Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Tapping it to the sensor, I swing into the room, calling to Nora, “Grab your things. I’ll order a car. I don’t think we should—” The fire alarm cuts off, leaving me shouting into the sudden silence. I lower my voice as I add, “take one of our vehicles.”
I clear my throat, my ears ringing as I wait for Nora’s answer. But the living space is empty and there isn’t a sound coming from the other room. But they could be focused on Clyde or crouched by her box in the closet, where it might be hard to hear me.
I start toward the hallway but freeze when I see that Nora’s tennis shoes are gone. Her purple pumps are still beside the door, but the shoes she was wearing when I tossed her into my SUV yesterday are nowhere to be seen.
Yesterday…
I can’t believe that was just yesterday. It feels like I’ve lived at least a few months since then, months I’ve spent falling harder for Nora with every passing second.
I’m in love with her, I realize, as I do a quick check of the space—finding everything as I left it except for the shoes, Nora’s purse, and the kittening box missing from the closet—my heart racing faster as I confirm that she’s really gone. She’s gone and likely in danger and if anyone harms a hair on her head, I’m going to kill them.
I’m not a violent person. I can count the number of times I’ve punched a man on one hand—three fingers, in fact, counting the fist to Wimpy’s face yesterday. I’ve had extensive firearms training, but almost never carry a gun. I’ve always been a firm believer that sticky situations are better resolved with words than weapons.
But right now, if I had my government issue with me, I would gladly press it to Rex’s temple and promise him a painful death if he doesn’t back off and leave the people I love alone.
I pace the main room, telling myself that Clyde went into distress and Bear and Nora ran to the vet. I tell myself that they decided, against my advice, to evacuate with the rest of the hotel, and are waiting for me in the parking lot downstairs. But as the minutes tick by without a text or phone call, I know that isn’t the case.
Gut in knots, I place a call to Al, not even caring that I have to tell him that I fucked up again.
I just need his help finding Nora.
Now.
Chapter Twenty-Four
NORA
I drag my feet as much as possible, but it seems to take no time at all to reach the big, windowless van waiting outside the door at the end of the first-floor hallway. And thanks to the fire alarm, there’s no one around to see Bear and I being steered toward it at stun gun point.
“Clyde is in labor, and things aren’t going well,” I say, faking courage as Wimpy emerges from the van’s sliding door with a black eye he didn’t have yesterday, looking pissed. “She needs to go to the vet. Now.”
“Then you two had better give us what we want now,” Rex says, mocking my bossy tone. “As soon as we have what we came for, you two can go wherever you want to go.”
Wimpy shoves Bear toward the van with both hands, making him cry out and cling tighter to the kittening box.
“And how are we supposed to do that?” I say, digging my heels in as Rex flattens a palm between my shoulder blades and pushes me toward the entrance. “Bear’s warehouse is hundreds of miles away in Chicago, and it’s almost empty. He literally can’t give you those dolls. He already sold most of them way before you stole Clyde.”
“Actually, it isn’t that far,” Bear says from the seat by the opposite side of the van. “Just about an hour and a half, in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. It was a lot cheaper to store them there than in Chicago and it’s on a distributor route for easy shipping.” His eyes lock on Rex over my head. “Let Nora and Clyde go, and I’ll show you where the dolls are. There are still about five hundred left. I’ll sign them all over to you and never say a word about any of this to the police. Just help me make sure Clyde gets through this. If she dies in childbirth, I won’t have anything left to live for.”
Wimpy snorts. “Pathetic. What kind of guy loves a cat that much?”
“A wonderful man,” I pipe up. “A man with a big heart who’s willing to sacrifice his own safety for the safety of the people and animals he loves. I bet you’ve never sacrificed yourself for anything, you big coward.”
Wimpy grunts out a laugh, clearly not finding me threatening in any way. “Yeah, not for a cat. I don’t fall in love with cats. That’s fucking weird. Your boyfriend is a pervert.”