Savage (A Blood Feud Novel)

Chapter Forty-Three

Rachel woke up the following afternoon. Her mouth felt warm and soggy. She smelled of alcohol and aftershave. It was a little after one in the afternoon.

Shea was watching a program on television when Rachel returned from her shower with a new pair of Denim, a gray shirt, and shoes.

Rachel sat next to Sean. "What was it you wanted to tell me, Shea?"

"Where's James?"

"I don't know," Rachel said.

She stretched out her arms and legs. "I saw him last night, so I assumed after he left that he'd hang with you."

Shea faced her. "So then, tell me how I managed to find you nearly drunk as fuck at home and passed out."

Rachel wasn't sure where the questioning was going. "Shea, I'm not up for questioning. Maybe you should be the one asking yourself about James' whereabouts."

Shea shook his head. He shut the television off. There was a sad look on his face.

"You know what happened to James?"

Rachel didn't reply.

"Rachel," Shea said. "He was kidnapped last night. By the husband of the girl, James accidentally ran over!"

"What?" Rachel said, confusing clouding her.

"Listen," Shea said. "He called when you were passed out, and I talked to him. The guy's name is Fraser Savage; does that ring a bell to you?"

Rachel thought for a moment.

"Well...?" Shea said.

"No," Rachel replied. "I swear, I never heard of the name Savage before."

"Well," Shea said with disbelief. "Neither have I. All I know is that he's a cop and that he has James and wants us to meet with him."

"Why...what does he want?" Rachel asked.

"To release James to us," Shea said.

Rachel laughed, she wasn't that stupid. She had a hunch James was already dead. For a minute she felt sad, James had been a darling, one of the best she ever had.

"He also said we should bring about fifty thousand dollars when were coming," Shea added.

"Where are we meeting?" Rachel asked.

"At the graveyard," Shea said with a shudder.

Rachel smiled.

Well, very how fitting, she thought to herself.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down at the screen. Rachel was surprised. She gestured at Shea and got up.

"Excuse me," she said.