On Borrowed Time (16 page)

There was no hesitation, no questions asked. That was the power of true friendship.

L
indsey sent off a few texts to the other crafternoon ladies. She had a feeling she was going to need a backup plan.

Stella was grilling Robbie and Sully about the man in the library.

“How was he in the library when it was closed? Did you get his name?” she asked.

“Really didn't stop to introduce myself while he was using my ear for target practice,” Robbie said.

Sully snorted and Lindsey glanced up to see that the two men were practically bonding while Stella peppered them with questions.

“I'd assume he hid in the building somewhere,” Sully said. “When he saw Lindsey alone, he must have figured that was his chance.”

“Chance for what?” Stella asked. “What did he want from you?”

“No idea,” Lindsey lied. She kept pacing, which conveniently kept her from having to make eye contact with any of them. “He just asked me to give ‘it' to him, but I don't know what ‘it' was.”

Her voice cracked on the words, and she hoped they attributed that to her rocky emotional state and not the fact that she was a terrible liar. She raised her eyebrows in an effort of stop herself from crinkling her nose.

“I just don't understand,” Stella said. “None of this makes any sense.”

“Agreed,” Robbie said.

“Oh, here's my ride,” Lindsey said. “Tell Emma to call me if she has more questions. I'm assuming they'll lock up the library once they have it secured.”

“You mean you're not going to wait and see if they catch the guy?” Sully asked. His blue eyes were wide with disbelief.

“Nah, I'm really beat,” Lindsey said. “Must be an adrenaline crash.”

“You're going to leave the library without checking on it?” Robbie sounded as shocked as Sully.

“I'm sure it'll be fine with all of the police there,” she said. “Good night.”

She shoved through the doors and hurried down the walk. She heard Sully call her name, but she yanked open the door to Nancy's powder blue Mustang and jumped in, pretending she didn't hear him.

“Make it look like we're going home,” she said to Nancy. “But then double back to the Anchor. I have everyone meeting us there.”

“Oh, a covert op,” Nancy cooed. “I'm on it.”

She hit the gas and they took off down the street toward home. Nancy drove past the Blue Anchor and Lindsey hoped they'd managed to fool Sully and Robbie into thinking she was just having a stress meltdown and was going home.

Nancy pulled over onto a side street and they waited while the heater cranked out warmth over their toes.

“Okay,” Lindsey said. “I think we're good now.”

Nancy pulled out of the side street and parked in the small lot on the other side of the Anchor. It wasn't visible from the street, and Lindsey hoped it kept Nancy's distinctive car hidden from view. She could not afford to let Sully or Robbie know what she was doing. Primarily because she had a feeling that, like most men, they would feel compelled to jump in and help her.

This wasn't a problem anyone else could fix. She had to face Antonia alone and try to bargain to get her brother back. That being said, she wasn't stupid and she knew she needed a backup plan.

She and Nancy hurried into the Anchor. Mary met them at the door.

“Are you okay?” Mary asked.

“I will be,” Lindsey said.

“Come on,” Mary said. They followed her through the restaurant to the far corner, where the ladies' room was located.

Nancy stopped and looked at Mary. “Seriously?”

“Trust me,” Mary said. She pushed open the door and they saw that Violet, Charlene and Beth were already hanging out in the big square room. Beth was sitting on the edge of the sink while Violet lounged against the wall and Charlene was wedged between the sink and the toilet.

“Why on earth are we meeting in the ladies' room?” Nancy asked.

“Because . . .” Mary paused to reach around Lindsey and flip a switch next to the light switch. The grind of an overhead fan kicked in. It sounded like a motorcycle, revving its engine. “It will cover our conversation if anyone is listening.”

Lindsey nodded. It made sense, given that she had no idea who Antonia might have sent to follow her. It was a wise precautionary move, and she had to admit Mary had some skills in espionage.

“So does this have anything to do with your apartment being trashed?” Violet asked.

“Yes,” Lindsey said. She exchanged a glance with Beth, who gave her a slow nod. It was time to tell all and hope her friends weren't too irritated that she'd left them out of the loop. She began with finding Jack in the crafternoon room and ended with the man in the library with the gun.

The crafternooners were silent. Lindsey felt her insides twist while she waited for them to absorb what she'd said. Were they going to be mad? Reject her? Storm out? What?

“What do you need us to do?” Nancy asked.

Lindsey glanced around the room, and the relief that swept through her almost took her out at the knees.

“Come here, honey,” Violet said, and she opened her arms.

Lindsey didn't hesitate. She let Violet enfold her in a hug that comforted as well as bolstered. The others joined in, and in short order they had a massive group hug going. Lindsey felt the lump in her throat start to burn. Everyone should have the pack of friends that she had.

The sound of flushing broke up the hug.

“Sorry,” Charlene called out. “I hit the handle with my butt.”

This made Beth snort, which cracked up the group. Lindsey felt the burn in her throat ease with her chuckle.

“Okay, we're going to get Jack back from the she-devil,” Mary said. “What's the plan?”

“Antonia, the woman who took my brother, wants to broker a deal for him,” Lindsey said. “She was watching me, and she knew when I found what he'd hidden in the library and called me immediately. I have to make an exchange on the pier at ten o'clock tonight.”

“No police?” Violet asked.

“She was very clear that law enforcement would be a bad idea,” Lindsey said.

“What about the shooter in the library?” Charlene asked, ever the reporter. “If he was working for her, then I say her deal is null and void.”

“I've been thinking about that,” Lindsey said. “I think he might have been working for her but he could also have been from one of the other cartel members. Either way, she still has Jack so I don't have much leverage to call foul.”

Violet shivered. “Sorry,” she said. “The whole cartel angle spooks me no end.”

“Agreed,” Mary said. “A coffee cartel—who even knew something like that existed?”

“Jack did,” Lindsey said.

Her voice was grim, and she could feel the fear that she wouldn't be able to save her brother rear up inside her like a hairy beast. She swallowed hard, trying to beat it back down. As if sensing her distress, Nancy put a bracing arm about her and gave her a solid half hug.

“Don't,” she said. “We'll get him back. Period.”

Lindsey drew in a shaky breath. That was exactly what she needed to hear.

“Okay, here is my plan, if you're willing,” she said. She paused to glance up at the tiny room full of women, her friends, the strongest ladies she knew. They each met her gaze with no fear, no uncertainty, just the knowledge that one of their own was in trouble and needed help and they would be there to do what needed to be done.

Lindsey almost laughed. Who would have guessed that a love of books, food and crafts would forge a bond so strong among such a disparate group of women? The gratitude she felt almost overwhelmed her, but there was no time.

She shook her head and cleared her throat and began to outline her plan. With input from the others, it was fine-tuned and tweaked down to the last detail.

A poor woman came to use the restroom in the middle of their session, and Mary stuck her head out the door and told her to keep her panties on.

They were all staring at her when she closed the door to return to their meeting.

“What?” Mary asked.

“Do you think that's good business, dear?” Nancy asked.

“
Pffthbt
.” Mary made a short raspberry sound. “That was Bubble Hubbell.”

“Ah,” they said in collective understanding.

Bubble
was a nickname Mary used for Heather Hubbell, who had been Ian's girlfriend before he met Mary. Heather had tried repeatedly over the years to win him back, and although Ian had been clear that he had less than no interest, Heather kept trying.

“I loathe that woman,” Mary said.

“She is a nasty piece of work,” Beth agreed. “But she's not worth getting upset over. You know Ian would never—”

“Oh, I know,” Mary said. “It's just the nerve of her to keep trying.
Argh.
It's maddening.”

“Maybe we can interest Bubble in a nice cartel member,” Charlene said. “How does she feel about Brazil?”

Mary looked thoughtful. “That might be far enough away.”

“Excellent, I'll just pencil that in at the bottom of our plan,” Lindsey said. “Okay, let's go over it one more time.”

They finalized the plan, and then one by one they left the bathroom. The tiny space was down the hall from the main restaurant, but Lindsey wondered if they had fooled anyone by staggering their departures.

There was no sign of Heather Hubbell waiting in the hallway, and Lindsey was relieved. The last thing they needed was to navigate a smack-down between Mary and Ian's ex.

Lindsey waited in the hallway while the others slipped out the back door. Lindsey watched the clock on her cell phone, willing the minutes to slow down so that her friends had enough time to do what needed to be done. All the same, she wished it were a half hour later so that she could be at the meeting place, getting her brother back.

As Lindsey paced in the narrow space, she thought about the events of the past few days. A dead man in the library. Her brother's return and subsequent kidnapping. Threatening phone calls and people following her. Sully opening up about his past and a drunken Robbie sleeping on her couch.

Lord-a-mercy! No wonder her nerves were shot.

Ian poked his head around the corner. “Lindsey, have you seen my wife?”

“Recently?” Lindsey asked. Yes, she was stalling.

“Yeah,” he said. “Heather Hubbell stormed out of the café, no loss there, but she said Mary wouldn't let her in the bathroom and told her to keep her panties on. Is that true?”

“Um, yes, I do believe there was a conversation to that effect,” Lindsey hedged.

“I can't believe she didn't tell me herself.” Ian sounded mystified. “Mary loves getting all worked up about Bubble . . . er . . . Heather, which is crazy because anyone with eyes in their head knows I am berserk for my wife.”

Lindsey glanced down at her hands. She had a feeling
berserk
would surely describe his reaction when he found out what Mary was doing right now. What to do, what to do. Should she tell him?

She did a quick risk assessment in her head. If everything went according to plan, then Mary would be perfectly safe for her part of their plan. If things didn't go as planned . . . Lindsey shook her head. She refused to even go there.

“Well, if I see her, I'll let you know,” Lindsey said.

Ian gave her a considering glance. “You okay, Lindsey? You don't look yourself.”

“I'm good,” Lindsey said. “I am
thoroughly
good.”

O
kay, probably she had just oversold it, as Ian's eyes narrowed even more as he studied her. “I'm going to get you a glass of wine. It'll be at the bar when you're done waiting for the restroom.”

“That'd be great,” Lindsey said.

He turned and walked away, and Lindsey blew out a long, slow breath. He'd thought she was waiting for the restroom. That would buy her some time. She glanced at the clock on her phone. It was five minutes until show time. She may as well get a head start.

She hurried down the short hallway and pushed through the unalarmed emergency exit that let out in back of the restaurant. The cold December air hit her like a slap, and she pulled her coat tightly about her. She paused, noting the security light that illuminated the Dumpsters to her left and tuned her ears to listen over the sound of water lapping against boat hulls, but there was nothing.

She walked away from the café, feeling very much alone on her mission even though she knew it wasn't true. The wooden planks gave under her feet. The boards creaked. The sound of a buoy's bell rang out in the bay, warning boats that they were entering a rocky channel.

She walked to the end of the pier, staying half hidden behind a tall wooden pile on the corner of the massive dock. She was glad her sweater was black but still she couldn't help but feel as if she had a big bull's-eye painted on her. She checked the time on her phone again. She still had three minutes.

Now was the final part of her backup plan. She opened the micro card on an app on her phone. It was encrypted. Damn. It looked like a mess of random symbols. She should have expected no less from Jack.

She attached it as a file to an e-mail and mailed it to herself. Maybe it wouldn't work. Maybe no one would be able to get into her e-mail or decipher the encryption should everything go horribly wrong. And maybe her phone would now self-destruct in five seconds. She gripped it in her hand as if it might catch fire. Nothing happened.

Okay. She stretched her neck, letting it crack in an effort to ease the tension that had her drawn as tight as a guitar string. She exited out of her e-mail. Antonia should arrive any minute.

“
Psst
, hey, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?”

Lindsey whirled around. There, leaning against a wooden rail, was Robbie.

“
Gah!
” she shrieked. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, come on, love,” he said. “We've already established that I know your tell. Big fat lies don't really become you even when you're trying not to crinkle your nose.”

“You have to get out of here,” she cried. “They can't see you.”

“Who's they?” another male voice asked.

Lindsey whipped around and there on the opposite side of the pier was Sully.

“Murroz,” she hissed. “They're coming with Jack. You can't be here. I have to meet them alone.”

“Lindsey, you can't trust her—” Sully began but she cut him off.

“No, this is my brother's life you're playing with,” she snapped. It felt like terror had her in a stranglehold. “Now go!”

A light shone out on the water. It grew steadily closer. Lindsey knew it was Antonia. She hurried to the gangway that led to the small dock below.

“Oh, God, they're here. Do not follow me,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “And stay hidden!”

She scurried down the ramp. The smaller dock bobbed on the water. She had a hard time keeping her balance, but she managed to pop the micro card out of her phone while the light grew in size and brightness until it was shining right in her eyes. Lindsey held up her hand to shield her eyes. She was desperate to see Jack.

Finally, as the boat neared, she caught a glimpse of her brother's blond tousled head. Her heart leapt in her chest and her throat squeezed tight. He was alive and he was here. She knew if Antonia demanded a kidney from her at this point, she would gladly give it up for the safe return of her brother.

The driver angled the boat so that it stopped smoothly at the dock. Another man reached over the side and grabbed a metal post to keep the boat in place.

Jack sat on a bench with his hands tied behind his back, a thin shirt was all he wore, and even in the darkness Lindsey could tell he was battered and bruised. Rage thumped through her, but she knew now was not the time. She had to get him back first.

The person beside the driver stood and approached Lindsey. Throwing back the hood on her coat, Antonia faced her.

“Did you bring what I want?” she asked.

“Yes,” Lindsey said through gritted teeth.

“Give it to me,” Antonia ordered.

“After you let Jack go,” she said. Her voice shook, which irritated her. She didn't want to sound weak, damn it.

“Do you really think you're in a position to bargain with me?” Antonia asked.

Lindsey took the micro card out of her pocket. Now she was mad. She glared at the other woman.

“Actually, yes, I do,” she said. “You've gone to an awful lot of trouble to get this; it'd be a pity to lose it. Now give me my brother.”

“Don't do it, Linds,” Jack said. His voice was weak and his speech slurred as he spoke through swollen, cracked lips.

“At the same time?” Antonia asked.

“Fine, on three,” Lindsey said.

The man who'd been holding the boat hauled Jack up to his feet by his elbow. Lindsey recognized him as the man who'd held the gun on her at the library. Obviously, he had escaped the police, but even worse, his presence made it clear that Antonia had no intention of turning over Jack; otherwise, why would she try to double-cross Lindsey by stealing the micro card before their meeting?

Lindsey only had one chance for this to go her way. She watched Jack limp up onto the step that led out of the boat.

“Don't give it to her, Linds,” Jack pleaded. “Please don't do it.”

While Antonia and the others looked at Jack, Lindsey took her opportunity. Reaching forward, she grabbed the front of Jack's shirt in her fist and yanked him forward.

All hell broke loose. The man in the boat shouted as Jack was yanked out of his grasp. Lindsey turned to help Jack when Antonia grabbed her arm and yanked her half onto the boat. The micro card was snatched out of Lindsey's hand and she tried to rear back from the edge of the boat but the big man grabbed her by the back of the coat and dumped her on the floor.

“Lindsey!” Jack scrambled to his feet just as two men dropped from the pier above onto the dock below. Sully and Robbie. Lindsey saw them for a only second, but they both looked pasty pale with fear.

“Do not follow or I will kill her!” Antonia yelled.

Lindsey saw the gunman wave his firearm in the air. All three men froze. The driver jammed the throttle into high gear and Lindsey skidded across the floor at the sudden motion.

She glanced up, thinking she might be able to jump. Antonia anticipated her move and planted a boot heel on Lindsey's shoulder. The spiky heel impaled her muscle and bone in a shot of nerve-twisting pain that made Lindsey's eyes cross.

She went limp, hoping to make it stop. Antonia laughed. Her teeth gleamed feral in the moonlight and the whites of her eyes glowed. For a beautiful woman, she looked purely evil, and Lindsey felt herself begin to shake with fear.

“You have what you want,” Lindsey said. “You don't need me. Now let me go.”

She wanted to sound tough and demanding, but her voice cracked, making her sound like a child afraid of the dark.

“Oh, I don't think so,” Antonia said. She leaned over Lindsey, grabbed a fistful of her blond hair and pulled her close while grinding her heel into Lindsey's shoulder. “Keeping you will assure your brother's cooperation. In fact, I probably should have grabbed you from the start.”

Lindsey felt the sweat bead on her upper lip. It was taking every bit of self-control she had not to whimper like a whipped puppy. She would rather bleed out than give Antonia the satisfaction.

The driver shouted and Antonia's foot eased. She hurried to stand beside him. Lindsey felt her heart hammer in her chest. Could she jump now? A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, holding her in place.

The gunman was behind her. Lindsey wondered if he had his gun trained on her right now. Probably. At least he was holding her by her uninjured shoulder.

They were nearing the channel markers. Lindsey sent a silent prayer that her friends had been able to set up in time.

“Go faster,” Antonia demanded. “We have to get out of here.”

The driver opened up the engine and the boat gained speed, churning up a big wake and smacking hard against the water's surface. As they neared the two largest channel markers, Lindsey slumped down onto the floor of the boat as if she'd fainted. Surprised, the man let her go.

“I think she's hurt!” he called to the others.

“So long as her brother thinks she's alive, who cares?” Antonia said, shrugging.

Lindsey curled up into a fetal position. She had no idea what was going to happen, if their mad plan would even work, but she figured she'd best protect herself either way.

She knew the moment they hit the fishing line tripwire. The men grunted and Antonia shrieked as they fell into the ocean. The boat got knocked hard as if someone had hit it on their way out. Several big splashes sounded, and Lindsey bolted up from her spot on the floor. The boat was slamming out into Long Island Sound at top speed.

Thank goodness she had ridden with Sully enough to know how to control the throttle. She used the back of the chair to haul herself forward, feeling like she was riding a bull in a rodeo. The wind snatched at her hair and clothes as if trying to throw her into the briny sea.

Lindsey eased back on the throttle and the engine slowed. She turned the boat around and headed back. She didn't want Antonia and her thugs to get away.

As she headed for the channel markers, she saw the blue lights of the Briar Creek police boat, flashing brightly in the night sky as if signaling that everything was going to be all right.

She steered the boat to the channel marker on her right. Sure enough, Mary was there. Her kayak was bobbing in the water as she had climbed up on the big red structure. She was cutting the lines she and Beth had strung between the two markers.

Lindsey slowed her engine to a crawl so that she could shout over it.

“You need a lift?” she cried.

Mary grinned at her. Her eyes sparkled, her cheeks were bright pink and her nose was damp with snot, which she gloriously wiped on her coat sleeve.

“Did you see? It worked! It freaking worked!” Mary shouted.

Lindsey laughed. “I sort of missed it from my spot on the floor, but yeah, and thank goodness.”

Mary sliced through the wire, which fell into the water with a plop.

“Where's Jack?” Mary asked, looking in the boat behind her. “And why are
you
here?”

“Small change of plan—they took me instead,” Lindsey said.

“No way!” Mary gaped.

“Way. So how about that ride?”

“Nah, I'm good,” Mary said. She gestured to her kayak. “I have my ride.”

“Is everyone else okay?” Lindsey asked.

Mary gestured to the rocky shore nearby, and Lindsey could see Beth with her kayak huddled with Violet, Nancy and Charlene.

“All good,” Mary confirmed.

Lindsey raised her arm and waved at the ladies. They waved back and Beth let out a whoop of joy.

Lindsey glanced back at where Antonia and her thugs had been clotheslined into the water by the fishing lines that Mary and Beth had rigged across the channel markers. She scanned the water but she didn't see anyone. She wondered if they had gotten away, but then the police boat slowed and Lindsey watched as someone was fished out of the water. Judging by the high-pitched shrieking, it was Antonia.

“Looks like they got her,” Mary said. She climbed back into her kayak. “Give me a push?”

“Sure,” Lindsey said. Mary held out her oar and Lindsey gave it a shove, moving Mary toward the shore. “Meet me at the pier.”

“You bet!”

Lindsey moved her throttle past idle and began to work her way to the pier. She kept an eye out for the men that had been in the boat with Antonia, not wanting to run either of them down, well, not much at any rate.

She pulled up to the police boat, and a searchlight snapped onto her face.

“Hands in the air!” the terse order came.