Spitting Image by Patrick LeClerc

Author:Patrick LeClerc [LeClerc, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-06-26T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

I CAME AROUND tied to a chair. My hands were zip-tied to the arms of the chair, my ankles to the legs. A belt around my chest held me to the back of it. It was a heavy, strong wooden chair. Nobody had thought to supply a cushion.

I took a deep breath and flexed my hands and feet, taking inventory. My ribs hurt, worse when I breathed, but not horribly. More likely bruised than broken. All my limbs worked nicely. My head throbbed, whether from the drug or the taser or bouncing off the floor or the noses of thugs I didn’t know.

Amelia was sitting in a much more comfortable looking chair behind a big wooden desk, looking at me. There was a laptop computer on the desk, the screen toward her, away from me, and a phone near it. In front of her, the contents of my wallet were spread out. Licenses, certifications, receipts, my ATM card, some cash. Not much cash. I am employed as a paramedic. I had a feeling somebody was behind me.

I didn’t say anything. I waited. I’d been a prisoner a few times before, and the less you say, the better. Anything I did say would give them more information. Since I really had no idea what they already knew, I couldn’t be sure not to tell them anything they didn’t.

Beyond a quick flex to check the tightness of my bonds, I didn’t struggle. I’d already made one attempt to escape, which meant they weren’t likely to underestimate me again. I’d have to wait and watch for my chance, and remember not to underestimate anybody just because they looked like somebody I could beat.

“I’m running out of patience with you,” she said. “I’m wondering if this stubborn streak is genetic, and if it is, whether this plan is more trouble than it’s worth.”

“You sound like the HR department at FlatLine,” I said.

“You’re not as funny as you think,” she continued. I was starting to think this friendship wasn’t going to work out. “You’re not as smart either. You’re dangerous in a fight, but you’re not the fastest or strongest or even the best trained man I’ve met. What you have going for you is just a stubborn, scrappy, unpredictable rebelliousness. It’s not a very admirable quality.”

“Part of my bad-boy appeal,” I said. “And you forgot about my winning smile.”

“I’m finished trying to seduce you, and I’m not really even interested in bargaining with you at this point. I’m just going to let you know what we can do if you don’t give us what we want.”

She leaned forward aggressively. “While we have you held here, you can be on camera robbing a liquor sore. I’m sure you figured that out, but you can also be seen doing things that won’t put you in jail, but will destroy the confidence of your friends in you. Of your employer. And speaking of friends, think what I could do to them. Your girlfriend is a teacher.

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