“I bet you never thought Rick and I being an item would save your sorry ass,” Margot told him.
“What now? You going to arrest me?”
“No, he’s not,” Margot said. “If he did that, he’d have to explain why Stone is out here instead of in custody.”
Radcliff shook his head. He wanted to argue, but Margot had a point.
Stone worked his way to his feet. The gunshot wound he had suffered earlier was starting to bleed again.
“No hard feelings?” Mal asked him.
Stone reached into Mal’s back pocket and produced the taser Mal had used on Radcliff.
“No, we’re cool,” Stone said before he shocked Mal into unconsciousness.
He reached down and took Mal’s keys.
“I’m going to drive back and get this sewed back up. I figure I can take Enrique’s call on the way,” Stone said. He looked at Radcliff and said, “After we get this punk in the trunk, you can ride with me and even point my own gun at me if you want.”
Radcliff nodded, “I guess that will work.”
He looked over at Margot. “You want to lead or follow?”
“You three go ahead. I’ve got a kidnapping to solve.”
“A what?” Radcliff asked.
“They said no cops,” she said to Radcliff. “So, you two go ahead.”
Radcliff wasn’t sure what to say.
“That works for me,” Stone told her.
Stone and Radcliff loaded Mal in the trunk. Margot drove back to the house, thinking something weird was definitely going on.
Chapter 9
Margot found Dave and Chuck sitting at his kitchen table drinking beer.
“You want one??
? Dave asked.
Margot did, but she was working. She shook her head and sat down.
“I’m just a used car salesman,” Dave said to her, “but it seems to me whoever gave you that photo is involved. I mean, how else would they get the picture?”
“Trust me, I’m going to ask them about it.”
“Maybe you should tell me. It’s my wife.”
“Maybe I will, eventually, but first tell me everything.”
“No,” Chuck said. “You first. Where did you get that photo?”
“Is that really the way you two want to play this? I can help or I can walk.”
“There’s not much to tell,” Dave said, drawing a nasty look from Chuck. “I came home and she wasn’t here. I got a text after I walked through the door and it was the picture you have.”