“Don’t hurt her. I will pay anything.”
“Your money is shit, James. I’ve got more than enough money to last me a lifetime. What I want is all the evidence.”
“What?”
“You have evidence that can be used. You will come to England, alone, and we’ll make the exchange. Prue for the file I’m looking for.”
James stared at Lucas. The other man signalled for him to keep Leo talking. “If you’re really the right-hand man to the boss then why are you here and not one of the lower minions?” James asked. His heart raced.
“I’ll humor you this once, James. Dominic got killed. Eugene got killed, and Lloyd is rotting in some prison. Ask Dane. I get the job done and rarely leave someone alive to tell the tale. You’re lucky, James. I could have killed everyone you’ve ever loved. I’m doing you a favour. There will be plenty more women like Prue out there. She’s really not that big of a deal. I suggest you don’t try and f**k with me. I do my own work, and I remain the best. No one, not even your f**king army guys Lucas and Sean, can beat me. I’m the best.”
James knew there was no getting through to him. The man on the other line had fooled everyone, even Dane.
“How do I call you? I want to make sure she is okay.”
“Prue will be well looked after, James. I suggest you hurry. I’ll give you a month. If I don’t get my file in the next month, Prue goes up for auction, and she’ll be lost.”
The cell died.
James threw it to the ground and slammed Dane into the wall. “He’s got Prudence because of you.” His hand tightened around the other man’s throat. The desire to end him was too intense. He saw Dane going pale, his arms fighting for him to let go.
“James, stop.” Cadeon, Stephen, and Lucas pulled him away.
“He’s got Prudence. If I don’t get evidence to him, he’s going to put her up for auction. You better start talking.”
“I don’t have any evidence,” Dane said, coughing as he took in air. James felt his hands shaking. Prudence was in danger. He’d failed her, and she was lost.
“I can’t think,” James said. Blood was on his hands. He grabbed the nearest chair and threw it over the bar to crash into the bottles containing the alcohol.
He screamed, destroying everything in his path.
Stephen grabbed his arms throwing him to the floor. “Stop, James. You need to stop. This is not good for her. You need to focus.”
The tears fell from his eyes. James collapsed onto the floor. His agony was coming out of his mouth in the screams and sobs. “I promised to protect her. I failed her.”
“It is not over yet, James. We can do this. We just need to think.”
“He needs evidence, Stephen. I don’t have that.”
“Who gave you the picture?” Dane asked.
James stared the man. “What?”
“Who gave you the picture of him?”
Veronica.
“I know where to look. Please, let me go.”
Stephen pulled off him giving him the space he needed.
James took several deep breaths and stood.
“Who gave you the pictures?” Stephen asked.
“Veronica Star. My ex and Prudence’s older sister.”
****
Prue opened her eyes. The sun was shining through the window, and she frowned. Her head was pounding, and it hurt to open her eyes. All at once her memories started rushing to her. Jermaine, Leo, and the gun shot. The phone call that he had made to James. She held her head trying to bring focus to her world. This wasn’t supposed to happen. If Leo was only the right-hand man, what was his boss like? Prue shuddered at the thought.
She reached down to touch her cross and felt an empty space. Leo had taken her necklace away. Getting to her feet, she stumbled to the door. She saw her reflection in the mirror. Her face was bruised over one side. Her eye was swollen shut, and it looked like she had a split lip.
Opening her door, she began walking towards a door. There was no sound she recognised. At the end of the hall she opened the door and crashed into a rail. Prue looked over the edge to see the ocean.
She was on a boat.
“So she has finally woken up. I thought I’d killed you for a second there,” Leo said.
Turning away from him, she tried to get away. She ran for the end of the boat and looked over the ledge. If she jumped in she wouldn’t get very far. Would death be more welcoming than Leo?
His hands came on either side of her. His heavy breathing was close to her ear. She cried out wanting to get away from him.
“Are you thinking of jumping?” he asked.
Refusing to talk, she tensed up looking for a way out.
“I dare you to jump. You wouldn’t get very far. I think there are sharks in these waters. You’d be tasty for a few minutes.”
She looked down into the water wondering how bad it would be.
“Why?” she asked. Her throat was dry, and the sound came out in a croak.
“You’re a means to an end.”
He caught her arms in his hands and pulled her away. Prue didn’t fight him. “Now, you’re going to be a good girl, and everything will be good for you. I’ll get what I want, and you’ll be able to go back to your man.”
Leo sat her down at the table then sat in the seat opposite her. The table held fruit and orange juice. Her stomach growled. The other two men at the table chuckled.
“What if I don’t behave?”
“Then I’ll have you up for auction in a heartbeat. You’re a pretty girl, and I’ll get decent money for you. Make no mistake, Prue, I will make your life hell.”
She stared around at the ocean. There was no escape.
Please, James. Come and get me.
The End of Part One