He Can Fall (She Can... #4.5)(6)

A hand grabbed her by the neck. It shoved her through the opening and flung her sideways against a wall. Her head smacked Sheetrock. Pain, as sharp and bright as the winter sun, flashed through her head.

An emaciated young man in his early twenties pressed the muzzle of a gun into Amanda’s face. Unyielding metal dug into her cheek. “Hey, Uncle Dennis, get a load of this one.”

Short, spiked platinum hair emphasized huge pupils. His vampire-pale skin was splotched with red and white patches as if he’d been outside in the cold for a long time. Feverishly bright, his eyes shone with the kind of light that comes from chemical stimulation.

“I look at a woman like this, I get all sorts of ideas.” His eyes roamed her breasts. A combination of violation and vulnerability swamped Amanda. She blinked back tears. Instinctively, she knew he’d get off on her pain and fear.

“Well, keep them to yourself, Win,” an authoritative voice said. “Your ideas keep screwing up our plans. Now let her go.”

Water dripped from Win’s wet jeans and snow-encrusted skateboard shoes, and he shivered inside a leather jacket obviously not intended for serious outdoor excursions. “Aw, Uncle Dennis, you know how to suck the fun out of everything.” Win released Amanda and stepped back.

Amanda pressed her back into the wall, wishing she could disappear through it. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, and nausea churned in her empty belly as she scanned the room.

“This isn’t about fun, Win,” Uncle Dennis said. “It’s about money. We’re working here. You have to learn to separate business from pleasure.”

There were four gunmen in total. In addition to Win, three older men shivered and dripped in the kitchen, their faces raw with cold. The man Win had called Uncle Dennis held Mia by the arm. In his other hand, he had a handgun pointed at Glenn’s head. On the other side of the room, the remaining men leaned against the wall as if they needed the support.

Glenn was motionless in his hands-up position a few steps in front of his granddaughter. Amanda’s gaze fell on an additional figure. In the far corner of the kitchen, a black-haired young woman stood near the door of the walk-in fridge, her expression blank. She wasn’t armed, and the jacket she was wearing looked masculine and several sizes too big. Melting snowflakes stuck to her hair and shone in the light like glitter.

The news report from the day before jumped into Amanda’s head. Her gaze swept over the four armed men. These were the liquor store robbers. The girl must be the store clerk they’d abducted. The poor girl was probably in shock. Pity raced through Amanda. Why were they here? And what had they done to the clerk during the night?

Amanda refocused on Mia. The child’s body was as frozen as the lake outside, every muscle locked into place. Only her eyes, wild and wide, darted around the room. Her gaze latched onto Amanda’s, begging and panicked. Amanda swallowed her fear. Protective maternal instinct reared up inside her.

“Your uncle knows how to lie low,” the third man admonished. Average height with nondescript brown hair and eyes, his glance at Amanda was sharp and assessing. He held a shotgun with comfort and ease, and his confident posture told her this man was the leader.

“Uncle Dennis, are you gonna let Carl talk to me like that?” Win asked. “Because I’m thinking there are two of us and one of Carl.”

“Win, if you want to get out of this mess, you need to do as Carl says,” Dennis said firmly.

Defiance flashed in Win’s eyes. He lowered the gun, but his reluctance to follow orders was clear in the ugly set of his mouth.

“Damn it, Dennis,” Carl said. “You said we’d only have to deal with the old man and the kid.”

“There shouldn’t be anyone else here.” Dennis scratched his reddened ear with his pinkie finger. “The place isn’t supposed to be open for business yet.”

“Apparently, you were wrong.” Carl pointed his shotgun at Amanda. “You, get over there with her.” He jerked the shotgun barrel toward the clerk across the room.

Carl turned to Glenn. “How many guests are here?”

Glenn swallowed. “Just one couple.” His eyes blinked on Amanda with apology.

“Where’s your husband?” Carl asked her.

“I don’t know,” Amanda lied. “He wasn’t in the room when I woke up. I came down to find him. I thought he might have gone looking for coffee.”

Carl assessed her answer. “Win, go check the registration desk. See how many guests are listed.”

Win ducked out. He returned a few long minutes later. “One couple signed the register. Looks like no one else is coming in for a few more weeks.”

“What gives, old man?” Carl asked.

Please don’t tell him Sean is a security expert. If they knew, they’d likely kill him on sight, and surprise would give Sean an edge.

Glenn swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing down a pale throat. “This weekend is a test run for the inn.”

Amanda breathed.

“Perfect. Dennis, you and Win search the place for any missing guests. Lincoln, you take a quick look outside.” Carl pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. “There’s no cellular service here. Snip the phone line while you’re out there. I want this place completely cut off.”

“Then what?” Win asked in an insolent tone. He stripped off his sodden leather jacket and hung it on a peg.