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“To your boss.” Again, there was that slight hesitation. What was Garrett about to ask?
But Finn was lost. What in God’s name was Garrett hoping to achieve by calling Mike Rogers? Unless he wanted a swift arrest. And then to spend the next twenty years in jail for abducting a law enforcement officer. Because that was the only outcome Finn could see.
“You’re going to tell them where you are. Tell them you escaped, but you’re injured, and you need them to come get you.”
Finn’s mind whirled. There seemed to be no reasoning behind this. “What? Why?”
“Because I told you to, that’s why,” Garrett snarled, and waved the gun. But there was something slightly off. Something Finn couldn’t put his finger on. Garrett was watching the door, as if waiting for something. “You’re going to make the call and say exactly what I told you. Nothing more, nothing less. That’s all you need to do, it’s pretty simple, really.”
“Why would you let me do that?” Finn insisted. “Why would you let me call in the cavalry?”
“That’s none of your business. Look,bro,” Garrett spat the word as if he had a nasty taste in his mouth. “You do what I tell you, or your girl here is gonna die.” Garrett got to his feet, seemingly tired of the argument, and pointed the gun at Indy.
At that same instant, Swampy barged into the room. “Stop bloody pussy footing around, and get on with it,” he shouted. “We’re running out of time. It’s getting dark, and we need to get out of here. The boat leaves in an hour.” The big man was just as Finn remembered, long beard bristling, and huge belly preceding him through the door. He wore a dark-blue, workmen’s cotton singlet that didn’t quite cover the gap between his rolls of fat and the waistband of his dirty shorts, his tattooed biceps on display.
The whole dynamic in the room seemed to shift. And Finn realized with sudden clarity that Swampy was in charge. He was who Garrett had been afraid of. But no. Now he studied his brother, he could see it wasn’t fear, it was contempt that hovered just below the surface in Garrett’s eyes. Contempt and greed. What was Garrett up to?
“Nice to see you again, Swampy,” Finn said, his voice low and guttural. He’d love to know what part this bastard was playing in this whole scenario. Who did he report to? Or was he the boss? Finn doubted it; the man wasn’t smart enough. He was just a grunt-man, higher up on the hierarchy than his brother, obviously, but not the boss. The other man ignored him.
“Here.” Swampy shoved a cell phone at Garrett. “Get him to make the damn call. Everything else is set. Let’s do it, and get out of here.”
An ice-cold sliver of fear embedded itself in Finn’s stomach. There was something terribly wrong going on here. There was no way these two were just going to let Finn’s team come and rescue them. A horrible premonition almost made him gasp in shock. They were up to something. They weren’t going to just allow a bunch of cops to come storming in and seize the day. Were they setting a trap? Using him as the bait.
Garrett caught the phone and held it up, punching in some numbers. “I’m on it,” he replied evenly. “I’ll get it done. Go and bring the car around. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Swampy hovered next to the door, as if wanting to get on with the job, but not sure whether he should leave Garrett. Some sort of war of dominance seemed to be going on between the two men. Garrett was the first to break the stare. But as his gaze slipped away, Finn didn’t miss the clench of Garrett’s fists. Swampy might think he was in charge, but his brother obviously thought differently.
“Just make sure you do,” Swampy growled, and slammed the door behind him, and Finn released a pent-up breath.
Garrett hunkered down next to Finn, holding the phone up to the side of his face. “When I put the call through, just say what I told you to. Tell them you don’t know where you are, but they should be able to track this phone. Tell them it’s a burner you managed to steal when you escaped.”
“I’m not going to say anything,” Finn growled. “You’re setting some sort of trap, aren’t you?”
“So what if we are?” Garrett flung back. “The die has been cast. There’s no getting out of this now, Finn. You pissed off too many people. You and your whole team. And they need to die.”
“So, you’re going to murder us all in cold blood?” Finn asked. His suspicions seemed to be true.
“What’s going on?” Indy asked. She’d been sitting back watching the interplay, probably trying to figure out what was going on, just like he was. But it’d obviously become too much.
“Make the call, or I’ll kill her,” Garrett threatened, but there was something about his threat that Finn didn’t believe. A twitch of his eyelid, a certain slant to his chin.
“What?” Indy squeaked, fear twisting her face, which drained of all color. She wasn’t privy to his insider knowledge, so shedidn't know what he was thinking. Finn could still read Garrett, sometimes, at least. And he knew there was a chance.
He made a conscious effort to ignore Indy. Ignore how her beautiful eyes begged him to do something. Ignore how he wanted to take her in his arms one last time, hold her body against his. Her fear and confusion were palpable. But if he were to save her, he needed to get this right.
Garrett glanced once more at the camera in the corner. Perhaps hoping Swampy wasn’t watching. Was that why he’d told the other man to get the car? So he had a few moments alone with them?
“I don’t believe you,” Finn sighed, and fidgeted. “You’re not going to shoot her.” His arms were going numb behind him, and his back was aching as he tried to maintain a sitting position. “And what does it matter, anyway? She’s either going to die now, or later. I’m assuming what you have organized is meant to kill us all? Is that right?”
Garrett looked away for a second, as if debating. “If you make the call, you have my sworn promise, I’ll take her out of here when I leave.” Garrett turned to stare him directly in the eye.
This was an interesting development.
Should he believe his brother? Did he have the choice? They were never one of those sets of twins who had an almost-telepathic connections. They’d been close when they were younger, but those days seemed a distant memory. For at least the last ten years, it felt like he and Garrett had been at odds; on opposite sides of a war.
“And do what with her?” Finn asked.
Garrett saw him hesitate. Then a light entered his eyes, as if he had an answer to this stand-off. “She’s my ticket out of here. I’ll set her free once I get to the docks. I promise she won’t die in this house. But that’s all I can give you.”
