Chapter 30
Chapter 30:
A fucking bloody white note, folded neatly and placed beside the plate of peppered buffalo wings on the table.
I snatch it up and unfold it. Three vicious sentences glare back at me.
“Delaware Properties. Warehouse S. Do not involve the police if you want her alive p>
Victor was right. This bastard is playing a game with us, and he’s using Isla as his pawn.
I want to scream. To smash every one of these beautifully arranged dishes onto the floor.
But instead, I force myself to stay calm. Losing control won’t help. Yelling won’t save Isla’s life.
I turn to Victor, who’s raking his fingers through his hair. I hand him the note and watch his eyes widen as he scans the words.
“The fucking dude wants us to be in Delaware Properties?!” he shouts.
“Yes, Victor,” I exhale, fighting the frustration clawing at me.
“But Asher, that place is old and dangerous, and we definitely need to involve the police p>
“I know, Victor, but there’s no other way. Either we follow his instructions, or he kills Isla p>
Victor groans. “Do we have to listen to that psycho? Let’s call the cops and p>
“We have to listen to him,” I cut him off, gripping his shoulders to stop myself from shouting. “Victor, you know we have to. But we’ll do it our way, on our terms p>
His eyes lock on mine. “What do you mean, Asher p>
“I mean I’ll go to Delaware Properties alone to meet him. You, on the other hand, will call the cops and bring them into the warehouse after I manage to pull Isla out of danger p>
“And how am I supposed to know when you’ve done that?” he asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. Isn’t that part of your job? Like a sixth sense to know when to jump into action p>
Victor chuckles. “It sounds funny, Asher, but the luck of a sixth sense doesn’t always manifest. Especially in situations as terrible as this p>
I sigh, frustration threatening to rip out of me.
Victor is right. And I’m not usually one to rely on luck—or on a sixth sense. “Then what do you propose we do, Victor? We’re running out of time p>
“Well,” he begins, “you’ll go first, like you suggested. Then I’ll come with the cops later. We’ll scout the place first. Here, take this p>
He slips off his wristwatch and holds it out to me. When I take it and look closer, I realize it’s a smartwatch. A luxury one, with a silver band and encrusted ice that makes it look nothing like a tracking device.
“Asher, this smartwatch works like a tracker. Once you’re inside, it’ll give me tabs on your movement in that building p>
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“And how will you know that?” I ask, puzzled.
He pulls out his phone and waves it at me. “It’s linked to my phone.” He slips it back into his pocket. “Asher, no matter what, don’t take off that watch. If you do p>
He pauses, the weight of his unspoken words settling heavily between us.
“Yeah,” I mutter, fastening the watch around my wrist. “I got it p>
Just then, both of us whip around at the raspy screech of a car halting outside the house. Relief floods me when Sandra and Ethan jump out of the car and rush toward us.
Sandra bolts straight to me, wrapping me in a hug. But I can’t miss the redness in her eyes and the streaks of tears down her face.
“Asher, what happened?” she demands, pulling away, her puffy eyes darting around the house. “Where’s Isla p>
“Breathe, Sandra. She’s not here.” I draw in a breath. “He took her to Delaware Properties p>
“WHAT?!” she screams. “Delaware Properties? That fucking junkyard full of abandoned shit p>
I nod.
“Oh my God.” She stumbles, but Ethan steadies her in time.
I can feel her fear too. But mine is so much heavier, clawing at me, threatening to consume me whole. I fight against it, refusing to let my mind imagine what horrors Isla must be enduring in that godforsaken place.
I have to steady myself. No matter what, I can’t let anything happen to Isla. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something did.
I snap around, my eyes landing on the dining table. The fruit knife lying across the bowl of red apples glints under the light. I grab it, sheath and all, and tuck it into the pocket of my trousers.
If I’m going in there alone, like the plan says, I need to be armed with something I can use—just in case.
“Guys, we need to move fast,” Victor’s voice cuts through the heavy air. “We need to move now p>
“So what’s the plan?” Ethan asks, speaking for the first time since he arrived.
“I’ll explain on the way,” Victor replies. “But for now, we have to go p>