Courage Dares by Nancy Radke Read Free Book Online Page A

the floor.
    Death. So instantaneous. The inert shape laying on the carpet was no longer her neighbor. Black nausea swirled through her as she stared at the dead man, smelled the pungent odor of gun oil on Judd's hands.
    Connor was right. To these monsters, murder wasn’t a problem. His life hung on Judd's whim. She started to pray as she had never prayed before.
    "Shoot him," Judd said, making Wes grin with delight and hurry to a better angle. Mary’s legs collapsed. Her mind screamed against the evil around her.
    "Wait!" Ira said.
    He stepped over to stand in the way again. "Think about it. Do you plan to beat her up every time you want her to do something?” He spat the words out, as if he found them distasteful. “You know how I feel about that. Besides, you hit her too hard once and we lose a fortune."
    "Hum." Mary could almost feel Judd's reluctance. "He's dangerous. I don’t like it."
    "So, tie him up. He fights too good to be left loose." Ira stared down Wes, who lowered his gun with a snort of disgust.
    Mary stopped struggling, her body tense. After an extended pause, Judd spoke. "All right. Tie him, then. And make it good."
    With a snarled oath, Wes stuck his gun back in his belt, jerked Connor's hands behind him and wrapped the phone cord tightly around his wrists.
    Mary had stood quietly during this. When Judd finally released her, she grabbed the top of a ladder-back chair for support.
    Connor's hands turned white.
    "That's too tight," she protested. "He'll lose his hands."
    "So what?" Wes snarled, his pleasure evident as he yanked the cord tighter, ready to tie the knot.
    "So..." she paused to capture her thoughts, reeling under the events of the past moments. They were more than she could handle, yet she had to, to keep Connor alive. He had to stay alive— and healthy.
    "So he can help me carry my tent. Food. Sleeping bags." What else? “Uh...water. Ropes.”
    Judd stared at her suspiciously, his cold blue eyes almost disappearing under his heavy brows. "You'll lead us there?"
    She gripped the chair harder. "Yes. But only if Connor stays healthy. Including his hands." Leverage could act both ways, she decided, as Judd frowned, then nodded.
    "Fix it, Ira."
    "Mine was plenty good," Wes said stepping back while Ira re-tied the cord. "He'll git loose if yuh don't cinch it down."
    His complaints barely registered with Mary as she watched Connor stagger to his feet and drop into the chair where Ira shoved him. He kept his head down, moving it slowly back and forth.
    Was he all right? She tried to catch his eye, but couldn't.
    Why had he keep provoking these animals? He was going to get himself killed, just like her neighbor. Her mother had fought the drunken soldiers who had broken down the door. Her father had challenged the thieves at the jewelry store.
    Physical resistance brought death. The stronger always won.
    If only prayer worked for her, like it seemed to work for others. Why couldn’t she get an answer when she prayed for help?
    So...she was on her own. She couldn’t physically overpower these thugs, so she and Connor must outwit these killers. Somehow.
    Ira grabbed the lifeless body of her neighbor by its arms and yanked it further inside the room, then stepped out into the hallway, checking the short corridor and enclosed staircase.
    Mary had often wished dire consequences on her neighbor. But not this. Never this.
    He hadn’t needed to die. He should’ve called the police and let them handle it. A bully, he had frightened her more than once. Yet if she hadn't provoked him during the last few months before he became manager, he mightn’t have felt annoyed enough to come to her door. Actions often had unforeseen consequences. She felt partially to blame for his death.
    "Anyone else out there?" Judd called to Ira.
    Ira stepped back inside. "Nope. All clear."
    He bent down and removed his knife. As he started to wipe it clean on the man's white turtleneck, Judd stopped him.
    "Wait. Make it look