Taking Chances

Chapter 48

Ryan sped through the streets of Brooksdale. The contents of the note he found behind the front door fresh in his mind. Phil was still a danger and possibly planning a kidnapping. The note was anonymous. It could be that Phil or that PI were trying to pressure Ryan into leaving Bec or make him over-protective. If that was true, they couldn't be more wrong. Ryan was determined to stand by her.

He pulled up just as a black mini-van accelerated away. Ryan's only thought was to check on Bec. He jumped out his Ford without locking it and ran across the street.

He got to the door and knocked. No answer. He tried the door knob and it opened. Ryan took a deep breath. It was unusual for either Bec or Jen to leave the door unlocked.

With his heart pounding, Ryan pushed the door open. The lights were on. The floor was strewn with papers and clothes. A chair was overturned, a glass lay broken on the kitchen floor, and Bec's phone was smashed into the carpet by the sofa.

Ryan ran his hand through his hair and swallowed hard. He pulled out his phone and called Jerry.

The black mini-van accelerated away from the curve. Phil recognized Ryan in the Ford F-150 and gripped the pistol he had by the side of his leg. When he saw that Ryan hadn't recognized him, he laughed. "You see Bec? Your boyfriend isn't very observant. He mustn't care enough about you."

Bec turned her head until her neck ached, trying to get a view of Ryan. Hoping Ryan would see her. But she was limited in movement by the rope around her neck and the windows were so heavily tinted that Ryan wouldn't have seen her even if he looked straight at her.

Jen was tied and gagged in the very back. Her body rolled with the motion of Phil's driving and Bec could hear Jen's body thump against the body of the car.

Bec sat in the middle row of seats. Her hands were bound and the rope around her neck was secured to the head rest. Each time Phil braked, she choked.

There was one chance left. In the confusion of Jen's return to the apartment, Bec managed to slip Jen's phone into her pocket. Now, she desperately swiped at the screen, trying to send a message for help.

"Fucking idiot!" Phil shouted as he accelerated through an intersection. Bec looked out the window and recognized Paul's Holden ute speeding away from her.

When Phil returned his gaze to the road, Bec took her chance, she glanced at the screen as best she could and hit send.

Ryan's phone buzzed. He had finished talking to Jerry, who was on his way.

Ryan wasn't waiting, though. He was on his way to the Ford. He checked the screen. It was from Jen's phone. The message read the message:

Phil. Black minivan North Main Str.

Ryan jammed his key into the ignition and gunned the accelerator. The old Ford revved and jumped forward into action.

His tyres squealed as he rounded the corner. Another driver honked angrily behind him.

Steering with one hand, Ryan called Jerry.

"God damn it Ryan! I told you stay where you were," yelled Jerry. In the background, Ryan heard the police siren come on.

Bec wasn't sure if she had sent the message correctly or not. Predictive text was a bitch.

She could see Phil's eyes in the rear-view mirror. Suddenly he swerved, braked, then accelerated.