Because You’re Curious… A Bit of My Book To Whet your Whistle
“Not so fast. It’s pretty late to be out here on a date, don’t you think?”
“What? You never take a girl to a park before?” Miller stepped in front of me and eyed the stranger.
“You’re here to give me the money Reinhold owes me.”
Miller pushed me further behind him. “I don’t know any Reinhold.”
“You sure? Because he told me I’d get my money at this exact park, at this exact time, from someone who matches your description.”
“You got me confused with someone else.”
“You’re not changing your mind on me now are you… Adam?”
“It’s not like that. He told me you’d sell me scratch.”
“Well I think we both figured out that ain’t happening. So either I get my money or you both die.”
I grabbed Miller’s arm and held it tight. All of my anxiety turned to panic in an instant.
Miller put a hand up. “Okay. I’ll get you your money. How much are we talking?”
“Eight thousand.”
He raised his eyebrows, but recovered. “Fine. Eight thousand. Whatever you need. But she has nothing to do with this. You gotta let her go.”
“So she can call the cops? I don’t think so.”
My pulse bounded, and my hands shook. But I needed to get it together. Miller didn’t know that our friends stood fifty yards away or that they’d probably already called the police…but I did. He didn’t know that help was on the way, or that he was minutes away from landing back in jail. He didn’t know he needed to get out of this place before his world came crashing down…but I did.
“Keep me,” I yelled.
Miller swung around. “What?”
“He doesn’t want anything to happen to me, so you know you can trust him to get your money.”
“She’s got a point. You don’t get my money? Say a word to anyone? She dies.”
“No. I’m not leaving here without her. If you want…”
Before I knew it, the guy grabbed me and put a gun to my head.
“Go get my money, now.”
“Okay. Okay. Don’t hurt her. I promise I’ll get the money. Just don’t touch her.” Tears welled up in his eyes.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “Go.”
“I can’t… I can’t leave you here with him.”
“If you don’t, he’ll kill us both.”
He stared at me for several seconds with panic in his eyes. Finally, he cast his eyes on the dealer. “Don’t hurt her, or I will kill you.”
“Don’t screw with me, and I won’t have to.”
Miller studied me one more time then ran off into the woods behind us.
Once he left, I felt the arm around my neck grow tighter. “You better hope he comes back quick.”
