Marcia’s eyes were red and puffy, panic making her words tumble out in a jumble. “Someone–someone just called. They told me toe alone and save Hickey…”

    Franktched onto the one thing that mattered. “Where do they want you to go?”

    “H–here. This ce.”

    With shaking hands, Marcia fumbled for her phone and thrust it at Frank.

    It was the same abandoned industrial park.

    They’d taken both his wife and his nephew.

    Frank barely nced at the screen before striding to the car, his voice icy. “I’ll handle this. You go home and wait.”

    “No!”

    Marcia grabbed his arm, her desperation ring. “Hickey is my son. He’s been kidnapped–how could I possibly just go home and wait?”

    Frank shot her a skeptical look, but there was no time to argue. “Fine. Get

    in the car.”

    “Okay.”

    Marcia nodded frantically and scrambled into the passenger seat.

    –

    It didn’t take long before their SUV pulled up outside a derelict factory at the edge of the old industrial district.

    Elissa’s instincts told her they’d left Vistapeak City far behind.

    As the car screeched to a halt in front of the crumbling warehouse, the tattooed man beside her yanked her out with rough hands.

    From the passenger side, a middle–aged man with a jagged scar across

    12:08

    his cheek climbed out, his tone sharp with annoyance. “Can’t iyou /ishow a little more respect for ady?”

    The tattooed man just shrugged. “She’s not gonna be alive much longer. What’s the point?”

    It was obvious the Scarred Man was in charge. The tattooed guy lowered his voice.

    The Scarred Man gave a chillingugh. “With a face like that, you’re not even tempted to have a little fun before she dies?”

    The tattooed man understood immediately, and his grip on Elissa eased a little.

    Elissa wasn’t stupid–she caught the implication right away, her scalp prickling with fear. “Who sent you? Who are you working for?”

    Neither man answered. They dragged her inside, ignoring her struggles, and tied her tightly to a chair with thick ropes.

    The sharp tang of gasoline filled Elissa’s nose.

    She was sure it was gasoline–her years learning to identify medicinal herbs by scent made her much more sensitive than most. Some herbs looked almost identical but could be distinguished by smell alone. That ability had been drilled into her; now, it might save her life.

    But tonight, these men really intended to kill her.

    Inside the warehouse, she counted several more tough–looking men–no way she could fight her way out alone.

    Forcing herself to stay calm, Elissa fixed her gaze on the Scarred Man–he was clearly the one in charge. She took a steadying breath and got straight to the point.

    i“/iSomeone hired you to kill me. How much are they paying?”

    The Scarred Man licked his teeth, eyeing her with a look that made her skin crawl. “So what’s the n? You want to buy your life back? Or maybe… sell yourself?”

    b12.08 /b

    Elissa swallowed the bile rising in her throat, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I’m a married woman. What would you really gain from that? I have money—a lot of money. How much are they paying you? I’ll give you

    double.”

    The menughed, exchanging nces. The tattooed one sneered, “Big talk. The client’s offering half a million for your head. What, iyou /ithink you’ve got a million lying around?”

    They’d already looked into her background before snatching her–a small–town doctor couldn’t possibly have that kind of money.

    Elissa exhaled, not hesitating for a second. “I can pay it.”