Page 66 of The Ice Queen in the Corner Office

Reggie shook his head and sighed. “I’ve had kids come through the system who got mixed up with that crew. They’re still small time, but they’ve gotten more and more vicious and violent over the past few years. I know you don’t want to consider this, but there’s a good possibility your sister’s already—”

“I know.” I couldn’t stand to hear him say the words. “Let’s assume she’s fine. I can’t get the money they need and, even if I could, what’s to stop them from killing her anyway? I need help.”

He rifled through a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small black notebook. “I’ve got a couple people I can call. But I have to warn you, Alex, after they get your sister out, there’s no guarantees for her safety or yours. The ones who are caught and pinned down for the kidnapping will go away, but the rest of the crew…They won’t forget who came after them and they aren’t going to be happy just watching you walk away.”

My heart sank. “This is Rick’s mess. It has nothing to do with me.”

He shrugged. “They see you’ve got money and connections to the neighborhood, they’re going to try to get something out of you.” He tapped his chin. “Only thing you’ve got on your side is they probably only think you have money. If you convince them otherwise, they might just want to kill you to revenge their brothers and their pride.”

“Great. So, I’m screwed no matter what I do?”

He nodded. “Always knew you weren’t as dumb as you looked. You want to stay for dinner? This could take a while.”

There wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to be able to eat with worry and fear for my sister sitting like a rock in my gut. “I’d love to, but I need to get home to my dad. He’s not handling this well.”

He looked up at me, eyes narrowed. “He doing okay otherwise?”

“He’s as good as he can be,” I said. “He’ll appreciate you helping us out.”

“Get home to him. I’ll call you as soon as I have something.”

I let myself out of the house and hurried back to my car, worry like an anvil on my shoulders. Images of Willow alone and terrified, of the horrors she might be experiencing, kept me in a constant state of nausea.

I was two blocks from Dad’s house when my phone rang. I pulled into the lot of an abandoned gas station to answer. I had a feeling I wouldn’t want to be driving when I heard whatever Reggie had to tell me.

“I got something to say to you, that you aren’t going to like to hear,” he said.

My heart thunked. This was it, Willow was dead and I was too late. I squared my shoulders and prepared myself for the worst. “Just tell me,” I said, my voice choked.

“Your sister is still alive, Alex, but that’s all I know. I’m not supposed to tell you any more than that, I’m supposed to tell you to stay out of it and let the feds handle it, but I know you, son. I know if I tell you that you’re liable to go after her yourself. So, what I’m going to tell you cannot go any farther, you understand. Word of this gets out and it’ll be me they’re looking at.”

“I got it. You can trust me.”

“The feds got someone on the inside with the crew. He’s in deep and my contacts tell me he’s close to putting those fellas away for a long time. What they want you to do is make the drop. Give those guys whatever you can afford and convince them to give you more time.”

My hands fisted in my lap. “You want me to sit around and wait while they have my sister, doing god knows what to her?” I shook my head, hating the helpless feeling wrapping around me.

“I know it won’t be easy, but they promised me their guy will do everything he can to keep her safe.” He cleared his throat. “This is the better way, Alex. You want the feds to finish their job and put those guys away for a long time. It’s the only way to keep you and your family safe.”

What he was saying made rational, logical sense, but my gut and heart rebelled against the idea. “What if they won’t take a partial payment? What if I can’t convince them to give me more time?”

He sighed. “Then you do what you have to do, but don’t involve me. You involve me, you endanger the guy they’ve got on the inside, your life will be worth nothing to anyone. You understand what I’m saying?”

It might have sounded harsh to anyone else, but I got what he was saying. If I involved him, if I involved the feds or the cops, I’d have the crew on my ass and no one in law enforcement interested in helping me.

Everything he’d said to me was a kindness and a gift of the highest order. He knew me, he knew I wasn’t good at restraint. The smart thing to do, the thing that would save his ass, would be to lock me in his basement until this was all over, but he wasn’t doing that. He was letting me do whatever I had to do.

“Thank you,” I said.

“I’m sorry I can’t give you better news. I’ll keep an ear out and let you know if I hear anything.”

“I appreciate it. More than you know.”

“You want to show your appreciation, bring your dad and your sister by for a meal after this is all over.”

“I’ll do that. I’ll see you soon.” The words felt like a lie. I wasn’t at all sure I’d ever step foot in his house again, because I’d do whatever it took to get Willow out, to make sure she was safe. And whatever it took might mean I had to give up everything I’d worked so hard to achieve, my freedom, or my life.

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