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But he couldn't do a da duct taped to a chair in his own kitchen Unable to ripped the tile floor with his bare toes and curled theh and calf ripped the chair arht they turned white The chair bobbled, but didn't move

The phone rested on the counter three feet in front of hi Feet

He clenched his toes again and wiggled his hips to shimmy the chair forward Instead, it went backward a few inches

Before frustration had a chance to burst to the forefront, the idea hit hiht hip Inch by inch, the chair turned so he faced the kitchen's bay , do froether and concentrated all of his efforts on shuffling the chair back

Left Right Left Right Left Right He passed the table

With every inch he scooted, ies of Josie at Snips' mercy bombarded him Was she somewhere tied up? Were they on their way to the state line? Private planes landed at the Dry Creek Regional Airport all the ti on the runway? If that bastard hurt her in any way, Sa to tear hiainst a wall for not being able to stop the bastards

The chair rae, just over his right shoulder, the red

Okay, he'd made it to the counter Nohat?

Panting, he sucked in so his mouth The tape didn't tear at his lips In fact, it wasn't sticking to thelue,it ineffective

He contorted hisas ainst his shoulder One corner ca the growing ache in his neck After what see limp from the corner of his mouth

Sa the chair so the counter was to his right He angled his head, arching his neck painfully, and knocked the phone froranite and rolled three ti to rest half off the counter

Fear squeezed his lungs, but the phone didn't fall He exhaled and his shoulders relaxed Leaning as far to the right as possible with the tape around his chest locking him to the chair, he reached for the phone with his mouth

His shoulder bumped the counter

The phone wavered on the edge, then plunged off

For a millisecond, the world went blank