Strange Medicine (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries #1)(56)

The road we were on was rough with huge potholes and dips. I gripped the door handle, my head bumping the roof now and then as he sped along. He had to know I suspected he wasn’t a cop. By now, I’d have had to be a moron not to realize something was terribly wrong. But he didn’t speak, and neither did I.

Eventually, I saw the lights of the town nearing. My heart pounded as I tried to prepare for what was to come. My gut tensed as he braked in front of a two-story house on the outskirts of town, screeching into the driveway. I was tossed against my door, and before I could open it, he shoved the muzzle of a gun into my stomach.

“I’m sure you’ve figured out by now I’m not a cop.”

“It occurred to me,” I grumbled.

“Good. It saves time this way.”

“What do you want with me?”

“Fuck, you ask a lot of questions,” he growled. “Just shut up and listen. Try and run and I’ll shoot you. Yell for help and I’ll shoot you. Basically if you do anything that annoys me, I’ll shoot you.” His voice was cold and his eyes dark. “Now get out of the car very slowly.”

“Okay.”

He opened his door quickly, and by the time I’d exited the car, he was beside me, the gun pressed to my spine. “That’s a good boy.”

“Where are you taking me?”

He didn’t answer. Instead he shoved me toward the house, and I stumbled up the uneven walkway. As we neared the home, a security light flicked on. There were four steep stairs that led to a white porch with potted flowers and a plaque near the door that read Home Sweet Home. With shaking hands, he pulled keys from his pocket and opened the door. Pushing it open, he nudged me over the threshold and into the house. Then he slammed the door behind us.

A blonde woman came walking into the room, and when she saw me her eyes widened and she dropped the plate she held. It crashed to the tile and shattered, pieces flying everywhere.

“Wha—what is he doing here?” Her voice was just below a shriek.

He pushed me onto a big tan couch, and I struggled to sit up. “You know what, Hanna? That fucking cousin of yours has pretty much fucking ruined every fucking step of this fucking plan,” he yelled.

She took a step back from him, looking nervous. “Now, honey, calm down.”

“Calm down?” he bellowed. “I almost got arrested because that asshole fucked up the alarm.”

“What do you mean?” She flicked her gaze toward me.

“Rocky clipped the power and the alarm still went off.” He swiped some papers and books off a table, and they fell to the floor with a clatter. “Rocky’s useless. He’s worse than useless. I knew we never should have brought him into this. He’s been nothing but trouble.”

Her face was white as paper. “Where’s Rocky? You… you didn’t hurt him, right?”

He scowled. “The cops have him.”

“What?” Her screech was piercing. “How?”

“The fucking alarm went off, and they were just there immediately.” He turned his angry glare onto me. “How the fuck did you get there that fast?”

I swallowed. “We were watching the house.”

“Why?” he snapped.

I frowned. “Because it was obvious the house was involved?”

Hanna moved to him, and she touched his arm. “Why did you bring him… Dr. Thornton here?”

He raked a shaky hand through his hair. “Because we’re fucked as it is. I should have tossed him out of the car, but I figured maybe we could use him as leverage to get out of town.”

“Without the gold?” She scowled.

I flicked my confused gaze toward her, and the man made a shushing motion. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he rumbled. “Jesus, I’m working with morons.”

She pulled her blonde brows together. “Don’t talk to me that way.”

He sighed. “Honey, the less he knows the better.”

She crossed her arms, pushing her lips out in a pout. “What’s the plan now? Did they see you?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think so. But Rocky will probably spill his guts, and we’re screwed.”

“He wouldn’t do that.”

“Bullshit.”

“Liam, he was a marine. He’s not going to break that easy.” She bit her lower lip, watching me. “Okay, we just need to calm down and try and think.”

Liam sat in a chair at the dining room table, his shoulders slumped. “That house will be crawling with cops. There’s no way we can go back there and—” He shot me a wary look. “Get the stuff.”

“Damn.” She frowned. “Maybe we should go to the bank and pull everything out.”

“Yeah, that won’t look weird at all.”

“Do you have a better plan? We’re not going to get very far without any money. Rocky won’t rat us out right away, but he will eventually realize he’s screwed, and he might talk once he thinks we’re safely out of town.”

“I never pictured leaving town… empty-handed.”

“Me neither. But I think it’s that or prison.” Her tone was sharp. “Because that’s probably where this is heading now.”

“Fuck. Fuck!” He clutched his head. “I can’t believe this is happening.”