Read Online Hostage by Willo Davis Roberts - Free Book Online

The deep-voiced one, who seemed to be the leader, was emphatic. “I’m telling you guys, those things are worth a lot of money. It’ll be worth the effort. We all work together, we can move it. That’s why we got a truck with a lift on it.”
    â€œWell, whatever we’re gonna do, let’s get at it. I don’t like working in a cul-de-sac like this place. If you want the confounded piano, let’s get it loaded. It’s gonna be hard to hide until we can unload it, though.”
    â€œWe gotta wrap it up, remember? So it won’t get scratched. Nobody’s gonna pay big bucks for one that has scratches on it.”
    â€œSo get some blankets or something,” the deep, surly voice responded.
    Blankets. All the bedrooms were up here.I was around the corner from them, so I quickly stood up and headed for the nearest open doorway. No, not a bedroom, this was where they’d come. Unless I hid in a closet.
    I ducked into Mom and Dad’s room, running across the carpet and sliding open the mirrored doors. They made a little sound as I squeezed inside and closed them behind me, praying again. Please, God. Please, don’t let them catch me, or hear me. I was wheezing as if I’d been running hard.
    I wouldn’t even have been able to hear the thief enter the room if he hadn’t been grumbling about being the one sent to fetch the blankets.
    I waited after the grumbling stopped, wondering if it was safe to come out yet. Finally, very slowly, I slid open the door and emerged. The man had stripped the spread off the bed and the blanket that had been under it, leaving sheets trailing on the floor.
    Forcing myself to breathe slowly and as normally as possible, I made my way out into the hall.
    I turned toward the stairs, hoping they’d all go outside at the same time to load things, so Icould run for the kitchen door into the backyard.
    The voice behind me was unexpected, as was the rough hand that slammed me against a wall, bruising my arm.
    â€œHey, guys,” the voice said, “we got a little problem up here.”

Chapter Six
    He was big. Over six feet, and thick through the chest and neck. The hand that gripped my arm was huge and rough. His dark hair was longish and didn’t look as if he’d washed it recently, and there was a smell about him of sweat and tobacco.
    He yelled to his conspirators downstairs. “Hey, guys! Come up here! We got a problem!” he informed them again.
    â€œSo take care of it,” the leader shouted back.
    For a few seconds I stared into those dark eyes, wondering if I’d faint in terror at what I saw there. I started to sag, and he slammed me against the wall for the second time.
    â€œYou want me to kill her, or what?” my captor demanded loudly.
    There was a startled silence, and then bothof the other men appeared at the bottom of the stairs. “Her?” one of them echoed. “What the . . . ?”
    I’d never heard some of the words that came out of their mouths, but I didn’t have any difficulty interpreting them as profanity.
    They stared at me in disbelief.
    â€œThere wasn’t supposed to be anybody here,” the leader said. “What are you doing here, kid?”
    It was a wonder I could speak, my mouth was so dry. “I . . . I live here,” I stammered.
    I could see them evaluating that, and the expressions on their faces were unnerving, to say the least. “You want me to kill her, or what?” Had he been serious when he’d asked that?
    â€œHow long you been here?” the leader demanded.
    I swallowed hard, and my throat worked, but I couldn’t speak as cold terror worked its way down my body, making me weak all over. I didn’t even know the answer to his question. Had I been home for an hour, ten minutes, what? I couldn’t tell.
    The one holding my arm gave me a shake, his big fingers pressing painfully into my arm. “How