Page 79 of Valor

The man shook his head. “Now is not the time for questions. Now is the time for you both to shut your mouths. Don’t make me use the tape. As much fun as it is to yank off, the screaming really does cause a distraction.” He grinned. “But it’s up to you how you want this party to start.” He held up the roll of duct tape.

Heather shook her head. She wanted nothing to do with that over her mouth. Allen remained silent in the corner, but his presence alone made her feel like there had to be a way out of this. If only she could think of it.

CHAPTERTEN

Dry,pebble-like flakes pelted Allen’s face as their captor yanked them out of the car. He didn’t know the man’s name, nor did he know how any of the details of the case were connected. Why had Oliver and his son spoken up about the plot of land mentioned on the thumb drive? Were they connected, or was that a red herring? Obviously, whoever was at the heart of all this was well-connected since they’d also hired the man from the Wall Mart.

His head pounded in his ears during the long walk. The man led him and Heather down into a crevasse cut into the rock about a mile from where he’d left the car parked. Heather had leaned against him for most of the hike where it wasn’t too narrow, helping both of them navigate easier on the uneven, dark terrain. He appreciated she knew what both of them needed without saying anything. She’d been nothing but supportive since he’d walked into her life on the worst day she’d ever had.

She had every right to treat him like dirt, but she hadn’t. Her focus had been supportive. She’d helped him investigate, and even taken on the load when both of them were injured. She was more precious than gold. A woman like that deserved a good man. If he knew for sure he was one of those, he’d be first in line to stand at her side.

With any other woman, he wouldn’t question his worth, but this woman could find out things about him he might not even know. That scared him. What if he wasn’t good enough for her based on those things? He was certain her father believed he wasn’t worthy.

Their kidnapper shoved Heather down on the hewn-out floor, then lit a torch. He looked at Allen and glared a warning. “Don’t make me shove you. You already know I can beat you.”

Only because he’d been surprised. Where was the man who had been in the car when they’d attacked him on the side of the road? He’d been cloaked in a dark coat with the collar pulled up, making him impossible to see.

“Where’s my dad?” Heather looked around the small space, her eyes wide.

“You’ll see him soon enough. Keep your voice down.” The man pulled the roll of tape from his jacket pocket once again. “For now, you’ll sit here and wait. Micha will be right there.” He pointed to a man coming down the decline they’d just descended. “Don’t test him.”

Allen squinted at Micha. He very well could be the one from the car, but with such dim light, he couldn’t say for sure.

“Don’t worry, boss. These two will be as quiet as rabbits.” He narrowed his eyes at them and snorted. “Not much of a challenge for me at all.”

Allen refused to take the bait. Micha was hoping Allen would spring on him and give him a reason to beat Allen to a pulp, but that would not happen. While they’d been walking, he’d been working at freeing his hands. Since they’d been led and his hands had been bound behind his back, no one had noticed he was almost free.

“I need to see my father.” The fear in Heather’s voice tore at him. He wished he could comfort her. Deep inside, he worried that if their captor hadn’t brought them directly to Ed, he might not be alive. It had been two full days since his abduction, and the statistics were not in his favor.

The men ignored her pleas for information. Micha kneeled near a mound of ashes about ten feet away from them. If he lit a fire, they would both be too far away to get heat from it. He doubted they lit anything during the day, since smoke rising from the center of the park would be a giveaway that there were people somewhere they shouldn’t be.

How had they carved out this place with no one the wiser? Ranger George hadn’t indicated they’d had any troubles in this area when they’d searched. He had said nothing that would confirm this cavern existed.

Micha piled some kindling over the ashes and squirted lighter fluid over it. He then set about lighting the fire as the other man left. Micha acted as if they weren’t even there. Allen recognized the tactic. He was trying to maximize the fear and worry, letting Heather’s emotions make her pliable. But why? Did she have more information than she thought? Fear was used to manipulate people, but that only made sense if there was a reason to manipulate her.

He glanced her way, but her eyes were closed. A stream of tears ran down her cheek. He wasn’t sure if he should risk talking to her or not. If he did, he already knew Micha was quick to pull a knife. The other man seemed to prefer guns, but Micha had drawn his knife on Allen, which had surprised him. He’d been so focused on the gun that Micha had been able to get too close with that sharp blade.

Fire licked at the dry sticks, crackling and sparking, sending bright ash into the air as it wafted up to the foot-wide crack in the ceiling above. Smoke gently rose with the natural chimney effect of the cave. He recognized the shape of the crack from when they’d been there before. He’d heard someone groaning down here and had assumed it was Ed Sundin. That had been earlier today. Had they killed the man between then and now?

“He’s no killer. Yet.” Micha stared into the fire as he spoke. “He just wants what’s rightfully his. You have no business keeping him from his family land. You should’ve just given him the drive when you had the chance.” He grabbed a long stick and poked the fire.

Allen leaned against Heather, praying she understood she shouldn’t take the bait. She should remain silent. Micha didn’t know the other man had turned killer and wanted to control her using her emotions. Heather sucked in a shuddering breath and wiped her cheek against her shoulder.

“If it’s legally his, then he shouldn’t have to do anything illegal to get it,” Allen said, breaking the silence for her. He would do whatever he could to make sure she made it out of this alive, even if that meant he had to draw the anger of their captor.

Micha snorted. “Spoken like a true officer of the law. You will never be anything but an obedient dog, will you, Pendleton?”

His back stiffened.

Life was light vs. dark. Good and evil. He was on the side of good, and that wasn’t wrong.

With slow deliberation, Micha shook his head. “That’s your choice. It’s not in your blood. You’re attempting to make everyone in town forget that your father is an alcoholic. You try so hard to avoid every vice. You’re as squeaky clean as a steamed shirt, but that won’t cover up your past or who youreallyare.”

He looked over at Heather to see if she agreed with Micha’s assessment of him, but she still had her head down, clothed in shadows. He needed confirmation that she didn’t believe this man. What good would it do him to try to continue their friendship if she thought his valor was nothing more than a whitewashed tomb?

“I’m a good man. I’m not my father.” So why didn’t it sound like he believed his own words?

“You keep acting like that and repeating yourself. Someday, everyone will forget the truth.” Micha threw a large stick onto the flames and a cloud of smoldering flecks filled the air in a wave that rose higher and higher. The cold air made them flicker and die within seconds.

---