said and reached for the gun.
Reluctantly Rain let him have it. Jaron was right. She couldn't shoot, and Telor had never owned a gun. But now Telor was in danger. When Carver came for her, Telor would try and save her.
"Telor, where are my grandparents?" Rain asked.
"My place, waiting for me to bring you home like I promised I would."
"I think Carver wants an old doll I had," Rain said and frowned. "But I don't know where it went. Daddy brought it back from Brazil and a few days later he and my mother were killed."
"An old rag doll?" Telor asked.
"Yes," Rain exclaimed.
"When you were little you used to dance with the doll clutched to your chest. I haven't thought of that in years," Telor muttered.
"Do you know what happened to it?" Rain asked.
"One night soon after you moved next to me, I saw you out dancing in the rain. You would still run and hide from me. That night your grandfather came out and saw you. Before you finished dancing, he scooped you up to take you inside. The doll fell. When I came out of the shadows and you were gone, I picked up the doll, thinking to return it. But you wouldn't come close to me."
"Where is it now?" Jaron demanded.
"Like I'd tell you anything."
War had been declared again. Jaron had Telor smashed against a wall. Rain was pulling at Jaron's arms but it was useless. It was obvious Jaron could turn his rage on like a switch. Now that Telor wasn't running on adrenaline, he flailed a bit helplessly. Jaron was in his face, his nose inches from Telor's.
"Now you listen and listen good," Jaron ground out. "If you know where that doll is, Carver will use Rain as a cutting board until you talk. Then he'll use you both as target practice. The man doesn't need any practice, if you get my meaning."
"What's to stop you from taking off with the doll and leaving Rain high and dry?" Telor yelled. "Carver will kill her if he knows you have it. If we just give it to the cops, Carver won't have any reason to touch Rain."
Jaron dropped Telor. Rain was again in Telor's arms. Telor was right. They needed to go to the police, now . After that thought, a small explosion hit the window. A bullet came perilously close to Jaron's head. Rain screamed. Jaron had her hand and was running to the door. Telor was on their heels. Rain saw a fleeting silhouette of a huge, dark, barrel-chested man in the window.
Out into the night they fled. The storm had passed and the rain had stopped. A few stars had made an appearance. Rain could hardly breathe. She had no idea how many were chasing them. All she could hear was the sound of feet hitting the wet pavement. Splashes through puddles. Cans toppling over.
Rain had no idea where Jaron was taking them but she knew absolutely it would be death to resist his lead. She also knew that as long as Jaron had her hand Telor wasn't going to leave her side.
They made their way to a river strewn with garbage and debris. Rain was terrified they were trapped against the water's edge, but Jaron jumped down a small hill. The ground was solid and yet squishy under her feet. Light from the awakening sun gave her a disgusting glimpse of raw sewage and cement beneath her feet. At a drainage tunnel, Jaron yanked back part of the rusty steel fencing. Jaron pulled Rain in after him.
"We can hide in here," Jaron said, panting heavily. His gun was out. He ran his hand over his face.
"We need to go to the police," Rain said, gasping.
"Well, I'll just run right out there and flag one down," Jaron ground out sarcastically.
"We can't stay in here forever," Telor said.
"Come on," Jaron said.
"I don't think we should go any deeper," Rain said, trying to hang back.
"I used to hide in here when I was a kid. I know my way around inside." Jaron gripped her hand tighter, forcing her to follow.
Jaron led them deeper into the dark tunnel. When a light clicked on, Rain almost screamed. It was Telor; he had a flashlight on his key chain. He shined his light from top to bottom, then flipped open
Reluctantly Rain let him have it. Jaron was right. She couldn't shoot, and Telor had never owned a gun. But now Telor was in danger. When Carver came for her, Telor would try and save her.
"Telor, where are my grandparents?" Rain asked.
"My place, waiting for me to bring you home like I promised I would."
"I think Carver wants an old doll I had," Rain said and frowned. "But I don't know where it went. Daddy brought it back from Brazil and a few days later he and my mother were killed."
"An old rag doll?" Telor asked.
"Yes," Rain exclaimed.
"When you were little you used to dance with the doll clutched to your chest. I haven't thought of that in years," Telor muttered.
"Do you know what happened to it?" Rain asked.
"One night soon after you moved next to me, I saw you out dancing in the rain. You would still run and hide from me. That night your grandfather came out and saw you. Before you finished dancing, he scooped you up to take you inside. The doll fell. When I came out of the shadows and you were gone, I picked up the doll, thinking to return it. But you wouldn't come close to me."
"Where is it now?" Jaron demanded.
"Like I'd tell you anything."
War had been declared again. Jaron had Telor smashed against a wall. Rain was pulling at Jaron's arms but it was useless. It was obvious Jaron could turn his rage on like a switch. Now that Telor wasn't running on adrenaline, he flailed a bit helplessly. Jaron was in his face, his nose inches from Telor's.
"Now you listen and listen good," Jaron ground out. "If you know where that doll is, Carver will use Rain as a cutting board until you talk. Then he'll use you both as target practice. The man doesn't need any practice, if you get my meaning."
"What's to stop you from taking off with the doll and leaving Rain high and dry?" Telor yelled. "Carver will kill her if he knows you have it. If we just give it to the cops, Carver won't have any reason to touch Rain."
Jaron dropped Telor. Rain was again in Telor's arms. Telor was right. They needed to go to the police, now . After that thought, a small explosion hit the window. A bullet came perilously close to Jaron's head. Rain screamed. Jaron had her hand and was running to the door. Telor was on their heels. Rain saw a fleeting silhouette of a huge, dark, barrel-chested man in the window.
Out into the night they fled. The storm had passed and the rain had stopped. A few stars had made an appearance. Rain could hardly breathe. She had no idea how many were chasing them. All she could hear was the sound of feet hitting the wet pavement. Splashes through puddles. Cans toppling over.
Rain had no idea where Jaron was taking them but she knew absolutely it would be death to resist his lead. She also knew that as long as Jaron had her hand Telor wasn't going to leave her side.
They made their way to a river strewn with garbage and debris. Rain was terrified they were trapped against the water's edge, but Jaron jumped down a small hill. The ground was solid and yet squishy under her feet. Light from the awakening sun gave her a disgusting glimpse of raw sewage and cement beneath her feet. At a drainage tunnel, Jaron yanked back part of the rusty steel fencing. Jaron pulled Rain in after him.
"We can hide in here," Jaron said, panting heavily. His gun was out. He ran his hand over his face.
"We need to go to the police," Rain said, gasping.
"Well, I'll just run right out there and flag one down," Jaron ground out sarcastically.
"We can't stay in here forever," Telor said.
"Come on," Jaron said.
"I don't think we should go any deeper," Rain said, trying to hang back.
"I used to hide in here when I was a kid. I know my way around inside." Jaron gripped her hand tighter, forcing her to follow.
Jaron led them deeper into the dark tunnel. When a light clicked on, Rain almost screamed. It was Telor; he had a flashlight on his key chain. He shined his light from top to bottom, then flipped open
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