Read Online Holding On To You by Anne-Marie Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Anne-Marie Hart
Ads: Link
says. 'I promise I won't say anything. I'll do whatever you want me to do.'
'Well that's good to know Maddy, but for now, until I get you a whole new look, I've got to put you back in the trunk.'
Maddy has run out of energy. When River lifts her out of the trunk and puts her across his strong shoulders like a fireman, she kicks a little, but barely resists. She has a vague memory of being held in this way before, but it's so distant, she can do nothing but recall the sensation, which to her, feels like déjà vu. River has chosen neither a Ford, nor a station wagon, nor a Mercedes. He's opted for a Lexus, two floors below them, and with the trunk already open, he sits her inside. Before he shuts the lid for the second time that day, he wraps his arm around her back, in a motion that feels to Maddy like he's hugging her.
'What the hell are you doing?' Maddy says, immediately before she realises what he is doing.
'Any more tense, you'll snap Princess', River says to her, and undoes her handcuffs.
'Why do you keep calling me Princess?' Maddy says, rubbing her hands together to bring the blood back into them.
'Well that's what you are aintcha?' River says. 'You sure do act like it.'
Maddy isn't sure how to respond, but she feels the hollow in her gut like a punch. If there is anything she would say she is not, it's a princess. Princesses had princes, for a start.
'Come on now, time to go Madeleine Parker', River says, and helps her get comfortable in the trunk of the new car, before closing the lid.
On the way out of the underground parking lot, River pauses for a moment, to let a pedestrian pass. She smiles at him and he smiles back. He puts on the sunglasses he's found in the glove compartment, lights up another cigarette, and drives back through the city he's just come from, past the bank that only that morning he helped to rob, slowing, as everyone else would, to take a look, and finally out onto interstate eighteen, and as far away from the police as he can.
Frank Giamatti absent mindedly watches the Lexus roll past, before returning to his own vehicle, and assisting in the search for the now abandoned Oldsmobile.
Chapter 6
The afternoon disappears much more quickly than Frank would like, and despite their attempts to do so, they find neither the lime green Oldsmobile, nor the robber and his hostage. Frank, more grizzly than usual, decides to return to base, have some pasta for lunch and approach the situation in a different way. He always thinks better with his stomach full, and besides which, he knows that if they haven't found the car yet, when they do so, they're only going to find it empty.
The Oldsmobile would turn up eventually - hopefully during the course of the day - even if it didn't tell them anything useful, but until then, police attention could be diverted to much more pressing issues, like running searches on all known business associates of Alex Gottleib, and the two henchman he happened to be working with. But that was for Frank's officers to take care of. Frank himself would be enjoying a large glass of wine and a penne arrabiati.
The story has continued to unfold on the news channels, taking precedence in the schedule. A reporter has turned up at Maddy's office, in order to take statements about the missing woman, (initially believed to be forty two, later corrected to twenty six) and is horrified to find that a) everyone seems to be having a party, champagne included, and b) no-one has anything at all positive to say about her. In fact, although not broadcast on the now twenty four hour news feed, the general consensus amongst her work force is that it is better if she doesn't return at all.
After a hearty lunch, Frank returns to the office for a debrief. A statement has been released by Garland in Frank's absence, that tells the listening press and public almost nothing more than they already know from what has been filmed. Garland informs them that they have identified the
'Well that's good to know Maddy, but for now, until I get you a whole new look, I've got to put you back in the trunk.'
Maddy has run out of energy. When River lifts her out of the trunk and puts her across his strong shoulders like a fireman, she kicks a little, but barely resists. She has a vague memory of being held in this way before, but it's so distant, she can do nothing but recall the sensation, which to her, feels like déjà vu. River has chosen neither a Ford, nor a station wagon, nor a Mercedes. He's opted for a Lexus, two floors below them, and with the trunk already open, he sits her inside. Before he shuts the lid for the second time that day, he wraps his arm around her back, in a motion that feels to Maddy like he's hugging her.
'What the hell are you doing?' Maddy says, immediately before she realises what he is doing.
'Any more tense, you'll snap Princess', River says to her, and undoes her handcuffs.
'Why do you keep calling me Princess?' Maddy says, rubbing her hands together to bring the blood back into them.
'Well that's what you are aintcha?' River says. 'You sure do act like it.'
Maddy isn't sure how to respond, but she feels the hollow in her gut like a punch. If there is anything she would say she is not, it's a princess. Princesses had princes, for a start.
'Come on now, time to go Madeleine Parker', River says, and helps her get comfortable in the trunk of the new car, before closing the lid.
On the way out of the underground parking lot, River pauses for a moment, to let a pedestrian pass. She smiles at him and he smiles back. He puts on the sunglasses he's found in the glove compartment, lights up another cigarette, and drives back through the city he's just come from, past the bank that only that morning he helped to rob, slowing, as everyone else would, to take a look, and finally out onto interstate eighteen, and as far away from the police as he can.
Frank Giamatti absent mindedly watches the Lexus roll past, before returning to his own vehicle, and assisting in the search for the now abandoned Oldsmobile.
Chapter 6
The afternoon disappears much more quickly than Frank would like, and despite their attempts to do so, they find neither the lime green Oldsmobile, nor the robber and his hostage. Frank, more grizzly than usual, decides to return to base, have some pasta for lunch and approach the situation in a different way. He always thinks better with his stomach full, and besides which, he knows that if they haven't found the car yet, when they do so, they're only going to find it empty.
The Oldsmobile would turn up eventually - hopefully during the course of the day - even if it didn't tell them anything useful, but until then, police attention could be diverted to much more pressing issues, like running searches on all known business associates of Alex Gottleib, and the two henchman he happened to be working with. But that was for Frank's officers to take care of. Frank himself would be enjoying a large glass of wine and a penne arrabiati.
The story has continued to unfold on the news channels, taking precedence in the schedule. A reporter has turned up at Maddy's office, in order to take statements about the missing woman, (initially believed to be forty two, later corrected to twenty six) and is horrified to find that a) everyone seems to be having a party, champagne included, and b) no-one has anything at all positive to say about her. In fact, although not broadcast on the now twenty four hour news feed, the general consensus amongst her work force is that it is better if she doesn't return at all.
After a hearty lunch, Frank returns to the office for a debrief. A statement has been released by Garland in Frank's absence, that tells the listening press and public almost nothing more than they already know from what has been filmed. Garland informs them that they have identified the
Similar Books
