“Your dad helped us once,” Dallas said. “Remember?”
“We don’t know if the girls are okay. We don’t—” My voice broke and I turned away, trying to get my emotions under control.
“Shit,” Owen said. “Meet me out back in ten minutes, by the silver truck.”
*
He came out carrying a hockey bag, looked around before walking over to where we had parked under the shadow of a tree. He had his keys out, put them in the door of his truck with his back to us, dropped the bag on the ground, and reached in like he was getting something from behind the seat. “Put the bag in your car,” he said.
Dallas looked around and quickly put it in the backseat.
“It’s unregistered.” He turned around and met my eyes. “Good luck.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
SKYLAR
“What the hell do you mean, change of plans?” Gavin said.
“We can’t move the girls—and you can’t keep them here.”
“So what are you saying?”
“We have to kill them, bury their bodies on the property, get rid of any sign of them before the cops descend on this place.” Brian said the words so casually that it took a moment for my brain to comprehend what I was hearing. Then it hit. I looked at Crystal, knew she’d get what I was thinking.
Should we go for it now?
She shook her head, just a slight movement. She wanted to wait, but I felt desperate, time slipping away. We had to do something soon.
“Cops need a search warrant,” Gavin said. He took the last drag of his smoke and ground it out on top of the stereo speaker.
“They might be getting one,” Brian said. “You were seen at the bar with her, you idiot. And we don’t know what those other bitches saw today.”
“I told you the cars are covered with a tarp.”
“You caused this, you clean it up.” Brian took a handgun out from behind his back and handed it to Gavin. Blood roared through my head.
I looked at Crystal, who nodded. This was it—we had to go for it. I was about to pull my wrists apart when Gavin hit Brian across the head with the gun, the crack echoing in the room.
Brian stumbled back, his hand to his head. Then he rushed forward and tackled Gavin, slamming him into the closet door behind him.
Locked in a hold, they fell to the floor, rolling around and punching each other. They were partly behind the bed. I could hear grunts, boots against wood, heavy breathing as they struggled. My hands were undone. I looked at Crystal. She was reaching for her rope. I glanced at the open door. Could we make it?
I tried to pull my rope free from the post, but it was caught somehow. I looked at the men, terrified one of them would notice.
They’d moved away from the bed. Brian was on top of Gavin, hitting him in the face, loud smacks over and over. Suddenly there was a shot. The room exploded with the noise, making my ears ring. I couldn’t tell who’d been hit.
I gave my rope another yank. Crystal was beside me now, trying to help.
Brian rolled off Gavin and leaned against the dresser, clutching at his stomach—a bloom of red. He looked stunned, then his body slumped to the side.
“Shit,” Gavin said.
Finally my rope came free. I took off for the door, Crystal following. From the corner of my eye I saw Gavin getting up, gun still in his hand.
“What the fuck!” he yelled.
We were at the door. Now running down the stairs. I heard Crystal stumble behind me and reached behind, felt for her hand, pulling her along.
“I can’t keep up, I’m holding you back.”
“Come on!” I yelled. “We’re almost there.”
We were at the bottom. I heard Gavin trip and fall at the top of the stairs, heard his body hit hard. I prayed it would buy us some extra time.
We ran through the kitchen, heading to the front door. I let go of Crystal’s hand and wrestled with the front door handle, got it open. I glanced over my shoulder to see how close Gavin was and saw that Crystal had stepped back.
I reached for her hand. “Let’s go!”
She pulled her hand free and pushed me out the door. “Run, Skylar!”
“What are you doing—” She slammed the door shut. I pounded on it, heard the lock sliding into place. “Crystal!” I screamed.
“Get out of here!” she yelled.
I ran to the living room window, could just make out her naked form grabbing a knife from the kitchen counter, then I saw Gavin emerging from the bottom of the stairs, the gun still in his hands.
“Crystal!” I yelled, slamming my hands on the glass. I looked around, but there wasn’t anything I could use to break the window.
I turned back just in time to see Crystal run at Gavin. They were struggling over the knife, his hand gripping her wrist. I had to help her.
I raced to the back of the house.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
JAMIE