reward.”
Big and Ugly sat down on the only unbroken chair, eyeing Sam with a baleful gaze. Sam matched his stare knowing he couldn’t show fear or his lie wouldn’t be believed.
“Still doesn’t tell me who you are.” He watched as Big and Ugly’s shoulders began to shake, a smile breaking out on his face. Seconds later, he exploded in laughter. “Boy, you’re no cop. You’re a con. And you just jumped from the frying pan into the fire.”
Sam’s mouth went dry. “Drugs?”
Big and Ugly chuckled. “Heroin, Cocaine, Rare and exotic animals. Our clients pay big bucks for the unique and unusual.” An angry growl rent the air and they both turned at the sound. “Especially the deadly ones,” He grinned. “Ever seen a tiger fight while hopped up on coke? That’s some crazy shit, man.”
“So you sell the animals and the drugs to go with it?”
“Sometimes. But we got more call for drugs than pussycats,” Big & Ugly grinned. “So we bring the drugs in the cages and food stores for the animals. False bottoms and no one wants to get too close to them, if you see what I mean. So boss gets transport up the river from New Orleans on the barges. We unload in Alton and disperse using the Conservation huts, the ferry, and sometimes, the lovely scenic byway.” He waved his arm to encompass the area.
“You’ve got yourselves a wildlife refuge just up the bluffs there and most IDOC Rangers think they’re heading up there. We falsify the packing info and, if we’re caught, you’re friends up at the Reserve are going to have a lot of explaining to do.” His chair squeaked across the floor as he got up. “But we hardly ever get caught. Do you want to know why?”
Sam knew. He understood as soon as the guy started with the explanation. He wasn’t going to make it out alive. God, how he wished he’d stayed home with Angel.
The door opened and a nondescript man in black stepped in, “Boss wants to see you. Something about one of the girls.”
“Probably wants me to arrange a meeting,” he addressed Sam with a wink. “It seems that after I get finished with ‘em, they’re only too happy to fall in with the boss. I like to soften ‘em up a bit.” He punched Sam in the stomach, doubling him over. “Don’t worry. I won’t forget about you.” He walked out. Sam heard the lock slide home.
Sam hoped the girl got out alive, but he had bigger problems. The rattling in the cages was getting more aggressive. He calculated that the distance between him and the many eyes peeking at him through the shadows was definitely not enough. A large mass, probably a lion from the sounds of the roars, was banging his ass against the crate. Sam wasn’t going to wait around and see if he made it out. Getting out of here without being eaten alive had become his number one priority.
He began to frantically work on the knots behind his back. His arms were killing him, but he forced his fingers to work through the knots. He had the strongest fingers of the brothers. “Milk Your Mouse” was a game they played as kids, grabbing hands and pushing fingers into palms. He could take his older brothers to their knees in seconds. He felt the knot slip and smiled. Thank God, his brothers had loved to torment him, and he had learned to fight back.
Chapter Eight
Angel was half-asleep when a pounding on the front door startled her. She shook her head slightly to clear it and slid off the chair, tripping over the empty wine bottle. Picking it up, she walked into the foyer and glanced out the oval door window to see who her impatient visitor was, but it was blocked by a large body.
“Who is it?” she called out as she cocked the gun. Since the intruder, Sam had drilled into her to be especially careful.
“It’s Mac and Chance. Is Sam here?”
Angel was profoundly grateful she had slipped out of her corset and into yoga pants and a t-shirt. She clicked on the safety and unlocked the front door to admit the
Big and Ugly sat down on the only unbroken chair, eyeing Sam with a baleful gaze. Sam matched his stare knowing he couldn’t show fear or his lie wouldn’t be believed.
“Still doesn’t tell me who you are.” He watched as Big and Ugly’s shoulders began to shake, a smile breaking out on his face. Seconds later, he exploded in laughter. “Boy, you’re no cop. You’re a con. And you just jumped from the frying pan into the fire.”
Sam’s mouth went dry. “Drugs?”
Big and Ugly chuckled. “Heroin, Cocaine, Rare and exotic animals. Our clients pay big bucks for the unique and unusual.” An angry growl rent the air and they both turned at the sound. “Especially the deadly ones,” He grinned. “Ever seen a tiger fight while hopped up on coke? That’s some crazy shit, man.”
“So you sell the animals and the drugs to go with it?”
“Sometimes. But we got more call for drugs than pussycats,” Big & Ugly grinned. “So we bring the drugs in the cages and food stores for the animals. False bottoms and no one wants to get too close to them, if you see what I mean. So boss gets transport up the river from New Orleans on the barges. We unload in Alton and disperse using the Conservation huts, the ferry, and sometimes, the lovely scenic byway.” He waved his arm to encompass the area.
“You’ve got yourselves a wildlife refuge just up the bluffs there and most IDOC Rangers think they’re heading up there. We falsify the packing info and, if we’re caught, you’re friends up at the Reserve are going to have a lot of explaining to do.” His chair squeaked across the floor as he got up. “But we hardly ever get caught. Do you want to know why?”
Sam knew. He understood as soon as the guy started with the explanation. He wasn’t going to make it out alive. God, how he wished he’d stayed home with Angel.
The door opened and a nondescript man in black stepped in, “Boss wants to see you. Something about one of the girls.”
“Probably wants me to arrange a meeting,” he addressed Sam with a wink. “It seems that after I get finished with ‘em, they’re only too happy to fall in with the boss. I like to soften ‘em up a bit.” He punched Sam in the stomach, doubling him over. “Don’t worry. I won’t forget about you.” He walked out. Sam heard the lock slide home.
Sam hoped the girl got out alive, but he had bigger problems. The rattling in the cages was getting more aggressive. He calculated that the distance between him and the many eyes peeking at him through the shadows was definitely not enough. A large mass, probably a lion from the sounds of the roars, was banging his ass against the crate. Sam wasn’t going to wait around and see if he made it out. Getting out of here without being eaten alive had become his number one priority.
He began to frantically work on the knots behind his back. His arms were killing him, but he forced his fingers to work through the knots. He had the strongest fingers of the brothers. “Milk Your Mouse” was a game they played as kids, grabbing hands and pushing fingers into palms. He could take his older brothers to their knees in seconds. He felt the knot slip and smiled. Thank God, his brothers had loved to torment him, and he had learned to fight back.
Chapter Eight
Angel was half-asleep when a pounding on the front door startled her. She shook her head slightly to clear it and slid off the chair, tripping over the empty wine bottle. Picking it up, she walked into the foyer and glanced out the oval door window to see who her impatient visitor was, but it was blocked by a large body.
“Who is it?” she called out as she cocked the gun. Since the intruder, Sam had drilled into her to be especially careful.
“It’s Mac and Chance. Is Sam here?”
Angel was profoundly grateful she had slipped out of her corset and into yoga pants and a t-shirt. She clicked on the safety and unlocked the front door to admit the
Similar Books
