“I won’t need it, but I will have it,” Carl said, smirking. “We thought everyone in Loon Lake played by the rules. But not your family. They take and take. We’re reclaiming what is rightfully ours. The town will understand.”
“They took from me, too.” Her voice cracked. “My family, I mean.” She cleared her throat. “I’m not like my father. I didn’t even go to his memorial or whatever it was.” She swallowed the awful, sour taste in her mouth, forcing down the rising bile. Lying to save her skin. She’d never thought her character would crack, but in this life-or-death scenario, she was determined to save herself.
“I didn’t know you were on my side,” she said. “But now I do. What can I give you to prove I’m all in for our partnership? The island? Is that what you mean by what was stolen?”
“We wanted that. But now?” Carl leaned his chair back, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’ll take nothing less than everything.”
“Come on, that’s not how allies work.” She forced a chuckle.
“You are no ally. All you’ve done is complicate and delay our plan. Your little stunt in the lake. We could have teamed up then. But you ran off. You left the hospital while Steve was getting me. You chose your side.” Carl narrowed his gaze. “And we’ve made our decision. It’s better for everyone if you are out of the way.”
A mechanical whirring saved her.
“What’s that?” Steve hissed.
“Sounds like the rolling door,” Carl said, sighing. “Slip the gun into your waistband, and go check it out.”
“What about?” Steve tipped his head. “Her.”
His voice cracked. At least some part of Steve’s heart remained.
Carl opened a drawer in his desk. “I’ve got her.” He approached and slapped a pair of handcuffs, tethering her right wrist to the chair. “Listen. The door malfunctions. A lot. That’s not your rescue. You make noise while we’re gone? We’ll shoot you when we get back. Yes?”
Ice poured through her veins, chattering her teeth. She studied Steve.
He gulped but made no other move to stop his father and indicate the threat was idle.
“Yes,” she murmured, meeting Carl’s glare. She’d reached the end. With no leverage, she couldn’t buy her safety.
Steve opened the door.
Carl strode out, all pomposity and ego, shutting the door behind him.
“Steve,” she hissed as soon as the door shut. “Don’t do this. You’re better than him. You’re not a criminal, and you’re not a murderer.” She gulped.
A muscle twitched in his cheek. Steve locked eyes on her and glanced away.
In the second of meeting her gaze, she spotted a dangerous desperation. His father’s approval drove his actions. Only Carl’s opinion mattered. Steve would take her life as directed.
“I don’t have a choice,” Steve murmured.
“Yes, you do. You are your own person. Don’t let him bully you.”
“Without my dad, I’m nothing,” Steve said.
The words punched her in the gut. She understood better than anyone else. If not for the restraints holding her in place, she would have doubled over. She struggled growing up with only one, overbearing parent. But she had a clear advantage over Steve.
Her dad loved her. Her heart broke that she hadn’t said goodbye and mended their rift. But she never questioned that his hard-headedness about her choices was driven by his unconditional love and worry for her. Steve couldn’t say the same. Carl was all about control.
“Listen to me,” she said, her chin trembling and teeth chattering. “You are a whole lot of something. He doesn’t deserve your loyalty. I know all about how lonesome it is standing up to a parent. You won’t be alone. You’ll have me and the support of everyone in town.”
“Steve,” Carl barked through the open doorway.
“I’m sorry, Ashley.” Steve hung his head and walked away. He didn’t quite shut the door, the panel swinging slightly ajar.
Could she wheel herself out of the deathtrap? She frowned at the wheels under her rolling chair. The front wheel was cracked. She probably couldn’t roll an inch. She strained for any sound of rescue.
“Hey, Carl? You here?” Zach Jenkins called.
