Chapter 9 - THE EXCHANGE
“No.”
Everett’s answer came before Willa finished explaining.
“He has my mother.”
“And he wants me.”
“I know.”
“That means you stay here.”
Willa stared at him.
“You don’t get to order me around.”
“I absolutely do.”
“You married me unconscious.”
“Still counts.”
She almost laughed.
Then her expression hardened.
“If you walk into that exchange alone, he’ll kill you.”
“He’ll kill Ruth if I don’t.”
“So we make him think he’s getting what he wants.”
Everett studied her.
“You have a plan?”
“I worked ICU.”
“What does that have to do with kidnapping?”
“We lie for a living.”
He raised an eyebrow.
She corrected herself.
“We tell terrified people everything’s under control when the building is on fire.”
Everett smiled for the first time.
“Go on.”
Whitfield chose an abandoned pharmaceutical warehouse near the river.
Appropriate, Willa thought.
The same place where drugs had apparently been moved through Kane trucks.
Everett arrived in a black SUV.
Willa was hidden in the rear compartment.
Marcus had contacted federal agents, but they needed time.
Everett walked inside alone.
Whitfield stood beneath a hanging light.
Ruth sat tied to a chair.
“Everett.”
“Alan.”
Whitfield smiled.
“You look better than expected.”
“You look worse.”
“Eight months unconscious and still arrogant.”
Everett looked at Ruth.
“Let her go.”
“After you sign.”
A folder lay on a table.
Transfer documents.
Control of Kane Transportation.
Everett laughed.
“This was always about money?”
“Money is freedom.”
“No. Money just showed everyone what you really were.”
Whitfield’s expression tightened.
“Sign.”
Everett walked toward the table.
From behind stacked crates, Willa moved silently.
Ruth saw her.
Her confused eyes widened.
Willa put one finger to her lips.
Everett picked up the pen.
Whitfield pointed a gun.
“Sign.”
Everett lowered the pen.
“No.”
Whitfield’s face changed.
“What?”
“You kept me trapped in my own body for eight months.”
He stepped closer.
“I heard you brag.”
Whitfield’s hand shook.
“I heard you say Ruth’s daughter was disposable.”
Willa came up behind him.
“And she heard that too.”
Whitfield spun.
Willa smashed a metal tray across his wrist.
The gun fell.
Everett lunged.
Whitfield tackled him.
Everett hit the floor hard.
Willa grabbed the gun.
“STOP!”
Whitfield froze.
Willa aimed at his chest.
He smiled.
“You won’t shoot me.”
“Try me.”
“You’re still the scared little nurse who cried at the review board.”
Willa’s finger tightened.
Then Ruth whispered, “Willa?”
Willa looked toward her mother.
For one dangerous second.
Whitfield grabbed the gun.
They fought.
A shot exploded.
Everett yelled.
Willa fell backward.
May you like
Blood spread across the floor.
Cliffhanger: As Everett crawled toward her, he couldn’t tell whether the bullet had hit Willa—or her mother.
