Spark of Hope (MacKenny Brothers #3) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,37

good plan, although Yvette is probably the mastermind. Convincing Tommy to join in their plan was smart. He’s always been money hungry. This will be the easiest money he’s ever made. All he has to do is kill me and run. It’s a win-win for all of them.

“Tommy,” I shout.

He turns around and walks toward me. “Yeah?”

“I need to use the bathroom.”

Garry laughs. “You can do it there.”

Frowning, I keep my eyes on Tommy. He’s the weak link. “Come on, please?”

Tommy reaches me and pulls out a knife. For a moment, I think he’s about to end me when he slices through the ropes and helps me to my feet. My wrists throb as blood rushes back into my hands, and I wince as I inspect them.

“Thank you.”

Tommy nods and points to the bathroom. “Don’t run, Lo. You have ten minutes, no more.”

He walks back to Garry, and I limp toward the back of the building. Once inside, I lock the door. There’s a window above the stall, so I stand on the top of the toilet and try to open it. It moves an inch and stops. Using all my strength, I push up, and it noisily opens. I hit the flush button on the toilet to try and mask the sound. I’m not sure I’ll fit through the very small opening, but I have to try. It’s only a matter of time before Garry convinces Tommy I have to die. I’m halfway out the window when my ass gets stuck. Fear and desperation take hold of me, and I use all of my strength to propel myself forward. Well, that and gravity.

I hit the ground hard, bracing myself as I do, and one of my wrists turns at an odd angle. The pain is immediate, and I know I’ve broken it. Clutching it to my chest, I move as fast as I can away from the warehouse. I have no idea where I am. It’s dark, and it will only be a matter of minutes before they come searching for me.

There’s a road—I know I can’t stay on it for long as there’s no way I’m letting those fuckers get me again. A car comes toward me, and I duck down behind a dumpster. Its acrid smell fills my nostrils. When I can’t hear the car anymore, I continue on. My body is sore from head to toe. Fear and adrenaline keep me pushing forward. Another car approaches, but I’m out in the open.

There’s nowhere to hide.

It stops, and I peer at the driver.

All my fears fall away.

It’s my friend, Suzie.

She stops the car and gets out. “Oh my God, Lola! What happened to you?”

“Long story. Suzie, please get me out of here.”

“Of course! Get in the car.”

Suzie is looking around like a scared rabbit as she opens the passenger door and helps me into the car. I see her cell phone in the center console and pick it up. We’ve been friends so long that I know her PIN. Immediately, I call Kyle.

“Hello?”

“Kyle!”

“Lola?”

“Kyle, I’m with Suzie, she found m—”

Suzie snatches the cell phone from me and hangs up. Her face twists into an ugly scowl, and she strikes me on the face so hard, I see stars.

“Fuck,” she yells as she throws the cell onto the back seat.

Then, she puts her car in drive and speeds to the warehouse I had just escaped from. Tommy and Garry are outside as she pulls up.

“What the fuck are you two doing? I found her on the side of the road. I thought you had this under control.”

“She climbed out the bathroom window,” admits Tommy.

“Well, who was the idiot who left her in there by herself? Get her back inside.”

“Suzie?”

At the sound of my voice, all three stare at me, then Garry begins to laugh.

“What, Lo? Did you think she was your friend? You’re dumber than a box of rocks.” He sneers at me.

Tommy pulls open the car door and drags me out. Although I’m hurt, I struggle and cause him to trip.

“Jesus, Lo. Do you want me to hit you? Or should I hand you over to Garry?”

Suzie laughs. I pin her with a glare that does little to stop the annoying shrill noise coming out of her mouth.

“Why, Suzie?”

“Money.”

“I thought we were friends? The invitation for coffee, it was all a ploy to get me alone, wasn’t it?”

Tommy drags me inside and back to the chair. “Sit,” he orders.

Suzie peers down at me. “I thought when you hooked