Charming Lily Read Online Free PDF

to pull over. Put the dog out on the side of the road. Don’t hurt the animal. I like animals.”
    â€œSettle back, gentlemen, we have a long ride ahead of us. And you guys said this little enterprise wouldn’t work. Who in their right mind would think three highly respected brothers with their own business would be out robbing ATM customers in the middle of the night? If we play our cards right, we might be able to kiss that business of ours good-bye and head to the islands and lead the good life. You gotta admit, this is better than insider trading. The SEC always catches up with those guys. I don’t see anyone catching up with us. Once we get his money, we let him go and split. It’ll take him weeks to find his way back. We’ll be long gone before he manages to get to the authorities. We’re not talking murder here. We feed him, too, let him do a little exercising. All we want is his money. Do we all agree?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œYeah.”
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    He woke with a hammering headache, then opened his eyes to total darkness. Where was he? Gingerly he felt his arms and legs. One leg and one arm wouldn’t move. It took a full minute to realize he was tied to something. “Gracie, where are you?” he whispered. When there was no response from the shepherd, he started to struggle until he realized it was an exercise in futility.
    It must be night. How had he gotten here? Where was here? He remembered the prick to his arm. Drugged. Son of a bitch! “Gracie!” he called, but this time his voice was louder. “If you bastards hurt my dog, I’ll kill you. I’ll track you to the ends of the earth.” The silence told him he was alone.
    He closed his eyes because there was nothing else to do.
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    They woke him by poking a stick at his chest. “Where’s my dog?” he demanded.
    â€œYou hear that? He’s more interested in his dog than he is about what’s happening to him. Commendable. We’re going to untie your foot so you can sit up. “Your dog got away when we stopped for gas.”
    â€œLying bastard. My dog would never leave me. Tell me what you want.”
    â€œWe want your money. That’s it, your money. Pure and simple.”
    â€œHow do you propose to do that? A letter isn’t going to do it. My bankers aren’t stupid. It won’t work. My accounts have safeguards in place, fingerprint I.D., stuff like that. What that means is I have to offer up my fingerprint to withdraw any sum over five hundred dollars at any one time. It’s not the same at every bank or branch. In some instances, it’s an eye identification or voice I.D. They are new safeguards we put into place last year for just this reason. I’m not doing it, so forget about it. I want my dog.”
    â€œOh, you’ll do it, Mr. Starr. If you don’t, we’ll pay the little lady you’re supposed to marry later today a visit. Do you want to change your mind? We aren’t talking about going into a bank. We’re talking about wire transfers, and don’t even think about telling me it can’t be done.”
    â€œYou bastards. Lily has nothing to do with this. You touch one hair . . .”
    â€œYeah, yeah, yeah. Like you’re really going to do something. Look around, Mister Starr. What do you see? Four walls, a sturdy door, no windows, and that board you’re sleeping on. It’s four-thirty in the morning in case you’re interested. I think what we’re going to do is clean you up and drive you to New Orleans so we can go shopping for money. One wrong move, and you get dumped in one of the bayous. You’ll be dead in an hour. Now, what’s it going to be?”
    â€œIf I do all this and you get your money, what happens to me?”
    â€œWe stash you someplace. When we get to where we want to go we’ll call the police, and they’ll come get you. We’re not murderers.