Hot Revenge Box Set 2

*****

James

The message from Charlotte’s abductors…

Finchby…

Baxter…

… replays in my head…

Marsh Street under Barnbridge Road overpass 9pm

Bring the money

No police. No other people or she dies

If late she dies. So does the baby

Brandy and rage burn inside me.

The bag containing the ransom money swings heavy in my hand. I'm the decoy and at some level, I know I may not come out of this alive. Klempner's Kevlar vest gives me a little comfort, but it’s the fury inside that warms me against fast falling temperatures.

I should be afraid…

But I’m not.

Jade-Eyes…

My beautiful Jade-Eyes…

Your

Virgin, we have helter-skeltered from one crisis to

ruling her, robbed her of what she deserves. None of it

change any of

No. Nothing.

is what has made her what she is. Strong. Fearless. Resourceful. Even in the dire situation she’s in, imprisoned in her cell, racked with pain, coughing up green slime, she

for you,

And me?

I’m the decoy.

cloud makes a haze of the stars but does little to blanket in

a trek of perhaps half a mile to reach the rendezvous point, near enough to get there quickly. Far enough

the cold is keeping people indoors and, after all, Christmas is coming. Most folks will be with friends, at parties or

with fairy lights, dressed with spray-on snow and Santa, Please Stop Here signs. In my own home, we never finished the trimming up. Charlotte’s abduction killed off

I pass by.

few minutes I’m leaving the relative safety of the residential zone and passing into more uncertain territory. This

town, under the overpass which carries the modern road to Barnbridge. It's a risky spot for the unwary, noted

at least in pairs and the other emergency services are cautious. The area is noted for hoax calls of fire or medical emergency followed by

admit, I'm feeling windy about

Better than the alternative.

to

lighting. From the road above, moisture trickles down, streaking stark concrete walls white before settling to iced sculptures

on the overpass, late evening traffic grumbles past. But here below, all is

“Hello?”

voice echoes briefly, then dies

here.” I pace,

Nothing…