Read Chapter 1 of How Much Do You Want?

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CHAPTER ONE

Sarah

Patti stood behind the table, shaking from head to toe as she declared her guilt. “I did it! I had them both killed.”

Thomas shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe you.”

Sarah, who witnessed everything on the other side of the glass, couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The young woman had just confessed to hiring someone to kill both Cassie Ryan and Max Loftin, but for some reason, Thomas wasn’t convinced.

Whether it was true or not, she had to get Ethan down there and fast.

Sarah took out her phone and dialed his number, hoping he’d pick up.

Ethan answered in a breathy voice. “Yeah, Sarah, I’m kind of busy. Can I call you back?”

She had no idea what he was up to, whether personal or involving the case, but she knew it couldn’t be half as important. “Whatever it is, it can wait! You have to get down to the station right away. We have a confession.”

“A confession? To the murders?”

“Yes! Thomas is with her now. You really should get down here, though.” She wasn’t sure what would happen.

“Her? Who is it?”

“One of the girls from the house. She just showed up here to see Thomas.”

“Okay, I’m on my way.” He ended the call before asking for any details, and Sarah was glad because she wasn’t sure what the hell was going on either.

Sarah put her phone away as Thomas continued to look dumbstruck on the other side of the glass. “You’re lying.” His voice had taken a serious tone that she recognized well. “Don’t say something like that if you don’t mean it. You have no idea what you’re doing or the consequences involved.”

The girl raised her chin in defiance. “I know you’ll have to keep me here and lock me up. That sounds better than the alternative.”

Thomas’s jaw was so tight with anger, Sarah could see the muscle twitching. “And you think that’s safer than keeping you safe somewhere else?”

“I’d rather be in a safe jail cell than have to go back to that house. Promise you won’t send me back.” The girl seemed to crumble in on herself, collapsing forward on the table as if her spine had snapped.

Thomas turned and looked at the glass with a desperate look in his eyes. He gestured for Sarah to join them.

Sarah realized she hadn’t gotten the girl anything to drink, but there was no time for it now. She hurried out of one door and into the interview room, where Thomas stood glaring down at the girl.

“Tell me you’re lying, Patti! Admit it before this gets really out of hand.”

“I won’t do it. I had someone murder them both.”

Thomas’s anger seemed to be building. “Who was it?” he shouted.

“I don’t know their names.”

“You can’t say because it’s not true! And I’m not locking you up for something you didn’t do!” He turned to Sarah. “Did you get her something to drink?”

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Well, get her some coffee.”

“I don’t want anything,” said Patti.

Thomas turned around, still fuming as he looked down at the girl. “You’re way too excited. Calm down, and we’ll talk this out.”

Patti looked up at Sarah. “I know you.”

“Yeah, I was at the house with the FBI agent.”

“Yeah, but not that.” She shook her head, and suddenly, her eyes lit up like she had an idea. “I know what it is. Lana hates you. She threw my smoothie at your car when she saw you on the street the other day.”

“Ah, well, that explains it.” She had wondered how that had happened so randomly. “It’s okay. The feeling is mutual.”

“So, you know why I can’t go back there, right?”

“No one wants you to go back there,” said Thomas. “You know that, or you wouldn’t have come to me. You know you can trust me. And I’m telling you, you’re going about his all wrong.”

“I had to take a chance on someone. And you seemed like you were really sincere. I went back to my room after I left you that night, and I couldn’t get what you said out of my head. I knew I had to get out of there. So, I ditched my phone in the pharmacy bathroom and took off out the employees’ exit.”

“You’re a smart young woman,” said Thomas. “You remind me of someone else I know. Just take a breath and let me help you.”

“When Ethan gets here, I’m sure he’ll help too.”

Thomas turned his head so fast Sarah was surprised it didn’t snap his neck. “Ethan? You called him?” Thomas wasn’t happy to hear it. “Why did you do that?”

“It’s his case, Thomas. Yes, I called him. The minute she confessed to murder-for-hire. Does he have a right to know? Did you plan on keeping it from him?” She already knew they were working together.

“Yeah, well, this is different. She’s lying. Aren’t you, Patti?” Thomas gave her a hard look. “Say it.”

The girl began to weep even harder. “I have nowhere to go.”

“We’ll find you something. There are programs and special safe houses. We can see if they have an opening. But jail is no joke.”

“How long will that take? Just lock me up until then.”

Thomas shook his head and gave her a pleading look. “If I process you, it will be public record, Patti. They’d find you. And I’m not stupid enough to think that Roald Collier couldn’t get to you on the inside.”

“So, there is nowhere to hide? That’s what you’re telling me.” Patti looked as if she had lost all hope. “They’re going to kill me if I go back.”

“What do you mean?” asked Sarah, hating the way that sounded. Surely, an accusation like that didn’t come without cause. “Do you have reason to think they’d hurt you? Have they threatened your life?”

Patti wiped her eyes and looked down at the table. “I know them. I know what they are capable of.” She looked up at Thomas. “And so do you.”

Thomas walked around the table and squatted down beside her to offer a hug and a shoulder. The girl fell into his arms and buried her head against his neck.

“It’s okay,” he said, stroking her hair. “We’re going to get this cleared up. You don’t have to go back, but you’re not going to prison.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I just hope you’re right.  But you shouldn’t underestimate them. And Lana, if she thinks you’re hiding something, she’ll find out. She always finds out.”

“Lana doesn’t have to know everything.”

As he spoke to the girl with such sincerity, Sarah realized that was the man she missed so much. Thomas had a soft side, and while he had only more recently shown it to Alice, she knew that he saw his sister in this young lady.

“You’re too good for her,” said Patti. “You have to know that.”

Thomas huffed out a sound that said he was unconvinced. “I think there are others who would say we deserve each other.” He glanced up at Sarah, who was reminded why things were the way they were.

“What’s going to happen to me now?”

Thomas brushed her hair back from her face. “Well, we’re going to sit here, take a breath, and you’re going to tell me what exactly you’re so afraid of.”

“I don’t want to end up dead like Cassie. Or Max, for that matter.”

“And you think they had something to do with their deaths? If that’s true, you have to tell me.”

“Yeah, but only because Cassie had gotten to where she was doing more and more with Max away from the rest of us, and I overheard some of the others talking about it being a problem. That she had forgotten her place.”

“Which others?”

“Bryan mostly.”

“Mr. Howler?” asked Sarah. “Bryan Howler?”

Patti nodded. “Yeah. We’re all afraid of him. Even Sapphire, and she’s never afraid of anyone.”

“Why? Is he mean to you?”

“Well, he’s not the warmest or friendliest person I’ve met,” said Patti as she wiped her eyes. “He’s always armed, and he’s always so cold to us. Sometimes, I think Lana is afraid of him too. There’s also a rumor that went around between some of the girls. I think Cassie started it. But Lana put a stop to it really fast. She said he had better not hear us talking about it again.” She took a deep breath as if she needed a break.

“What is it?” asked Sarah, eager to hear it.

“Let her take her time,” said Thomas. “There’s no need to feel rushed, Patti.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “The big secret was that he killed his wives. Supposedly, he was married twice before, and both died mysteriously. But Lana said that was just a rumor and not to speak of it again or face punishment.”

“What kind of punishment?” asked Thomas. “Did she ever say?”

“Not exactly, but she said she’d let Howler deal with us. But none of us ever wanted to find out what that meant. Cassie had us scared to death over it. She said that they had ways of making girls like us disappear. I believed it.”

“Yeah, I do too,” said Thomas.

“Why didn’t you tell someone?” asked Sarah.

“Who would I tell? They don’t let us have contact with anyone outside of the house other than to work, and Lana or Bryan are always there. Not to mention, there are things in our contracts that prohibit us from speaking out. We’re constantly under a microscope.”

“Well, you have to speak out now!” Sarah turned on Thomas. “You should tell your girlfriend how messed up that is. Women are being abused on her watch. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Leave it alone, Sarah.” Thomas’s voice was thick with a warning tone.

Patti looked at Thomas as if he were her savior. “You’re there to help us, aren’t you? I can see it in your eyes when you look at her when she’s not looking at you. I could tell by the way you were talking the other night. You loathe her, don’t you?”

Thomas took a deep breath, causing his chest to puff up. “I have my reasons for being there.”

“What are you going to do with me?” she asked.

“Without your phone, they can’t track you, but they’ll be looking. It’s only a matter of time before they check here to see if you’ve been picked up. If I book you, they’ll find you. I have to find someplace else for you to stay.”

“I’d like to help,” said Sarah. “I don’t agree with you not coming forward, but I understand it. So, if you want, you could come and stay at my place. I have more than enough room.”

“Do they know where you live?” asked Patti.

Thomas cursed under his breath. “Yes, Lana does.” He gave Sarah an apologetic look. “Remember? I had her bring me there to get my car.”

But Sarah didn’t think it mattered. “Think about it. I’m the last person she’d consider having anything to do with it.”

“And I’ll have to play it up as if I think you’ll come back. It will buy some time, hopefully. At least until we get you someplace safe.”

Sarah agreed it was the best idea. “I’ll call the safe houses. There is bound to be one with an opening or who could make some room for someone with a special circumstance.”

“What do you mean an opening? Can’t they just take me in?” Patti put her arms around her front as if to give herself a hug.

“A lot of times, you have to meet a certain criterion, and of course, they always have to have a bed available,” explained Sarah.

Thomas agreed. “Believe it or not, most places like that are usually filled to capacity, but sometimes they are willing to make an exception. But don’t you worry. We’ll figure it out,” said Thomas. “Are you sure you don’t mind, Sarah?”

“Not at all. But you’ll have to stay in the house, and if you want to go out for any reason, you’ll have to stay in the backyard where it’s private. And no wandering off. I already have one college-aged rebel in my house.”

Patti sighed. “Great, no freedom. Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it.”