come he knew the Agent was sweet on the dog lady?”
“He heard it from the man’s ex-wife. She used to be real tight with the boss. He’d get her high and she’d do anything he asked, with anyone he said.”
“Yeah, I remember that. She sure loved to party.”
“Too bad the boss had to put her down. She was starting to get a conscience.”
Bryce had heard enough. He needed to find Paige, and she wasn’t near the fire. He lifted Deeogee onto the soft ground and said Paige’s name in a whisper. The dog knew the tone to be one for stealth. For the dog, it was another game, an assignment. For Paige it could be life or death.
He moved around the perimeter with the dog in the lead and saw the hunting blind. It was just a camo-colored tent over a foxhole, if he had to guess. It was small, but perfect for them to hide a person in. In the distance, all kinds of dogs started barking, but not Deeogee. His ears pricked back, and he moved more quietly, intent on getting to the blind. Bryce followed Deeogee, crawled down into the foxhole and there she was, bound tightly, feet to wrists, and gagged.
He touched her and let her see it was him. There was just enough light coming in the tent opening for him to see her eyes filled with fear and tears. He placed a finger over his lips, motioning her to silence. Then he took his pocketknife and cut the ropes binding her. He knew it was going to hurt for her to move her limbs but he rubbed them to get the blood flowing again. She didn’t make so much as a whimper, though he knew his ministrations were causing immense agony.
They could hear the kidnappers still chatting about what they were going to do with the money they’d be getting. Since all the men were armed, he didn’t dare risk trying to arrest them now. He needed to get Paige out of there first. Then he’d come back for those scumbags.
From the conversation around the campfire, the sound of the dogs barking and howling in the distance was making the men nervous. Good, she thought. The shadows inside the tent moved. She saw the silhouette of someone who had entered. She froze in terror. The shadow moved closer and she could just make out the face in the meager light.
It was Bryce and he had Deeogee with him. The dog licked her face, still not making a sound. Dear God, they’d found her. Bryce used a knife to cut her bindings and motioned for her to stay quiet. She gritted her teeth in agony when he rubbed her aching muscles, which screamed in protest. She needed to get the circulation back if she was going to get out of there. When the stinging needles of pain were tolerable, she made the motion to Bryce to let him know she was ready to go. He indicated for her to follow him slowly and quietly.
Well duh. Like I’m going to be running screaming through the woods like the dumb girl in the scary movies.
As terrifying as the situation was, her anger had hit an all-time high. She was furious, and ready to scream her frustration. She wasn’t a kid with an abusive father anymore. This was the grown up world where she determined to be in control of what happened to her. She followed Bryce and fumed as she thought of every injustice she’d suffered since she’d come back. He signaled her into the boat, pushed off the bank, and made for the deeper water of the canal. She sat in silence, hugging Deeogee to her side.
Once they were around the bend in the locke, Bryce radioed the other officers to explain where he was and what he’d found. He informed them that he’d be taking Paige to the hospital. Behind her, she could hear her captors arguing. They must have found out she’d gotten away. Good, let them get good and pissed.
They were further down the canal when Bryce fired up the motor on the boat and made quick work of getting back to her place. The sound of the motor made talking impossible without shouting, and she wasn’t ready to shout over the sound of the prop. Her throat was too dry.
When they reached
“He heard it from the man’s ex-wife. She used to be real tight with the boss. He’d get her high and she’d do anything he asked, with anyone he said.”
“Yeah, I remember that. She sure loved to party.”
“Too bad the boss had to put her down. She was starting to get a conscience.”
Bryce had heard enough. He needed to find Paige, and she wasn’t near the fire. He lifted Deeogee onto the soft ground and said Paige’s name in a whisper. The dog knew the tone to be one for stealth. For the dog, it was another game, an assignment. For Paige it could be life or death.
He moved around the perimeter with the dog in the lead and saw the hunting blind. It was just a camo-colored tent over a foxhole, if he had to guess. It was small, but perfect for them to hide a person in. In the distance, all kinds of dogs started barking, but not Deeogee. His ears pricked back, and he moved more quietly, intent on getting to the blind. Bryce followed Deeogee, crawled down into the foxhole and there she was, bound tightly, feet to wrists, and gagged.
He touched her and let her see it was him. There was just enough light coming in the tent opening for him to see her eyes filled with fear and tears. He placed a finger over his lips, motioning her to silence. Then he took his pocketknife and cut the ropes binding her. He knew it was going to hurt for her to move her limbs but he rubbed them to get the blood flowing again. She didn’t make so much as a whimper, though he knew his ministrations were causing immense agony.
They could hear the kidnappers still chatting about what they were going to do with the money they’d be getting. Since all the men were armed, he didn’t dare risk trying to arrest them now. He needed to get Paige out of there first. Then he’d come back for those scumbags.
From the conversation around the campfire, the sound of the dogs barking and howling in the distance was making the men nervous. Good, she thought. The shadows inside the tent moved. She saw the silhouette of someone who had entered. She froze in terror. The shadow moved closer and she could just make out the face in the meager light.
It was Bryce and he had Deeogee with him. The dog licked her face, still not making a sound. Dear God, they’d found her. Bryce used a knife to cut her bindings and motioned for her to stay quiet. She gritted her teeth in agony when he rubbed her aching muscles, which screamed in protest. She needed to get the circulation back if she was going to get out of there. When the stinging needles of pain were tolerable, she made the motion to Bryce to let him know she was ready to go. He indicated for her to follow him slowly and quietly.
Well duh. Like I’m going to be running screaming through the woods like the dumb girl in the scary movies.
As terrifying as the situation was, her anger had hit an all-time high. She was furious, and ready to scream her frustration. She wasn’t a kid with an abusive father anymore. This was the grown up world where she determined to be in control of what happened to her. She followed Bryce and fumed as she thought of every injustice she’d suffered since she’d come back. He signaled her into the boat, pushed off the bank, and made for the deeper water of the canal. She sat in silence, hugging Deeogee to her side.
Once they were around the bend in the locke, Bryce radioed the other officers to explain where he was and what he’d found. He informed them that he’d be taking Paige to the hospital. Behind her, she could hear her captors arguing. They must have found out she’d gotten away. Good, let them get good and pissed.
They were further down the canal when Bryce fired up the motor on the boat and made quick work of getting back to her place. The sound of the motor made talking impossible without shouting, and she wasn’t ready to shout over the sound of the prop. Her throat was too dry.
When they reached
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