Chapter 7 - The Trap Jaws Close
"Let go of me!" I screamed, pulling my throbbing fingers free from the laptop.
Ryan grabbed me by the shoulders and slammed me against the refrigerator.
The breath was knocked out of my lungs, leaving me gasping for air.
"You're making this so much harder than it needs to be," he sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed.
He snatched the laptop off the counter and slipped the flash drive into his pocket.
"Did Claire really think she could outsmart me?" he chuckled darkly.
My heart stopped.
"You knew she was here?" I choked out.
"Of course I knew," he smiled, stepping closer until I was trapped between him and the cold steel appliances.
"I put a tracker on her car three months ago."
"I knew exactly where she picked you up, and I knew exactly when you were coming back."
Panic flared wildly in my chest.
If he knew Claire was here, then he knew Lily was right outside in the car.
As if reading my mind, Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small remote control.
He pressed a button, and I heard the distinct sound of our heavy garage door rolling down outside.
"I invited her to park in the garage while you were in here," he said smoothly.
"She thought she was hiding."
"What did you do?" I shrieked, kicking wildly at his shins.
He caught my leg effortlessly and pinned me harder against the fridge.
"I didn't do anything," he whispered.
"The carbon monoxide will do all the work."
My blood turned to ice.
He had locked Claire and Lily in the garage with a running vehicle.
"You monster!" I roared, scratching at his face with my fingernails.
My nails caught his cheek, drawing a deep line of blood down to his jaw.
He hissed in pain and slapped me hard across the face.
The force of the blow sent me crashing to the floor, my vision blurring with dark spots.
"You have five minutes before they fall asleep forever," he said, wiping the blood from his cheek.
"Give me the police."
I looked up at him, dizzy and confused. "What?"
"Call the police, Sarah," he demanded, tossing his own cell phone onto the floor next to me.
"Tell them you came back, you attacked me, and you're ready to surrender."
He leaned down, his eyes devoid of any human emotion.
"Do it, and I'll open the garage door."
"Refuse, and you can watch your daughter take her last breath."
May you like
He kicked the phone closer to my face.
"Your choice, sweetheart."
