her.
The prongs of the Taser flew out and smacked her in the chest. She crumpled to the ground, twitching.
He stepped inside, closing the door. He detached the prongs and retracted it. Moving quickly but with deliberation he cuffed her hands behind her back, stuffed a kerchief gag in her mouth. He took the syringe out of his pocket, uncapped it, and drove it into her hip. He dropped a pillowcase over her head, rolled her in the sheet he’d brought. He wrapped a long bungee cord around her a couple times to secure the sheet and pillowcase. He hefted her up, staggering a little, and checked outside the door: empty. Slipping down the hallway and out the back door of the bar, he opened the passenger door of his truck and threw her in. Her head bounced off the dashboard and she slid onto the floor as he folded her legs and shut the door.
He ran back into the restroom, let the water out of the sink, gathered her purse and uniform, and thrust them into the duffel bag. Then he hurried back to his truck. She was still, her head lying near his feet, her body an anonymous mummy. The prey, captured.
The heady power of it surged through his body, a high like no other. He couldn’t resist putting his foot on her. Gave her a little kick, just a sample of what was to come. She didn’t move. He threw the truck into gear and rolled out. Glancing back in the mirror at the red Mustang left in the alley, he smiled.
Chapter 17
Lei sat down at the rectangular table in her Criminology class. She put her soda cup beside her to save Mary’s place. Tonight’s lecture was on Criminal Rehabilitation and once again, she was behind on the reading. She opened her textbook, skimming the chapter.
“Hey beautiful.” Ray Solomon slipped into the chair next to her on the other side.
“Howzit, Ray?” She didn’t want to keep being paranoid so she put on a big smile.
“Not bad. Small kine tired.” His shoulder-length hair was glossy as an otter’s pelt under the harsh fluorescent lights. He rubbed his shoulder. “I pulled something pounding nails today.”
“Oh, that what you do?”
“Yeah, construction. For the moment,” he said, with that flash of smile.
“Keeps you in shape,” Lei said, her eyes flicking to his well-developed biceps. Am I flirting? That would be a yes. He grinned, making a muscle for her.
“Got all kinds of uses for these guns,” he said.
The instructor came up to the lectern and class got underway. Mary never showed up, and afterward Ray lingered as she gathered her books.
“Like get something for eat?” he asked, in pidgin.
“Thanks, but I’ve got someone waiting at home.”
“Sure, that’s okay.”
“It’s my dog,” she said. “I have to get straight home or she’ll chew the wall down. It’s a long day for her with no food or company when I have class.”
“Sounds like you’re pretty tied down.” They walked down the hall.
“She’s like family, so I don’t mind,” Lei said. “Hey, did Mary say anything to you about missing class today? She’s always here.”
“No,” he said. They arrived at her truck and she hit the remote. The lights flashed as the door unlocked, and Lei couldn’t help smiling—it felt like the truck was greeting her.
“Like my new ride?” she said, turning to him.
“Wow.” Only his mouth smiled. “Nice.” He stroked the muscular curve of the wheel well with both hands.
“I needed something with more juice,” she said, slinging her book bag into the back. “I was sick of that granny car.”
“Good. Well, see you.” He walked away, and she stared after him. He’s not happy about the truck. Weird. Maybe he was jealous? Well, she was definitely not going out with him, she decided. She got in and fired up the truck, and then called Mary’s cell. It went immediately to voicemail.
“Mary. Where are you girl? Left me alone with Ray and he asked me out. It’s all your fault.” She shut the phone with a snap, but her smile faded.
She’d really
The prongs of the Taser flew out and smacked her in the chest. She crumpled to the ground, twitching.
He stepped inside, closing the door. He detached the prongs and retracted it. Moving quickly but with deliberation he cuffed her hands behind her back, stuffed a kerchief gag in her mouth. He took the syringe out of his pocket, uncapped it, and drove it into her hip. He dropped a pillowcase over her head, rolled her in the sheet he’d brought. He wrapped a long bungee cord around her a couple times to secure the sheet and pillowcase. He hefted her up, staggering a little, and checked outside the door: empty. Slipping down the hallway and out the back door of the bar, he opened the passenger door of his truck and threw her in. Her head bounced off the dashboard and she slid onto the floor as he folded her legs and shut the door.
He ran back into the restroom, let the water out of the sink, gathered her purse and uniform, and thrust them into the duffel bag. Then he hurried back to his truck. She was still, her head lying near his feet, her body an anonymous mummy. The prey, captured.
The heady power of it surged through his body, a high like no other. He couldn’t resist putting his foot on her. Gave her a little kick, just a sample of what was to come. She didn’t move. He threw the truck into gear and rolled out. Glancing back in the mirror at the red Mustang left in the alley, he smiled.
Chapter 17
Lei sat down at the rectangular table in her Criminology class. She put her soda cup beside her to save Mary’s place. Tonight’s lecture was on Criminal Rehabilitation and once again, she was behind on the reading. She opened her textbook, skimming the chapter.
“Hey beautiful.” Ray Solomon slipped into the chair next to her on the other side.
“Howzit, Ray?” She didn’t want to keep being paranoid so she put on a big smile.
“Not bad. Small kine tired.” His shoulder-length hair was glossy as an otter’s pelt under the harsh fluorescent lights. He rubbed his shoulder. “I pulled something pounding nails today.”
“Oh, that what you do?”
“Yeah, construction. For the moment,” he said, with that flash of smile.
“Keeps you in shape,” Lei said, her eyes flicking to his well-developed biceps. Am I flirting? That would be a yes. He grinned, making a muscle for her.
“Got all kinds of uses for these guns,” he said.
The instructor came up to the lectern and class got underway. Mary never showed up, and afterward Ray lingered as she gathered her books.
“Like get something for eat?” he asked, in pidgin.
“Thanks, but I’ve got someone waiting at home.”
“Sure, that’s okay.”
“It’s my dog,” she said. “I have to get straight home or she’ll chew the wall down. It’s a long day for her with no food or company when I have class.”
“Sounds like you’re pretty tied down.” They walked down the hall.
“She’s like family, so I don’t mind,” Lei said. “Hey, did Mary say anything to you about missing class today? She’s always here.”
“No,” he said. They arrived at her truck and she hit the remote. The lights flashed as the door unlocked, and Lei couldn’t help smiling—it felt like the truck was greeting her.
“Like my new ride?” she said, turning to him.
“Wow.” Only his mouth smiled. “Nice.” He stroked the muscular curve of the wheel well with both hands.
“I needed something with more juice,” she said, slinging her book bag into the back. “I was sick of that granny car.”
“Good. Well, see you.” He walked away, and she stared after him. He’s not happy about the truck. Weird. Maybe he was jealous? Well, she was definitely not going out with him, she decided. She got in and fired up the truck, and then called Mary’s cell. It went immediately to voicemail.
“Mary. Where are you girl? Left me alone with Ray and he asked me out. It’s all your fault.” She shut the phone with a snap, but her smile faded.
She’d really
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