Page 89 of The Cottage on Plum Island
“Probably the same man that got the drop on a Navy SEAL and tied them to a chair?” Harriet pursed her lips and looked at him smugly.
“I’m an ex-Navy SEAL, and I was distracted, and that’s the only reason that old man got the drop on me,” Harley hissed defensively.
“Wait!” Harriet looked at him. “Old man?” Harley nodded, and he could see a dash of humor spark in her eyes for a few seconds. “If I wasn’t tied to a chair and worried sick about the cra… sorry, insane person that has Jennifer and is heading to Beach Plum Cottage, I’d be laughing that you got taken down by an old man.”
“Noted!” Harley said, watching Harriet hop the chair over to the wall. “Hold on.” His brow creased. “You keep referring to the man who tied you up and took Jennifer as a cra… insane person. Was he old?”
“Nope!” Harriet pushed herself to her feet. She stopped and twisted her mouth thoughtfully. “I’d say he was about our age.”
“He didn’t give you his name?” Harley knew it was a long shot, but he was pretty sure it was Wallis!
“Oh, yes.” Harriet looked at him. “He introduced himself right before he produced a gun and tied me to a chair!” Her voice raised near the end.
Harley’s brow was knit and lifted as he watched her, wondering what she was doing. The chair curled over her butt and back, looking like a deformed Ninja Turtle.
“What on earth are you doing?” Harley looked at her in confusion.
“I’m going to hit the chair against the wall to break it and get free,” Harriet explained. “What did you think I was doing? Chair yoga?”
Harley knew it wasn’t appropriate, but it had been a stressful two days, and the sight of Harriet standing looking like a butterfly without wings as her arms were tied behind her with the chair, making her hunched over as she hit it against the wall stuck a funny bone. He burst out laughing.
“Well, that’s just great!” Harriet said. “You sit there laughing at me doing nothing, the big Navy SEAL who got taken down by a geriatric. At least I’m trying to get myself free.”
Harley sobered and cleared his throat. “He wasn’t exactly a geriatric and rather fit for an older man.”
“Okay, how old was he?” Harriet asked, swinging against the wall and nearly bouncing herself over.
“I think mid… Uh…” Harley cleared his throat. “I don’t know.”
“Okay!” Harriet said, about to take another run at the wall.
“You do know that’s a metal chair, and you’re not going to break it like that,” Harley pointed out.
Harriet stopped, blinked, and glared at him. “You should’ve said that before I looked like a baby rhino trying to knock down a cement tree!”
“I’d say you looked more like a square Ninja Turtle.” Harley bit back a smile. “We could call you Square-O-Chair.”
“That’s not even funny,” Harriet hissed, bobbing along with the chair on her back, making her way back to him. “Then tell me, Mr. ex-Navy SEAL, withexbeing the operative word, how the heck are we going to get out of here to save Jennifer and your ex-wife?”
“I’m going to just…” Harley fiddled with the knot, and it finally came loose and he undid the one around his chest. “Finish untying myself and think about freeing you while I check for the…” He fished in his secret pocket and found the thumb drive. “Phew. I still have it.”
“Great, now untie me, and I’ll tell you where he took Jennifer,” Harriet bargained.
“You already told me.” Harley stared at her smugly. “You’ll be safer here.”
“And how are you going to get to Plum Island?” Harriet pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows.
“Did they take Jennifer’s car?” Harley’s brain was in such a spin he wasn’t thinking straight he had to focus.
“Nope.” Harriet shook her head.
“Good, then I’ll take her car,” Harley told her.
“Good luck getting into or hot wiring the Subaru.” It was Harriet’s turn to smile smugly.
“You have the keys, don’t you?” Harley shook his head.
Harriet nodded. “I do, and I just happen to be sitting on them.”
