Read Online Pure Dynamite by Lauren Bach - Free Book Online Page A

sponges, she began cleaning the area around Lyle's wound. There was dried blood everywhere, making her wonder again how much blood he'd lost.
    She swiped the skin across his lower abdomen, then paused. The man bore signs of other injuries—burns, cuts. Some were healed, some more recent. All were purposely inflicted. Neatly. Methodically.
    She glanced at Lyle, confused. "You sustained these in prison?"
    "The guards call it 'rehabilitation.' I flunked." Lyle closed his eyes, his breathing labored.
    Adam watched her face as the realization that the prison guards had tortured Lyle dawned on her. That was a facet of life she hadn't been exposed to.
    He had seen the scars before. Most were faded since it had been going on for most of the nine months Lyle had been in prison. Adam also knew who was behind it—two guards, Wallace and Huggins—and what they were after: the location of Lyle's father and brothers. Or rather, the million-dollar reward for the capture of the infamous Four Horsemen.
    Small wonder the kid had been near rabid in his desire to escape. Adam recalled how Lyle had promised Wallace he'd get even, making him wonder whether Lyle or his family had anything to do with the missing prison guard.
    The cell phone rang. Lyle winced as he answered.
    "Nevin! The doc's bandaging me up now."
    Lyle grew quiet, saying only "yes" or "no." Several times, he looked at Adam but said nothing. Adam knew they were discussing him, wished he knew what was being said.
    Finally Lyle held out the phone. "He wants to talk to you."
    Skeptical, Adam pressed the phone to his ear. "Yes?"
    "You know who this is?"
    "Of course."
    "Listen, I know this hasn't gone like it should, but I'm going to fix that. In the meantime I need your help with something."
    Adam snorted. "You're not in a position to ask much."
    "Maybe not. But right now I figure you need me as much as I need you. Especially since the cops are combing that area. Wouldn't take much for them to find you."
    "You picked the wrong person to threaten."
    "Wait!" Nevin's voice turned cajoling. "You're right. Actually, I have a proposition. You make sure my brother gets to me safely, and I'll make it more than worth your while. I'll have a car for you within two hours. Directions for safe passage will be in it."
    "Where are we headed?"
    "I'll tell you when you're on the road," Nevin promised. "And plan on bringing that doctor along."
    Adam hesitated. Forcing Renata to care for Lyle was one thing. Kidnapping her... "That's not necessary."
    "I don't give a damn if you think it's necessary. I won't take chances with my brother's life. Not when we're this close to getting him back to the family."
    This piqued Adam's interest. "You're in this vicinity?"
    Nevin sighed impatient. "Not any more—thanks to your little fiasco with the deputy."
    "Fiasco?" His grip on the phone tightened. "Let's get clear on a few things: It wasn't my screwup that produced this mess. If I had been alone, I'd have been out of the country by now."
    The implication was plain: Adam wasn't to blame. Nor was he pleased with the current situation.
    "Look, I know my brother can fuck things up big time. And I know you're not happy to involve anyone else. But you have to bring the doctor along now," Nevin said. "If Lyle gets worse on the road are you going to risk busting into another clinic?"
    "We both know the cops would expect that."
    Nevin lowered his voice. "Where you're going, you'll be miles from a hospital. I'd rather be safe than sorry. And it won't be for long. Then you can turn her loose on a country road no worse for the wear. It'll be like dumping a stray animal."
    Adam briefly shifted his eyes to Renata, hoped she couldn't guess what they discussed. "The stray will be one-hundred percent unharmed?"
    "Absolutely. You should know that I don't hold with killing innocent people."
    Unless it suits your purpose, Adam thought. He was familiar with the crimes attributed to the McEdwins. Willy made a point of taking out