Their Double Blessing

“Do a perimeter check Mary,” Ronald ordered and her sister skipped off obediently. “Listen, we both know that George is going to pay the ransom. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“My sister wants to kill me,” Patricia said as he fed her.

“That girl can’t shoot anything an inch from her face, don’t let her use a knife,” Ronald said nonchalant. “I’m not going down as a baby killer.”

******************

George stood at an old lumber mill. It was set for demolition in a few days. The entire area was abandoned and stood outside the city limits. He shuddered at the thought that Patricia was held hostage in an area like this. What could possess her own sister to take part in a crime like this? Mary seemed so cultured and fun loving when they last hung out. Goes to show that you didn’t know what was truly going on in the hearts of others. Cynthia had been right all along and he wasn’t sure about trusting his instincts outside of business matters.

The FBI were out in full force. Ronald Drake was already on their radar. Suspected of being a rising crime lord posing as a lowly conman, they’d wanted to lock him up long term but the weasel kept slipping away with limited jail time. Multiple witnesses had recanted after being threatened or injured. A few even disappeared. A chance to catch this man and also save the girlfriend of a billionaire was too big to pass up. George had decided to tell the authorities everything he knew to raise the chances of Patricia being found alive.

“So I just follow the instructions and leave the money by that empty dumpster?” George went over with an agent hidden from sight. He wanted to do more. Have Ronald taken down the second that hoodlum walked out. But the problem was this area had a lot of places to hide. Especially a hostage and two kidnappers. Also since Ronald was picking up the cash that meant most likely Mary was staying with Patricia, based off the description of the video. None of the agents wanted to take the chance that Mary wouldn’t shoot the hostage if Ronald didn’t return with the money.

“Yes, do exactly as he demanded then drive away. We have it all under control, Sir,” the agent responded. The man looked barely thirty but he had no doubt this person could take him down in seconds. They were trained for moments like this, to save hostages.

George nodded and went to take the suitcases out of the car. They were black with wheels at the bottom as instructed. Not very convenient to take along on this terrain. Better to carry than drag. Ronald even demanded a particular brand with convertible options. There was actually only two million. Real bills on the top and fakes under that. They were top notch taken from a vault where the best fakes had been found and stored for sting operations.

Leaving those suitcases behind was hard. Everything in him wanted to stay. But that would put Patricia at risk and if she died, he couldn’t bear the pain of such a loss. Neither his bodyguards or Cynthia were allowed to come along. He felt naked without them.

George pulled away in the rented Lexus. “Please God, let my love return safely to my arms.”

***********************

Patricia could feel the bonds almost ready to fall away. Ronald’s words kept playing back in her head. Warning that Mary was good with a knife but bad at shooting a gun. Why would he reveal such a thing to a hostage? It was such a strange thing to do. Giving her insight into his accomplice’s weaknesses was a stupid move. But she knew he wasn’t an idiot and did everything for a reason. So there was a reason for him saying that to her. She just had no idea why unless he wanted to give the woman he hated a chance to escape.

“The money’s arrived,” Ronald announced and she noticed a walkie talkie that wasn’t on his hip before. “It’s six and I told that Kent guy I wanted it delivered promptly in the evening. No doubt his scared pale body is shaking in his boots as he drops off all that loot.” He looked confident and at ease. Nothing like someone walking out to a drop alone, which was risky. There was no way a career criminal like him didn’t know that. But why the walkie talkie all of a sudden. She never saw Mary with one and he’d been wandering off a lot over the last few hours.

“I knew you could do it, honey. Now go get that cash for the both of us.” Mary kissed him passionately, the pair not parting for several minutes. Patricia was surprised she was still the only one pregnant after that display. Her sister was getting more antsy as the drop time approached. Probably wondering how to explain why killing Patricia was the best idea. After all Ronald didn’t want to kill a pregnant woman. She was certain that this baby saved her life. At no point did he state anything about not wanting to take out a woman.

“Fine, but I’m going to need a favor. It might sound weird but it’s for the right reason,” Ronald said stroking Mary’s hair. “Can I borrow your knife? I saw a homeless man wandering about earlier in the day and in case we buck into each other, I don’t want to make a lot of noise.”

Mary stepped back. “You never mentioned anything about people being around.”

“Just a homeless man I don’t want seeing my face and remembering me.” Ronald held her hand. “You do trust me right? Besides, you have the gun, if Patricia acts up just point it at her and she’ll behave for the baby’s sake.”

Patricia was taking in what was happening. Ronald was giving her a fighting chance. There was no doubt that he knew about Mary’s plan. With her training, taking down a knife-wielding attacker was possible but tricky. If Mary really was that terrible a shot though, getting a chance to take that gun away was even better. Either way she just had to wait a few minutes to ensure Ronald was outside the factory before making her move and getting away.

“Okay, I trust you.” Mary handed over the large hunting knife off her belt. “I trained real good with that thing. No one knows how good I am except you. That ex of yours never saw it coming.”

“That’s because people underestimate you and I don’t. You proved your loyalty to me and that girl will never talk to the cops again. Heard she left the state with one eye,” Ronald chuckled then jogged away with a wave.