At that moment, Dorothy realized gravely that she wasn't just an incidental target. The kidnappers weren't after Karen or Abigail but after herself.
Her cell phone kept ringing insistently, with Everett's name flashing on the screen.
But she wasn't one to silence her phone, and the driver had heard it too.
He glanced at the caller ID and sneered, "Hand over the phone. Now. Don't try anything smart, or you'll see if your backup arrives faster than my guys killing your daughter!" "Here." Dorothy ended Everett's call, powered off the device, and handed it to the driver.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAt the sight of her compliance, the driver shot her a satisfied look. "Pretty girl! No wonder you've got people wanting to pin you down!" These words flickered a lightbulb in Dorothy's head.
Only Heather and Everett's parents would ever think of her as such a thorn in their side! It looked like they were impatient to make their move, and the matter with her child hadn't stayed secret after all. This was why Dorothy had been avoiding Everett and laying low from the Lopez family.
Now, she was squarely in their sights.
Dorothy clenched her fists, fighting to keep her composure. Panic wouldn't help. She needed to think about how to get herself out of this.
"What does Heather want with us?" she asked, naming the puppet-master behind this mess.
The driver, taken aback, glanced at her in the rear-view mirror.
"We're not working for her!" "Then it's the Lopez family," Dorothy shot back. "You've kidnapped Everett's daughter. If he finds out, have you thought about the consequences? What he would do to you?" The driver laughed at her words.
"Are you trying to scare me? Save your breath. I'm just a middleman. Once | drop you off, my job's done. Whatever they want to do with you is none of my business. You better pray for yourself." As the car continued to a remote location, Dorothy considered jumping out and risking injury, but her children were still in their hands.
These were the same people who had caused her mother's death. There was no telling what they might do to Karen and Abigail.
She had to go to them.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThe car stopped in a secluded place near a stream. Dorothy could hear the water flowing as she stepped out.
The driver was so sure she wouldn't run that he didn't bother to restrain her. After a leisurely exit, he pulled out a black hood and swiftly covered her head.
"Behave well, and you'll be seeing your daughter soon.” She was led forward for what felt like an eternity, following the sound of the man's footsteps and the babbling stream.
Eventually, they reached their destination.
A door creaked open, its rusty hinges screeching.
"This is Dorothy." "Good. You can leave." After this brief exchange, Dorothy felt herself being handed off to another person who led her further inside.
"Where's my child? | want to see her!" Blind and increasingly anxious, Dorothy only worried about her daughter's safety.
But before she could get an answer, the sound of high heels approached. Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded in her knee as a cane struck hard, buckling her legs and sending her crashing to the ground.
"Ah" "Dorothy, you're finally in my grasp!"