Page 52 of Two Favors Repaid

Ford tightened it until it was cutting the circulation to Rob’s hands, but Rob forced himself to lay still. He felt things were coming to a head now, and the tightness around his hands was the least of his troubles.

Rob managed to keep the words to himself. He waited for the moment when Ford would release him. He was going to—

“Before you get any ideas, my partner is upstairs with Emma. If you think I’m bad, you haven’t met him yet. So don’t mess with me.”

There’s no partner. Ford’s been alone this whole time.

Rob seethed in frustration. He couldn’t guarantee nobody had come on board. And he couldn’t risk Emma’s safety. Rob sat very still as Ford used his blade to cut the rope around his legs. The rope fell limp around his boots.

“Come on,” Ford said, moving two steps backwards. “Move upstairs.”

Rob stood up. His entire body hurt from sitting still so long. His hands were beginning to tingle already. For a moment, he didn’t move.

“Get upstairs now, moving very slowly.” Ford looked at his watch. “You have about 40 seconds before my partner hurts Emma.”

Rob started walking. As he made it up the stairs, he turned first to one side, then to the other. Saw sea all around them but didn’t see Emma. His heart tightened around his chest.

“Emma?” he asked in a trembling voice.

What if I’ve been sitting here, while—

“I’m here,” Emma said, peeking out her head. Her voice trembled. He’d never seen her so frightened before.

Rob sighed in relief but didn’t give her any platitudes.

“There’s no partner,” he said, stating the obvious. Ford had fooled him again. He looked back and saw Ford standing ten feet away, holding Rob’s gun. Rob analyzed the man’s hold on the weapon dispassionately. This was clearly not the first time the man held a gun.

“Not on the boat, no. Now, stand right there next to Emma. I’m going to tell you both what’s going to happen.” He trained the gun on Emma. “Before you get any clever ideas, Chief Deputy, know that if you so much as breathe before I tell you to, I will shoot her in the gut. I’ve lost patients to gut wounds before, and it’s not an easy way to go, believe me.”

Rob nodded tightly and moved next to Emma. It was exactly where he wanted to be, anyway.

Ford ordered them to walk towards the stern.

Emma looked at Rob. Her eyes were wide with fear. She was as afraid of the water as she was of Ford. But Rob wasn’t. He felt hope grow in his chest again.

Is Ford going to let us go?

“What do you think, Emma, angel? Do you want to go for a swim?”

“No. Please. I can’t go in the water,” Emma begged, staring straight at the ocean.

“But it’ll be fun,” Ford goaded behind them. “Just you and the sharks, out for a morning swim.”

Rob stood by quietly. He hated seeing Emma’s panic, but the water was the least of their concerns right now. He was more worried about the gun.

“It’s been really nice knowing you both,” Ford said, and there was a note of finality in his voice.

An instant later, Emma screamed. Ford had slashed the back of her arm with his knife. Bright red blood dripped down her arm and onto the deck.

Rob howled, ready to throw himself at Ford, but Ford was one step ahead of him as he had been the entire time. He pushed Emma easily over the edge. Her body hit the water sideways with a loud splash. She came up screaming.

“What are you going to do, big man?” Ford taunted.

This time Rob didn’t hesitate.

Chapter 16

Emma