Chapter 51

Wooziness bombarded Hope as she slowly roused from a heavy sleep. Instinctively, she knew something was seriously wrong, probably alerted by the thick tape that covered her mouth. She stayed quiet and still. Her skin stuck uncomfortably to the warm vinyl of the car seat. The hum of tarmac beneath the wheels told her they were moving.

Where was she?

She blinked awake and tried to remember what had happened. The last thing she remembered was being in the judge's chambers and Colin attacking Judge Penton.

Holy crap. He must have drugged her too.

Was he driving?

Or was it Leech?

Fear lanced her, sharp claws of dread defying her usual bravado.

Her head throbbed, and the swirl of nausea in her stomach scared the hell out of her because she didn't want to die by choking. She didn't want to die at all.

Fragments of memory came back to her slowly. Foggy thanks to the drug.

She didn't dare move as she lay there, even though her arms screamed from the tension of being restrained behind her back. She used her tongue to push against the duct tape to loosen it. She faced the rear of the seat so whoever was driving couldn't see her trying to free her mouth, but she couldn't see them either.

Out of the corner of her eye, steely gray clouds raced by as skeletal tree branches reached their bony fingers across the road.

She didn't see any buildings, and her heart dropped a little to realize they were out of the city.

Ella…

The image of the young woman tied up flashed into her brain. Where was she? Was she okay?

From her work with sex crime cases, she knew memories of what happened after the drug kicked in might never return, but certain details were starting to break through. She remembered Colin had said Leech had kidnapped Ella and he was bringing Hope to him in exchange for her safety. And Colin had given her a gun…which she'd lost during their struggle. The rest was hazy.

It was frustrating, but she knew one thing. Colin was a liar and not to be trusted.

The car's turn signal started clicking, and they took a turn off the main road. She used the momentum to roll onto her back but closed her eyes and kept her expression slack. The area around her lips felt disgustingly itchy and moist.

"Almost there, Hope. It's too bad you slept most of the journey. I would have enjoyed telling you everything."

Colin was driving.

She mentally rolled her eyes. God, how some men loved to hear themselves talk. She didn't bother to open her eyes. Let him wonder if she was really awake.

What would her bodyguards be thinking? Aaron? Her heart clenched. Blaming himself no doubt, but who could have predicted this? Had they found the judge? Hope hoped she was okay. Colin's maneuvers to get them into the courtroom had been cleverly done. The judge had reason to keep Hope's protection detail out of the room, but she wasn't sure Aaron would have stayed outside. Not that people had that much choice when a judge ordered something unless they wanted to end up behind bars.

After another ten minutes, she opened her eyes a slit. The trees overhead drew closer together until the branches interlocked.

Dread pierced deep. Whatever Colin planned couldn't be good.

HRT wouldn't be far behind. Aaron might be upset with her for rejecting him, but he'd be worried sick. They had lots of ways of tracking people, right? They'd find her. Somehow. She had to believe that. If she could escape and hide, the FBI would find her. She forced herself to sit up and look around.

"Ah. Excellent. You're awake." Colin sounded delighted.

Hope rubbed her face against the back of the seat and managed to unpeel the tape from her mouth. "What's going on? Why are you doing this?"

His mouth pinched and his eyes examined her critically from behind his glasses. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

She met his glare. "Isn't that what you're planning anyway?"

"Not me. Not anymore." His voice was jolly, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Although that was my original idea."

She jolted at the depth of his betrayal, then frowned. "Did you help Leech escape from prison?"

"I did not. But I am very grateful to the good Lord for all his assistance."

"Because he's paying you?" Revulsion filled her tone.

"It isn't about the money," he insisted.

"What is it about then?"

He remained silent.

"Revenge? Admiration? Hatred? Or am I that lousy of a boss?" She almost laughed, except this was definitely not funny. "Oh, wait. I remember now. You said Leech killed your father." She gave a bitter laugh. "I'd apologize for forgetting something so important, but I guess that's what you get for injecting someone against their will with a date rape drug."

"Shut up."

"I thought you wanted to talk? Oh, wait, silly me." Saccharine dripped off each word. "I forgot. You didn't say you wanted a conversation. You said you wanted to tell me everything. The cliched evil monologue before I'm sent to my death—but no answering back or interrupting, right? Yes, sir, sorry, sir." She leaned forward and would have saluted if her hands had been free. "Did you find it too difficult to work for a woman?" She was deliberately provoking him any way she could. "Too humbling? Poor Colin?—"

He took his arm off the steering wheel and lashed out toward her face with his clenched fist. She avoided the punch and latched onto his wrist like a terrier. Her teeth sank deep into the material of his suit jacket and found skin, flesh and bone. This wasn't a game. She didn't hold back. He screamed as she tore into him. He used his other hand to grab her hair and jerk her head violently. She still didn't let go even as she eyed the punch he was about to deliver.

The tree they were hurtling toward got there first, and the impact had her smashing against the back of the seats as the airbags exploded.

And then there was nothing.