Eagle Pass, where she would cross the border into Mexico.
She’d already called Don Ramon on her burner phone to let him know she had the package and was on her way. He’d assured her that the car wouldn’t be searched. Not that there was much chance of that. The Mexicans weren’t too fussy about what crossed into their country, especially when there was a mordida involved.
One of Don Ramon’s trusted agents would be waiting in Piedras Negras to give her the cash and take the girl off her hands. With the little bitch gone, she could finally get some rest.
Her passenger was awake and stirring. Stella could hear thumping, kicking, and cries of fear and rage from the trunk. At least the girl seemed to be in decent condition. But the car was running low on gas and Stella had to pee. If she stopped at a service station, the commotion in the back might draw attention. She would have to open the trunk and use the chloroform to knock the girl out again.
Now was as good a time as any. She glanced at the ski mask lying on the seat beside her. She hadn’t wanted the girl to see her face. But why bother? Erin Tyler wasn’t stupid. Mask or no mask, she’d know who had her.
The road was deserted. Deciding not to wait for a service station, Stella pulled onto the shoulder, climbed out of the car, and squatted behind a clump of sagebrush to relieve herself. The wind was blowing in hard from the northwest, bringing with it a bank of roiling black clouds. A storm was moving in. If she wanted to make the border before the weather hit, she’d have to step on it.
Unzipping the plastic bag with the chloroform-soaked washcloth in it, she slipped it in her pocket and opened the Buick’s spacious trunk. The girl, her wrists and ankles taped, her clothes twisted and rumpled, was glaring up at her like a wounded hawk, as much in fury as in fear.
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded.
Stella chuckled. “That’s for me to know and you to find out, honey. Let’s just say I’m planning to retire, and you’re going to fund my pension.”
Fear flashed across Erin’s pretty face, but the look hardened into something else. The girl had fight in her. “So you need to keep me alive,” she said.
“Alive and pretty. That’s the plan.”
“I could use a bathroom break,” she said.
“That’s your problem.” No way was Stella letting her out of the trunk and freeing those long legs. She’d probably take off like a jackrabbit.
“At least give me some water,” she said. “My throat’s really dry.”
“Oh . . . what the hell. Just a sip. I’ve got a bottle up front.” Stella walked around to the car’s front door, opened it, and found the plastic bottle she’d tossed onto the passenger seat. She was out of sight for no more than a few seconds, but she walked back to find that the girl had rolled, dropped her bound legs over the rear bumper, and was almost out of the trunk.
Time for a little education.
Stella tossed down the water bottle and grabbed the girl’s arm. “Where d’you think you’re going, you little spoiled shit?” She backhanded her hard across the face. “You think you can hop all the way home to your daddy, eh?” She hit her again, so hard that Erin’s head snapped to one side. “Don’t mess with me, princess, or you’ll be sorry!”
She clamped the washcloth over the girl’s face and held it there until the slender body went limp. Then she shoved her prisoner back in the trunk, took her shoes for good measure, and slammed the lid shut. She’d never liked kids, and this one could turn out to be more trouble than she was worth. Only the thought of the money the girl would bring kept her from dumping the little twit on the road and leaving her there to freeze.
Climbing back in the car, Stella drove on. If the weather held, she could be over the border in a couple of hours. The idea of a warm bath and a soft bed in Piedras Negras was sounding more and more like heaven.
* * *
How could anything be harder than waiting?
Will, Tori, and Beau huddled in Tori’s living room, all of them silently praying for good news. Until they had some word of Erin, there was nothing they could do except be here, and be available.
Tori’s cell