The Nightmare Thief. Meg Gardiner

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СКАЧАТЬ quicksilver fear rolled through her. Friedrich looked frantic. The gun was matte black. The bleak eye at the end of the barrel wandered across her face.

      She struggled to keep her voice level. “I’m holding still. I’m unarmed.”

      Peyton applauded. “Bravo.”

      She wandered to the center of the clearing, offering a big, slow handclap. “Give Grier a hand.” She whistled. “Grier, you can get up. Take a bow.”

      Autumn pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.

      Peyton waved, broadly, at Jo and Gabe. “And welcome our newest escaped convicts.” She laughed again. “Don’t you get it? They’re with Edge.”

      Dustin looked like he’d just pissed himself. Noah stood, hands raised, blinking like a strobe light. Gabe was sweeping the scene with his gaze, checking that nobody else with a weapon was behind him. He was looking for an out.

      Von aimed his pistol at Ritter. “Get Grier out of sight. Into the trees.”

      Ritter cringed across the clearing. He picked up Grier’s feet and began dragging him away. Von casually took out his phone and snapped a photo of the body.

      Peyton watched, swaying. Grier’s face dragged along the dirt, painting a trail with blood. Slowly, finally, understanding fired in her eyes. She gasped. Then she ran for the trees jaggedly, arms extended, hands like starfish.

      Von picked up the rifle and tossed it to Friedrich. “Get them all in the Hummer.”

      He racked the slide on his pistol and charged after Peyton.

      Autumn screamed, “No!”

      Friedrich shoved her into the Hummer, then swung the gun toward Dustin. Hacking—“Don’t shoot me”—Dustin stumbled in after her. Autumn clutched at him. Friedrich leveled the gun at Noah’s knees.

      “Chill, man. I’m going.” Hands out, gesturing for calm, Noah climbed in as well. Lark was right behind.

      Friedrich grabbed Jo by the biceps and beckoned Gabe. “You too. Right now.”

      Gabe’s gaze was riveted on Friedrich. On Friedrich’s momentum and direction and his jittering gun hand. Jo knew what he was thinking, what he was desperate to signal to her: Don’t get in the Hummer.

      If she climbed in that vehicle she was trapped. The quicksilver ran cold in her veins. She balked in Friedrich’s grip.

      He shoved the gun against her side and shouted at Gabe. “In, now. Or she gets a new orifice in her rib cage.”

      “Don’t,” Gabe said. “Lower the weapon. I’ll get in.”

      In the trees beyond the clearing, Peyton’s screams deteriorated into sobbing. Von reappeared, hauling the girl by her hair. She was barely keeping her feet beneath her.

      Gabe climbed into the Hummer. Jo stood rigid on the dirt. Friedrich rose on his toes and put his orange mustache near her ear.

      “This gun has fifteen in the magazine. If you’re not in the vehicle in two seconds, I’ll start with your boyfriend.”

      Jo couldn’t breathe, couldn’t swallow. She climbed into the Hummer.

      Von shoved Peyton in behind her, sobbing. The girl fell to her knees on the thick carpet. Lark grabbed her and held her tightly.

      Ritter finished dragging Grier’s body to the trees and staggered back, tracked by the rifle under Friedrich’s gaze. Ritter’s eyes looked wild, spinning with shock.

      “Hurry up,” Friedrich said.

      Von turned to make sure Ritter was cooperating. Jo looked at Gabe. Last chance—the door on the far side of the vehicle. She scrambled across the Hummer.

      Friedrich fired the pistol into the backseat. The report was shockingly loud. Fabric flew and cordite stank up the air. The screaming came from all directions.

      “What the fuck?” Dustin yelled. His gaze rounded on Jo. “Hold still.”

      He grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and yanked her back. She fell on her butt on the floor.

      Jo sank her fingernails into his wrist. Then Gabe grabbed Dustin’s arm and twisted, quick and sharp.

      Dustin let go. His eyes shone like cracked marbles. “What’s wrong with you?”

      Von shoved Ritter into the passenger compartment, climbed in after him, and slammed the door. Friedrich jumped behind the wheel and put the huge vehicle in gear.

      The Hummer lurched forward, tires spinning, and slewed across the dirt in a brown swirl of dust. Von braced himself on the seat, pistol raised. Dustin’s chest rose and fell. His gaze was frightened and resentful. Peyton cringed into a ball on the backseat, sobbing, fingers jammed in her mouth. Beside her, Kyle Ritter stared at Von, his face blank and hard.

      Autumn sat rigid, blinking like an otter in the sunlight, fingers clenching the plush red seat. Lark and Noah had tumbled to the floor beside Jo. They looked like stunned fish.

      Von held the gun steady. “Everybody lock your hands behind your head.”

      They cinched their fingers behind them. The narrow road rose up the mountainside. Friedrich accelerated. The Hummer had power, but in the altitude the engine labored. The trees whipped past. Von wiped his hand under his nose.

      He gestured to Jo and Gabe. “Pockets. Empty ’em.”

      They threw their phones across the limo. Von scooped them up.

      He nodded at Gabe. “Back pocket too, hombre.”

      Reluctantly Gabe took out his folded buck knife and slid it across the carpet to him.

      “Nobody move. Not a muscle.” Von climbed over the bench seat into the driver’s compartment.

      Peyton’s sobs subsided to whimpers. Autumn was shaking. “Grier.” She turned to Dustin, buried her face against his shoulder, and cried. He whispered in her ear, “Quiet.”

      In the driver’s compartment, Friedrich shot Von a crazed look. “What do we do?”

      “We keep driving. We get there, and then we deal with it.”

      “You know that Dane’s gonna flip,” Friedrich said.

      “Shut up.”

      “And Sabine’s gonna have your balls for breakfast.”

      Jo’s stomach was cramping. Von, Friedrich, Dane, Sabine. They were being kidnapped by the damned Trapp Family Singers.

      Ritter looked stunned. “My first scenario. I can’t believe it.”

      Gabe said, “You work for Edge Adventures?”

      “Started this week,” Ritter said.

      “You СКАЧАТЬ