Shouldn't Have Dealt - Book II

Chapter 22 - Intimidation

“Stop your games, Hunter! Tell me where my parents are and I won’t call the cops.”

Ray leads me to the living room because it is not a good idea to be shouting and crying at the doorstep where our neighbors could easily witness me cursing someone over the phone.

I think I hear him smirk which left me all the more speechless.

“You’re making me laugh, Angel,” says he. “If I were a kidnapper, taking away your parents would be a joke. I know you won’t be able to give me the financial ransom I want. On the one hand, now you’ve mentioned it, I think I might actually go down to that. Just so you know, you’re feeding me with ideas to intimidate you.”

What the?!

“They’re with me because your mother called. She could not contact you because apparently I got your phone smashed to pieces.”

Exhaling the huge air of apprehension off my chest, I fall directly to the couch.

“Listen, Angel, it’s not safe for you and your family to be staying there for the night. Paul will pick you up. Anytime now he will be there.”

“Hunter, I don’t understand.” Suddenly, the memory of the mysterious box that the sloppy driver comes surging through my head. If Hunter has nothing to do with this, then who could be?

“I don’t have to be explaining things to you now, or worse argue with you. So when Paul arrives there, get yourself out of that house as quickly as you could!”

Then the doorbell rings. Ray gets up from his seat and marches towards the door.

“Don’t open the door when it’s not Paul, okay?”

Why is he acting so strange now? If I am hearing him right, I think I detect a trace of concern in his voice. What danger could I be in now?

The sudden thought of Ray letting in a complete stranger struck me that I feel my heart gallops like horses. Instantly, I rise from the couch and run to the door.

Fortunately, it is Paul whom Ray who had opened the door for.

“Ms. Mohr,” he politely bows.

“Can anyone please tell me what’s happening?” the clueless Ray steps forward with his arms crossed on his chest.

“I am sorry, sir, but I don’t think we have time for that,” answers Paul. He then turns to me, and says, “I believe Mr. Stone has informed you of my coming. Are you ready now, Ms. Mohr?”

I feel my blood escaping my face and my hands turning cold as ice. I actually don’t know what’s happening and why Paul, specifically Hunter, is being so protective now. I sense threat because of the mysterious box and the sudden fleeing of my parents. But how grave could the threat be? Do I really have to leave my house to ensure my safety? Why does Hunter have to be involved in here?

When I am not reacting, Paul scrunches his forehead, then clears his throat to say something. “We should be hitting the road now, miss.”

I eye Ray who is not even flapping his eyelashes.

“Is Hunter behind all of these?” his voice domineering and a little bit angry.

“If what you mean is the sudden evacuation from this place, then it is a yes, sir.” Surprisingly, Paul maintains polite. “But if you are referring to the upcoming danger we are putting ourselves into now if we don’t leave this place, I am afraid it is Mr. Stone’s responsibility to shed light to it, and not me.”

I thought Paul was going to take us to Hunter’s place in Trenton, but to my utter surprise, he brought me and Ray to Hunter’s pent house in town. Ray would have to come with me because there’s no way I’ll be leaving him alone in my house. There are Mom and Dad sitting at Hunter’s dining table, probably drinking a cup of coffee or tea. Hunter, on the other hand, is nowhere to be seen.