand across my nose for dramatic effect. I regretted it immediately when the icy metal skimmed my chin and sent chills up my arm. “Don’t do this. Just let me go. You’ll never see or hear from me again. I promise.”

Shaun paled. His mouth hung open and he looked ready to bolt as he took several wide steps back.

Apparently he’d never seen a girl cry before. I made a mental note and turned it up a notch. “They’re going to kill me.” I bawled. Turning to him, I dropped to my knees and clasped both hands together. “The man who hired you sent those men. I know it. They wanna tie up loose ends. Make sure I don’t talk.”

By that point I was half frozen, desperate, and certain if they delivered me to this Jaffe guy, I’d be dead before Patrick left the property. Whatever the reason for wanting me, I was sure Jaffe didn’t have my best interests at heart. “Please,” I tried again. The tears weren’t fake anymore. “I can prove it. Let me go back—”

“Maybe she’s right,” Shaun said, twitching. A few tears and he couldn’t look me in the eye anymore. Bastard. “Those guys back there weren’t hunters, Pat. They were there to collect a corpse, not a capture.”

Patrick flicked his cigarette butt aside and blew into his hands for warmth. “Don’t fall for her crap, Shaun. She’ll get under your skin if you’re not careful. Make you believe everything she says—no matter how crazy it sounds. It’s in her genes.”