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.Don t hurt him. Sweet on him Emma? Don t want your new boyfriend to die? Norman s tone was blank, notthe sneering she would have expected.The blank tone terrified her.She was deathly afraid a bulletwas following it.Emma thought back, racked her brain.Was there anything that had given her an advantage overNorman when they were married? He had hated her tears.That wouldn t help her.Sexuality maybe,but that probably wouldn t help her right now.Maybe later.If there was a later.What to do now?Lie? Tell the truth? Say nothing?She heard a soft metal against metal sound behind her.Norman cocking the gun to let her knowher time was truly over.Her hands raised automatically to her head as she waited for the blast. Norman listen to me, the words spilled out of her mouth quickly, her brain not knowingwhich would come next. Norman, really, what do you want from me? What can I do for you?Anything.I ll do anything. The last thing she wanted was to beg Norman, but she would if shethought it would help.Anything to keep him from putting another bullet into Craig s head.His silence stretched out, filling the room. Norman, I m going with you.You want me with you.We can go, right now, together.I ll gowith you totally willingly if you just leave him be.Just let him lay here on the floor and we can leaveright now.I swear I won t fight you, I won t run, I won t yell, I won t struggle.I ll be yours. A heavy clink on the floor next to her.She peeked out.A pair of handcuffs. Cuff him, Norman ordered.She huffed out the breath she d been holding in relief.Eager to comply, praying Norman trulymeant it, she rushed to put the handcuffs on Craig, pulling his heavy arms backwards behind him.From this vantage point, she thought she could see what Norman had done.Craig s wound on the rightside of his neck near where his skull meets it had looked so good, almost totally healed this morning.Now it was puffy and weeping again.The whole area looked purple and swollen.Emma imaginedshe could see the tennis ball-sized lump growing as she watched.Hot tears burned her eyes.Thebastard had hit Craig in the head, right on top of his injury.Probably had pistol-whipped him.Emmacould only imagine the repercussions of two horrible injuries in the same exact spot in the space ofless than a week.No wonder Craig was still unconscious.And she had wanted to come here.Herhands shook, banging the handcuffs together.Please God, if you are watching, please help Craig beOK.And please send Hawk over here soon. Now go sit on the couch.Pull your legs up onto the couch and cross them. She did, her heart beating so loudly in her throat she could barely hear.Norman bent over Craig, pulling the handcuffs, testing her work.He went through Craig spockets again, finding his car keys and his phone.They both went in Norman s pocket.He backed up,still facing her, and backed right into the kitchen, taking his eyes off of her for a second.She sat,staring straight ahead.What could she do? If she ran or screamed or grabbed the phone he wouldshoot Craig.So she sat.He opened a drawer and reappeared, an electronic tablet like an iPad in one hand, his gun inthe other.He put the tablet down on the table, watching it and tapping it s screen intently.After a fewminutes he looked back at Emma, his eyes unreadable.He looked around the room.Emma watched him with terror in his eyes.What was he lookingfor now? Whatever he was looking for, he didn t seem to find it. Get up, he demanded gruffly.She scrambled to her feet. I m putting my gun away.You are going to walk a foot ahead of me.If you run, scream, shout, or otherwise try to attract the attention of anyone, I will turn around and put a bullet in lover boy sbrain in an instant.And if you get in front of me again, I ll put a bullet in your s too.Understand? Yes, she said, with all the strength she could muster.Who knew where this was leading to.She was going to need to be strong. Chapter 18Craig came to slowly, his head a splitting mass of agony, his vision doubled, his right armrefusing to answer his commands.What in the hell had happened?He had been walking slowly through Emma s house, waiting for her to grab some clothes sothey could go get Vivian.Something about the house felt off, different, anxiety provoking.He was justabout to pull his gun and go investigate the rest of the house when a blinding pain exploded in hishead and he knew no more.He lifted his head and looked around.His head threatened to crack.He put it back down,closed his eyes, and listened.Nothing.He was alone in this house.Emma was gone.Norman wasgone.He knew it was Norman.Who else would it be? Ahh, he was such a fool! There was someother asshole in Norman s house shooting at his team while Norman slipped over here and tookEmma.Craig gritted his teeth against the pain that was about to come and pushed himself forwarduntil he could force himself into a kneeling position.That was actually a little better.He blinked hiseyes, trying to clear them.The room swam.His hands were manacled behind his back.Why wasn t hedead was the real question.Emma must have done something.God he prayed she wasn t hurt.He prayed he could findher.He couldn t lose another woman to that monster Norman.His vision darkened immediately whenhe thought of what Norman had done to Lucy and what Norman could possibly do to Emma.If he lostEmma too & he wrenched his mind away.He couldn t go there.That dark pit of despair was full ofjagged spears that could rip him to shreds in a second and leave him writhing in his own mental agonyon this floor, a threat to no one.A savior to no one.What he needed right now was to move, to get outof these cuffs, to get Hawk and go after Norman.Get out of these cuffs.Quickly.He had never tried before himself, but he knew it could bedone.He d had criminals escape cuffs on him a few times.He struggled to his feet, breathing against the dizziness that threatened to overcome him.He bent forward at the waist and scooted hishandcuffed hands behind his back, down the length of his legs.He was too bulky for this, it workedbetter for thin guys, but it had to work.There was no way he could get the cuffs over his head likesome of the double-jointed women could.His hands were stuck at his butt.He pulled out harder with his arms and pushed down andbackwards with his shoulders.Oh shit! An epithet exploded in his head as he started to tip, fallingforwards onto the floor on his face.He lay there for a second, trying to clear his head.The pain in the back of his neck was nowmonstrous, all consuming.Nausea threatened him.He didn t have time for this!He pushed himself to his feet again, compartmentalizing the pain, and walked over to a wall tobrace himself.If he couldn t get it this time he d need to go try to find a neighbor and hope theybelieved his story and would help him.Pressing his shoulder against the wall he leaned forward again, dragging his hands down hisback and pushing-pulling past the swell of his butt.He got it! The rest was easy.He pulled his handsdown to his feet and stepped backwards through them.His handcuffed hands were in front of him.The phone! He ran and grabbed the handset and awkwardly dialed Hawk s number.It wentstraight to voicemail. Hawk! That can t be Norman inside the house! Norman came here and took Emma.Hawkhe s got Emma, we have to go after her. His voice broke on the last word.He hit the button and tried another call to Dennis.Nothing again.He left a message to haveHawk call him at this number right away, it was an emergency.He tried every man in their team, andnone of them answered their phones.Of course he wasn t surprised, but he was terrified [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Don t hurt him. Sweet on him Emma? Don t want your new boyfriend to die? Norman s tone was blank, notthe sneering she would have expected.The blank tone terrified her.She was deathly afraid a bulletwas following it.Emma thought back, racked her brain.Was there anything that had given her an advantage overNorman when they were married? He had hated her tears.That wouldn t help her.Sexuality maybe,but that probably wouldn t help her right now.Maybe later.If there was a later.What to do now?Lie? Tell the truth? Say nothing?She heard a soft metal against metal sound behind her.Norman cocking the gun to let her knowher time was truly over.Her hands raised automatically to her head as she waited for the blast. Norman listen to me, the words spilled out of her mouth quickly, her brain not knowingwhich would come next. Norman, really, what do you want from me? What can I do for you?Anything.I ll do anything. The last thing she wanted was to beg Norman, but she would if shethought it would help.Anything to keep him from putting another bullet into Craig s head.His silence stretched out, filling the room. Norman, I m going with you.You want me with you.We can go, right now, together.I ll gowith you totally willingly if you just leave him be.Just let him lay here on the floor and we can leaveright now.I swear I won t fight you, I won t run, I won t yell, I won t struggle.I ll be yours. A heavy clink on the floor next to her.She peeked out.A pair of handcuffs. Cuff him, Norman ordered.She huffed out the breath she d been holding in relief.Eager to comply, praying Norman trulymeant it, she rushed to put the handcuffs on Craig, pulling his heavy arms backwards behind him.From this vantage point, she thought she could see what Norman had done.Craig s wound on the rightside of his neck near where his skull meets it had looked so good, almost totally healed this morning.Now it was puffy and weeping again.The whole area looked purple and swollen.Emma imaginedshe could see the tennis ball-sized lump growing as she watched.Hot tears burned her eyes.Thebastard had hit Craig in the head, right on top of his injury.Probably had pistol-whipped him.Emmacould only imagine the repercussions of two horrible injuries in the same exact spot in the space ofless than a week.No wonder Craig was still unconscious.And she had wanted to come here.Herhands shook, banging the handcuffs together.Please God, if you are watching, please help Craig beOK.And please send Hawk over here soon. Now go sit on the couch.Pull your legs up onto the couch and cross them. She did, her heart beating so loudly in her throat she could barely hear.Norman bent over Craig, pulling the handcuffs, testing her work.He went through Craig spockets again, finding his car keys and his phone.They both went in Norman s pocket.He backed up,still facing her, and backed right into the kitchen, taking his eyes off of her for a second.She sat,staring straight ahead.What could she do? If she ran or screamed or grabbed the phone he wouldshoot Craig.So she sat.He opened a drawer and reappeared, an electronic tablet like an iPad in one hand, his gun inthe other.He put the tablet down on the table, watching it and tapping it s screen intently.After a fewminutes he looked back at Emma, his eyes unreadable.He looked around the room.Emma watched him with terror in his eyes.What was he lookingfor now? Whatever he was looking for, he didn t seem to find it. Get up, he demanded gruffly.She scrambled to her feet. I m putting my gun away.You are going to walk a foot ahead of me.If you run, scream, shout, or otherwise try to attract the attention of anyone, I will turn around and put a bullet in lover boy sbrain in an instant.And if you get in front of me again, I ll put a bullet in your s too.Understand? Yes, she said, with all the strength she could muster.Who knew where this was leading to.She was going to need to be strong. Chapter 18Craig came to slowly, his head a splitting mass of agony, his vision doubled, his right armrefusing to answer his commands.What in the hell had happened?He had been walking slowly through Emma s house, waiting for her to grab some clothes sothey could go get Vivian.Something about the house felt off, different, anxiety provoking.He was justabout to pull his gun and go investigate the rest of the house when a blinding pain exploded in hishead and he knew no more.He lifted his head and looked around.His head threatened to crack.He put it back down,closed his eyes, and listened.Nothing.He was alone in this house.Emma was gone.Norman wasgone.He knew it was Norman.Who else would it be? Ahh, he was such a fool! There was someother asshole in Norman s house shooting at his team while Norman slipped over here and tookEmma.Craig gritted his teeth against the pain that was about to come and pushed himself forwarduntil he could force himself into a kneeling position.That was actually a little better.He blinked hiseyes, trying to clear them.The room swam.His hands were manacled behind his back.Why wasn t hedead was the real question.Emma must have done something.God he prayed she wasn t hurt.He prayed he could findher.He couldn t lose another woman to that monster Norman.His vision darkened immediately whenhe thought of what Norman had done to Lucy and what Norman could possibly do to Emma.If he lostEmma too & he wrenched his mind away.He couldn t go there.That dark pit of despair was full ofjagged spears that could rip him to shreds in a second and leave him writhing in his own mental agonyon this floor, a threat to no one.A savior to no one.What he needed right now was to move, to get outof these cuffs, to get Hawk and go after Norman.Get out of these cuffs.Quickly.He had never tried before himself, but he knew it could bedone.He d had criminals escape cuffs on him a few times.He struggled to his feet, breathing against the dizziness that threatened to overcome him.He bent forward at the waist and scooted hishandcuffed hands behind his back, down the length of his legs.He was too bulky for this, it workedbetter for thin guys, but it had to work.There was no way he could get the cuffs over his head likesome of the double-jointed women could.His hands were stuck at his butt.He pulled out harder with his arms and pushed down andbackwards with his shoulders.Oh shit! An epithet exploded in his head as he started to tip, fallingforwards onto the floor on his face.He lay there for a second, trying to clear his head.The pain in the back of his neck was nowmonstrous, all consuming.Nausea threatened him.He didn t have time for this!He pushed himself to his feet again, compartmentalizing the pain, and walked over to a wall tobrace himself.If he couldn t get it this time he d need to go try to find a neighbor and hope theybelieved his story and would help him.Pressing his shoulder against the wall he leaned forward again, dragging his hands down hisback and pushing-pulling past the swell of his butt.He got it! The rest was easy.He pulled his handsdown to his feet and stepped backwards through them.His handcuffed hands were in front of him.The phone! He ran and grabbed the handset and awkwardly dialed Hawk s number.It wentstraight to voicemail. Hawk! That can t be Norman inside the house! Norman came here and took Emma.Hawkhe s got Emma, we have to go after her. His voice broke on the last word.He hit the button and tried another call to Dennis.Nothing again.He left a message to haveHawk call him at this number right away, it was an emergency.He tried every man in their team, andnone of them answered their phones.Of course he wasn t surprised, but he was terrified [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]