Retribution Read Online Free PDF

child.
    Even die for her.
    Dominic’s phone rang and he stepped back to lift the device to his ear. Colton paced in the hallway, praying, thinking.
    â€œOkay, let me know what the number is. The other one will turn up. Right. Love you too.” Dominic hung up.
    Colton lifted a brow. “Serena?”
    â€œYeah. She can’t find her cell phone. Said she’s been looking for it all morning.”
    Colton froze. “What?”
    Dominic frowned. “You need me to repeat it?”
    â€œSerena can’t find her phone.”
    â€œRight.” Dominic stepped toward him, concern written all over him. “That’s what I said. Man, I know this is a tough time right now, but—”
    â€œNo, no, something’s wrong. Serena just texted Jillian and asked her to meet her at Billy’s, that new little café that opened up about two months ago.”
    â€œThe one near the hospital.”
    â€œYeah, only if Serena lost her phone . . .”
    â€œ. . . who texted Jillian from Serena’s number?”
    Colton bolted down the hall even as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He punched Jillian’s number as he ran.
    Dominic’s footsteps pounded behind him.

15
    Jillian stood outside the café and looked around for Serena. Her phone rang and she fished it out of her pocket, her gaze bouncing from one person to the next. Who had Meg? Someone who looked ordinary? Someone she knew? Resentment rose up in her. Her baby was missing, maybe dead, and life just went on as though nothing was wrong?
    It shouldn’t. The world should stop. Everyone should be looking for her child.
    â€œAnswer that phone,” the voice hissed in her ear, “and you’ll never see Meg again.”
    From the first word, Jillian couldn’t move. She stayed still until the ringing stopped. Agonizing seconds where she wanted to spin and demand answers. As though reading her mind, the voice spoke again in that same hissing whisper. “Don’t turn around, don’t try to look at me. Follow my instructions and you can see Meg in about twenty minutes.”
    â€œShe’s alive?” Jillian asked, hating the tremble she couldn’t control.
    â€œFor now.”
    â€œWhat do you want me to do?”
    â€œFollow my directions exactly. If you deviate from them, Meg dies.”
    Jillian swallowed hard. “Okay.”
    â€œGood.” Something hard jabbed her in the lower back. A gun? “Hand me your phone.”
    Jillian did, passing it back over her shoulder. The person took it and Jillian heard a dull clunk. Her phone now rested in the trash can outside the café. She glanced around, searching, wondering if she should call out. Fear for Meg kept her silent.
    â€œNow walk toward that gray minivan sitting on the corner.”
    Jillian obeyed. Her knees trembled, threatened to buckle under her, but her daughter’s life was at stake. Would this person really take her to Meg or was she just going to kill her and toss her body in a ditch? She had to take a chance. If there was even a slim chance that this was Meg’s kidnapper, Jillian would keep her mouth shut and obey.
    She climbed into the van trying to get a look at the woman with the nicely concealed weapon. Only she did a very good job of keeping her face averted. The baseball hat helped. But there was something familiar. If she could just see her face . . .
    â€œPut this on.”
    A sleep mask landed in her lap. A blindfold. She swallowed hard and picked it up. She placed it on her face and closed her eyes against the darkness. “Who was Tanner?”
    â€œMy boyfriend in college. Just another guy who outlived his usefulness.”
    â€œYou killed him.”
    â€œOf course.”
    Nausea swirled. This woman had no conscience. She’d already killed one person. Jillian now knew without a doubt she would kill again.

16
    Colton bolted from the car and into the café. He