Page 83 of Sinner’s Game

My knees go weak, and I sink against the wall and slowly sag to the floor. “I—I’m not who you think I am.”

“No. I suppose you are not. I thought I could trust you. I want my money, you little bitch. I want it now.”

Ronan. His name echoes in my mind, and I want him beside me. I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t know what to do.

I hurry, walking faster toward the center. Then I stop. I’m in the one hallway that actually gets phone reception. If I go too fast, I could lose him. I need to know what he needs me to do, because otherwise Cara is screwed. “What do you want?”

“I told you. I want the money.”

“I—I don’t have it. I told you.”

“Oh, but you can get it. If you don’t, it’s your life. Your little friend’s, too. She’ll go first. So that you’ll know exactly what to expect if you don’t cooperate.”

“No! I’ll cooperate. I’ll—”

“Brandy?”

“Cara! Hang on, okay. I’m going to—”

“He says he’s going to kill me right here if you don’t come. There’s nobody else around. No one to help me.”

I hear someone whisper, then Cara’s soft whimper.

“He says to tell you there are two security guards on the far side of the room, but if I scream—and if you do anything—he’ll blow my head off then kill the guards. Brandy,” she adds, her voice trembling, “I believe him.”

“I understand.” I’m so terrified I’m shaking, but I tell myself to get a grip. Falling apart won’t help her. I need to do something, but I don’t know what.

All I do know is that I need Ronan, and he’s not here.

“I expect you here within five minutes. No, within three minutes,” he says. “Otherwise, she’s dead. And trust me when I say you’ll be next.”

“I believe you. I’ll be there.”

I’m all the way on the other side of the center. If I run, I can get there in three minutes.

Maybe.

I take off, using the voice activation on my phone to dial Ronan. I’m wearing my headset, and I hear it ringing as I sprint, forcing myself to move faster, thankful I haven’t changed for tonight and am wearing jeans and sneakers.

I’m pounding through the hallways, ignoring the stares from people who are looking at me. I don’t even have time to ask for help, and Ronan’s phone just keeps ringing and ringing and ringing, and I’m terrified he won’t answer.

I can see the door at the far end of the hall. It’s open, and I can just make out a man in a black suit standing by Cara. My stomach twists, and I try to force myself to run faster.

Then the ringing in my ear stops, and I hear Ronan’s voice. “Brandy?”

“Ronan!” I’m breathless and terrified, and my voice is a squeak. And I can’t stop moving, because the clock is ticking, and it’s been almost two minutes already.

“Please,” I say, trying to speak and breathe. “Please, you have to come, you have to help.”

“Bran—“

And that’s it. The line is dead. Reception lost. Reception, I think, and me too. Because I don’t know what to do now. I don’t know how to save Cara or myself.

So I do the only thing I can. I go to my booth, look the black-clad man in the face, and say very simply. “I’m here.”

“Where are you taking me?” I ask as the man clutches my arm. He’s steering me through the expo center to an exit in the back. “I’m taking you away, my dear. And we’re going to have a little discussion about what you did with my money.”

“I told you. It’s not me. You have the wrong woman. She copied me. She pretended to be me. But I don’t know her.”