Cut and Run(79)

When her computer chirped with a message from Faith, she was thrilled. Meet me in the alley. Parking a nightmare. We can get ice cream.

“God bless you,” she whispered as she closed her laptop, shoved it in her backpack, and headed out the back door. When the door closed behind her, the quiet of the evening was a refreshing change from the noise inside. The baby kicked, and she tried to convince herself it was only gas. This was going to be a baby-free night. Just ice cream, like when she was a kid.

She saw the car down the alley flash its lights and hurried toward it. She had a couple of bucks in her pocket from the waitress gig, but she’d bet anything Faith was going to treat. Already she knew she’d order Rocky Road, with extra chocolate sauce and nuts.

She was steps from the car when she heard her name come from behind her. “Kat.”

She looked toward the street, and there was a man standing in the shadows. For a second she thought it might be the Ranger, but then she decided he was too lean. The lights on the car flashed again, and she realized he was pressing his key fob.

“No way,” she whispered.

A bad feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, and instead of talking to this creep, she turned and hustled back to the door. A year ago she could have outrun this clown, but with the kid weighing down on her frame, she could barely waddle, let alone run. But she did run, cupping her hands under her belly as her backpack thumped against her.

He was behind her in an instant, long legs eating up the space in seconds. Footsteps pounded directly behind her, and his fingers brushed and then squeezed her shoulder.

“Get off of me!” she shouted.

“Kid, don’t panic. Faith sent me. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Her chest burned with the quick exertion, but he sounded as if this chase was nothing. “Fine; I’ll call her from inside and confirm.”

She was seconds from reaching the door when he grabbed her from behind and jabbed a syringe into her thigh. The needle pinched, and whatever he had injected burned a little. She thought about what the drug would do to the kid. She might not want it, but that didn’t mean she wanted it poisoned with drugs.

Immediately, her body turned to jelly and her tongue felt so thick she could barely speak. Her knees buckled, and he caught her, supporting her weight easily.

“Don’t fight it, kid. What I gave you won’t hurt you or the baby.”

“Faith didn’t send you.” Her voice slurred as her eyelids closed.

“You’re right about that. She didn’t send me.”

“Then who?”

“Doesn’t matter, kid,” he said. “Only thing that matters is that Faith cares about you, and she’ll jump through all kinds of hoops to save you.”

He lifted her into his arms as she tried to draw in a breath to scream, but nothing came out. From what felt like a distance, she heard the back door of his car open and then he laid her gently on the soft leather seats that had that new-car smell.



He set Kat’s computer on the kitchen counter and carried the half-conscious girl down the stairs, following the directions that Garnet had finally shared with his new best friend. He punched the code in the door lock, and when it clicked, he pushed it open.

The girl moaned and tried to pull away from him. “Shh,” he said. “Just a few more steps, and then I’ll put you down.”

“Wh-where are we?”

“That’s a good question, Kat.” He looked around what amounted to a nondescript home. It was on a half-acre lot, and though there were neighbors, none were right on the property line, so he had ample privacy. “Looks like another hideaway for Mr. Garnet.”

“Who?”

He hoisted her closer to him. “I doubt you know him. But I’m sure if given the chance, he’d have brought you here.”

She looked up with unfocused eyes. “Why?”

“To take your baby and sell it, silly.”

Fear registered in her gaze, and it excited him. God, but he loved fear. He opened a door to a basement, switched on a light, and helped her down the stairs. He spotted another door, also outfitted with a security pad.

“The man liked his basements and high-security locks,” he said.

Killing Paige and then Kat was the wise move.

It was the smart thing to do.

But it wasn’t what he was going to do.

He punched the keys, and when the lock clicked, he pushed it open.

He saw the girl lying on the bed, rolled on her side. Her legs were drawn up, and she moaned slightly. A manacle attached to a chain was wrapped around her ankle. When she looked up at him, her eyes were hazy with pain and fear. “Where’s Garnet?”

“He’s not coming.” He walked Kat inside and lowered her onto the end of the bed. He tried to sit her up, but she slumped over. “But I brought you a friend.”

Paige pushed up, wincing as she straightened. “Who is she?”

He grinned. “Paige, this is Kat. Your new best friend.” He realized the bed was wet and that Paige’s water had broken. Anxious to be out of the room that smelled stale with the heavy scent of birthing, he prepared to head back up.

“Are you going to just leave us?” Paige said. “My baby is coming.”

“I know. Don’t worry. I’m betting the cavalry will be here before you know it.”