Blood & Roses by Mark Dawson

Author:Mark Dawson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Thriller
Publisher: Unputdownable
Published: 2014-06-24T23:00:00+00:00

SHE ROLLED the car to a stop, crunching the tires in the gravel that covered the road. She was apprehensive as she opened the door and stepped outside. Isabella was a capable girl, but she knew that she was asking a lot of her. The year that she had spent training her had several aims. She wanted her to be able to fire a range of weapons, defend herself, be fit and strong. One of its main goals, the least tangible one, had been to impart her with a streetwise edge that was beyond her years. She had only been partially successful in that. It was a testament to her daughter’s character that she retained her innocence, just below the surface, despite it all. In some ways, she had been pleased that she had failed in that regard, but now, as she stepped up onto the porch, she hoped that had not been a liability that would put her in harm’s way.

The door was closed. She turned the handle and pushed it open.

“Isabella?”

“In here,” she said.

Beatrix went inside. The girl had turned one of the chairs around so that she could sit and face the door to the bedroom. She went closer and looked down to see the Beretta resting in her lap.

“Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

“She give you any trouble?”

“Tried to get me to untie her, but I said I wouldn’t.”

“Good girl,” Beatrix said, relieved. She leant down and kissed her on the back of the head. The movement elicited a jolt of pain and she winced, glad that her daughter was facing away and couldn’t see it.

She took the pistol and went into the bedroom. Cassidy was sitting on the bed, her back resting against the headboard and her knees clutched up tight against her chest.

“You’re back,” the girl said sourly.

“I am.”

“Are you going to untie me?”

“Yes,” she said, reaching down and releasing the rope. “This is nearly over for you.”

“Really? Any reason I should believe that?”

“No. But it is. There’s just one thing I want you to do.”

“What?”

“I want you to call your father.”

“And say what?”

“The truth. Tell him what’s happened to you. Tell him you’re with me.”

“What do I call you? I don’t know your name.”

“I’m Beatrix. He’ll know who I am. But don’t try and tell him where we are. I don’t want you to try and give him even the slightest clue. That will just make me angry and it’s not in your interest to do that. You’ll be on with him for fifteen seconds maximum and then you’ll give the phone to me.” She looked at her, hard, staring right into her eyes. “Can you do that for me, Cassidy?”

“Sure. Fine. Give me a phone.”

Beatrix took out the burner phone she had purchased in Radio Shack, powered it up and gave it to her. She took the pistol and rested it in her lap. “Remember. Don’t try anything stupid.”

Cassidy blanched, looked down at the phone, and started to tap out numbers.

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