First Surrender (Chance Encounters #3)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Natalie

“ S issy, where is he taking us?” Dec asks from the back seat. We’ve been pulled along by this tow truck for a few miles and it’s the third time Dec has asked the question I don’t have the answer to.

“I don’t know, Dec. It’s okay. We’ll be okay.” He starts to cry and I can’t stop myself from crawling over my center console into the back with him. I hold him tight around the shoulders while I do my best to keep track of our surroundings.

We aren’t in Lawson anymore and I’m not familiar with this area. I have no idea where Declan’s taking us.

“Does Jackson know we’re in trouble?” He whimpers through his sobs and I do my best to blink away the tears welling in my eyes.

“I don’t think so, buddy. Declan tossed my phone before I could tell him what was happening.”

“Why did my dad take us?” Another question that I can’t answer.

“I don’t know, Dec. I’m so sorry, I should have kept you safe.”

“Should we text Jackson?”

“I don’t have my phone, Dec, it’s gone.” I try to conceal the frustration from my voice because I know it’s not his fault. My helplessness in this situation is killing me.

“I have the iPad.”

Jackson’s iPad always stays at home. “What? Why do you have it?”

“I snuck and took it to school, it’s in my backpack. Don’t be mad.” His big watery eyes look up at me and I can’t help but smush a kiss on his forehead.

“Dec, thank god. Give it to me, but keep it low.” He grabs it out of his backpack from between his legs and sets it on my lap.

I glance subtly to make sure we’re still driving in the middle of nowhere and no one is watching too closely. Declan is behind us but he’d only be able to see the back of our heads.

I open the messages icon and curse. There’s hardly any service out here. I type in a message anyway, hoping like hell it will send.

HELP. DECLAN HAS US. LEFT LAWSON. DONT KNOW WHERE. TOW TRUCK AND BLACK TRUCK. HE HAS A GUN.

I hit send and wait but the message never fully sends. The green text sits in limbo while the iPad waits for enough signal. Dammit!

I copy the message and send it again after we round a curve. We’re heading deeper into the mountains, which usually means worse service, but I’m desperate. After each curve, I copy and hit send again.

Finally, after a particular clear stretch of road, the iPad chimes, and the message is delivered right before we drive back into a thicket of trees. Thank God.

After a few tense, silent minutes, the iPad dings.

Jackson: The whole force is out looking. Don’t let him take you to a second location. Run if you can. Describe your surroundings.

iPad: No service. Mountains. Lots of curves. No other traffic.

I hit send but again, it doesn’t go through. We lost signal. We round another curve but this time I’m on alert. Jackson said to run…

Each time we go around these curves, the tow truck slows way down. It might be our only chance to escape but it’s dangerous.

Less dangerous than whatever Declan has planned though, I’m sure.

“Dec, look at me.” He does, with frightened eyes. “The next time I tell you to, you need to jump out. As soon as we slow down, you have to jump out of the car and run.”

“What do you mean?” He’s looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. I think I have.

“It’s our only shot. We’ve been driving a while and might not have much time.”

“What if it hurts?”

“It might, but we’re not very high. Pretend there’s a couch cushion on the ground when you jump and roll when you land. Then run like hell. Don’t stop, even if I can’t catch up. Run until your legs give out. Jackson will find us. I promise.”

“Sissy,” he whimpers. My jaw is trembling but I suck in a breath of air to ward it off. I need to be strong for Dec.

Another curve is approaching and I know this is it. Trees line both sides of the road. If we can get into the trees it’s our best bet.

“Okay, here we go. Jump, roll, and run like hell, Dec. Don’t stop for anything. Promise me.”

“I promise,” he whispers. I hug him tightly one last time and reach around him to make sure the door is unlocked.

The tow truck slows, rounding the sharp curve and I throw the door open as hard as I can. “Go, Dec. GO!”

The bravest little boy I know leaps from his seat and hits the ground rolling, tossing himself over and over until he comes to a stop. “GO, DEC! RUN!” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I fling myself out of the door, too.

My body hits the ground hard, knocking all the air from my lungs and making my head bounce painfully against an unfortunately placed tree. I can’t tell if Dec is up yet, I can’t tell if he’s running, but I can hear the brakes screeching beside me. The trucks are stopping quickly.

I knew Dec would have the advantage. If he got out first, he’d have a head start before they realized what was happening. I didn’t afford myself the same luxury but I do my damnedest to pull my body up off the damp forest floor.

With a quick blurry glance, I don’t see Dec anywhere. I see Declan though, running at me faster than I can react. “You bitch!” He grabs me by the hair, yanking me back toward the car. I try to fight him but it’s no use, my head’s spinning.

“Keep going to the farm, we’ll come back for the boy after we hide the car,” he speaks over me to the tow truck driver, throwing me in the back seat and pointing his gun at me. “Try it again and I’ll blow your brains out.”

I don’t look at him, I can’t. I don’t even care what happens to me now, I just hope Dec is okay.

Oh God. What if I made a mistake?

What if Dec isn’t any safer all alone in the woods?

My conscious thoughts are fading in and out as my head rolls around on the back seat but it’s only a few minutes later when a metal gate creaks open loudly. The car is towed forward briefly before I feel it dropping, being lowered off the tow truck.

I don’t bother lifting my head off the seat, I’m too defeated to care where they’ve taken me, but I can hear Declan speaking. “Keep her in the car. Shoot her if she tries to escape. Time for the Ice Queen to melt.”

He pounds on my window and my head jolts at the noise, throbbing in opposition to the sudden movement. Declan wags a finger at me, grinning smugly before pointing his gun at me, again and mouthing, “ Pow. ”

He strolls away and the sun comes beaming in through the window he was blocking, shining directly into my eyes. It’s late afternoon but they parked my car out in the open.

With the windows up, the heat is stifling and I’m a sitting duck.

He’s going to kill me and he won’t even have to get his hands dirty.