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I dialed Desiree’s nu to try one , it suddenly went silent, and I stopped pacing I could see Brett’s and Al’s eyes flicker up toroom Brett stood up slowly

“Desiree?” I asked “Hello? Desiree, are you there?”

There was a shuffling sound on the other end, and es of my hairline, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe

“Hello,” a voice said It was slithery and deep and like acid in ood for you, you will forget the bitch She’s dead already”

“What?” I screamed into the phone, but it was too late The click of the line going dead seemed to echo in my ear

“What happened? Is she okay?” Al said as I stared at the phone

“It was afaraway

“What?” Brett asked

“A et her He said she’s already dead”

The words ca to fall over I grabbed the wall and tried to press aswith despair and anger and hatred

“No way,” Al said “No way she’s dead Not yet”

“Why would you say that? Why would he lie?”

“Why would he answer the phone at all?” Al said “It doesn’tBut after all this, they wouldn’t just kill her on the spot They ant to make an example of her They’re probably still close It’s easier to hide here than in New York They know I’d find them”

“That ht be the point,” one of the men said “They want the word to filter to you that they have her”

“Negotiation,” Al said “They will try to ransom her for power”

“Then we have to find her,” I said Hope was building in ain If she was alive, then I could find her I could save her

“We need a plan,” Al said “We don’t knohere they could have her It would play right into their hands if we just blitzed the city The cops would be on us fast, and the FBI wouldn’t be far behind This is a turf war We have to play it like one”

“I know the area,” Brett said “If there’s an e around Ashford, I likely know about it and what used to be there If we go into town, I ht have her”

“Then we get ready,” Al said He turned toI relish, and it’s certainly not soet someone into if they aren’t ready for it”