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“No. But we could find a house. Most of the ones out here are pretty isolated.”
She’d thought Harris wasn’t as bad as the other two, but he didn’t seem to have any qualms about breaking into a house.
“You said you didn’t want complicated. A house full of captives is complicated.”
“I reckon.”
He was quiet for a minute or so, then started complaining about the food, or rather the lack of it. Mongo actually stopped staring at her long enough to glare at the little man. Maybe they’d take each other out.
Her pocket moved and to her dismay, Raja picked his head out, his nose quivering. He’d climbed in there sometime before she discarded the satchel but she’d hoped he would stay out of sight. Now he scrambled quickly out of her pocket and wiggled behind her just as Mongo started staring again.
Raja nudged her hand, his presence comforting even though she worried about what would happen to him. She didn’t think they were that far from the farm. Maybe he could still find his way back if… if these men took her with him. Terror washed over her at the thought but she did her best not to let it show. If Celenk knew what had happened, he’d come for her.
But what if he doesn’t know?
Even though Evans had claimed he wanted to use her as leverage, he hadn’t made any attempt to contact Celenk. What if he just saw the missing satchel and assumed she’d left him? No. The satchel was next to the path to the house. He was too observant not to see it when he returned - but when would he return?
Raja wiggled behind her and she suddenly felt the rope around her wrist loosen a little. He was chewing through the ropes? Her smart little kedji. Not that it would do any good with all three men in camp and Mongo’s watchful eye on her, but it offered a sliver of hope and she grabbed on to that sliver.
The time passed with excruciating slowness. Her wrists were now completely free, but she held on to the rope to make sure it looked as if she were still bound. Raja had tucked himself beneath her hands, but she didn’t think he was sleeping. His body suddenly tensed, quivering beneath her hands, and she took a tighter hold on the rope, sure something was going to happen.
For a long moment nothing changed. Harris kept complaining about the beans - after he’d eaten most of the pot - Mongo stared, and Evans concentrated on a device that looked very similar to the one Celenk had on his belt.
Then a knife appeared in Mongo’s throat and he slumped forwards. It happened so quickly and so silently she wasn’t even sure what she’d seen.
“What’s wrong with you, Mongo?” Evans snapped, and Harris kicked him impatiently with his foot.
“Wake up, you idiot.”
Mongo’s body fell sideways, revealing the knife in his throat, and both men jumped up, scanning the woods. Raja took advantage of the confusion and clambered back into her pocket.
“What the hell happened? Where did that knife come from? Who’s out-”
“Shut up, Harris.”
Evans backed slowly towards her as Harris kept talking.
“You can’t tell me to shut up. You can’t make -”
A second knife appeared - in Harris’s chest this time. As Harris fell to the ground, Evans whirled and grabbed her hair, yanking it painfully as he put his own knife to her throat.
“Don’t even think about it, Celenk. You can’t get me before I get her.”
“Your friend didn’t think anyone would make him shut up either. He was wrong and so are you.” Celenk stalked out of the woods, his face in the old emotionless mask but his eyes blazing blue fire. “Let her go and I will consider letting you live.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Celenk shrugged. “You might prove useful. Do you have anything worth bargaining with?”
“Other than your wife, you mean?”
She winced as Evans tightened his grip on her hair and fury flashed across Celenk’s face. The knife at her throat terrified her, but there had to be something she could do.
“Yes. I will be getting her back. Is there anything else?”
“Maybe I do,” Evans taunted. “I bet you’d like to know why Marshall is so interested in this godforsaken farm.”
“Perhaps.”
