by Sandra Cox
“Only that Victor Price wants my amulet.”
Sabina nodded. “Good. Whoever has my amulet can rule the world. Other than the sisterhood, I don’t have the luxury of trusting anyone.”
Hank gave her an enigmatic look.
Sabina shrugged. “You already know about me.” Her gaze traveled to Bella and back again. “Besides, I think there is a connection of sorts.”
“We are wasting precious time,” Hank cut across the oblique referrals to him and Bella and got to the heart of the matter. He pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial just as Adam strolled up.
“Is something wrong?” Adam asked tucking his hands in his front pants pockets.
Watching Hank dial, Bella responded, “Did you see the older woman in the drab brown suit?”
“The one that bumped into you then hightailed out of here like her brown leather pumps were on fire?” Adam queried.
Apparently this young man didn’t miss much. Bella drew a deep breath. “Yes, that’s the one. We think she’s gone after Maureen.”
Adam rocked back on his heels, his stance casual, his eyes alert. “Why would she go after Maureen?”
“Bargaining chip.”
He looked at Bella’s amulet. The rose quartz cast a sheen over Bella’s skin. “I see.”
I fervently hope not. A cool breeze soughed through the pines as if echoing Bella’s thoughts.
His gaze tracked around the semicircle the two women and Hank had formed and lingered on Sabina. “Does anyone want to tell me what’s going on here?”
Hank’s voice on the phone interrupted, “Maureen, honey, are you all right?” He clicked on the speaker and held it out so they could all hear.
“Would you believe it? We are out of gas. Jack swears he filled up the tank. Of—”
“Where are you?” Hank interrupted.
“We’re on I-94, haven’t been off 26 that long. Wait, there’s an unmarked car stopping.”
“What makes you think it’s police?” Hank demanded, tension radiating from him like heat.
“It’s got one of those portable domes on the top of it. A man is getting out of the car and flashing his badge.”
“Honey, listen to me very carefully.” Urgency ribbed Hank’s voice. “An older woman in a brown suit left a few minutes before you and Jack. She would have had time to prick the gas line.” A note of bitterness crept in. “And since some of your college friends got the brilliant notion to soap and tie tin cans to the SUV there was no doubt about which vehicle you’d be leaving in.”
As he talked a neighbor leaving the party walked by and waved. Hank ignored him but Sabina pasted a smile on her face and waved back. “Maureen, is there a woman with him?” The low-battery beep sounded. “Maureen?” A vein in Hank’s neck throbbed and his knuckles tightened around the phone.
In the moonlight, with fairy lights illuming their features, Bella saw Hank pale.
Hank looked at the dead phone and threw it on the ground. “Shit! The battery went dead.” With long-legged strides he headed for his truck.
Bella flew after him but Sabina was faster. She laid a detaining hand on his arm, “I’ll go with you. I can be of help. Leave Bella here. It will be safer.”
He stopped, his tight jaws working, “That may be but Bella stays with me.”
Bella felt a warm glow burst in the pit of her stomach and shoot through her system.
Hank started walking again. Adam, on their heels, hadn’t missed the interchange. When they got to the truck, he said, “Let’s take my car, it’ll hold all of us.”
Hank jerked open the truck door. “You stay here.”
Adam laid his hand against the door and pushed it closed. “I go where Ms. Tremaine goes.” And though he didn’t say it his gaze included Sabina.
Fists opening and closing, Hank spoke between clenched teeth, “Mister, I don’t make a habit of explaining myself but I’m going to just this once. We could be walking into a trap. If we are, we need a backup and you’re elected. Got it?”
His gaze holding Hank’s, Adam moved away from the truck.
Hank and the two women climbed inside. Hank revved the motor and threw it in reverse. He flew backward down the lane then hand over hand turned the wheel and, putting the truck in gear, went screaming down the road. He threw Sabina a quick glance.
“What exactly can that amulet of yours do?”
“What do you need it to do?” Sabina responded, power radiating from her like a sword glistening in the sun. Her hands folded, her manner calm, she sat on the outside of the passenger seat, Bella sandwiched between her and Hank.
“I’ll let you know when I figure that out.” He hunched over the wheel, whizzing past a car puttering along in front of them. “Bella, I don’t have my phone. Try calling Maureen on yours.”
“I picked up your phone,” Sabina said. She cracked the window to let in the cool night air.
“Doesn’t work, battery’s dead.” He dismissed the phone with a shrug.
Sabina handed it to Bella. “Try it.”
The phone vibrated against Bella’s palm like a low-voltage shock, causing her breath to catch in her throat. She had a feeling that her gift and even Maureen’s healing gift paled in comparison to the woman’s sitting on her right.
She flipped open the phone, hit Maureen’s number on speed dial. It rang several times then went in to voice mail. “It works, Hank,” she said in a low voice.
His eyes narrowed and he cut a glance toward Sabina then transferred his attention back to the road. “What else can you do?”
“Let’s just say recharging the battery was a simple demonstration. I’m glad you left Adam behind. I try not to use my power in front of other people. But in some cases I have to make an exception. This is one of them.” The old cracked leather seat sighed as she settled back against it.
“Ms. Sabina, I think you are going to tip the scales in our favor.” Hank didn’t completely relax but he no longer held the steering wheel in a death grip.
“There’s our exit.” Hank nodded with his chin toward the I-94 sign. He slowed as he turned the truck to the right then pushed on the gas pedal as he merged into a nearly empty highway.
They rode in silence everyone intent on the road and what lay ahead.
Bella saw the SUV first. “Hank.” She put her left hand on his arm and pointed with her right. “There it is.”
He threw on the brakes to keep from driving past it, pulled in directly behind it and clicked on his brights. The intense light illumed the dark sky and the uninhabited SUV. Maureen’s wedding dress lay crumpled across the top of the backseat.
Hank hit the steering wheel with his fist. “Dammit.” Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed his rifle off the rack over the back window, jumped out of the truck and walked around the SUV. Opening the driver’s door, he looked inside.
He came back and climbed into the cab of the truck and slammed the door. “Luggage is still there.”
Bella felt wave after wave of nausea wash over her. She doubled over, clasping her cramping stomach. They’d taken her friends to get to her. As if on cue, her cell phone rang.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened and looked at Hank.
He nodded, a clipped gesture that barely moved his chin.
She cleared her throat then dug the cell phone out of her evening bag and flipped it open. “Hello.”
“Are you ready to trade?”
Bella recognized the voice of the Goth on the plane. The Goth spoke with the short sharp vowels of the North and something more…the echo of Victor Price’s insanity.
The thought chilled her.
She felt Hank’s rigid arm press against hers and took comfort from it. Sabina gave her free hand a squeeze. The touch sent power surging through her like an electric current.
“Well, I declare,” she drawled in soft drawn-out syllables, “if it’s not my former seatmate.”
A sharp intake of breath, then a hiss sounded on the other end of the phon
e. “Well, well, aren’t you the smart one? But not smart enough.”
“Brown is really not a good color for you, sugar,” Bella continued to prod. “And your face looks so sallow with your hair drawn back in a bun.”
“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” The Goth’s voice took on an angry edge. “Here’s where I want you to meet us—”
Bella cut in before the kidnapper could give directions. “How do I know you even have them?”
A sharp crack like a slap sounded. Bella heard Maureen’s sharp voice. “Keep your hands off me,” followed by a laugh.
Bella clutched the phone and shouted, “Maureen.”
The kidnapper’s voice came back on. “Is that enough evidence?”
“What about Jack?” Bella bit down hard on her lips, compressing them in a tight, straight line.
“He’s indisposed.”
“Now you listen to me, sugar,” Bella’s voice was low and intense. She could feel anger blazing behind her eyes. “You leave those two alone. You touch them one more time and the deal’s off. You got it. No amulet.” She clicked the phone shut.
“Bella—” Hank began.
“She’ll call back,” Bella sat hunched in the seat, tension radiating from every cell in her body.
“Yes, but”
Before he could continue the phone rang.
“Don’t you ever hang up on me again.” The woman’s voice was shrill with temper.
“Don’t touch them then.”
“You are in no position to bargain. I’ll send them back in little pieces if I want.”
The woman’s voice, edged with madness, carried through the cab.
A semi passed, its motor whining. Bella watched its disappearing taillights, marshalling her thoughts. “Whatever Victor Price is paying you we’ll double.”
The kidnapper began to laugh and laugh and laugh.
Bella’s skin roughened with goose bumps at the eerie sound.
“Can you double eternity?” the woman finally said.
Bella put her hand over the mouthpiece. “Oh lordy, she’s as crazy as he is.” As soon as the words were out, Bella turned cold with dread. Her heart froze, her bones felt brittle. Clearing her throat she forced out the words. “Who are you anyway?”
“Victoria Price. Victor Price is my daddy.”
* * * * *
He had waited patiently for his turn at the phone. His hand shook with anticipation as he dialed. Victoria’s voice came across the wire, her excitement thrumming through the line. “It worked like a charm, Daddy. We have the other one. Miss High-and-Mighty Tremaine is willing to trade. The creativity amulet will soon be yours.”
Chapter Eleven
Bad karma. This is very bad karma. Bella fought back hysterical laughter bubbling in her throat. She’d been duped not just by one Price but two. Even sandwiched between Hank and Sabina the night closed in around her. An owl, its large wings extended, flew toward the SUV, a hapless mouse in its claws. The round amber eyes seemed to look directly into hers before the raptor changed course and flew away into the night.
Victoria said something Bella, still reeling from shock, didn’t catch.
“Would you repeat that please?” Bella pushed the words past her tight throat.
“If you go to the next exit, the turnoff will take you to a small town called Farmton—”
“Hold on,” Bella interrupted, spilling the contents of her evening bag all over her lap in her haste to find a pen and notepad. Finding one she scribbled furiously. “Next exit, Farmton. All right, go on.”
“Drive through Farmton. Go exactly five point eight miles and take a left. Go another two miles and you’ll come to a deserted building. We’ll make the exchange there. Come alone.”
“That’s impossible,” Bella exclaimed.
“Come alone.” The phone went dead.
“Hello. Hello.” Bella was unaware she was shaking ‘til Hank put his arm around her. She leaned against the warm solid comfort of it.
“What is it, Bella?” he asked.
She gave a short, bitter laugh. “We are dealing with Victor’s daughter. Victoria Price. Do you believe it?”
“Good god.” Startled, his body jerked like puppet whose strings had been awkwardly yanked.
“What if something happens to Maureen? It’s my fault. They are trying to get to me.”
Sabina took her hand. Bella felt a surge of power. Sabina gave her hand a light squeeze then let go. “What’s the worst that can happen to her?”
“What if they…” Bella’s voice trailed off as she felt Hank’s arm around her shoulder tense.
“You are thinking with your emotions instead of your head, understandable under the circumstances.” Sabina scooted against the passenger door so she could face Bella and Hank. “They can’t kill her. She heals too quickly. Before her heart would stop her body would start to repair itself.”
Bella exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Following Sabina’s lead, she got herself under control. “What if they take the amulet?”
“That could be a problem,” Sabina acknowledged. “Do you know if her shirt was long-sleeved or short?”
“With the cool evenings, she’d wear long sleeves.” Bella began to calm.
“They won’t see it. She should be okay.”
“What if Victoria knows about the other amulet?” Bella took deep cleansing breaths, fighting to remain calm. “She surely saw it on her arm at the wedding.”
“Wasn’t it a good thing you passed out trinkets for all the women to wear on their forearm?” Sabina replied, her eyes twinkling.
Bella felt marginally better but still worried. “What about Victor? What if he told his daughter about the healing amulet?”
“Do you think this Victor Price is the kind of man who would share unnecessary knowledge about the amulets with anyone, even his daughter?”
Bella looked at Sabina and smiled her thanks. “No, I don’t.” She straightened her shoulders. “I’m okay now.”
Hank withdrew his arm. He reached over and took the small notebook and studied her scrawled directions. “I know where Farmton is. Is this where we are supposed to meet?”
Bella took a moment to compose herself and prepare for the fight she knew would come. She met Hank’s gaze. “Not we, me.”
His quiet response was more unnerving than an explosive bellow. “You aren’t going alone. I’m not about to lose you both.”
Before she could respond, Sabina intervened, her voice calm. “We’ll exchange amulets.”
Hank’s head swiveled in Sabina’s direction. Bella could almost hear the wheels turning as he mulled that over, his eyes narrow, considering. “You never did say what that thing could do.”
A semi passed, shooting a current of air through the open windows.
Sabina, her back to the passenger door, leaned toward Hank. “Take your keys out of the ignition.”
He looked at her for a long moment as if trying to figure out exactly what she was doing. With a shrug he pulled out the keys.
“Now hold them.”
His gaze locked with Sabina’s as he wrapped his long fingers around the keys.
Sabina touched the amulet then held out her hand.
Bella’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened as Hank fought to keep his hand down. It was like watching someone arm-wrestle, though only one arm was visible as Hank waged a battle against an unseen force. Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. He grimaced, his skin stretched taut across his bones as he fought to hold on. Then, as if a rope holding his arm down was cut, his hand shot out to Sabina and his fingers popped open. She took the keys.
Bella swallowed a couple of times then asked when she could form the words, “How do I channel that?”
Sabina tossed the keys back to Hank. “Touch the amulet and concentrate on the object you want to move.”
“So—” Bella began.
“Shit,” Hank interrupted.
As
she twisted around to look at Hank, Bella saw the police cruiser pull up behind them. The flashing light threw moving shadows in the car’s interior. “Well said.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“I’ve heard it before.”
Sabina leaned over. “Do you want me to handle this?”
“Leave it to me.” Bella fluffed her hair.
Hank rolled his eyes when she touched her amulet. “It’s just like turning up the wattage on a three-way light bulb,” he muttered under his breath. “Ladies,” he said mildly, “did it ever occur to either of you that I can take care of this?”
Bella reached over and patted his arm. “Of course you can, sugar,” she said as the trooper reached the truck and tapped on the driver’s side window with his long, black-handled flashlight. She put her hand over her eyes to shade them from the high-powered Maglite.
Hank rolled down his window. “Officer.”
One hand resting on his gun, the trooper leaned forward. “You folks need some help?”
Before Bella could bat her eyes at the police officer, Hank leaned against the steering wheel, effectively blocking the officer’s view of Bella. He jerked his head toward the SUV. “We got a call that our friends had run out of gas. But there’s no sign of them.”
The trooper flashed his light around the inside of the SUV. The beam rested on the luggage and the crumpled wedding dress hanging over the back of the seat. He straightened and stepped back. “I’m going to have to ask all of you to step out of the truck.” The trooper clicked the microphone on the shoulder of his blue uniform. “This is twenty. I’ve got a ten-sixty, requesting backup. I’m just off exit 300A on I-94.”
“Oh great,” Hank said under his breath as he opened the door and stepped out of the truck.
It suited Bella’s purposes just fine. The cab light haloing her, she waited ‘til the officer glanced toward her then swung her legs over to step out. The officer’s stoic expression never changed. He’s good.
Bella heard Hank’s long-suffering sigh as she turned up the voltage as he would say.
She let her leg dangle back and forth. “Officer, do you think they hitched a ride into town?” She looked up at him from under her lashes.
