“Shut your hole and do your job.” Billy shifted one hand and Samantha tried to pull away, but he yanked her back and jabbed her with something hard. A gun? “Don’t move.”
Her legs went liquid and she had the desperate need to pee.
Meanwhile, Elisha had loaded her arms with baggies. “What do I do with all these? I was supposed to have four days to move them.”
“Ya got four minutes. Wad ’em into clothes and take them out to the van.”
While Elisha balled the baggies into a black cape, a red kimono and a pink robe, Samantha tried to figure out how to escape. Would they kill her? Or take her to Darien?
She couldn’t believe Bianca knew this was going on…whatever it was. Drugs, probably. Had all her clients today walked out with plastic vests filled with narcotics? What a nightmare. If she could just…wake…up.
Elisha bundled up the clothes like a load of laundry, then rushed out of the dressing room. Billy yanked Samantha out into the hall after her, pushing her forward.
What was that self-defense move with the top of your skull and your elbow? He was holding her so tightly, though, pressing on her windpipe, that she couldn’t maneuver at all.
“No one moves. Police.”
The harsh voice made them all freeze. It was Rick, she saw with relief, standing in the Bedroom Eyes doorway aiming a gun at Elisha, who’d stopped dead in her tracks. “Hands on top of your heads. Do it. Now.”
Elisha dropped the clothes, scattering drug packets everywhere, and put her hands on her head as instructed.
Billy tightened his hold on Samantha and moved the gun to her temple, turning her body to jelly. “I’ll shoot her,” he growled at Rick. “Drop the gun.”
Samantha fought the urge to whimper.
“It’s all his stuff,” Elisha whined. “He forced me to help. I’m a prisoner. He has a gun. Like you can see.”
“Pick up that shit,” Billy yelled, “and get the hell out of here.”
“No one leaves, no one acts crazy,” Rick said in a deadly calm voice Samantha had never heard before. “Backup’s on the way. Let’s work this out before they get here. You, lie facedown, hands on the back of your head.” He jerked his head at Elisha, who obeyed.
“Like this?” she called up, her voice muffled.
“You chicken-shit bitch,” Billy muttered.
Rick inched forward, keeping his gaze on Billy. “Let’s work this out now, what do you say, man?” He was talking slowly, coaxing, as if Billy Bones were a rabid dog.
“Drop the gun now!” Billy squeezed Samantha’s throat so hard she had to cough.
“Kidnapping’s federal. Let the lady go. We know about the knitting shop. All we want is Sylvestri. You can help yourself here.”
As soon as Rick passed Elisha, lying on the floor, the girl slithered up and out the door. Rick didn’t even look. His gaze was trained on Billy.
“You think I won’t shoot her? Huh? Do you?” Billy shouted, squeezing Samantha so tightly she could only wheeze in air. “Drop the damn gun!”
Rick considered the guy for a second, then seemed to give in. “Okay. Weapon’s down.” He set his pistol on the end of the counter. “Take it easy.”
“More like it.” Billy yanked Samantha to her knees, crouching behind her.
Rick lunged forward, as if to grab her, but Billy pointed the gun at him. “She’s picking up the stuff and then we’re outta here. Tell the cops to stay clear.” Unsteady on his haunches, the guy braced himself on the counter to his left, which wobbled.
It was loose, Samantha remembered, and she and Rick were at opposite ends of it. She looked up to catch Rick’s eye, then tilted her head at the counter, telling him what she intended to do—shove the counter over Billy’s body.
Rick gave a slight nod. “Someone could get hurt,” he said, echoing his words that first day, when he’d offered to fix it, so she knew he understood her plan.
“Get all them bags,” Billy said to her, glancing at her, then back at Rick.
She balled up some of the baggies into the robe, thinking hard. She had to distract Billy for a second and get inside the counter. Her pulse pounded and her body tingled with terror, but part of her slowed and steadied, completely calm. She wasn’t about to let this creep carry her out of here. She leaned forward and deliberately shoved bags to Billy’s right.
“Dammit.” When he reached to get them, she moved inside the counter and put her weight against it. At first nothing happened, but then Rick must have shoved, too, because the thing gave way. She heard her computer monitor explode against the floor.