Sure, there was money to be made in the right career, but there were also a lot of jobs that didn’t make squat. Hardworking people came into them hoping to make a difference only to find out they’d be working long hours with individuals who hated and resented them and bosses who didn’t give a shit. That’s where Abigail knew she had an advantage with understanding the system.
And she’d found a guard who fit the profile along with wearing the same size clothing. That would become important in Abigail’s plan.
The first time she’d met the young guard, Lexie, she knew she’d found her target. Lexie was new and getting used to dealing with a tough population. For the most part, other detainees waiting for their trials would cooperate. It helped their case, but there were others who were indifferent. Maybe they knew they were headed for life without parole. Or maybe they really didn’t care. Abigail understood that. She was headed for a long sentence based on the crimes she’d committed. She’d be a tottering old lady by the time she got out. Unless she did something about her situation.
She’d helped influence and control some of the women who were giving Lexie a hard time. In exchange for keeping them in line, Lexie brought Abigail a cell phone.
And that was how Abigail was able to get in touch with Jake and Vicki. They owed her. She’d told them that if they would take Hope Dawson and bring her to Colorado, Abigail would never bother them again. Their debt to her would be repaid.
They’d stupidly agreed.
That was the thing about criminals. They were all stupid. Of course, Abigail knew the irony of that since she was sitting in scrubs marking her as a federal prisoner. But she was intelligent and that’s why she needed to and could get out. She wanted revenge on a lot of people, but there were two in particular who she had in her sights—Maya Thompson and her father, Eric Torres. They were the ones responsible for her arrest.
Little Hope Dawson was Eric’s granddaughter and Maya’s niece. Maya was the do-gooder type who would go to great lengths to save someone—especially a kid. The one thing Abigail knew for certain about Maya was that she suffered from survivor’s guilt. And that was perfect for Abigail’s plan. She couldn’t wait to make the call to the Western River sheriff’s office and say she had Hope Dawson hostage.
She’d played the plan over and over in her head and knew that Maya would want to use her stupid mutt to help. Then when Maya learned the girl was her niece, the urge to save someone would kick in harder. The survivor’s guilt would drive Maya to do things other officers wouldn’t. Abigail was counting on that.
With any luck, Eric would join in, but Eric was also a fugitive so Abigail wasn’t as certain about him. Although she did think that Eric was the type to accepthis own death, but not the death of his loved ones. She might get lucky and get them all.
There was one thing she was certain about and that was wanting revenge. No one put Abigail in prison or on trial without paying. Especially not some female officer whose partner was a mutt. And she was certainly not rotting in prison the rest of her life.
The sound of boots on the hard floor interrupted her thoughts. Abigail pulled the phone out of its hiding place and put it in her pocket. She took a few cocky steps to the front of the cell by the door and waited.
Two guards arrived.
“Hello, officers,” Abgail said. “What’s up?”
Lexie pulled the keys out and unlocked the door. “It’s your lucky day. You’re getting moved to minimal security.”
“That is lucky,” Abigail said, smiling. Lexie had come through to get her transferred. In less than twenty-four hours, she’d be free. “Very lucky, indeed.”
Her plan was in motion. Soon, Eric Torres and Maya Thompson would lose everything—including their lives.
Chapter Nine
Hope slumped in a chair outside of the van. At least Jake and Vicki hadn’t made her stay in the stuffy back seat. But that was because they were in yet another campsite out in the middle of nowhere. This time, there were no trails—at least none she could see. There were no signs of life. Not even a chipmunk. Her plan obviously hadn’t worked. No one was going to find her. Her hands and feet were tied. This time the knots were much better and no matter how much she wiggled, there was no getting free.
“People saw us,” Vicki was saying to Jake. “We ought to just leave her here and go back home.”
“We can’t take off. We owe Abigail and you know she won’t let it go. She’ll kill us if we don’t do what she wants.”
Hope’s head snapped up when Jake said that. Kill them? Who was this Abigail person? And what did she want with Hope? Vicki and Jake were obviously scared of her. That frightened Hope.
She continued wiggling her hands hoping to get out of the ropes, but they were snug. Her shoulders were getting sore and her feet were tingly after sitting in one position for a long time. She coughed as theair thickened with gray smoke and ash rained down on them. That fire had to be nearby. Would there be firefighters? Was there a chance they might see her?
Sweat and tears mixed, running down her face. Hope was trying hard not to cry because then her nose was all snotty and she could only turn her head and wipe it on her shirt. She was gross and disgusting. A shower sounded like a luxury right now.
I was really hoping Uncle Nick would get my message and be here to save me. I miss my mom. I wish we were on vacation. Will I ever get to see my mom again? I wish I’d stayed in summer school too. Then I wouldn’t be here.
“We need to stick to the plan,” Jake said in an argumentative tone. “Abigail will be out soon and will text us a location to meet her. Then we can go home and forget about all this. Maybe we don’t go home and go to Mexico like you’ve always wanted.”
Vicki sighed. “I would love to see the beach and be done with Montana winters.”
“I would too. Let’s be patient and finish this out. Then we can go wherever we want.”
“Fine,” Vicki said. “But I hope Abigail gets here by tomorrow. I’m tired of being in charge of this brat.”
Hope didn’t know what to make of this conversation. She had no idea who this Abigail person was, but she’d come to realize that Jake and Vicki weren’t going to harm her, at least not seriously, because they needed her to pay off some debt. And brat? Nice. Her step monster Brittany called her that all the time. The longer her dad was married, the less he wanted to seeher. What was wrong with her? Even her kidnappers didn’t want her.
