Page 37 of Kent's Honor
Elle tipped her head. Her normally happy toffee eyes had turned a cold brown filled with fear. “But what does that have to do with us?”
Dixie had no idea how to answer that question. If she told Elle the truth about Nicky’s father, then her son would probably find out, and it was hard enough to find answers about why his father left.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
The back doors swung open.
“Let’s go,” one of her captors said, showing his gun. This man was the meaner of the two. He had piercing blue eyes that were lined with deep-set wrinkles. “Be quiet, and don’t say a word.”
Elle shook violently.
“I’ve got you, sweetie.” Dixie’s heart pounded like a jackhammer, but she needed to be strong for Elle. Holding her tightly, Dixie helped her from the van. She looked around, straining to see the street sign a few houses away. The homes were run-down, and most of the grass and bushes were overgrown. There was a random solar window shop across the street.
Her captor held her by the arm, guiding them toward an old blue home with weeds as tall as Nicky swaying in the breeze. The picture window in the front of the house was covered with a thick layer of dirt. They walked around to the backyard. The door to a back patio rattled, hanging open.
“Get inside.”
The floorboards creaked under the weight of her steps. A musty stench filled her nose, causing her to sneeze. The house smelled like death and animal droppings. The other man who had taken them sat at the kitchen table with his nose in a tablet. He’d been kinder, offering them a tissue for Elle, but that didn’t make him a good man since he’d shoved a gun in the poor child’s face.
“Take a seat over there,” the blue-eyed man said, pushing them toward a couch.
Elle cried out, clutching her side.
“I’d appreciate it if you stopped manhandling her.” Dixie eased Elle onto the sagging sofa covered by an old crochet afghan.
“Oh, you would now,” Blue Eyes said.
Elle coughed.
Dixie cradled Elle’s head in her lap, stroking her soft brown hair. “Can we get some water?”
“I wouldn’t drink the water in this place,” the other man said, lifting his gaze from the screen in his hands. “But you can have this.” He picked up a half-empty water bottle and tossed it.
Thankfully, she caught it before it landed on Elle’s face.
Dixie tested the water, ensuring it tasted okay.
“Take a sip,” she whispered, tilting Elle’s head.
“Any news?” Blue Eyes asked as he set his gun on the table.
“It’s not looking good,” the other man said, leaning back in his chair. “The Feds are on his tail.”
“So, the idiot didn’t call off his dogs. Stupid man.” Blue Eyes shook his head.
Dixie swallowed the sob, smacking the back of her throat.
The other man pulled out a phone… Kent’s phone.
A glimmer of hope spread like jam across Dixie’s skin. She never turned off location sharing on her phone, so if Kent had found hers, he could track his and send help. Maybe they were hiding somewhere outside right now.
“We can’t let the Feds nail him, especially if he still has all the product with him,” the tissue man said. “Boss wants to let Danny boy think he’s getting away with it right up to when he meets with whomever his buyer is, killing two birds with one stone.”
“Based on Daniel’s direction, I bet it’s that dipshit out in Tennessee who snagged a small shipment last year,” Blue Eyes said.
Tissue Man traced his thumb and forefinger across his jaw. “We need to know what the Feds are up to.” He pointed to Dixie. “What do you know about all this?”
“Nothing,” she croaked out.
