Stranded With The Suspect. Cindi Myers

the necklace you told me you would give my baby,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t have taken it without permission, but I wanted it to help me feel close to you while we were so far apart.”

      She braced herself against his anger, but instead, he kissed her cheek. “Bless you,” he said. “I knew you were my good luck charm.” He reached for her hand and she shied away, remembering when he had struck her not an hour before.

      “It’s all right,” he said soothingly. “I would never let any harm come to you.”

      This time she let him take her hand. As much as experience told her not to trust him, her memories of how good things had once been between them beguiled her into cooperating.

      “Come on,” he urged. “We have to hurry.”

      “Where are we going?” she asked.

      “A safe place. I promise.”

      The bed creaked as she shoved herself into a sitting position on the side, and stretched out her feet to find her shoes.

      Metwater pulled her roughly up while she was still searching, and she made an involuntary cry of protest.

      The bedroom door opened, spilling light into the room. Simon stood in the doorway. “Andi, are you all right?” he asked.

      Before she could answer, Metwater clapped his hand over her mouth and pulled her tight against him. Something stung her throat and she gave another cry. Light flooded the room, and Metwater’s voice filled the silence. “Drop the gun, or I swear I’ll cut her throat and she’ll bleed to death right here.”