| |
The drive took forever and ended too quickly.
We pulled off the gravel road onto a short dirt one heading deep into the forest. The entry was hidden by a large weeping willow, whose branches hissed along the sides of the car as we slowly entered the lane.
No one could know where we were or how to find this place. I was on my own. I knew I’d never be able to run in the woods with the uneven ground, roots waiting to trip me, and possibly mud from the nearby bog.
I was doomed.
As Carl stopped the car, I looked around curiously. Maybe I would see an opportunity if I kept my eyes open. I wished with all of my heart I had let the OPP handle it. Look what I’d gotten us into.
Carl pulled his gun out and pointed it at me across his lap before stopping the car. “Not that I think you’d get far without your walker, but I don’t want to shoot you in the back.”
“How kind of you.” I gave him my best Queen Elizabeth stare, but he just chuckled and wiggled the gun.
“Time to go.” He reached over to grab my arm and pull me toward his door. Of course, I got hung up trying to climb over the console and gear shift.
“Okay, then. Get out your door but I’ve got my eyes on you.” He stood up to point the small gun at me through the windshield.
“You’d need a new window, and you’d never get the blood out of the seat.” What was wrong with my mouth?
“Good point, but I can afford to get the truck detailed.” He jerked the gun’s muzzle at me, so I carefully climbed out. My hip was aching, and I nearly slipped on the grass, but Carl didn’t move closer to help. He just watched.
***
THE BUILDING LOOKED like it had grown there over a century or so. It had clearly started life as a small hunting cabin, but over the years, someone had added rooms and lean-tos.
Tin sheets formed an uneven roof over the largest section. Well, the largest next to a round-roofed metal hanger. It had a wooden wall on our end with both a garage door and a people-sized one.
That was the one he led me to.
“Won’t a gunshot be incredibly loud inside a metal building?”
He shook his head, “Nah, we sound-proofed it when it was insulated. Thanks for your concern.”
Great. Fabulous. I’ll just stop talking now.
Carl opened the man-sized door and pushed me through first. It was dim inside, and my eyes took a moment to adjust. At first, all I could make out was a crowd of men, long-haired and bearded. They were either farmers or bikers—and my money wasn’t on farmers.
They parted like the Red Sea and a tall, youngish man stepped through them to confront Carl. He looked me up down, expressionless.
“Carl, what is with you and taking women? You think we’re running a spa here?” The other bikers laughed, Carl didn’t.
“This is the last one. We need to get rid of their RV and trailer. The OPP are already involved and will be out looking for them tomorrow.”
“What the hell? Are you trying to get us busted?”
Carl grinned and shrugged. “I can kill any investigation as long as there’s an explanation ready to go.” He gestured at me. “Get one of the older girls to take the RV across the border and ditch it. It’s rented to Vee here. Cops’ll be looking for her wherever the RV is dumped.”
“You telling me my business?” His voice got low and flat.
My goosebumps returned. I’d thought that Carl was scary, but this guy was evil. It rolled off him in waves you could almost see.
I gulped loudly and the boss biker turned to me. “Put her with the others.”
Others? Were they still alive? A young Native looking biker grasped my elbow, almost graciously, and led me away from Carl, deeper into the building.
We walked by several fridges, a lot of motorcycles, a few rough looking women, and a chained monster of a dog that snarled as we passed.
I stumbled, the cement floor too hard to walk on comfortably, and the young biker caught me. He looked into my scared eyes and smiled a tight, little smile.
“I’m Romeo, Jaqueline’s cousin.”
“I’m Victoria, nice to meet you. I just wish it was under better circumstances.” Being about to die did put a damper on things.
“Just stay quiet, and I’ll look out for you.”
Before I could reply, we pushed past a stack of crates, and I saw Jaqi and Luci sitting in the center of the room. They were alive!
I hobbled over as fast as I could; the pain was worth it to hug them again. But Romeo caught my arm and held me back.
“Sit next to them, about five feet away, so you can’t touch.”
I sat down carefully next to Luci, babying my hip. I would have loved to hold her hand but just knowing they were alive was a huge relief.
***
LUCIA LEANED TOWARD me and whispered. “How did you get here? Did Carl take you, too?”
I nodded, looking around to see if anyone was watching.
“I am never forgiving him. He threw Victor to the ground. My little man could be hurt.” I know that wasn’t the most important thing to say, but I was so not ready to deal with this situation. Not yet.
I gestured to where Romeo sat on one of the wooden crates. “So, that’s Jaqi’s cousin?”
Luci nodded. “He’s been good about taking us out back to pee and getting us water and things.”
Well, that was nice, I suppose “Do you think he’d help us escape?”
But she shook her head. “He’s too afraid of the boss biker, and where would we go?”
She was right, but there had to be a way out. I was not dying here on a cold, concrete floor. Certainly not in muddy shoes.
It seemed like hours passed but, in the dim artificial light it was impossible to tell. My hip was aching something fierce, the painkillers I had taken earlier had worn off ages ago.
I squirmed to see if I could relieve the pressure, but that just made my right leg go to sleep.
At this rate, I’d fall over the second I stood up.
***
JAQI LEANED FORWARD, twisting to face me. “Did you call the police? Are they coming for us?”
I had to shake my head, “Yes and no, in that order. They said I was hysterical and suggested I have a cold drink.”
That reminded me; I had a martini chilling back in the RV. Maybe Romeo would go get it for me?
I looked for him, but he had wandered off. So the girls and I talked quietly about escape plans. We ended up with nothing that would work, but where there’s life, there is always hope. Right?
When Romeo came back, he had several take-out bags of burgers. He had to untie Luci and Jaqi for them to eat. I was dying of thirst, but he hadn’t brought anything. He offered me a beer, smiling sheepishly. The only other thing available was cheap whiskey and this lady does not do cheap.
Just as he handed me my burger, another biker came over and stared at us. His eyes were flat and emotionless. I’ve seen robots with more warmth. Well, on TV, not in real life. I was about to take a bite when he reached over and grabbed it right out of my hands.
“No point feeding that one, we’re just waiting for Derek to get here to get rid of her.”
My heart stopped, restarting a moment later with a painful thump.
“What about the other two?” Romeo sounded calm, as if this was business as normal. I swallowed, my throat cracking.
“We’ll keep the others; we’ll get good money for them. Especially your little cousin.” He made kissy noises at Jaqi and she turned her head away.
Romeo nodded and went back to his station on the crates. He did not tie Jaqi or Lucia’s wrists this time, so all three of us had our hands free.
I wasn’t sure what good it would do, but it was better than being tied up and helpless.
I gestured at Jaqi, and she quickly put both hands behind her back. Luci followed suit, and when Romeo picked up their wrappers, he didn’t blink.
Great, now to turn it to our advantage. Somehow.
Ages later, I had to tinkle so badly my eyes wouldn’t focus.
And Romeo, Romeo, where the heck art thou?
He had been sent on another errand and wasn’t back yet. The last thing I wanted to do was annoy anyone, but I had to go now.
I could see Carl over by the motorcycles. He had a helmet in his hands. A surge of anger filled me, a red wave that swamped me and drowned all common sense.
“Carl. You lying son of a beach! Get over here and talk to me. You owe me that.”
He chuckled and ambled over. How could he be enjoying this? They were just waiting to take me out back and shoot me like a dog.
“How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends.”
“I told you to drop it. Didn’t I say there were bikers involved?” He grinned at Luci. “Besides, they just came walking up to my door, and it was too tempting to ignore.”
“I knew you weren’t really a cop.” I practically spit at him in outrage. The bald-faced liar.
“That’s the really funny part, Vee. I am undercover RCMP, and the gang know it.” He shrugged., “I get all the benefits of membership, and they’re always kept informed of where the investigation is at.”
“You sound proud of yourself.” I used my most withering tone, but he didn’t wither at all.
“Maybe I am. For the price of a few minor members doing time, who are well rewarded when they get out, I live like a king.”
“And you just turn a blind eye to kidnapping and murder, prostitution or worse.”
“Guns, girls, and ganja. Life is good.” He tapped a finger to his forehead in a salute and sauntered back to his motorcycle.
I would never forgive him.
And I still needed to tinkle.