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warn me. Did he keep you out of the loop on purpose? No one knows you’re here, do they?” Alicia asked once he’d hung up.
    “That’s our ace in the hole. They’ll all be watching Brian and they think you’re alone. I won’t lie to you, Alicia. It’s going to get rough, and plenty of people are going to say worse things than the accusations on television.”
    He glanced over his shoulder into the living room. His dad looked straight at him, smiling, and gave him a thumbs-up. If there had been doubts about leaving his dad to help Alicia before, there weren’t any longer.
    “I want my daughter back and I’m willing to do anything to make that happen. I trust you, Johnny.”
    “Good.”
    The real question was if he could trust himself.

Chapter Six
    “Where’s my mommy?” the kid asked for the hundredth time since she’d been hauled here kicking and screaming.
    Tory had been sure they’d be caught before leaving Aubrey. But the dark windows and loud speakers of her ex’s car had covered their escape and the kid’s screaming. Then country back roads had hidden them again.
    Lauren had cried until they’d convinced her of the lie. Part of the cover-up. Part of Patrick’s brilliant plan. Part of their attempt to never be caught. Tell the kid her mother was testing her and would “rescue” her after they finished the game. It was no big deal. She could pretend she was on an adventure.
    “Can’t you make that kid shut up?” Her ex-boyfriend charged toward the little girl, but Tory stepped between them to calm him down. He turned and threw himself on the tattered cushions of the broken-down couch.
    “What do you want me to do? You know if we hurt her we don’t get paid.” She should never have told Patrick that she’d help. And should have never have gone back to her ex to assist her pulling off this stupid plan. The bum always thought he was the boss, and he had the muscles to convince you. “Go back in the bedroom, honey, and play with your new toys.”
    “But can’t I have a drink?” the kid asked. “When’s this game going to be over?”
    “Later, sweetheart.” Tory scooted her inside the room and flipped the newly installed bolt to keep her there.
    She passed too close and her ex’s thick hand wrapped around her wrist. The same one he’d fractured last spring. It still hurt if she twisted it the wrong way and especially hurt when she tried to pull free. The bastard knew that. She’d yelped loud enough the first couple of times he’d grabbed her like this.
    “The news thinks that kid’s mother snatched her for the money.”
    “It’s working just like I said it would,” she agreed, hoping he’d let go before she cried from his tight grip.
    “So I’ve been rethinkin’ our arrangement. We can get more money. That idiot Weber is loaded.”
    “I’m not so sure. Seems kinda dicey.” How would she explain this to Patrick?
    “What can he do to us if we demand more? It’s not like he can waltz to the police or his wife and tell them everything. This is a sure bet. We’re in charge and he has to do what we say.”
    “I don’t know if we should. My way seems like it’s safer. We take the money and the mom takes the blame.” She had to convince him to stay with the original agreement. She wasn’t risking everything for half the pittance he thought they’d agreed to last week. She’d follow the plan, take all the money, leave this blustering jackass hanging and run off with Patrick.
    “My way, we get lots more dough. I’ve seen them do this on TV lots of times.”
    He wanted to be in charge. How could she make it his plan? Her wrist was aching but she didn’t pull away. She cozied up to the slime bucket, giving him full view of the extra cleavage in the tight shirt Patrick couldn’t resist. “Don’t they always get caught on TV?”
    “Only if they leave DNA or somethin’, and we’re in the clear. That stupid Weber left his prints and gave us the bear to plant. We used