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Think. Think. How the hell do I get out of this?
His mind whirled with one idea after another, but there were simply too many variables to know which, if any, he’d actually be able to implement once the carriage stopped. He’d never felt so helpless.
Other than their laughter, and an occasional cough or burp, the men who’d captured him weren’t making any noise at all. Obviously, they’d been warned not to say anything that would give their identities away. As much as it chafed, Drake had to give them points for that. They were executing their plan flawlessly.
But whose plan was it?
By his calculations, they’d been traveling for about twenty minutes when the coach finally came to a stop.Twenty minutes east. The docks, perhaps?
To his horror, one of the men placed some sort of black bag over his head, taking away his sight along with his freedom. With the gag in his mouth, it had been difficult enough to breathe, but now the material clung to his nose, making it almost impossible. He fought to stay calm, even though he felt like he was suffocating.
The next few minutes could very well be the end of him. He had to wait for these men to make a mistake and then be instantly ready to capitalize on it if he was going to make it through this alive.
Chapter Two
When the door to herwindowless cell finally opened, Heather had no idea how long she’d been imprisoned down there. At first, she’d been completely in the dark, but she’d fumbled around until she found some matches and managed to light a lantern, which had helped keep the terror somewhat at bay.
For the first few hours after Jacob had locked her in, she’d desperately looked for some way out, but they’d planned well. The only way out was through the impenetrable oak-planked door.
Thinking perhaps she could trick or bargain with whoever had opened it, she sprang to her feet, only to stumble back as three men entered. Oscar and Frank shoved a larger, third man, who had a black bag over his head, into the room, then slammed the door shut once more. She winced as she heard the lock engage on the other side.
The man stumbled a few steps, obviously disorientated and off balance. He couldn’t see, and they’d tied his arms behind him. Though she’d only met him one time, his height and breadth assured her that this was indeed Mandrake Blackstone.
Dear God. They actually went through with it.
Given Jacob’s unstable nature, she wasn’t certain why she was so surprised, but for some reason she was. Her heart sank as she realized that there was no going back from this. Taking Blackstone had been beyond stupid. She very much feared it had been suicidal.
Staring at Blackstone warily, she contemplated her next move. Why hadn’t they taken off his bonds before leaving him in here? It wasn’t as though he could escape.
Jacob probably wanted her to be the one to free him, as a way to build trust.
Biting her lip in dismay, hating that she knew Jacob so well, she inched closer, and the man’s head suddenly whipped in her direction.
Heart pounding, she closed the rest of the distance between them and stood on her tiptoes in an attempt to pull the bag from his head. He towered over her by nearly a foot, so it was easier said than done. He also seemed poised to strike, shying away from her when she lifted her hands.
Of course. He didn’t know she was trying to help him. For all he knew, they’d brought him here to kill him.
