Page 110 of Target Acquired
“Show me your pockets.”
She did so, doing her best to keep her body in such a position as to hide the other phone behind her. Finally he grunted and turned his attention to the device she’d given him. Instead of tossing it to the ground and stomping on it, he turned it off and tucked it into his pocket. “Turn over on your stomach.”
“What?”
He pulled a zip tie from his pocket. “Turn over.” Again, she obeyed and let him bind her hands, praying he didn’t notice the phone.
Then he slammed the trunk lid, enclosing her in darkness. The engine roared, and after a few jerks and bumps, they were on smooth road once more.
Kenzie didn’t bother to try to break the zip tie. She simply wiggled through her arms until her hands were in front of her, all the while thanking God for the spacious trunk. It was difficult, but it could have been worse. Then she rolled with her hands outstretched, searching. Her fingers grazed the device and she snagged it.
How much time did she have? Please, God, just . . . help.
She dialed Commander Hill and it went straight to voicemail. He must be on his phone. She hung up and dialed James.
“King?”
“Yes, listen, Harold Woodruff kidnapped Cole and me. I’m in the trunk of his Buick navy-blue sedan.” She rattled off the license plate. “I don’t know if it’s his car or not. Track my phone now. Also, find Oscar Woodruff. You may need him to talk his father down.” She could hear him murmuring to someone about tracking her phone. “I don’t know where he’s taking me, but—”
The sedan stopped and the engine cut off.
“—we’re here,” she finished on a whisper. That had been a short ride. “Don’t talk. Just find us.” She left the phone on and, unable to shove it in a pocket or anywhere else Harold wouldn’t notice it, she pushed it to the back of the trunk once more, praying he wouldn’t see it when he hauled her out.
The lid popped and she blinked at the sudden brightness. Then climbed from the trunk with Harold’s help. He looked at her hands now in front of her and just grunted. “Flexible little thing, aren’t you?”
She ignored him and looked around. “Lake City State Hospital?”
Well, it made sense. No cameras, no one around to question his presence. And lots of rooms to keep someone prisoner in.
He escorted her through the broken front door, and Kenzie saw that it hadn’t changed from the last time she’d been there.
She stepped carefully over the broken tile and dodged the skittering rodents with a shudder. Her hands ached, but her foremost concern was Cole. And so she willingly followed, praying the team would arrive before it was too late.
COLE STEPPED BACK from the window when the door opened, and a hard shove sent Kenzie careening his way. He caught her when she stumbled and she spun, planting herself in fighting stance.
Cole flinched. “Harold Woodruff?”
The man’s eyes flared slightly when he saw Cole had escaped the chair, then he scowled. “Surprise, surprise. Don’t get comfortable. I have to hide the car, then I’ll be back and we’ll get down to business.”
The door shut behind him and Kenzie whipped her gaze to Cole. “Are you all right?”
He nodded. “Yeah. You?”
“A headache, but nothing major.” She held up her hands. “I don’t suppose you have a knife on you.”
“Sorry. You don’t have any sugar on you, do you?”
“Uh . . .” She patted her pockets and came up with a mint. “Just this.”
“That’ll help if you don’t mind.” He took it.
“Feeling weak from the blood loss?”
“Yeah. And the drug, I’m sure. I don’t know what he hit me with, but it was a doozy. Knocked me right out. I remember him coming into the room, but the rest is kind of a blur.” He sucked on the mint, not knowing if it would be enough to perk him up or not, but he had to try.
“I managed to call Cross,” she said, “so help is on the way.”
“Oh, thank God.”