Page 139 of Out on a Limb
“Interesting.” Elaine turned to the man at her side, leaning in close enough I couldn’t hear the words she said.
Michael tipped his head. “Of course.”
He turned and walked toward the door, giving Grant a nod as he passed.
“Seriously?” Grant huffed out a breath as he holstered the pistol in his hand.
Elaine turned to him, one brow lifted.
“Fine.” He held Julia’s eyes as he walked to the door, hesitating just a second before following Michael out.
Elaine’s gaze went to Alan as he began to groan. “Andrew, could you be sure our friend doesn’t cause any problems while I make a phone call?”
I’d love the opportunity to make sure Alan didn’t cause any more problems, but I could assume Elaine and I didn’t have the same plan for that.
Because while her mother’s plan A was always arson, mine turned out to always be violence.
I walked to where Alan was rolling from side to side and shoved my boot into the center of his chest, pinning him in place as Elaine pulled out her cell phone.
“Oscar?” Elaine’s voice was shaky and a little ragged.
Like she was scared.
I turned to make sure she was okay, but Grant’s mother looked just as calm and cool as she did while we laid out the plan to surround the garage while she went to ring the doorbell.
Technically it was a good plan, but it was lacking in one specific area.
Violence.
I looked Collette’s way. “You doing okay, Pickles?”
She nodded as she rubbed the wrists Julia freed.
“You are the only one I trust to take care of this.” Elaine was still talking to the chief of police, explaining that one of the girls he met at the station was abducted by a coworker she had an altercation with.
It appeared to be the truth.
Maybe not the whole truth, but part of it at least.
Because while Alan was definitely involved in this, there had to be more to the story.
I just couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it was.
“Let me up.” Alan grunted as he tried to get out from under my boot.
“Not happening.” I pushed harder.
He suddenly grabbed at his chest, wheezing. “I’m having a heart attack.”
“Good.” I held my ground as Elaine finished calling in a version of the crime Alan committed.
Once she hung up the phone she turned, her eyes coming to Alan.
The look in them scared the hell out of me, and I wasn’t even sure what it meant.
I could only imagine how Alan felt.
Hopefully he was shitting his pants.
