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Jim was a bit taller than Johnny, broad, with a barrel chest and a perpetual scowl on his pitted face. He had been discharged from the service for medical reasons, she had heard, though there had been no specifics.
“I have to find Dawg,” she whispered, her heart in her throat.
Layla looked back at her in surprise. “He should be finished in the lumberyard by now. He’s probably on the floor. Is something wrong?”
“I need to talk to him about the outside display so we can get started on it,” she said. She also needed to talk to him about Bedsford and Johnny. “Could you stay up here and watch the phones while I
’m gone?”
Layla nodded. “I have Crystal watching the floor right now. That won’t be a problem. ”
“I’ll be right back. ”
Crista left the office quickly and moved down the metal steps. Her gaze scanned the rows and aisles as she headed across the floor toward the end of the building where the lumber and building displays were arranged. Some of the stock was kept inside for small purchases, while the majority of it was kept in a covered hangar behind the store.
As she entered the lumber section, she paused, frowning when she didn’t see Dawg. Turning up one of the narrow aisles, she walked quickly toward the back of the store, then headed toward the other side when one of the stock boys mentioned seeing him in appliances.
Damn it, they needed a few walkie-talkies. She didn’t have her cell phone on her, and right now she could have used a clue as to where the hell he was. She made a quick note on her clipboard to have him set up a system for the employees. It would also make helping customers much easier.
“Bradley. ” She stopped in appliances by one of the young stock boys loading a washing machine onto a metal roller cart. “Have you seen Mr. Mackay?”
“He just went back outside. ” Bradley nodded his shaggy head toward the employees’ door that led to the side parking lot.
“Thanks, Bradley. ” Nodding quickly, she moved for the door, pushing it open and stepping outside as she shaded her eyes to stare around.
“Hello, Miss Jansen, can I help you?” Jim Bedsford stepped from between several delivery trucks, tossing a cigarette to the ground as he stared back at her with a heavy scowl.
“I was looking for Dawg. ” She gave him a cool smile, fear suddenly lashing inside her. “Perhaps he’s inside. ”
“He’s in the lumberyard. ” Jim moved closer. “He fired me, you know. ”
Crista froze as he blocked the way around the side of the building.
“I’ll discuss it with him. ” She attempted to bluff her way back to the door.
“Miss Jansen, open that door, and I’ll shoot you. ”
She turned back slowly, her eyes widening at the sight of the black barrel beneath the dark ball cap Bedsford was carrying in one hand.
She glanced up at the camera. There was no way to tell that the man was carrying a weapon.
“You’re going to come with me, nice and easy like. ” He smiled coldly. “We need to talk. ”
“Dawg will know who I left with, Jim,” she warned him. “Dawg will know. ”
“Don’t try to run your mouth at me, bitch. ” His voice didn’t raise or lower, it remained cold, vicious. “Just get in the fucking van and stop arguing with me before I have to kill you. I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m not above it. ”
Crista stared around the parking lot desperately.
“If I have to kill you, then I’m going to have kill Dawg, too,” he pointed out in what she assumed was a reasonable tone. “It won’t be hard. He’s not the only Somerset boy who went through stealth training. Or the only one who can play assassin. Now, are you going to cooperate, or do I have to get pissed off?”
Dawg would miss her soon. Crista looked up at the camera desperately, her fists clenched by her sides as she moved out of the range of the blinking eye and realized that the monitor probably hadn’t even picked up Bedsford. But he would know, she told herself. Dawg would know, and he would come for her.
“I don’t want to hurt you. ” He opened the door to a small panel van and pushed her in before following her. “Get in the driver’s seat. We’ll drive out of here nice and easy. ”
“Why are you doing this?” Crista moved into the driver’s seat and took the keys with a shaking hand. “I’m sure you could find a job somewhere else, Jim. ”
A rough laugh met her words. “Hell, you think this job means shit to me?” He sat on the floor behind the passenger seat, the gun held firmly in his hand and leveled at her. “Lady, I couldn’t give a shit about this job except for the fact that it helped us keep an eye on Dawg. We needed to know what he was up to, so I worked here and kept up on things. Kept him busy where I could. ”
