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“Because I want them to think we trust them. If we show up on getaway wheels, they’ll be suspicious that we intend to split fast.”
Steven bit his lip as he glanced uneasily in the direction of the Knob. “Should we have brought a weapon?” He sounded mildly panicked.
“I came prepared. Don’t forget the backpack.”
He pivoted to the side to show me the blue sack strapped to his back.
“Great. Let’s go.”
We hiked the remainder of the trail to the Knob, which wasn’t as easy as I anticipated. The trail climbed higher and higher, which I should’ve realized when Steven said the Knob was an overlook, but I’d been too distracted by the new development.
I listened to the soothing sounds of the forest as we walked along the trail. Entire worlds were housed in a single forest. My grandfather had taught me to pay attention to the noises and identify their sources. Bushes shook as tiny feet scampered away from us.
Up ahead I saw three man-shaped silhouettes. They stood so close together that they nearly formed a single black blob.
“Let me do the talking,” I told Steven in a quiet voice.
He nodded wordlessly.
“Hey, there,” I called. “I hope you’re the guys we’re meeting because this forest is giving me the creeps. I want nothing more than to go home and cuddle with Steven on the couch.”
Steven shot me a quizzical look but said nothing.
The first man emerged from the shadows. Bald and stocky, he grinned like a car salesman about to sell us a lemon. That smile told me what I needed to know.
“As long as you brought the money, you can be back on your couch in fifteen minutes.”
“Not if we have to stop to pick up Ashley on the way,” I countered.
“Right, of course.” He stroked the soul patch on his chin, a move that made me want to rip each hair out from its follicle one by one.
His two companions peeled away from the darkness to join him. Tall and muscular and…
“Twins?” I asked. “That’s new.”
Soul Patch squinted in disbelief. “You’ve never seen twins before?”
“I’ve never seen twins acting as the muscle. It’s a fresh twist. I wholeheartedly approve.”
The twins exchanged confused glances.
“Where’s my sister?” Steven demanded.
Soul Patch wiggled his fingers. “The money first.”
I positioned myself between them. “Not a chance. First, we need to know your information is good.”
“We’re not telling you anything until we count the money,” Soul Patch said.
“Is that why you brought reinforcements? To help you count? I don’t blame you; math was never my strong suit either.”
He didn’t seem to enjoy my sass. He shifted his attention to Steven. “If you want to see your little sister again, you’ll shut your girlfriend’s mouth.”
“She’s right, though. We need proof of life,” Steven said. I was impressed by his ability to remain calm. I half worried he’d panic and run.
Laughing, Soul Patch looked at his companions. “Proof of life? This isn’t a military extraction.”
Steven’s eyes blazed with anger. “Tell us where Ashley is, and you’ll get your money.”
