Underdogs The First Stories - By Geonn Cannon Page 0,55

to touch what she now knew was a shock collar. Her fingers trembled as she felt the latch.

"Go ahead," Sadie said. "Call for help as much as you want. Someone's bound to hear you if you yell loud enough."

Dale's hands were chained to something sturdy and she was left on the floor again. The trio left the room and Dale heard the locks being fastened again. She pressed her face against her upper arm, too frightened to even cry for fear of setting off the shock collar again.

Hurry, Ari. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

#

It was night before Ari got back to the office. She dumped everything she'd gotten from Sadie's house onto the couch so she could go through it later. She was feeling ragged, rushed. She dropped behind her desk and turned on the computer. While it booted up, she began sorting through her treasure trove of Sadie's possessions. She was thumbing through a ledger when there was a quiet knock on the door. She realized she'd left the main door of the office standing open and cursed herself as she spun to face the intruder.

Natalie's eyes widened when she saw the state Ari was in. "Whoa. Big case?"

"What are you doing here?" She went to her laptop.

"I was looking for Dale. She's not answering her phone." She stepped into the office. "Is everything okay? You look kind of frantic."

Ari laughed without humor and rubbed her knuckle against one eye. "Yeah. That's as good a word as any. Dale is, uh... Dale is..." She drummed her fingers against the desk, wavering between lies and the truth. She remembered what Dale had told her about their last date. "Dale's in trouble, Natalie. And I'm doing everything in my power to get her safe."

"What kind of trouble? What's... I mean, is it something to do with the... uh..."

Ari looked at her and waited for the words to form.

"Don't be angry at her. Dale didn't betray you. But it's kind of obvious if you know what to look for. My father was an alcoholic."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Natalie said, "It's okay. I know what you're going through."

Ari straightened. "You really don't. I'm not an alcoholic, and I don't have any drug problems. Dale is in very serious danger, so if you don't mind..."

Natalie stared at her for a moment and then said, "Tell me what happened."

"I couldn't begin to explain it all to you. Please, just trust me, okay? I'm not going to let anything happen to Dale."

"How can I trust you? Whatever happened, Dale is in trouble because she works here. How could you let someone--"

"Let someone?" Ari's voice was almost a growl. "You've known her for two months? How dare you talk to me like I'm some bad influence? How dare you act like you care about her more than I do? I loved Dale a long time before you came along. Don't stand there and glare at me like you're going to hurt me if something happens to her, because if it comes to that, I'll fall on my own sword long before you get a chance to do anything. Dale is my best friend. She's the only family I have in this world. So you can be damn sure I'm going to pull out all the stops getting her back. Or die trying."

Natalie backed away. "I'm calling the police."

"Do that and she dies for sure. Just let me do what I have to do. I'll get her back."

"How?"

Ari started to admit she had no idea, but then she took in Natalie's outfit. Under her leather jacket, she was wearing pale blue scrubs. "You have nitrous."

"I have what?"

"In your office. You have nitrous oxide."

Natalie started to back away. "You're insane."

"It's for Dale. I just need one tank to even the odds a little bit. Please. I'm going in there with nothing to beg for the life of my best friend. I need this. Don't do it for me, do it for Dale. Let her see what you're willing to do to keep her safe."

"That's not fair."

"Nothing about this is fair," Ari said, her voice breaking. "I realize what I'm asking you to do, but I'm asking anyway. I'm begging."

They stared at each other until Ari's phone started to ring. She didn't break eye contact as she answered. "What?"

"I'd watch my tone if I were you, Ariadne." Sadie's voice was trembling with anger. "I see you dropped by. If