“Please, Knight. I’ll never make it through dinner without cracking. I need you there. They will know right away that something isn’t right. I can’t hide how nervous I am. At least go for the main course and then you can come up with an excuse to leave. Please.” She tugged on my hand. “I don’t think I can go.”
The last thing I wanted to do was eat with the Castilles. I was worried for my sister. Worried she would endanger Crew by faltering. Kennedy was waiting for me at the cabin. I’d promised I’d be back soon. Shit. The timing couldn’t be worse.
“All right.” I relinquished. “Maybe it will give me a chance to ask questions. I can poke around. Is that where the family’s main offices are located?”
“Yes. It’s the headquarters for all of the restaurants.”
“Good. That’s good. At least it’s a starting point.” I saw the distrust in her eyes. “Don’t worry. All you need to do is eat dinner, smile at your husband, and don’t let your in-laws suspect anything is wrong.”
“I think I can do that if you’re there. But only if you go.”
I smiled at my sister. “I’ll get you through dinner,” I promised.
“And bring Crew back?”
“Yes.” I stepped backward. “What time do we need to be there?”
“Twenty minutes.” She winced.
“Damn. Doesn’t give me a lot of time. I have something to do. I’ll meet you at the car.”
“Thank you.”
I put my arm around her shoulder. “Grab your things. I’ll be right back.”
7
Kennedy
It was hard to believe this was the place Knight had deposited me. It looked like a one-room fishing or hunting cabin. The walls were paneled in cheap brown flimsy boards with a floor that matched. There was a kitchenette with chipped formica countertops and a dorm-size fridge.
When had the Corbans every had use for a house like this? My stomach rolled. I noticed the boarded windows. The extreme number of locks on the door.
This was one of their holding cells. It was also a hundred degrees in here.
I fanned my neck as a bead of sweat rolled down my throat. The radiator attached to the wall made a hissing sound. I looked at my phone. There was no service here in the woods. Although, the way the bullfrogs broadcasted outside, I thought I might be deep in the bayou.
I didn’t know if I could trust this place. I realize there was no way for Kimble to track me. My hand instinctively moved to my neck where the device had been.
I approached the radiator and looked for a way to turn down the heat. I glared at the rusty knob. How did that work? I groaned trying to turn it any direction I could.
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered when I withdrew my palm from the handle.
There was a long slice running from near my index finger to my wrist. I winced at the new pain in my hand. It was bleeding. I rushed to the kitchenette and ran my hand under the faucet. There wasn’t any warm water, but the cool trickle felt good on my palm. It was a small relief to the sting of the slice of rusted metal. I found a towel in a drawer and wrapped it around my hand. How much worse was this going to get? I felt a tremor in my knees. I had to steady myself.
I was supposed to be stronger than this. I’d experienced enough torture to know better than to let the small things set me off.
There was a bed in the corner of the room. As much as I wasn’t ready to nestle into this cabin, I was reeling with exhaustion. I sat on the edge. The box spring squeaked. I was second-guessing my decision when I heard keys rattling in the lock.
It was only for a second, but my body tingled with nervous adrenaline. Was it possible someone other than Knight would know how to access this place? I was frozen.
The door cracked and Knight walked inside.
I let go of the tension that had crept up to my neck.
“What happened?” His brows narrowed as he bent to examine my hand.
“I was trying to turn down the radiator.” I looked at him.