Mina and Liz both napped off and on as Derrick drove. Mina woke up for the third time and realized they were approaching Jackalyn and Matthew's farmhouse outside Belcourt. "So how do you plan to get Jackalyn to leave? Matt will kick your ass." Mina snorted.
"Don't you worry about that." Derrick met her eyes. "I have a plan." As they pulled up to the farmhouse, Matthew stepped out onto the front porch with a shotgun. Mina grabbed Liz and pulled her down to the floor with her as Matthew raised the shotgun and fired at the van. Liz screamed and covered her head, Mina lay on top of her protectively as Derrick let out a yell, and the van sped up. More shots were fired, and Liz and Mina bounced wildly as the van mounted the porch and finally stopped with a loud crash.
"Liz?" Mina groaned. "You okay?"
"I think my arm is broken." She sobbed. Mina sat up slowly and gave did a slow check on her body. Her lip was split, and she was bleeding from her forehead. Other than that, she thought she was okay. She helped Liz up and checked her over quickly. She definitely had a broken right arm. "Oh, my God." Liz gasped and pointed to the front. Derrick was sitting frozen, staring as Matthew twitched and jumped on the van hood, pinned at the waist against the house. There was movement, and then Mina heard Jackalyn screaming and crying for her husband. Derrick shoved the door open and got out; pulling the side door back, he unlocked the ankle cuffs.
"Get out." Mina got out slowly and helped Liz out of the vehicle. "Shut up Jack. He was a dick anyway." Derrick gestured for Mina and Liz to go up on the porch. Mina kept Liz from looking, and Derrick walked up and backhanded Jackalyn. She finally focused on him and started screaming at him.
"You fucking prick, you're a disgrace. Selling your wife and niece." She spit in his face, and he froze and then pulled a handgun from his pocket.
"Get in the house." His voice was low and dangerous. Jackalyn backed up, gulping, then turned and walked in. Mina and Liz followed. "Use the bathroom off the kitchen and clean yourselves up." He waved his gun at Mina and Liz. Mina went in and helped Liz with her pants so she could pee and then cleaned up her cuts. Mina dug under the sink and found a first aid kit. She put Liz's arm in a sling.
"Your friend is gonna come, isn't he?" Liz said quietly.
"I hope so." Mina murmured.
"He loves you; you could see it. You weren't drugged, were you?"
"No." Mina began cleaning her cuts. "We were trying to keep you safe. Why did you go back to the house?"
"I forgot my makeup bag." Liz sniffed. "I didn't know he was waiting."
"Liz." Mina shook her head. "Go on, go sit with Aunt Jackalyn. I need to use the bathroom and clean myself up." When the door shut behind her, she locked it and pulled out her cell; she texted Asher quickly. Killed Matthew. Destroyed van. Richland Montana. Niece, Hazel Talbot 17. Then she put the phone on silent and was about to put it in her bra when the screen lit up.
Are you okay?
Sort of. He has a gun.
Hour behind you. Stall.
I'll try
Mina put the phone in her bra and finished up. When she went out, Jackalyn was making sandwiches with tears streaming down her face. Derrick gestured to the chair next to Liz, and Mina sat down.
"How did you know I was coming?" Derrick asked Jackalyn. He was holding a dishcloth to his head with one hand had the gun held loosely in the other hand on top of the table.
"William called and told us about Liz and that you took her." Jackalyn looked at him with a smirk. "Everyone knows what you're doing. You won't get a warm welcome anywhere."
Derrick shook his head and looked at Mina. "Looks like you're back on the selling block." Mina just rolled her eyes.
"You owe Draco four million. Each girl is worth one, you're still one short, and my understanding was you were suitable as well. So, by all means, call him." Mina grinned as his face drained of blood. "Asher negotiated for me; Draco will turn me back over to him, so you're actually two girls short."
Asher watched Mina's phone blinked in the same place and then called Draco.
"Asher. How goes the search?"
"I'm an hour behind him."
"Excellent." Draco sounded delighted.
"I want the girl."
Draco sighed. "Les hinted at that. She's worth a lot of money to me."
"How much?"
Two million for her, two million for Derrick. He is trying to buy his freedom by collecting other girls."
"I'm aware. Your final invoice will come in at just under two million. She's my fee."
Draco was quiet for a minute. "Fine. Her for Derrick. Where should I meet you?"
"How fast can you get to Crosby, North Dakota?
Draco was silent for a minute. "Eight hours."
"There's a Crosby Lodge there. Eight AM."
"I must say, I'm looking forward to meeting the woman who made Asher Christianson give up his fee. She must be special."
"She's mine." Asher said shortly. "I'll tear this country apart looking for her, so don't get any ideas."
"I'm a man of my word Asher. She's yours." When the call disconnected, Asher called Lexi.
"Get in touch with our FBI friend and have him call me."
"Yep." Asher pulled up the app and checked where Mina was. The dot hadn't moved, and he felt his chest tighten. He really hoped she was okay and still had her phone on her. His phone rang, and he hit the answer button.
"Yeah?"
"This is Batten."
"Derrick Talbot has kidnapped two, potentially three women, carried two of them across state lines, and killed a man. I'm about forty-five minutes behind him and will turn him over to Draco Consuelous at eight AM tomorrow in Crosby, North Dakota."
"Location?"
"The Crosby Lodge."
"How are we handling it?"
"Arrest everyone. Let me and my men go later."
"Okay. I'll put together the team."
Asher hung up and called Eric. "How far behind us are you?
"Twenty minutes."
"Excellent. We're going in with tactical gear when we catch up with them. We surround the house. Greg, Les, you enter from the back: myself, Eric, and Les from the front. Hopefully, we'll catch them after dark. Greg and Eric will take Jackalyn and Liz back to Liz's parents. Les, Joe, and I will take Derrick to Draco. You will all still get paid what you were promised. Understand?"
"Yes sir." They all reported.
"Aim to injure, not to kill."