Her voice was craggy with slumber and held an edge of fear. He wished he could hug her, hold her, soothe the worry that vibrated in her tone. But, of course, he was trussed like a Thanksgiving turkey and unable to do more than stare at Wayne. “I don’t know what he wants. Are you okay?”
“I—Yeah. Wayne, what—?”
“I’ve decided to take Hero up on his offer.” Wayne crouched beside the bed, and Dave saw the revolver in his hand. Inches from his nose. He focused on the barrel, where the tiny manufacturer’s inscription confirmed his suspicions. A Glock 17, fourth generation.
He’d been keeping count of the rounds fired. Seven at the bank. Four warning shots at the house. Six rounds left.
“What offer?” Lilly asked, echoing the question that nudged Dave’s brain.
Wayne grabbed Dave’s arm and tugged. “Sit up.”
Dave struggled to a seated position, a task made more difficult because of his pounding headache and lack of good leverage. He turned a wary eye toward Wayne, startled to see his captor set the gun on the bedside table and reach in his pocket. The weapon was almost in reach... if he’d had free use of his arms, which he didn’t, but—
His attention shifted abruptly when Wayne drew a small folding knife from his pocket and flicked it open. Dave tensed, drew back. “What the hell, man?”
Lilly gasped. “Wayne, don’t be rash. Please!”
Their captor held up the blade and glowered at Dave. “You said earlier that you knew engines. Said you could fix up my car. I think you called it the crap-mobile?”
Dave held his breath. Clenched his teeth. Jerked a small nod.
“Good. Here’s what’s going to happen.” Glaring at Dave, he waggled the knife as he spoke. “You’re gonna get my car up and running, ready to drive me at least outta state before I swap vehicles somewhere.”
Dave figured Wayne would be better off trading vehicles sooner rather than later, but he wasn’t going to give the robber tips on how best to escape.
“You’re going to work fast, and you’re not going to try anything funny, because the whole time you’re working, I’m gonna have this bad boy—” he paused long enough to pat his hand on the grip of the Glock “—pointed at Lilly’s head.”
Dave’s stomach lurched. His first priority, until this whole mess was over, was to keep Lilly safe. Having that thug pointing his gun at Lilly only made his plan to get the weapon away from him more difficult. He took a slow breath and took a page from Lilly’s playbook, tried to stay calm and be friendly, reasonable. “Why don’t we leave Lilly out of this? You said yourself you like her. You may even need her nursing skills again for your injuries before this is all over.”
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Lilly’s startled glance, but he kept his focus trained on Wayne. “If I do anything you don’t like, shoot me instead.”
“Dave, no,” Lilly said under her breath.
He cut a quick side glance to her. “It’s okay, Lil. I don’t plan on getting shot.”
That much was true. If anyone took a bullet, he intended for it to be Wayne.
Their captor narrowed his eyes and divided a look between him and Lilly, as if considering the proposition. “You’re right—I do like her better. But I also don’t like being told what to do. She goes outside with us, if for no other reason than to keep you in line. ’Cause it’s obvious you like her, too, and I think you’ll do exactly what I say just to make sure I don’t hurt her.” He used the knife to slice through the tape around Dave’s ankles. “Now get up, and I’ll let your hands loose.”
Easier said than done. With his arms still bound behind him and his bum leg stiff from disuse, finding the right balance was awkward. But Dave would be damned if he’d let Wayne see him struggle. Dave swallowed the groan that rose in his throat as he struggled to push slowly to his feet without toppling sideways.
Grabbing Dave’s arm, Wayne turned Dave around.
Lilly gasped and cried, “No, wait! Don’t cut it. Please. I really like that bathrobe and without the matching belt, it won’t be, well—Can’t you just untie the knots?”
Wayne made an impatient sucking noise with his mouth. “He’s pulled the knots too tight. I can’t untie them.”
“Then let me try,” she said. “Not only are my fingers smaller, but I knit as a hobby. I’m used to untying tiny tangles and knots that get in my yarn.”
Clearly Wayne wasn’t happy with the delay. Finally, he huffed his resignation, and wiggled his fingers, indicating she should raise her arms. Shifting to kneel on the bed, she leaned forward to give him access to her wrists. He slit the tape binding her arms, and she half moaned, half sighed when her hands were released.
In any other circumstance, Dave would have found the sound pure seduction, but... Hell, who was he fooling? The sensual noise that purled from her throat sent a wave of heat flashing through him. Judging from Wayne’s raised eyebrow and the sleazy grin tugging the corner of his mouth, their captor had noticed the sexy quality of the moan, as well. Dave set his jaw, itching to smack the slimy smirk from Wayne’s face.
Lilly plucked gingerly at the sticky mess clinging to her wrists, gritting her teeth as the tape pulled at her skin.
“Come on already! We don’t have all day.” Wayne gave the tape a rough yank, and Lilly yelped as the remaining adhesive ripped from her chafed skin.
“Hey!” Dave protested.
“What?” Wayne snapped back.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Dave gritted his back teeth, reining in his anger. “I warned you not to hurt her.”
“You need to shut the hell up!” Wayne shouted back, snatching the gun off the bedside table and taking a threatening step toward him.
Dave bristled and widened his stance, ready to fight if needed, even with his hands still tied.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Lilly said over them both, then loosed a shrill whistle.
Both men shot startled looks toward her. She motioned with her hands for both of them to quiet down. “Wayne, Dave, come on. Everyone take a breath. I’m fine.” She directed the last statement toward Dave, then to Wayne she said, “It’s all good. Let’s calm down, and try this again?”
She waved a hand toward her feet. “If you would?”
Nostrils flaring, Wayne sent a dark glare toward Dave, then sliced through the tape at Lilly’s ankles. Thanks to her slacks, she was able to peel it off hastily and wad it in a ball. Rubbing at her wrists, she slid off the bed and eased past Wayne. “Can you two be civil for two minutes? I gotta—” She hitched her head to the bathroom.
Wayne stiffened as she took her leave and closed the door.
Dave shoved his feet into his boots while they waited for her. “We need food and something to drink, too. I’ll cooperate if you will. It’s a two-way street.”
“You’ll get food when I say so.” Wayne glanced toward the closed bathroom door and shouted. “Hurry up, Lilly!”
She returned a moment later and sidled toward Dave, giving Wayne a stiff smile. “Now, I’ll just work this belt loose, and we can all go outside and take a look at your car. Dave will get it fixed right up, and you can be on your way. Win-win for everyone. Right?”
Wayne pressed a hand to his side and took a shallow breath. “Well, you got it partly right. I’m not so sure Hero there will come out of this a winner if he don’t start being a little smarter and stop pissing me off.”
Lilly put a hand on Dave’s forearm and squeezed, giving him a quelling look and mouthing his name. She circled behind him and began plucking at the belt knots.
“Hmm. You really did pull these suckers tight. Geez.” She gave his fingers a friendly squeeze, and Dave’s heart thumped.
“I need...something.” She moved away and scanned the room.
Wayne tensed and aimed the gun at her. “What are you doing?”
She raised both hands in
a conciliatory motion. “Looking for something to help me with the knot. I don’t have my knitting here, but—” She bit down on her lower lip and wrinkled her nose as she thought. The gesture was innocent, but also sexy and a fresh rush of lust puddled in Dave’s gut. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips in a frown of disgust. Now was not the time to be ogling Lilly or thinking about how good she’d felt tucked against him last night.
“A fork!” Lilly said brightly.
The comment startled Dave from his musing, and he blinked his confusion at her.
“A fork?” Wayne said, his own countenance skeptical. “What d’you need a fork for?”
“I want a small pointed tip to help work the knot loose. The tines of a fork would be perfect. Will you get me one from the kitchen?”
Wayne narrowed another suspicious glare at her, as if trying to guess what sort of ploy she was up to. He shook his head. “Nah. I ain’t leaving you two alone with you untied. We all go.”
Wrapping a hand around Lilly’s arm, Wayne motioned with the gun for Dave to head out the door first. They all trooped down the hall to the kitchen, and as they went, Dave took a mental inventory of everything they passed. He’d been in Helen’s house a hundred times or more. He knew it as well as he knew his own home, but he was seeing it through fresh eyes this time. Looking for anything he could use as a weapon. Looking for anything that would aid his and Lilly’s escape. Did Wayne have a phone? What had been moved since Lilly started packing?
He must have been moving too slowly to suit his captor, because Wayne gave his back a hard push. “Move it, Hero. Remember, you try anything, you die.”
Dave clenched his teeth, shoving down the urge to retaliate. He had to remember that as long as Wayne had the gun, he had the upper hand, and acting rashly could get Lilly hurt. Because he knew on some level that she wouldn’t stand idly by and let Wayne shoot him. She’d try to intervene and would likely get herself shot in the process.
Damn it! Having her outside while he piddled with Wayne’s car posed a complication he hadn’t wanted.
Lilly went straight to the drawer that held Helen’s utensils and took out a fork. “Okay, Dave, turn around.”
He offered her his back and his bound hands while his gaze swept the kitchen. Remembering. His heart twisted, shooting pain deep to his core. Being in this room, with the rooster decor and frilly white curtains, the copper pans hanging on the wall and the spice rack over the stove, filled him with a particularly keen grief. The kitchen had been where Helen thrived. She’d loved to try new recipes out for him. And she was damn good at it, too. He sighed sadly and whispered, “This room isn’t the same without her in it. It seems...lonely. Fallow.”
Lilly paused in her ministrations, and her silence, her stillness, spoke for her mood. “Yeah. That’s a good word for it.”
Wayne sat in a ladder-backed chair at the small oak table and waved the gun at them. “What are you talking about?”
“My sister. This kitchen. She loved to cook.” Lilly tugged at the belt and began working again. “Just because we’re talking to each other, doesn’t mean we’re conspiring.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like it so...keep your trap shut.”
Within a few minutes, Lilly had managed to untie the knots and free Dave’s hands. While he rubbed his sore wrists, Lilly smoothed the belt out and set it carefully on the end of the kitchen table. “There. It’s crumpled, but I think it will iron out and be just fine.”
Wayne snorted. “What it will be is back on Hero’s arms as soon as he gets my car running.”
Dave rolled his aching shoulders, started toward the hall. “My turn in the bathroom.”
“Freeze, pal.” Wayne aimed the gun at him and shoved out of the chair, holding his side and wincing as he rose to his feet. “You’re not going anywhere by yourself.”
“Follow me then, but I am going to take a leak.” He marched to the second bathroom off the hall and closed the door in Wayne’s face.
As he did his business, he scoped out the bathroom for a weapon. If he had more time, he could have fashioned something out of the scant and innocuous items left following Lilly’s packing. But he didn’t want to leave Lilly alone with Wayne longer than needed, and he couldn’t imagine a way to disarm or disable their captor using toilet paper, a hand towel and a travel-size bar of soap.
When he exited the bathroom, Wayne waved the gun, directing him back to the kitchen, where Lilly was eating a peanut butter sandwich.
“How is your wound this morning, Wayne?” Lilly asked and handed Dave a sandwich, as well. “I’ll need to clean it again and change the dressing.”
Wayne shrugged. “Later.”
“Are you in pain?” Lilly asked.
Wayne twisted his mouth in an ugly frown. “Sweetheart, I’m always in pain these days, and I guess I will be in pain until I get the treatments for my cancer or until I die. Whichever comes first.”
“What about taking more of your pain pills?” Dave suggested around a large bite of the sticky sandwich.
Wayne shot a dirty look at Dave. “Nice try, but since they make me sleepy, I won’t take any more until I know you two are through helping me out there—” he hitched his head toward the back, where the junker was parked “—and are once again tied up nice and tight.”
“How about something over-the-counter?” Lilly suggested.
“How about you both get yourselves outside and get my car running?” he snarled, then after a beat added, “Over-the-counter pills do nothing for me anymore.”
“I’m sorry. If I could do something for you—”
“You can.” Wayne waved the gun again. “You can help me get out of this Podunk town and out of the country. Now move it.”
Dave’s gut clenched. If he and Lilly helped Wayne escape, wouldn’t they be accessories, or...something? Aiding and abetting? Except they were helping under duress. That had to count for something. Right?
He wasn’t sure of all the legalities, but he knew cars, engines. And the truth was, he was unlikely to find anything wrong with Wayne’s crap-mobile that he could fix without replacement parts. He could tweak things here and there, sure. But the list of problems he could repair or overhaul that would make any difference in the performance and long-term drivability of the junker was short. Very short. So his challenge became a choice. Stall as long as he could, fiddle with the engine to buy himself and Lilly some time, or...act quickly on his plan to disarm Wayne and discharge as many rounds from the Glock as he could. And then pray Wayne didn’t have extra ammo stashed somewhere.
Neither option was good, but Wayne hadn’t left him much choice.
With the Glock pointed at him, Dave stuffed the last of his peanut-butter-sandwich breakfast in his mouth and led the way outside. He tipped his face to the sky and inhaled the clean Rocky Mountain air. Today was the sort of beautiful day that made Dave long to be in a saddle, riding the range and working a herd.
His leg gave a twinge, or maybe he just imagined it did. He missed ranching like the dickens and would give anything to be back working with the McCalls.
But to get that life back, he first had to survive his current crisis. He gave Wayne a quick side glance, sizing up the man’s grip of the weapon, his distance from his target and the likelihood that Lilly would be in the line of fire if anything went wrong. Did Lilly have a place to duck and cover?
“Come on,” Wayne said, poking Dave in the back with the muzzle and guiding him to the parked jalopy. The thing really was a piece of junk. The seats inside were ripped. The paint job scratched, dinged and rusted. And without raising the hood, he knew the engine was likely in as bad of shape.
“You can sit there,” Wayne called to Lilly, motioning to a pollen-dusted Adirondack chair by the back door. “But if you move a muscle to leave that chair, you get a bullet in your foot. You hear me?”
Lilly arched an e
yebrow at Wayne and lifted a hand. “Okay. Mind if I scoot the chair out of the sun?” She pointed at a spot where the roofline made a small pool of shade.
“Whatever. Just...don’t get any ideas.” Wayne frowned as he cast his gaze back and forth between the two of them, as if realizing the folly of trying to keep both of his hostages under control without restraints. Gun or no gun, he was outnumbered.
Dave moved to the front of the beat-up sedan and popped the hood, propped it with the small attached iron bar. Leaned in to take a look. The nodules on the battery were corroded. He noticed that first. He could clean that up, but it wouldn’t make any difference in the engine’s performance. “Crank it up for me, would you? I need to listen to the motor,” he called to Wayne.
His captor opened the driver’s door and held his weapon pointed at Lilly while he turned the engine over. It sputtered to life, chugging and puffing black exhaust from the tailpipe.
When the car backfired, Lilly yelped and clapped a hand to her chest.
From behind the screen of the hood, Dave tried to make eye contact with Lilly, to send her a silent message about his intentions and her response to his actions when he put them in motion. She gave a nervous laugh over having jumped at the loud backfire and sent Dave an embarrassed half grin. He drilled a steady look on her that caught her attention. He moved his hand close to his chest and formed his fingers and thumb in the shape of a gun. Fire the gun, he mouthed.
Her brow dipped and he remembered her previous reservations and fears. He didn’t have time to debate with her. He nailed a hard, stern look and jerked a quick nod, then called to Wayne, “Rev it again.”
Wayne gave the engine gas, and the motor chugged loudly. Giving the engine a more genuine inspection, Dave saw a few problems immediately, and his ears detected what he was sure was an issue with the carburetor. “Okay, you can turn it off for now,” he called over the rattling engine noise.
After cutting off the motor, Wayne moved back to the front of the car, where Dave braced his hands on the frame and stared into the aged assembly of parts. “Well?”
Rancher's Hostage Rescue Page 14
