Breaking the Lock

Sixteen

Byron was agitated after the phone call with Nathan. He slammed around the basement for a bit, muttering angrily under his breath. Maxie took Nathan's warning to heart and even though the door to her cage was still open, she sat on the edge of the cot, watching him silently. After a moment, he calmed himself, staring at her from the open door.

"So what do you think?" Byron asked gazing at her with a look of curiosity. "Do you think he'll come to your rescue? No, no don't answer that. Of course he will. He's in love with you, which is weird because you're not exactly his type. Actually, what I mean is that you're nothing like the last girlfriend of his that I knew. That girl was a piece of work. Still, he seemed pretty pissed off at me on the phone there. So, what do you think Miss Jones? Is Detective West coming to your rescue?"

Maxie turned her gaze away from him but answered with a simple, "Yes."

"Well, look at that. We are in agreement. Oh it's going to be fun. Better get some sleep, Miss Jones. We'll be leaving before the sun comes up." He gave her a wink as he slammed the cage door closed. Without another look at Maxie, he stomped up the stairs whistling tunelessly leaving her alone in her damp cell.

She slept fitfully, without dreams, waking to the sound of heavy footsteps above her. He was preparing for something, she thought rubbing at her eyes. Of course he was, she realized when the fog of sleep had cleared a little. He was preparing to kill her and then Nathan. She simply wouldn't let that happen, she decided stubbornly. She could get out this situation; she just needed to be creative. She couldn't overpower him, she knew that. But there were other things she could do. She had begun to form a small plan of action when the door to the basement banged open and Frank Byron pounded down the stairs.

"Come on, get up!" He snarled at her. Maxie did as she was told, her heart pounding in her chest. Nathan was coming. She hid a small smile but got to her feet as she was ordered. "Step back against the wall."

"What's got you so pissed off?" Maxie asked taking a step backwards. He glared at her and unlocked the cage stepping into it. He flung a coat at her feet and stepped back again.

"Your boyfriend isn't answering his phone. Put that coat on." Maxie shook her shackled wrist at him. He glared back at her but reached in his pocket for a key ring. "I'll unlock you for a minute. Don't even think about trying anything cute."

He unlocked her and took a step back, pulling his coat back to reveal the butt of a gun tucked into his belt. She rubbed her wrists briefly before picking up the coat he had tossed. If Nathan wasn't answering his phone was it because he knew where she was? She hoped so. Still, she had to keep her captor off his guard so that Nathan had a chance otherwise he was walking into a trap.

"You seem pretty angry that Nathan isn't answering his phone. Is something wrong?" She asked.

"How the hell should I know?"

"You seem to know a lot about what Nathan is going to do," she replied raising an eyebrow.

"I taught him a lot back when we worked together. Get that coat on. Now."

"Seems like that might work the other way around too, you know," she said slipping the coat on over her shoulders. "I'll bet Nathan knows exactly what you're up to right now. You being the great teacher and all-"

He jerked her forward, pulling her roughly to him. "Shut up. I don't want to hear another word come out of that bitchy little mouth of yours."

"Afraid of the truth? Nathan knows everything you're planning and you're scared to death of him. Admit it!"

He shook her violently, throwing her back against the cot in his fury. Maxie landed with a hard thump, her head ricocheting off the steel leg of the cot. Byron advanced on her and landed a kick to her midsection that took the wind out of her. As she lay gasping for breath on the floor, he paced the room muttering to himself. The man was clearly insane, she thought, and off his game. He paused in front of her, reaching down to yank her to her feet.