Railed (Courage MC #2) (30 page)

W
here do
I know that voice?
I thought to myself. I looked over the plexiglass covering. It was a woman in an official black suit, wearing dark sunglasses. She was turned around, so I couldn’t see her face.

“
W
hat is it
?” Adam asked me. “The banker will be back at any second. We should go. You scope the place out enough?”

“
A
dam
…” I realized in that moment who I was looking at.
Brianna Baxter…

“
C
ome on
. We should go.” Adam grabbed my shoulders and picked me up. I punched backward in his stomach and he let go.

“
W
hat the hell
, kid.”

“
G
et down
!” I whispered.

“
W
hat is up with you
?”

“
I
said
, get down!” Adam was smart enough to know when something really bad was happening around him. And throughout this trip, I had learned enough to know when to hide. We both ducked behind the man’s desk and Adam crawled out just enough to get a peek of what was going on.

“
W
ell
, I’ll be damned…” He whispered. “Brianna?
Ah, shit!
”

“
W
hat’re we gonna’ do
?” I asked, feeling my heart press against my chest.

“
W
ell
, she’s not here to make a deposit. That’s for damn sure.”

B
rianna walked
up to the teller, looking around the building. “She’s scoping this place out, Adam.” She was trying to find us. That had to be it.

B
rianna stopped
when she saw an officer. “ Excuse me. Have you seen these two?”

T
he man looked annoyed
by her inquiry. “Ma’am, I don’t give out information about our customers. I just guard the place. If you have any more questions, please go see a teller or banker.”

“
S
ir
, with all do respect, if you do not answer my questions, I will have you detained for a very long time. You’ll get charged with non-compliance and assault of a federal officer.”

“
W
hat in the hell
? You must be out of your damn mi—” She stopped him, holding out an identification card. “Ma’am, I’m so sorry. Uh, let me go find someone who can better help you. Again, I’m just so sorry, my God…” The man went running to the back rooms. Brianna turned around, nearly spotting Adam. He ducked behind the cubicle.

“
J
esus Christ
! That was close. Alright, let me think…uh…
shit…
We gotta’, get out of here, Rose. As soon as she turns back around, we walk out of the building. Act casually. I doubt she’ll spot us by our backside.”

“
D
on’t be too sure
…” I whispered. Adam frowned.

A
t that moment
, however, a banker stood above us. “Excuse me, you two.” Adam simply looked up at him. “Can I help you?”

H
e cleared
his throat and looked back at Brianna who had turned around again. “No thank you, goodbye!” I said hurriedly. Adam pushed me forward with haste and decisive thinking. He picked his briefcase off the ground and walked hastily towards the exit doors. I held his hand, trying to remain as calm as I could. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel Brianna’s presence behind us. “Just a few more yards…” He muttered under his breath.

“
H
ave a good day
!” The worker said as we exited the building.

B
rianna turned around
, only to see the glass door swinging shut.

C
hapter
20

“
T
hat was close
.” Adam said. He was walking in circles in the cottage.

“
W
ho said it was over
? Shit, you guys bring some dark forces into this town!” Daryl slammed his fist onto the table. The old mugs and crusted up bowls of food jingled.

“
Y
ou think they saw us
, Adam?” I asked him, biting my lip.

“
W
ho knows
? Daryl, turn on your TV.” He grabbed the remote and switched it to the news station. The screen was scratchy and moving from left to right. “How old is this thing?” Adam asked as he hit the top of the tube three times. The screen went to normal and we all sat down to watch.

“
A
nd we’re back
! The hunt for Rose Fischer is still under way. Still, the authorities have very little clues as to her whereabouts.” The screen cut to a press conference with the sheriff. “At about 7:30 PM, we were tipped off by an officer in Oregon that a young girl was spotted without her parents at a local gas station. The evidence from the cameras has now confirmed that it was Rose Fischer. At that time, she was alive and well. If anyone has any information they can offer to us, please call the number to the hotline or your local police station.”

I
watched
as my parents walked up to the microphone next. My father was holding my mother as she cried into his arms. “We just want our little girl back. Please help us find our little girl. That is all.” They walked away from the podium, back behind the curtain. I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret and pain. I had hurt them tremendously, and for that I couldn’t be forgiven.

T
he news reporter
was back on the screen:

“
W
e’re here
with Dr. Daniel Peterson, author of ‘Cold Hearted Kidnappings.’ Doctor, what exactly are we dealing with here?”

“
W
ell
, Diane, first let me say that this isn’t something as simple as the news makes it out to be. It seems we’re dealing with a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome. I’ll define that for your viewers in case they don’t know about the subject. The term ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, otherwise known as capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon in which that captive expresses sympathy, and in some cases it develops into a deep bond or love, for their captors. In about 8 percent of…”
Click!

“
H
ey
!” I yelled. “I was watching that!”

A
dam waved
his hand at me and lit a cigarette. “Enough watching. We gotta’ figure our situation out. Are we in danger if we carry this out?” He looked over at Daryl for answers.

D
aryl looked exhausted
. He was sweating and wiping his forehead with his hands, pressing hard onto his eyes. “Listen, Adam. I’m not sure if I can help you two.”

“
Y
ou what
?” Adam said, eyes blinking with confusion.

“
T
here’s just
a lot at risk here. I was cool with the plan in the beginning, but with Brianna in the picture, things could go south fast.”

“
O
h
, like Hell it will!” Adam pulled at his hair. The two men were at their wits end.

“
T
his ain’t
no normal drug dealing type shit, Adam! This is rob a bank, go to jail for the rest of your life kind of shit. This is
federal
punishment kind of shit. This is kill a black man by hanging type of shit. I ain’t dying like my great grandparents. Hell no. Let me die in peace.”

“
I
hear you
. But, man, Daryl…I’m out of options. If I don’t get this cash, I’ll be stuck in the same damn cycle I’ve been in, since the beginning. Man, I lost everything during that last heist. I promise you, I ain’t gonna’ lose this time. We’re gonna’ win. You gotta’ trust me on this.”

I
stood
up from my chair and let out a growl. “Does anyone give a damn about me?” I screamed. “God, you two can be so selfish sometimes!”

T
he two men
stood in silence. “Alright, girl. Speak. Let it out.” Daryl said, waiting for me to say what was on my mind.

A
t first I
didn’t even know what I wanted to say. I think I was just angry they wouldn’t let me
have
my say. Finally, after a few seconds of thinking, it came to me. “We’re doing the job, guys.”

“
W
hat makes
you think you can just tell us what we’re doing?” Daryl said, looking more frustrated than ever. “You…you…you guys just come in my house and tell me what to do? Ah, hell no! You got some fucking nerve, you know that?”

“
D
aryl
, you don’t even have to do anything, except stick your hand out for some cash. We’re the ones putting our necks on the line. Now, shut up and listen. I’ve got a plan.”

“
A
lright
, girl. I’m listening.” An air of respect filled the room and for once I felt strong.

I
took
a deep breath and relayed the plan. “I’ll give myself up.” I said.

A
dam laughed to himself
. “Like shit you will. You’re joking right?”

“
I
t’s not a joke
.” I said, shaking my head. I lowered my tone. “Adam, I have to go home. It’s the only way.”

A
dam’s eyes creased
. “What are you saying, kid? Spit it out already.”

“
I
f I don’t
, we’ll lose our lives in that bank. Trust me on this, Adam. I’ve got a bad feeling about seeing Brianna there.”

“
I
told you already
. It’s just coincidence.” He said, leaning towards me.

“
A
dam
, if you don’t wise up, you’ll end up getting us killed. There is a good reason we saw Brianna today. She was trying to find us. Who knows, maybe she even saw us come in the damn building. Either way, she knows something’s up. If I turn myself in, no one will suspect I had anything to do with my disappearance. If I leave, you can pull off the bank, while the focus of attention is on me.”

“
I
can’t leave
you here.” He said. “This isn’t part of the plan. We’re supposed to be together.”

“
N
ot right now
. Not yet. But after. Come get me.” I said. I turned and wiped the tears from my eyes. This wasn’t going to be easy. This wasn’t going to be clean. So I left. I ran out of the house, right into the woods.

“
W
ait
!” Adam screamed. The sound of a glass breaking against wood echoed behind me.

C
hapter
21

T
hings didn’t feel so
good for me now. I felt an undeniable wave of pressure eating away at my stomach, moving upward throughout my body. There was no escaping the position we were in. This was being an adult. I had to make that choice.

A
dam will save me
.

A
dam has to save me
. Right?

I
walked through the forest
, with the giant trees hanging over my head, until I reached the open path that led to the streets. I was out, and I hadn’t a clue as to where to go. So I just kept walking. I walked and I walked, roaming the city, until I found a large filling station. Trucks lined the parking lot, waiting for gas. Some were sleeping in their vehicles. Others were off to the side, smoking cigarettes and conversing. I knew what I had to do.

I
braced
myself and walked up to the nearest group of drivers. “Any of you going south?” I asked.

“
W
here’s your parents
, little one?” One of them joked.

“
D
on’t call
me little one.” I angrily retorted. If they had an inkling as to what I had been through, they would have been on their knees with respect.

“
W
here down south
are you headed, lady?” One man stepped out from the crowd to ask. He was drinking a hot cup of coffee, sporting a calm demeanor. He smiled. He looked as if he were a friend, like he had known me for years.

“
I
need
to get to Arizona. I’m headed home.” I admitted, feeling a twinge of regret. My mind went to Adam. He was now alone with Daryl. And though I probably couldn’t protect him from any danger, it always felt better being next to him when danger came. I couldn’t imagine the state they were in now.