I look at Luke. “Darius put something in my pocket. It must be a phone. They can track us from the phone.”
And even as I say the words, I expect that any minute we’ll be cornered by men with guns.
***
LUCIFER
I push off the dumpster, and hold out my hand. “Let me have the phone.”
Ana hands it to me, and I answer the call, already knowing who to expect. The man I spoke to once before. The man who killed Jake. “What do you want?” I ask.
“The package,” the man says.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“And yet, we both know you do. Let. Me. Be. Clear. There are powerful people who want that package. My boss is one of those men. Unless you give it to me in the next twenty-four hours, everyone you have ever known is dead.”
My eyes narrow. “I don’t have it. I don’t know what it is. It must be worth a lot of money for you to be such a drama queen.”
“Don’t play with me.”
“I don’t play unless I’m paid. I don’t have it, but I’ll find it for a price. One million. One week.”
It’s not what he expects. He’s silent a beat that turns into three. That’s two too many for him to know what the fuck to do right now. “Two days and I let your people live.”
“Then I guess I’ll hang up and your very powerful man will kill you for failing him.”
“Wait,” he says. “Two days and a million dollars.”
“A week and two million. I don’t know what the fuck it is or where to start looking.”
“Five days and one million dollars. And if you go one minute over, I’ll kill them all anyway. Don’t underestimate me. We’re as good as your little Walker team, but we don’t play by the rules. Meet me at your little bitch’s property, The Ranch. Five days,” he repeats. “Don’t be late.” He disconnects.
If he were as good as he said he is, he’d know his target. He’d know I won’t play for pay with the man that killed Jake and threatened Ana. But this works. I bought time to find him and kill him and I will. I hit a few buttons on the phone, text the information on it to Blake, then throw the phone in the trash. That prick won’t be contacting me or tracking us. I grab Ana’s hand and start running.
THE END…FOR NOW