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Reese worked quickly, cutting the ropes off Tandra’s wrists and ankles. The teen immediately lunged for Reese, wrapping her arms around Reese’s neck in a death grip. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay now. You’re going home.”
Tandra nodded but she didn’t speak. The teen was crying softly and buried her face in Reese’s shoulder. All they needed to do now was notify Buster, the law and then get the hell out of there.
DARRENHADENOUGHlife experience—or maybe just plain old bad luck—not to take this find for granted. Locating her was only half the battle. The rest was getting off the property with Buster, with all four of them in one piece.
If anyone made too loud a noise, the dog would come unglued and wake up the house. The men on the east side of the property would be here in a heartbeat. They, no doubt, had some mode of transportation to get them from one section to the next while they hunted for trespassers.
Darren exited the truck first after shooting a text to Buster, and then waved Reese to follow suit. With the teen hanging on one side, Reese managed to get them both out of the vehicle without making much noise.
He scanned the area. It looked clear.
Moving to the tree line, the trio made their way toward the pickup. There’d been no return text or acknowledgment from Buster, and that had Darren worried. He wouldn’t exactly call this extraction easy, but they seemed to be flying under the Archer family’s radar for the time being.
With every step toward freedom, Tandra’s sobs grew louder. Reese did her best to keep the teen quiet, but only so much could be done without her cooperation. At this point, the teen was most likely in shock. She was just a kid, doing her best after what had have been the most traumatic event in her life.
Darren’s heart went out to her and her parents. Losing a child had to be a parent’s worst nightmare, but having a kid abducted would be a close second.
But this wasn’t the time to celebrate. He had a bad feeling deep in his gut. That Buster wasn’t answering the text wasn’t a good sign. The hairs on the back of his neck pricked again as the dark-cloud feeling returned, threatening to smother him.
He took the lead, keeping Reese and Tandra tucked right behind him as he moved through scrub brush toward the pickup.
Once they were safely out of earshot of the house, Reese asked, “Has Buster checked in?”
“I’m afraid not,” Darren said. He could put these two inside the pickup, hand her his cell phone and go back for Buster.
Reese would protest the move, but they were short on options and even she would have to agree getting Tandra to safety had to be their first priority. She would also understand that he couldn’t leave Buster on the property.
Breaking through the tree line onto the road, they cut right toward the pickup. Now that they were off property, Darren allowed himself a burst of hope that he could get this child through this ordeal. Could they call 911? If they did, was Buster as good as dead? Was he already?
Air squeezed out of Darren’s lungs. Breathing hurt.
He gave himself a mental shake and kept moving.
Finally, the truck was in sight. All hope Buster might have dropped his cell phone or the battery died disappeared.
When the truck was twenty feet ahead, two large male figures stood up from squatting in front of the vehicle. Darren muttered a string of curses, palmed his cell and sent a 911 text. He could only hope it went through.
“If you’re smart, you’ll put your hands where I can see them,” one of the men said. Darren recognized the voice as Alexander Archer’s.
Tandra’s cries became louder. That poor girl.
As much as Darren wished he could bum-rush these bastards, he couldn’t. Two against one, especially when both of them were carrying guns, wasn’t the kind of odds Darren could handle. If he was killed, where would that leave Reese and Tandra? He would be making his babies orphans.
“The law is already on its way,” Darren said, hoping they wouldn’t call his bluff. “Your only choice is to let us go. We’ll say that we found her walking down the street and she won’t say a word about where she’s been or who had her. Just leave her alone and she won’t talk.”
“Nice try,” the other one said. Darren recognized the voice as Aiden’s. There was one more brother, but who knew where he was? He might not even live at home. “All three of you are coming with us.”
“You won’t get away with killing three people,” Darren argued. “Think this through.”
“We’ve gotten away with a whole lot more than that,” Aiden said before being shushed by his older brother.
“Your mouth was always going to get us busted,” Alexander admonished. “It’s the reason Mama and Daddy keep you on the property while me and Andrew do all the work.”
“Our brother isn’t even here right now,” Aiden complained. There was something simple yet threatening about the tone of his voice.
“He’ll be back in a few days, and you need to be quiet,” Alexander said, his tone more of a threat.
So, it was two against one at this point, since Reese had her hands full with Tandra. Speaking of Reese, he had an idea. He reached behind and placed the pistol, along with his cell, in the flat of Reese’s palm. She got the idea and immediately gripped it. He pointed toward the tree line. They were close enough to zigzag through the trees to avoid being shot.
