For Malcolm to have gone so far as to steal the shield and kidnap them, there’s no way his cousin had the money needed to pay off his impossible debt.
A long silence followed as the three men spoke quietly.
Then Graham made a phone call. He asked a couple questions then faced them.
“Christina said we have only half the money,” Graham announced grimly.
“How many people are with you?” Grant asked as he placed the cup of cola on the table.
Malcolm sat back down on the bed. “Just the four of us. I was afraid to tell anyone else.”
“Malcolm, tell him the rest, Graham said, crossing his arms over his chest
Grant looked between Graham and Malcolm. “The rest?” Grant dragged the chair a few feet and sat down in front of Malcolm. No way his cousin would get out of here without answering all his questions. Malcolm opened and closed his hands several times. “Right before all of this happened, I took Keltie to the doctor. She had a felt a lump in her breast.” He met Grant’s gaze and a single tear slid down his cheek. “She has cancer.”
Grant heard Abigail, still sitting behind him, inhale sharply. No one liked to hear the dreaded ‘C’ word.
“They wanted to do surgery right away,” Malcolm continued, “and remove it before it spread to her lymph nodes. Her outcome didn’t look very good. They found the cancer in both breasts.”
Grant grasped Malcolm’s knee. “I’m very sorry. I wish you had come to me. I could have helped you. Then you would be home with her instead of here.”
Malcolm shot to his feet and stalked over to the wall. Placing his hands on the rough surface, he leaned forward, then back, like he was doing a push up. Then he stepped back abruptly and punched the wall.
“They fucking have her.”
Grant felt a knot tighten in his throat. The anguish in his cousin’s voice was palpable.
“They are holding Keltie until I get the money. If I don’t, then they will kill her. That’s why I set up this scheme and time is running out.”
Abigail’s quiet voice spoke from behind him. “What is the timeline the kidnappers gave you?”
Malcolm turned sharply and glared at her. “No. That’s not what I meant. Six months ago, the doctors said Keltie wouldn’t live out the year without treatment. Even then, there would be no guarantees. I can’t afford to waste any more time.”
Chapter 16
Abigail sat back in her chair and stared out the window. Anger had coursed through her veins at the predicament she’d found herself in. Kidnapped, tied to a chair, terrified for her well-being. But as she listened to Malcolm tell his story, she found her heart breaking for him, despite the circumstances.
She ran the events through her mind. Malcolm’s wife gets sick, and he needs money for the treatment so he gambles, thinking it will be quick and easy . Then he gets himself into trouble and steals a priceless heirloom to raise money to get his dying wife back after she has been kidnapped . And so on and so on. And here she sat, helpless in a motel room.
Abigail glanced around the room. Ugly tan walls were decorated with even uglier knock-off paintings. The curtains were striped with brown, yellow, white, and orange and they matched the bedspreads. Malcolm and Grant were over in the corner near the bathroom talking quietly. Two heads almost identical, nearly touching as they spoke of things that had happened.
So, where did this leave her? She didn’t want to be in this room anymore, yet she didn’t want to be away from Grant. So many thoughts and feelings had developed in the last two days. Excitement about seeing him, anger for having been lied to about this whole ordeal, and sadness at the inevitable ending. Grant was a good man. He wasn’t angry at Malcolm for deceiving him. Instead, he was going to help him. As any kind, generous, brave man should be.
Stretching out her arms and legs in front of her, she arched her back and sighed. She was tired, stiff, and wanted nothing
A long silence followed as the three men spoke quietly.
Then Graham made a phone call. He asked a couple questions then faced them.
“Christina said we have only half the money,” Graham announced grimly.
“How many people are with you?” Grant asked as he placed the cup of cola on the table.
Malcolm sat back down on the bed. “Just the four of us. I was afraid to tell anyone else.”
“Malcolm, tell him the rest, Graham said, crossing his arms over his chest
Grant looked between Graham and Malcolm. “The rest?” Grant dragged the chair a few feet and sat down in front of Malcolm. No way his cousin would get out of here without answering all his questions. Malcolm opened and closed his hands several times. “Right before all of this happened, I took Keltie to the doctor. She had a felt a lump in her breast.” He met Grant’s gaze and a single tear slid down his cheek. “She has cancer.”
Grant heard Abigail, still sitting behind him, inhale sharply. No one liked to hear the dreaded ‘C’ word.
“They wanted to do surgery right away,” Malcolm continued, “and remove it before it spread to her lymph nodes. Her outcome didn’t look very good. They found the cancer in both breasts.”
Grant grasped Malcolm’s knee. “I’m very sorry. I wish you had come to me. I could have helped you. Then you would be home with her instead of here.”
Malcolm shot to his feet and stalked over to the wall. Placing his hands on the rough surface, he leaned forward, then back, like he was doing a push up. Then he stepped back abruptly and punched the wall.
“They fucking have her.”
Grant felt a knot tighten in his throat. The anguish in his cousin’s voice was palpable.
“They are holding Keltie until I get the money. If I don’t, then they will kill her. That’s why I set up this scheme and time is running out.”
Abigail’s quiet voice spoke from behind him. “What is the timeline the kidnappers gave you?”
Malcolm turned sharply and glared at her. “No. That’s not what I meant. Six months ago, the doctors said Keltie wouldn’t live out the year without treatment. Even then, there would be no guarantees. I can’t afford to waste any more time.”
Chapter 16
Abigail sat back in her chair and stared out the window. Anger had coursed through her veins at the predicament she’d found herself in. Kidnapped, tied to a chair, terrified for her well-being. But as she listened to Malcolm tell his story, she found her heart breaking for him, despite the circumstances.
She ran the events through her mind. Malcolm’s wife gets sick, and he needs money for the treatment so he gambles, thinking it will be quick and easy . Then he gets himself into trouble and steals a priceless heirloom to raise money to get his dying wife back after she has been kidnapped . And so on and so on. And here she sat, helpless in a motel room.
Abigail glanced around the room. Ugly tan walls were decorated with even uglier knock-off paintings. The curtains were striped with brown, yellow, white, and orange and they matched the bedspreads. Malcolm and Grant were over in the corner near the bathroom talking quietly. Two heads almost identical, nearly touching as they spoke of things that had happened.
So, where did this leave her? She didn’t want to be in this room anymore, yet she didn’t want to be away from Grant. So many thoughts and feelings had developed in the last two days. Excitement about seeing him, anger for having been lied to about this whole ordeal, and sadness at the inevitable ending. Grant was a good man. He wasn’t angry at Malcolm for deceiving him. Instead, he was going to help him. As any kind, generous, brave man should be.
Stretching out her arms and legs in front of her, she arched her back and sighed. She was tired, stiff, and wanted nothing
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