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He wished he knew

He turned back to Pidge, said, “This is just a fraternity prank, right, fellas?”

“Yes, sir,” Hawk said at his back “I need you both to lie on the floor, facedown”

“Well, I’ her head around, eyes flashing furiously “Get out of here, both of you, now, and tell Scotty I want to hear froht, I don’t care what time —”

Pidge walked behind Sandy, cocked his arun butt Sandy yowled, went down into a crouch, hands covering her head Steven saw blood seep between her fingers Steven started toward Sandy, but the chillingcocked stopped him where he stood

Steven wanted to keep denying the wordless terror that was flooding his oing to kill them — unless, somehow

“I don’t want to shoot you, lady,” Pidge said “Drop all the way to the floor You, too, buddy Hurry up now”

Steven got to his knees, pleaded “We’ll do what you say Take it all,” he said “Take everything we have Just don’t, please, don’t hurt us”

“Good attitude,” Pidge said, shoving Sandy Meacha behind her as her husband lay facedown on the Persian carpet

“Hands behind your backs, if you’ll be so kind,” Pidge said He took a reel of fishing line out of his back pocket, wrapped the htly around the Meachaed off their shoes, stripped off Sandy’s socks, and began winding fishing line around Steven Meacham’s ankles

“I’ll let you in on soe said “Actually, we’re not fraternity types like Scotty” He tugged down Sandy’s elastic-waisted pants and underwear in one motion Sandy yelped

“Where’s your safe, Mr M? What’s the combination?” Hawk asked

“We don’t have a safe,” Meacham said

“Hawk, go back upstairs,” said Pidge “I’ll keep these folks company”

He slapped Sandy’s buttocks playfully, laughing as Meacham cried out, “There’s some money inside the humidor on my dresser You can have it Take it all!”