Page 48 of Deadly Revenge
She paused and listened. Nothing. She didn’t know where Abigail had gone, but she was going to take this opportunity while she had it. The first drawer didn’t have anything useful. It was full of coffee filters and the gross powdered creamer. Pushing with her feet, Hope was able to get the chair to slide back. She was glad she was on a smooth floor.
The next drawer also had nothing useful.
Then she managed to open the third drawer. Herteeth were kind of sore from pulling on the handles, but she saw a box cutter and thank God, it was up front. One Halloween, Hope had bobbed for apples and had done well. She told herself this was similar. She waited again, making sure she couldn’t hear Abigail, and then she managed to get her head in the drawer and pull the box cutter out with her teeth. The problem was her hands were tied behind her back and her feet were secured together. She dropped the box cutter into her lap and lifted one butt cheek while tipping the chair back. The box cutter slid underneath her.
Like the school chairs, there was an opening in the back and she was able to get her fingers around the cutter and slide it up her shirtsleeve. It was bulky, but it was her best bet to maybe get away. Hope didn’t think she could get the right grip on it to cut the ties, but she’d keep it stashed. Somehow, she’d use it. She just had to wait for the right moment.
Then she’d run as fast as she could. Even though underneath it all when Hope misbehaved, she knew it was bad, at least she’d developed some good skills for escaping. But she knew Abigail wasn’t her teacher and didn’t have any rules. But what Hope liked about that was she didn’t have any rules either.
Maya stood back by her patrol vehicle and observed Agent Bernardo preparing to go in. Agent Ross was helping him. Even though Maya had told them there would be no cell phone service, Ross insisted on trying it anyway. Part of Maya wanted to keep trying to intervene. She’d grown up in this forest. She’d worked,hiked and camped in these mountains. There were so many things she understood and the big one was you could not rely on cell phones as communication devices. She couldn’t even rely on her radio half the time. When her best friend and training officer Doug had been fatally injured in an explosion, Maya had to run up a hill to get a radio signal. That had cost them precious time.
This was no different, but because it was a visitor center, everyone was assuming technology would work. Maya had pointed out there was a reason the center had a landline. But she’d finally given up and backed away. She wasn’t in charge and all she was doing was pissing people off.
She heard Juniper give a low growl. Nick was approaching. Juniper didn’t like anyone near her vehicle and handler.
“Agent Bernardo really does look a bit like Dad,” Nick said to her.
Juniper continued a guttural sound, letting Nick know he was on dangerous ground. “Juniper, it’s okay. Relax,” Maya said.
“She’s a good dog. She’d do anything for you.”
“Thanks. She’s the best,” Maya said, thinking that Nick thought of Eric as Dad. Maya still struggled with calling him that. “And he does, look like... Dad. Ihope this works.”
“You don’t feel good about it, do you?”
“I don’t. I mean, it’s a good plan, but they’re counting too much on technology. I wish they’d do something other than a cell phone,” Maya said.
“Ross is certain it’ll work. Aaron thinks so too. I think they’re using some sort of satellite signal or something.”
“I hope so,” Maya said. “Abigail is ruthless. The judge at her bail hearing called her evil. He refused bail and that’s why she was sitting in a federal prison detained until her trial.”
“When we catch her, she should go to Florence,” Nick said.
Maya gave a small laugh. Florence, Colorado, was where the supermax federal prison was located. Notorious criminals like El Chapo resided in that prison. “I would agree, but knowing Abigail, she’d figure out how to charm her way out of there too.”
Nick cracked a smile. A first.
Agent Bernardo finished preparing. He had no weapon, but at least Kessler had insisted he wear a vest. Better than nothing, Maya thought. But once again, Abigail’s knowledge was unusual. Most criminals wouldn’t know exactly where to shoot around a vest for a kill shot. Abigail did. Frustration surged through Maya. Bernardo was possibly giving up his life for this.
Juniper sensed her emotions and stuck a golden eye up to the compartment and gave a soft whine.
Bernardo finished prepping and said a couple words to Kessler and Ross. Then he started walking toward the visitor center.
“Showtime,” Nick said.
“Yep,” Maya answered. She wasn’t sure she wanted to witness this show.
Chapter Thirty-One
Abigail went into the room where she was holding Hope. Had she moved? Probably. The little snot was always up to something. She didn’t trust the girl. In some ways, Hope reminded Abigail of herself. And that’s why she was keeping her tied up so much. Her partner had texted her about Agent Kessler’s plan. The agent coming in had no idea that she knew.
What should she do with the girl? She already knew what she was going to do to the agent who was going to try to pose as Eric Torres. That was simple. He’d be wired somehow, but that didn’t matter. There’d be no time for a code word on his end or the SWAT or HRT or whoever they had up here to respond. He’d be dead before he could say anything.
But Abigail figured he was a distraction. They probably had blueprints of this building. That’s what she’d do. Then, while she was busy killing an FBI agent, someone would come in here and steal her bargaining chip. No, that wasn’t going to happen. Abigail went over, opened a knife and cut Hope’s bindings on her wrists and legs.
“Get up. You’re coming with me,” Abigail said.
The little snot had a weird look on her face. Aftera long career in law enforcement, Abigail knew when someone was up to something. And this girl was. Hope stood, staring at Abigail defiantly. They took a few steps forward. Abigail had Hope in front of her. Just as she was thinking that she should have kept Hope bound at least by her wrists, the girl turned around.
