Chapter 61

61

Meyra was forcing herself not to panic. Miranda said don't panic when bad things happened. When people panicked they froze. When they froze that was when things could go wrong. Just keep moving.

She had been able to get the tape off her hands. Then her feet. She was really careful when she pulled it off her face. It hurt, though. A lot. She thought her lip was bleeding, but she could breathe better now.

She'd heard what those men had said. What they planned.

She wasn't stupid. Those were some of the same men who had hurt Brandt's sister, Powell, had nearly killed Heather and Gunnar and Daniel, and had hurt Brandt's parents.

And they were there now. In Masterson County.

It was some kind of conspiracy. A crime ring, just like Sage had said it was before. Like Miranda had said when she was there trying to find answers. Meyra and Brandt—they were right in the middle of it now.

Well, she wasn't going to let them get away with it.

She looked up. There was a way out of there. She'd already found it. Miranda said don't panic; well, Meyra wasn't going to panic.

The drywall behind the closet wasn't actually nailed down all the way. She'd seen light in the crack around it. It wasn't finished properly. Martin Tyler obviously hadn't been responsible for the framing here . Martin and his brothers would have done a far better job.

Meyra pulled it back, until she could slip through. The drywall slipped right off the too small nails, too. It took her some twisting, but she fit through the wooden frame eventually. She scraped her arms on the nails, but she had on her hoodie still. She'd survive a few scratches.

She was going to get outside, get to a phone or a car or something. And get help.

Brandt was still inside. Drugged. He wouldn't be able to just get away. She couldn't carry him. So she had to find a way to get help back to him instead.

Meyra saw the way out. The closet butted up against a small storage room or something. There was a window right there. Not a very big one, but she didn't have very wide hips. She wasn't as bone skinny as Marin, but she wasn't as curvy built as Miranda. She was right in the middle and was tall enough. She could do it.

She slipped the lock open, and raised the window. She pushed as hard as she could against the cheap metal screen.

She had to get to help.

Brandt was counting on her. She could do this. She could. Meyra pulled herself out of the window. And let herself fall to the gravel below. She landed hard.

Then hard hands were there.

A hand covered her mouth.

And a strong man yanked her from the ground.

"Well, well, looks like you found yourself a little bit of trouble, didn't you, pretty girl? Looks like I've found me a Talley to play with now."

Meyra fought as he dragged her across the parking lot.

Toward an old van that was just sitting there—behind a maroon semi. He opened the back door, and shoved her inside.