J. McKenna - Wanted - Kept Woman

“You plan to walk me into a bank naked, with my hands in cuffs?”

“Relax. I’ll let you get dressed. And you’ll walk into the bank a free man. Just remember—I’ll have the transmitter in my left hand at all times. You try anything funny, I kill your little Lightnin’ Bolt. Got it?”

Brian nodded, his eyes boring holes into him. Sam ignored this useless display of temper. He had him by the balls and he wasn’t about to let go.

“Okay, let’s get you some clothes. I’m tired of looking at your little weenie.”

He forced Brian upstairs, where he pulled a pair of shorts and a T-shirt from the suitcase and tossed them onto the bed. He made Brian stand on the other side, while Sam stayed by the door. He tossed the handcuff key onto the bed in front of him. “Now, uncuff yourself, put on your clothes and lie down on the bed on your stomach.”

Brian could see Sam was not going to give him an opening. With that damned transmitter in one hand, he had no choice but to comply. He turned around and picked up the key, then fumbled around blindly until he felt it slide home. With a quick twist, the handcuff fell from his left wrist. He started to undo the other side but Sam shook his head. “You won’t have them loose long enough to bother with that. Drop the key on the bed and get dressed.”

Brian was at least grateful to no longer be naked in front of Suzanne’s ex-husband. It just felt too creepy. Once he had his clothes on, he lay on the bed, as he’d been ordered.

Sam crept close and quickly fastened the loose cuff onto his wrist. Brian didn’t move. Sam moved back and told him to get up.

“You got wallet, ID, keys to the truck?”

Brian nodded. “Downstairs.”

Sam led him back into the kitchen. “Honey, Brian and I have to go out for a little while. Are you sure you’ll be okay here? You need anything while we’re out?” He laughed. Suzanne turned her head away.

Sam picked up Brian’s keys and wallet then jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s go.”

Sam moved well back, out of reach and kept the gun on him. He waggled the pistol, indicating Brian should go first. Sighing to himself, Brian moved toward the open door.

“See ya, honey,” Sam told Suzanne. “Hope you don’t get too cold here, sitting naked, waiting to find out if you live or die.” He shot her a wolfish grin and pushed Brian out the door. Brian could hear Suzanne’s sobs behind him. His heart ached.

Sam stayed a good five feet back as they walked down to the dock. Brian was forced into the bow while Sam untied the lines. He jumped in and cranked up the motor. In seconds, they were headed to shore.

Brian looked around carefully, hoping to spot a fisherman or maybe someone taking a walk on the shore, but they arrived without being seen. Sam jumped out at the dock and quickly tied up the boat. Brian had some trouble getting out of the bobbing craft with his hands behind him, but Sam refused to help. He just waited for him a few feet away, gun leveled, looking around for strangers.

They made it to the truck. Sam unlocked the passenger side and stepped back while Brian struggled in. He went around to the driver’s side and slid in behind the wheel. Brian could tell he was uncomfortable, being this close to him. That told him this creep was afraid of him.

“Don’t you try anything while we’re driving,” Sam warned, holding up the fake transmitter. “You so much as twitch, and I’ll blow her up, I swear it.”

Brian nodded his eyes steady on him. He prayed for just two seconds free of his cuffs and with that transmitter out of Sam’s hands. Just two seconds. He’d risk the gun, but he couldn’t risk Suzanne.

They drove through the dappled trees until they hit the highway, then Sam turned toward the town of Kelseyville, just four miles away. He stopped at the first bank they came to and parked in a corner of the lot, within sight of the front door. Brian looked out, thinking how quiet, how normal the scene seemed to be—people walking, going about their Saturday errands, while just a few yards away, he was a prisoner to a madman.

“Don’t move.” Sam got out and climbed into the backseat. “Put your arms over the back of the seat.”

Brian had to lean forward. With much difficulty, he managed to hook his arms over the seat. Sam pressed the gun between his shoulder blades. He tossed Brian’s wallet and the empty gym bag on the seat next to the man.

“Here’s the deal. You go in, ask for the manager, tell him you want the money. I’ll come in a few seconds behind you. If I suspect you’ve told anyone what’s going on, I blow up Suzie, shoot you, and maybe a few others, and take off.”

“You’ll be caught.”

“Maybe so. But she’ll be dead. And that’ll be your last thought on this Earth.”

Brian nodded. “I’ll cooperate. Just don’t push that button!”

Sam’s wicked laugh rang in his ears. “Say please.”

Brian gritted his teeth, thinking how he’d love to take this man apart. “Please,” he rumbled.

Sam unlocked the cuffs. Brian brought his wrists around to rub the circulation back into them. He was stalling and he knew it.

“Go,” Sam ordered.

Brian knew he couldn’t reach around behind him in time to prevent Sam from detonating the bomb. He got out and headed into the bank.

Suzanne struggled against the ropes, twisting and turning her wrists, trying to pull the knot loose enough to slip a hand out. Dammit! Why did Sam have to show up now, here? Why can’t I ever be rid of him?

She feared Sam would kill them. That’s the only way he could get away. She thought about Brian being held at gunpoint. She knew he was capable of defending himself, but with this damn bomb on her, he’s helpless.

If I can only get my hands free, maybe I can disarm it.

She struggled, tears clouding her vision. She couldn’t believe her luck. It just wasn’t fair. Far beyond her own feelings of helplessness was her concern for Brian. She just had to do something to help! She twisted her wrist again and felt the ropes bite into her.

Stop! Stop! her mind told her. Relax. Don’t force anything. She tried to visualize the knots, the way Sam had tied them. He had looped the rope around her waist, tying her to the chair then tied her wrists, before tying more rope to the chair. It was all one big rope. So theoretically, slack somewhere else could be transferred to the knots on her wrists if she could untie the right knots.

Struggling against the knots on her wrists was counterproductive, she realized. It would only tighten them. However, when Sam had forced her back against the chair, she had cupped her shoulder blades, adding some slack to the rope. If she was lucky, very lucky, she might be able to use that bit of slack.

She reached up with her left hand and found the knot that tied her to the chair. It was a simple double knot. Digging her fingernails into it, she worked to loosen it. A fingernail snapped off, causing sudden pain to her finger. She gasped, but went right back at it.

After several minutes of intense work, Suzanne felt the knot slip loose and wanted to shout with relief. It had taken far too long. The ropes slackened across her chest and she wiggled her arms, trying to bring the slack back to her wrists. Drawing a deep, calming breath, she visualized the ropes leading into the knots. Grabbing the rope next to the knot, she pushed it forward, into the tangle. With her other hand, she awkwardly reached up and tugged at one loop of the coiled knot.

It took several minutes of seesawing back and forth, pushing a little, tugging a little, until she felt the knot loosen. She pulled hard and it came free. There was another knot underneath, so she repeated the process, looking out the window occasionally at the empty dock, hoping she’d have enough time.