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CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
After witnessing what they’d done to Sam, Hallie knew she’d never leave the bayou alive. She swung the duffel bag, striking Carl in the head. Spotting a paddle in the bottom of the boat, she grabbed it and lunged at Frank.
Frank dodged the paddle, gripping it and shoving her down on her back. “You’ll stay down, or I will break your legs and make you stay down. Your choice.”
Hallie didn’t say a word and waited for another opportunity to fight.
Unable to start the boat, the men were forced to paddle it through the bayou. It was late afternoon by the time they reached an old dock and tied up along with other boats.
She even resisted walking willingly, forcing the men to nearly drag her along the trail which led deep into the forest. Hallie took careful note of her surroundings, making mental notes of any landmarks which she could use to navigate her way out … if she could manage to escape.
When they reached a small settlement, she saw several other men. She could only assume they were all jaguar shifters.
“So much for that reward money now. Should’ve known,” one of the men grumbled.
Frank shoved her into Carl’s arms. “Tie her up inside the shop. But nothing else, or you’ll answer to me. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it,” Carl snarled.
Clearly, Frank is the leader. They must live back here. But are there more of them? Where are the families?
Carl pulled her into a dark, dingy garage that reeked with the unmistakable odor of old grease, oil, and gasoline. Pushing her into a chair, he tied her wrists to the arms and then tied her ankles together.
Staring at her, his mouth opened and revealed his rotted teeth. His laugh was raspy and cold. “Frank had a thousand bucks on your head. But my reward is that I get you when he’s done interrogating you. Just a little something for you to look forward to.”
“I bet it isa littlesomething,” she spat.
“You bitch!” Carl raised his open palm, preparing to remove the defiant sneer from her face.
“Carl! Get the fuck out of here, now,” Frank said, stepping into the shop.
Carl scurried out, avoiding any eye contact with Frank.
Frank threw the duffle bag and cameras at Hallie’s feet. “What are the cameras for?”
“Why should I tell you? You aren’t planning to let me go anyway.”
“Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean you have to die. Now, tell me about the cameras.”
Deciding she could live to make an escape, she reluctantly conceded to cooperate with him … at least a little. “I’m a zoologist. I document rare wild animals. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
“Rare animals? Seems like you got more than you bargained for when you met us. Who knows that you came out here?”
Hallie remained silent. She didn’t so much as move a muscle, unsure of how to answer.
“I know you’ve seen our men back in the bayou. Did you tell anyone about it?”
She still refused to say a word.
“Well, let’s see what I know about you.” He opened up her purse and dug through it until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out her wallet and began throwing her credit cards on the floor. When he found her driver’s license, he held it up. “Hallie Roberts from Lafayette. You know, with your ID and all the other information I have, it would be very easy for me to find out all about you. Perhaps you have some family? Parents? A brother? A sister? Be a shame if we’d have to pay them a visit just because you didn’t feel like talking to me.”
Hallie struggled against the ropes, but it was useless.
“Hit a nerve, did I? Trust me, I already have someone looking into you. So you better not be lying about your little Hallie-the-explorer story. Some of my men said you were spotted hanging around a cabin down on Bayou Rouge with some guy. Let me guess … boyfriend? Lover? It’d also be a shame if he got attacked by jaguars. He’d never survive it. So why don’t you save a whole lot of people a whole lot of misery and start talking.”
“Sam. Only Sam knew. And you killed him.”
“So, you’re telling me you never mentioned anything about us to anyone?”
She realized there was no way out for her. They’d never let her leave, and a life as their prisoner would be worse than death.
“Fuck you. I told you the truth. Take it or leave it, but either way, fuck you and fuck your bastard friends.”
Frank slapped her ID against the palm of his hand. “Talking tough now, Hallie Roberts from Lafayette. Such a pretty face on you too. I was going to say there was no need to be rude to each other, but I did make a promise to Carl. And I certainly can’t go back on my word. He’ll be happy to spend a little quality time with you. And after he’s had enough, you’ll learn something else about us … we like to share. You are in for a long night. You and I will have another conversation in the morning.”
Once he left the garage, she fought as hard as she could to break free. But the more she pulled, the tighter the ropes seemed to become.
Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed with a strange combination of fear, despair, and rage. Battling to hold back tears, she vowed to fight the monsters to her last dying breath.
