Why the hell does everyone have that assumption about me? What impression am I giving out? I don’t dress provocatively and I don’t think I act that way as well. Yet Thomas and now this guy say it… what the fuck?
“I might have my wicked way with you, I haven’t decided yet.” He pulls out his knife and he runs his finger along the blade in a way to wind me up. It works, I’m afraid I might pee myself. “But more importantly, I just want to talk to you. That’s what I was trying to do outside.”
“That’s why you smashed my phone? That’s why you smacked me?”
“Alright, it got a bit out of hand. I will be honest with you.”
“Out of hand? Seriously, that’s how you describe it? Out of hand?”
He tosses his head back and laughs loudly. “Alright, alright. Fine. More than out of hand. But it doesn’t have to get any worse. We can come to some sort of agreement here. It doesn’t have to be stupid.”
“What do you mean? Doesn’t have to be stupid.”
“I mean no one has to get hurt here. This blade doesn’t have to see any action. Seriously. Not at all. I didn’t bring you here to harm you, I just want to have a conversation with you. To tell you that the guy I killed was a bad dude. He was a scum of the earth and didn’t deserve to be alive. He pushed drugs to kids, he had children as young as twelve working for him, he’s done all sorts of terrible things.”
“You aren’t exactly clean yourself.”
“No, I know. But I wouldn’t ever involve children.”
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, but I’m not ever going to see your side.”
“I don’t expect a woman like you who has everything ever would,” he shoots back coldly. “I don’t think you have ever had to struggle like me. I know that we won’t be on the same side, I just want you to understand.”
“Why don’t you just tell me what we’re doing here? That would help us both more.”
“Well, originally, I just wanted to talk to you about going to the police, just like I have done, which I do still need to do…”
“And if I agree not to go to the cops, all of this will be over? Because I don’t want to go to the police…”
“No, I know. Otherwise you would have gone already, but I got a phone call when I was talking to you before…” I remember that as he says it. “And it seems like your boyfriend has gone to the police anyway.”
Oh right, of course! I forgot about that. Shit, so what is he going to do?
“So, now I need you here as a threat to Carter. I need him to know that we’re serious.”
“If he’s already gone to the police then what can he do?”
“He can take back his statement. Maybe give us some cash too. Guys like us, we always need money.”
“And… what if he doesn’t do that?” I need to ask. I have to know.
The blade comes in to view again; the threat is back. “Then I will have to sort you out because you know too much. A threat will only keep someone quiet for so long. Death silences them forever.”
Holy shit this is bad, really bad. I can see just by looking into his eyes how serious about this he is.
33
Carter
Take back your statement and you will see her again. Money will help keep her alive…
The words are chilling, making me feel sick. These guys definitely have Raelyn, there can be no doubt now, and their intentions with her cannot be good. God knows what they’ve already done to her.
“Take back your statement.” This has to be about the murder, of course. Lee warned me about going to the police, he told me to sit tight and think about it, and I didn’t listen. I was an idiot. “Money will help…”
Of course it will. Money helps everyone, I’ve been used for it before. But this time, it won’t feel so dreadful to part with it. Not for these psychopath criminals, I don’t give a shit about them, nor do I want to help them on their journey on the wrong side of the law, but to get Raelyn back. To have her away from them.
“But where? What do I do? Maybe I take the statement back first. I don’t know.”