Hard Evidence. Susan Peterson

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ panicking.

      “We want what belongs to us.” His hand held me tight against the car. I couldn’t move.

      “Tell me what it is and if I have it, I’ll give it to you. I’m not looking for trouble.”

      “We want the key and the package.”

      I shoved my key chain in his direction. “Here, take them. Take the car. Just leave me alone.”

      He took my keys but I heard them hit the pavement alongside my purse. “These aren’t the key or the package we’re looking for.”

      “Well, they’re the only ones I’ve got,” I said.

      He snorted in exasperation and grabbed my collar, hauling me to my feet. Reaching around me, he yanked open the door of the Escalade. “Get in and push over behind the wheel.”

      I locked my knees, digging my heels into the pavement. Don’t ever let an abductor take you to a new location. I’d heard that particular warning more than a few times from Charlie, Jack and every other police officer I’d ever worked or trained under.

      “Just tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you,” I stalled.

      He didn’t answer, but instead crowded in behind me, using his thickly muscled body to nudge me into the car. “I said to get in and get behind the wheel.” He shoved me between my shoulder blades, sending me stumbling against the open car door.

      I stepped up and bumped my head on the door frame. A stinging pain shot across the top of my scalp. I swallowed against the tears that sprang to the corners of my eyes and slid across the seat.

      I reached for the opposite door handle, but before I could grab it and jump out, a hand reached across the front seat and clamped down on my shoulder, anchoring me firmly to the seat.

      I jumped, and my fear hit a new high. My abductor had an accomplice. My chances of escape had just taken a rather significant nosedive.

      “Don’t even think about jumping out,” a voice said, the sound low and grating, like granite stones rattling in a metal cage.

      How had I missed that there was someone else in the car? I was getting careless. Too many years living in the mountains and not enough time keeping my city radar switched on high.

      I grabbed the wheel and peered into the rearview mirror. The shadowy figure in the backseat wore his cap low on his forehead, shading his features. His shoulders were wide and bulked up beneath the expensive leather coat. He used two fingers to flick the back of my skull, sending another flash of pain shooting through my head.

      “Keep your eyes front and center,” he ordered.

      “What do you want?” I tried to keep the fear out of my voice. “My boyfriend is going to be here any minute.”

      Mr. Biceps laughed, and it wasn’t anything light or airy. More like the low rumble of a diesel truck. “You ditched O’Brien down below. Ain’t no one coming to your rescue, little sister.”

      He knew Jack. Apparently Jack was still hanging with an interesting crowd.

      The shooter slammed the passenger side door closed and shifted around to face me. He had a fleshy nose with a boatload of nasty-looking moles and other assorted blemishes spread out across his cheekbones and neck. The guy was in serious need of a dermatologist.

      He wagged the gun in the direction of the ignition. “Start it up. We’ll go somewhere a little less public to conduct our business.”

      He glanced over his shoulder at his buddy. “The Bay Street exit, right, boss?”

      The figure in the mirror nodded and then settled back, apparently content in his belief that Mole Face had things under control. I let him think that as I leaned forward and started the engine.

      “Back it out nice and slow,” Mole Face instructed, settling his own shoulder back against the passenger side door, a small smile puckering his full lips.

      “Where are we going?” I put the car in reverse and backed out. The bottom of my foot itched to floor it, but something told me I needed to bide my time, pick my opportunity carefully.

      My passengers had the attitude of thugs who’d done this drill before. Something told me that there wouldn’t be any second chances. It was now or never.

      Up ahead, I could see the ramp leading to the top of the parking garage. Patrons of the garage had to go up to the roof to start back down again. I eased the SUV into Drive.

      “Take the back exit,” Mole Face ordered, resting the butt of the revolver on his right knee. He was feeling pretty confident, sure that I was frightened enough to do what he asked.

      I shifted my left leg closer to the door and carefully slid my left hand off the wheel, resting it on my thigh. I nodded my head agreeably. “Whatever it is that you two want, I’ll give it to you as long as you don’t hurt me.” I put a little extra plaintive pleading into my voice, hoping they’d concentrate on that rather than the fact that my left hand was now resting on the door handle.

      “Just shut up and drive,” the backseat thug said.

      I headed for the ramp, bracing my left foot against the frame of the car as I stamped my right foot down on the accelerator. The car engine roared, and the vehicle jumped as if goosed.

      Both men fell back against the seats, and the gun flew out of Mole Face’s hand, hitting the dashboard. With a grunt, he scrambled to reach it. But the revolver slid to the floor, skittering across the floor and settling beneath my feet.

      “Slow down!” Mole Face shouted.

      “It’s stuck,” I said, pretending to pry at the bottom of the gas pedal with my foot but instead stomping on it harder.

      Mole Face bumped up against me as he blindly groped along the floorboards for his gun. I ignored him and jammed the accelerator flat to the floor. The engine screamed and we hit the top of the ramp going sixty-five.

      Come on! Come on! I chanted inwardly, my fingers gripping the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grasp. I willed the car to go faster.

      The engine roared, building up more speed. Seventy. Eighty.

      We raced across the top level of the parking garage, directly toward the opposite end and a line of cars.

      I aimed for the tiny red sports car and when the SUV hit the back end, it reared up and over the little car’s trunk. In seconds, we were airborne.

      I yanked open the driver’s side door, tucked my chin and threw myself out sideways. Blackness closed in around me as I twirled and spun in midair.

      There was a whirlwind of flashing lights and then pain as I struck the pavement with my left shoulder. Lucky for me, my oversize down jacket provided me with some extra protection.

      I rolled and then hit something hard but with a little give to it. Pain shot through my entire body and then darkness settled over me.

      GROGGY, I blinked and opened my eyes. I was laying up against the rim of a tire. It had broken my fall, probably keeping me from getting СКАЧАТЬ