Page 105 of Rage

“All of that Amish morality.” He shrugs. “Irony is a bitter pill, isn’t it?”

I nod, shifting again to conceal my efforts to insert the pin into the keyhole. “What about Aaron Shetler?”

“Once Samuel was gone, I knew Aaron would become a problem.” He shrugs. “There was loyalty there and I couldn’t have that, now could I?”

“It was incredibly reckless of you to do away with the bodies right here in Painters Mill.”

“I wasn’t involved with that.” He cocks his head, looks at me a little more closely. For an instant I think he’s noticed what I’m doing. Or suspects me of wearing a wire. But he’s only enjoying the moment, the cruelty of it. “They won’t make the same mistake with you.”

The threat isn’t lost. My hands are shaking so violently, it takes me two tries to get the pin into the keyhole. All the while my brain chants, Keep him engaged. Buy some time. No one is coming to help …

Turning slightly, Wingate looks at the bouncer. “Go get the van. Let’s get her out of here before things get hot.”

Ending his call, the bouncer walks to the door and leaves us.

Wingate finishes his whiskey and sets the glass on the coffee table. I push the key into the hole and twist. An instant of resistance as the key flag strikes the lock bar, and then the single strand of the cuff snicks open.

“What happens next?” I ask.

He gives me an appropriately grim look. “One of our members has a yacht docked on the lake in Cleveland. My bouncer is going to drive you up there. The rest…” He shrugs. “If I were you, I wouldn’t think too hard about it.”

The cuff slips from my left wrist, the right cuff still attached. I stare at Wingate, my heart pounding, adrenaline burning like fire in my veins. He’s larger than me. Stronger. My initial attack is going to have to be effective. If I can use the cuffs as brass knuckles, break his nose, the pain might disable him long enough for me to reach the door.

The door in the hall where Brooks and the Amish woman disappeared opens. Wingate turns to look. The woman comes out wearing only panties and heels, squinting in the light.

“Where’s Brooks?” Wingate asks her.

“Sleeping,” she says.

“Tell him to get the hell up.” He snaps the words as he turns back to me. “It’s time to roll.”

Vaguely, I’m aware of the woman coming toward us. Something in her hand. In that instant, it occurs to me she didn’t obey Wingate’s orders to wake Brooks.

Keep him talking.

Heart pumping nitro, I look at Wingate. “It’s not too late to stop this.”

“Not going to happen,” he says.

“There’s still time for you to run,” I say. “Brooks, too.”

“Shut up or I’ll tape your mouth,” he snarls.

The woman reaches us. I don’t look at her. I don’t know if she’s friend or foe. The one thing I’m pretty sure of is that she’s about to distract Wingate, which will give me the opportunity I need.

“You can lock me in the back room,” I tell him. “That’ll give you time to—”

“I’m not going to let you kill us,” the woman hisses.

Wingate swivels to her, glowering as if he wants to rip her apart with his bare hands. “You dumb little bitch, I told you to—”

A scream tears from her throat. “I didn’t bargain for this!” Raising her hand, she comes at him with the syringe.

I lunge at Wingate, land on top of him. The force of my weight shoves him against the seatback. I draw back, punch him square in the face with the makeshift brass knuckles. His nose shatters on impact. Blood spatters his shirt and face. Roaring, he twists, tries to buck me off, reaches for the pistol in his waistband. I draw back a second time, land a second punch atop the first, feel what’s left of his nose cave in. He lets out an animal bellow, brings up his hands to protect himself.

I clamber off him, jump to my feet. Wingate grapples for his pistol, face contorted, blood streaming from his nose. In the periphery of my vision, I see the woman stumble back. The syringe falls to the floor. Wingate’s eyes on me. His hand on the pistol. I bring up my right foot, catch the side of his face with the toe of my boot. He drops the pistol. I kick it under the sofa.

“Call 911!” I scream to the woman.