Retribution Read Free Page A

“Not about Meg.”
    â€œThen what?” She went to the coffeepot and filled a mug. After two cautious sips, she settled herself at the table across from her husband. “What?”
    â€œTanner was her friend and he’s dead.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd the young woman found behind the dumpster. She’s dead.”
    Jillian ignored the tightening in her throat. “Yes.”
    Colton’s fingers curled into fists. “Then what makes me keep believing that Meg’s not dead too?”
    Jillian froze. Then rose. “Because she’s your daughter and you’ll believe she’s alive until we see with our own eyes that she’s not.” She jutted her chin and narrowed her eyes. “I won’t believe it until I see it and neither will you.” She flew around the table and gave him a hard shove. “Neither will you, do you understand me? Do you?” She couldn’t help the screech in her voice any more than she could help collapsing against him, grasping his shirt and sharing his sobs.

7
    Colton paced his home office as he prayed like never before. The kidnapper hadn’t made contact with him since the phone call yesterday. No news, no pictures of Meg, no ransom demands.
    Just . . . nothing. He couldn’t take it. The stress was slowly killing him.
    Dominic and Hunter were on their way over. Jillian was making phone calls to Meg’s friends, and the news had Meg’s face splashed on the television screen, asking for any information should someone have seen something at the high school yesterday evening. Two crime scene pictures were shown. Meg’s car with the door open and a close-up of her keys on the ground.
    Colton turned away, his heart unable to bear it, his mind spinning, desperate to find a reason someone would take his daughter. He leaned his head against the mantel and tried to corral his thoughts, to focus. To think.
    His phone pinged, indicating a text message. He lifted the phone and looked at the screen. He didn’t recognize the number, but the dread in his stomach told him it was the kidnapper. He pressed the button and a video came up, just waiting for him to play it.
    The door opened and he jumped.
    Hunter and Dominic stepped inside. Snow flurries clung to their clothes. He couldn’t help wonder if Meg was warm or if she was cold. Was she awake? Hungry?
    Alive?
    His throat closed and he sank onto the sofa, still staring at the screen of his phone. A stack of case files slid to the floor. He ignored them.
    â€œYou heard anything more from the kidnapper?” Hunter shrugged out of his coat and let it drop onto the recliner.
    Dominic hadn’t bothered with a coat.
    â€œJust now.” He held up his phone. “A video.”
    Hunter moved to his side. “Have you watched it?”
    â€œJust getting ready to press Play when you got here.”
    Dominic closed in on the other side. “Go.”
    Colton pressed the button and saw his daughter’s terrified face fill the screen. He wanted to shut his eyes, but couldn’t. Fear like nothing he’d ever felt before filled him. “Meg,” he whispered.
    â€œShe’s watching the person taking the video,” Dominic murmured.
    â€œShe’s scared, so very scared.”
    Hunter’s hand landed on Colton’s shoulder as the video panned out and Meg’s features grew smaller, but still clear.
    â€œWhy are you doing this?” his child demanded in a low whisper.
    Colton waited, the tension running through him nearly splitting him apart.
    â€œRevenge,” the faceless tormentor whispered back.
    â€œWho are you?” Meg asked.
    And then no more words, just a wicked laugh and a knife plunging toward his child’s head.
    Colton cried out and dropped the phone.

8
    Hunter gripped his arm and Colton drew in a deep breath to steady himself. He leaned over, picked up the phone, and handed it Dominic. “Get someone to