abruptly. She didn’t move when he commanded her to keep going.
“You’re not to disobey,” Dirk reminded her sharply; he pulled her close, grabbing her arm.
“The police are on the point at my cottage,” Candy said, her words breathless, she was pointing.
“The cottage belongs to you? It’s in your name?” Dirk asked.
“Yes.”
“Damn,” Dirk muttered.
From across the lake, they had a good view of the cottage, thankfully for them they remained within the foliage undetectable. Dirk was dismayed to see the girl was right. Though he would be untraceable through his vehicle that he left near Damien’s, they were without a way of transportation; their direct route back was cut off. With both abandoned vehicles sitting side by side at the bottom of a steep incline and Candy missing from her cottage, Dirk surmised the police would be anxious to know what she witnessed, and why she suddenly vanished. It wouldn’t be long before the cops were tracking their asses.
Dirk took a deep breath then turned to Candy. He wondered at her fearful expression, especially since it wasn’t toward him, it was cast across the water. He wondered why she hadn’t called out to the authorities to save her. Sound traveled well over water, she’d know that having a cottage out here. A desperate cry for help would be heard.
“You’re scared of the cops, or are afraid to go with them,” he stated with confusion.
Candy began shaking as she looked at Dirk. “Yes,” she agreed.
“Why?” Damien asked. His brother had recounted to Dirk his curiosity at her coming here and not going to the police.
Candy colored crimson and looked to the ground. Dirk gripped her small chin, raising her face to his gaze. “You’ll answer Damien’s question,” he demanded.
“Tyler was going to...he was going to rape me before Damien stopped him. I was the last known person with him while he was alive, someone will know that, someone will tell. The whole office knew it. You don’t know his family. They’ll say it was my fault, no matter who pulled the trigger; he was there that night because of me. His family will hurt me, kill me. Tyler has a twin brother, Taylor. He’s as bad as his brother, cruel, evil. Don’t you see? Taylor is worse than either of you. He wouldn’t even threaten me with slavery. He’d torture me until I told him Lisa’s father sent Damien, and then he’d kill them for revenge and me to shut me up.”
The chin he held quivered. There was fear in her eyes. The small hand that lifted to rest on his wrist gripped him tighter.
“I don’t want to tell, I don’t. Lisa was sweet and wonderful, and Tyler hurt her. He got what he deserved,” Candy cried out. “Please, I’ll listen. I’ll go with you. I won’t tell, I won’t, I swear. You promised I’d be safe if I listened. You promised, Dirk.”
Both men understood why Candy hadn’t gone to the police. She feared Taylor and his father more than either of them. She felt the police wouldn’t be able to protect her. Both Dirk and Damien knew Damien killed the son of a powerful man, but it wasn’t the first time. Both assassins were protected within their own circle. Candy had no circle.
Dirk realized a larger threat now presented itself. Whether or not Candy claimed she wouldn’t tell, the fact remained Damien would be in danger if she were to be caught. She was after all only a tiny, helpless woman. He remembered how easily she succumbed to her terror of his threats. If Taylor caught up with her and threatened her with violence, physical atrocities, she would no doubt disclose Damien’s identity and the reason why, no matter if Dirk coerced silence from her first. Dirk knew his father wouldn’t allow that. His father wouldn’t risk Damien’s or his contact to be exposed. Their entire family would be at risk, their entire circle could come under fire. Candy was a liability.
The young woman before him looked terrified. She’d been threatened with rape,
“You’re not to disobey,” Dirk reminded her sharply; he pulled her close, grabbing her arm.
“The police are on the point at my cottage,” Candy said, her words breathless, she was pointing.
“The cottage belongs to you? It’s in your name?” Dirk asked.
“Yes.”
“Damn,” Dirk muttered.
From across the lake, they had a good view of the cottage, thankfully for them they remained within the foliage undetectable. Dirk was dismayed to see the girl was right. Though he would be untraceable through his vehicle that he left near Damien’s, they were without a way of transportation; their direct route back was cut off. With both abandoned vehicles sitting side by side at the bottom of a steep incline and Candy missing from her cottage, Dirk surmised the police would be anxious to know what she witnessed, and why she suddenly vanished. It wouldn’t be long before the cops were tracking their asses.
Dirk took a deep breath then turned to Candy. He wondered at her fearful expression, especially since it wasn’t toward him, it was cast across the water. He wondered why she hadn’t called out to the authorities to save her. Sound traveled well over water, she’d know that having a cottage out here. A desperate cry for help would be heard.
“You’re scared of the cops, or are afraid to go with them,” he stated with confusion.
Candy began shaking as she looked at Dirk. “Yes,” she agreed.
“Why?” Damien asked. His brother had recounted to Dirk his curiosity at her coming here and not going to the police.
Candy colored crimson and looked to the ground. Dirk gripped her small chin, raising her face to his gaze. “You’ll answer Damien’s question,” he demanded.
“Tyler was going to...he was going to rape me before Damien stopped him. I was the last known person with him while he was alive, someone will know that, someone will tell. The whole office knew it. You don’t know his family. They’ll say it was my fault, no matter who pulled the trigger; he was there that night because of me. His family will hurt me, kill me. Tyler has a twin brother, Taylor. He’s as bad as his brother, cruel, evil. Don’t you see? Taylor is worse than either of you. He wouldn’t even threaten me with slavery. He’d torture me until I told him Lisa’s father sent Damien, and then he’d kill them for revenge and me to shut me up.”
The chin he held quivered. There was fear in her eyes. The small hand that lifted to rest on his wrist gripped him tighter.
“I don’t want to tell, I don’t. Lisa was sweet and wonderful, and Tyler hurt her. He got what he deserved,” Candy cried out. “Please, I’ll listen. I’ll go with you. I won’t tell, I won’t, I swear. You promised I’d be safe if I listened. You promised, Dirk.”
Both men understood why Candy hadn’t gone to the police. She feared Taylor and his father more than either of them. She felt the police wouldn’t be able to protect her. Both Dirk and Damien knew Damien killed the son of a powerful man, but it wasn’t the first time. Both assassins were protected within their own circle. Candy had no circle.
Dirk realized a larger threat now presented itself. Whether or not Candy claimed she wouldn’t tell, the fact remained Damien would be in danger if she were to be caught. She was after all only a tiny, helpless woman. He remembered how easily she succumbed to her terror of his threats. If Taylor caught up with her and threatened her with violence, physical atrocities, she would no doubt disclose Damien’s identity and the reason why, no matter if Dirk coerced silence from her first. Dirk knew his father wouldn’t allow that. His father wouldn’t risk Damien’s or his contact to be exposed. Their entire family would be at risk, their entire circle could come under fire. Candy was a liability.
The young woman before him looked terrified. She’d been threatened with rape,
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