He gave me a cold look. “I’m not a liar. I don’t lie.”
“You don’t care about my grandfather, so you’re making decisions that don’t make him a priority. Let me talk to Drake. He can release your friends and you can go back to your safe little life.”
“Not going to happen.”
I made another frustrated noise, but it was apparent that he wasn’t going to stop the truck. And as long as I was handcuffed to the truck, I was powerless to stop him.
“If something happens to my grandfather and he’s not returned safe, I am going to personally hold you accountable,” I spat at him.
He gave me another dark, unreadable look before he focused on the road.
My silence was a protest vote as he drove us over the Lions Gate Bridge and through downtown Vancouver. I kept my mouth shut and my questions to myself, because the man beside me was a horrible person who refused to listen to reason. He also had a gun and made veiled threats. Why on earth was he the only link I had to my grandfather?
Over the two days since my grandfather had gone missing, I had learned one uncomfortable truth. There were situations in this world where money didn’t matter. My grandfather was an important man. When he went missing, a lot of powerful people had stepped forward, offering use of their resources and connections to try to find a lead. But despite their influence in this world, no one seemed to know where to start looking for him. It was like he had completely vanished. And tonight was the first time I had heard anyone say, with confidence, that he was alive. Drake, whoever he was, had given us a task to complete. If I was successful, I could save my grandfather.
I looked over at the man beside me. My new reluctant partner didn’t want to be here any more than I did, but he did seem to possess a useful set of skills. And his motivation to help his friends matched mine to save my grandfather. His behavior tonight had been beyond the pale, and he seemed prone to both violence and anger, but I didn’t get the sense that he was a sick pervert. He was just some hard-ass, humorless military dude who was trying to save his friends. Realistically, if he were some psychopath, would he have friends? That had to count for something, right?
I chewed on my bottom lip and tried to think my way through this situation. I needed to have more input into our situation. Right now, he was making all the decisions, and it was extremely frustrating. As distasteful as it was, I needed to get him on my side.
He pulled the truck beside a dingy four-door sedan that was the only car in a dimly lit, deserted parking lot. The abandoned place was nothing more than a pad of cracked and broken asphalt. I could see no lights or buildings nearby.
I spoke. “You need my help.”
He turned off the engine and gave me a hard look. “What’s your point?”
“I was thinking that since this is a partnership, we should work together.”
“No.” He got out and slammed the door.
I took a deep breath. I was one of the top buyers for Au Revoir, an exclusive high-end department store in Vancouver. I could be extremely persuasive when I wanted to be. I took a deep breath.
Treat him like a difficult client. Charm him. Make him like you.
He came around to my side, opened the door, and took the handcuffs off my wrists. He gave me a cold look. “You’re still my hostage, so don’t waste my time by trying to run.”
I pasted on a smile that was so fake I thought my face would crack. “I’m not going to run. Do you think I’m crazy? Besides, my legs barely work after our hike.”
He wasn’t buying my act. He gave me another hard look before moving away from me. I hopped out onto aching legs and hobbled to the back of the truck to watch him transfer a large duffel bag to the back seat of the car.
I tried to be a bit more authentic. “I don’t like the handcuffs.”
“If you fight me, you’re in for a rough time.”
I spoke with truth. “I don’t want a rough time or a fight.”
“Then be good.”
Keep being friendly. Keep it light.
“Whose car is that?” I watched as he took a rag and carefully started to wipe all the outer edges of the truck.
“It’s a ghost car. It belongs to no one.”
“Why are we changing cars?”
“To lose the men that are following us.”
I looked around, but I saw no one.
“Electronically,” he added.
“You think there’s a tracking device on the truck?” He didn’t answer, so I asked another question. “How do you know that?”
“Because that’s what I’d do.”
He started wiping down the inside of the truck cabin.
I never thought he would tell me, but I still asked. “Do you have a plan?”
“Yup.”
I felt like I was walking on eggshells. “Did you want to share your plan?”
He looked at me like I was stupid and he needed to state the obvious. “We’re going to Asia to get Drake what he wants.”
“Because he has your friends.”
“Because he has my friends.”
“What if I’m not helpful?”
He carefully shut the door of the truck and wiped the outer door handle. “He said you’re the only one who knows where your grandfather’s hiding places are.”
I didn’t have a clue, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. “Are we in danger?”
He thought about his answer. “Our odds are maybe thirty-seventy.”
This guy talked with such clipped, succinct facts I could barely follow his logic. I asked carefully. “Thirty-percent chance of what?”
“Of surviving.”
My knees wanted to buckle, but I managed to stay upright. There’s a seventy-percent chance I might die?
He motioned me toward the sedan. “Relax. Those are good odds.”
I slowly walked over, but I couldn’t seem to will myself into the car. I stared up at his impossible-to-read face. He didn’t seem to be joking. “Maybe we should talk about this.”
He opened the door and put a big hand on my shoulder. Somehow, without using force, my body responded to his nonverbal command and I obediently sank into the seat.
He looked down at me. “Put on your seat belt.”
I pulled the strap over my chest. I hated my silence, but before I could find my voice, he shut the door in my face.
My captor was dangerous, but he was also motivated to keep me alive to help him save his friends. The bigger question was what would happen to me after I outlived my usefulness. Would I be at risk? Would he still care if I wore my seat belt? Or would he consider me excess baggage in the plot to save his friends?
He got in beside me.
“What’s your plan once we get what Drake needs?”
His tone was mocking. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll call the police.”
That stung, but I respected how sharp his sarcasm could cut. “Will you bring me home?”
“I just told you I would.” He started the car, and musty air blew out of the vents directly into my face, covering me in dust.
“Technically, you didn’t say that.”
He made an impatient noise. “Yes. You can assume that if I manage to keep us alive I’ll get you home.”