AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The man swept Izzy off her feet, threw her over his shoulder, and ran out the door.
Wincing, Beau sat up and struggled to free his phone from his pocket. Agony ran down the length of his arm and pulsed in his leg, but he secured the device and called 911.
“911. What’s your emergency?”
He pressed a trembling hand against his throbbing shoulder. Blood seeped through the thin material of his t-shirt and coated his palm. “It’s Beau Davis. I’m at Izzy Sterling’s home just off Glen Nook Road. Send backup and an ambulance immediately. Izzy’s been taken.”
7
Izzy’s teeth chattered as she huddled on the floor of the dirty van. The hard metal siding bumped against her back, keeping an odd rhythm with the music pulsing through the speakers. Her abductor had parked the vehicle behind the shed, impossible to see from the driveway of her house. Especially in the dark. The seating had been ripped out and the lone window on the back door blackened. Her mind raced faster than the speeding tires that took her away from the man she loved.
The man who’d been left shot and bleeding on her kitchen floor.
The sweet pastry turned in her stomach, threatening to shoot back up her throat. But she couldn’t panic. Couldn’t give in to the crippling fear that threatened to paralyze her. If she stood any kind of chance of escape, she had to keep a cool head.
The ringing of a phone sliced through the intense music. The driver turned down the radio and answered. “Cory, here.”
Izzy’s ears perked up and she scooted closer to the front, tucked behind the driver’s seat and out of sight from the rearview mirror. Not wanting to miss a single word, she held her breath.Cory. She ran the name through her memory bank, coming up empty.
“I’ve got her. We’re on our way now. Should be there in about five minutes. We’ll need to take off as soon as we get there.”
A beat of silence passed, the quiet hum of the angry music filling the space.
“It’s not my fault some guy was with her. I did what I had to do. We’ll meet at the designated place then put this god forsaken town behind us for good.”
The call ended and the music blared in her ears once again. A sharp turn had her struggling to stay upright. She only had five minutes to come up with a plan. There hadn’t been time for Cory to bind her hands or legs, so she could hit him then run. She squinted and scanned the floor for anything she could use for a weapon. Finding nothing, disappointment sat heavy in her gut. Determination fisted her hands on her lap. She’d have to fend for herself any way she could.
But he had a gun, and even a good, unexpected punch to his face would only stun his senses for a few seconds, tops. Which meant she had to run like hell, either finding help or a good place to hide.
She inched herself close to the back door. Cory would get her out this way, and she needed to use the element of surprise if she stood any kind of chance against him. The van slowed, and anxiety pitched high in her stomach. She steeled her nerves and tightened her muscles. She could do this. Shehadto do this.
The vehicle rolled to a stop. The car door opened then slammed closed. Sounds of crunching gravel penetrated the thin walls of the van. Izzy wet her lips, mentally pumping herself up to attack. Her heart thundered, competing with the noises outside.
The click of the lock sounded and the back door swung open, rusted hinges squeaking, and Izzy pulled back her fist.
Cory stood with the gun pointed at her chest. “Don’t even think about it.”
Deflating, she dropped her arm to her side. She needed to think of something else, and quick.
“Jump down.” He commanded.
She did as instructed and took in her surroundings. A beat of hope pulsed through her despair. He’d brought her back to the retreat. Not to the cabin Cruz had found with the chains, but to the construction site. Surely this would be the first place the police would look for her. But even if luck was on her side, she had to do whatever she could to escape.
Pinching her bicep with his meaty hand, he pushed her along. “Hurry up.”
She stumbled over a large rock, and an idea flashed in her head. Needing to act quickly, she let her knees buckle and fell to the hard ground.
Cory’s tight grasp loosened, and he staggered forward, but stayed on his feet. “What the hell? Get up. Now.”
She swayed to the side to block his view and grabbed a fistful of stones and dust. The rock he’d thrown at her earlier had knocked her off balance and caused her to faceplant. If she could toss a handful hard enough, she might break free. He still had the gun, but she’d rather be shot in the back while running than walk right into the lion’s den.
“Sorry,” she said, slowly raising. She planted her feet, as if correcting her balance, and threw the stones at his face as hard as she could.
“Sonofabitch!” Cory released her arm and scrubbed his palms over his eyes.
Izzy took off faster than a freight train. Dust flew up from the ground. She weighed her options as she bolted forward. The woods provided coverage, but she could get lost in the forest. Or worse, he could find her and haul her back to wherever the hell he was meeting the person on the other end of the phone.
A smattering of abandoned construction equipment lingered in the parking lot. A dump truck caught her eye. Changing direction, she sprinted toward it. Most folks in these parts left their keys in their vehicles. If she could find the keys to the truck, she could at least get far enough away to find help.
