First Kill: A Holly Lin Novella by Swartwood Robert

Author:Swartwood, Robert [Swartwood, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime | Thriller
Amazon: B01F84XMC0
Goodreads: 30770423
Publisher: RMS Press
Published: 2016-06-28T07:00:00+00:00

Twelve

Dolph doesn’t come alone this time. Two other masked men follow him into the room—maybe the same two that dragged Brooke here—and they stand by the door, their arms crossed, while Dolph slowly walks toward me.

He pulls out the cell phone from his pocket, holds it up. “Ready to make the call?”

I say nothing.

He shakes his head, making soft tsks, then immediately backhands me.

This time he strikes the right-hand side of my face, which will at least even out the bruising, so that’s thoughtful of him.

Brooke, hearing the slap, cries out.

Dolph chuckles. He looks past me, seems to consider something, and circles around to Brooke. I can’t see him, but I picture him leaning forward as he looks up and down the length of her body.

“Are you scared?”

Brooke doesn’t answer, sobbing again.

“Little girl, I asked you a question.”

More sobbing.

Dolph says, “Little girl, do you want me to hurt you?”

Brooke’s voice is a soft, tremulous whisper: “No.”

“Then do as I tell you and you will not be hurt. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“I want you to call your father. Will you do that for me?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Very good. Now understand that we have no intentions of hurting you, but we will if we must. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to make this hard on yourself and disobey when we tell you to do something?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Brooke says, still sobbing.

“Good. Very good. Now I want you to give me the number that will reach your father. I will dial that number, and for your sake, let us hope he answers. When he answers, I will place the phone to your ear and you will tell him what has happened. You will tell him that you have thus far not been hurt. I will then speak to your father. I will tell him that you will not be harmed as long as he gives us what we want. Do you understand?”

Don’t, I think. Don’t do it.

But of course she does. Brooke tells Dolph yes and then he asks her for the number and she rattles off the digits and several seconds pass where Dolph must be listening to the rings, and then Brooke says, her voice still trembling, “Daddy? Daddy, it’s me! They took me and I don’t know where I am and I’m so scared!” and then Dolph must take the phone, because he says, “I’m the man who has your daughter. If you want her back in one piece, you will do as I tell you. Understood?” There’s a pause, as Brooke’s father no doubt promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to get his little girl back, and then Dolph says, “Good. Now listen carefully, because I am only going to tell you this once.”

Dolph walks past me toward the door. One of the masked men opens it, and Dolph steps through, and then the rest of the masked men follow him.

Once the door closes and it’s just the two of us again, Brooke breaks down into tears. She really goes at it again, sounding like she’s going to hyperventilate.

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