The Victim Read Online Free PDF

worry about that. She’s my problem. Is everyone in place?”
     
    Detective Waller’s piercing green eyes turned and met Hank’s gaze. “Yes, all my men have been told about your sex offender.”
     
    Sarah coughed out a chuckle, then clamped a hand over her mouth.
     
    Detective Waller turned to her and leaned in close to her. “Do you find something funny, little girl?”
     
    Hank reached around and pulled Waller back up by his arm. “As I said a moment before, disregard her. She doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation.”
     
    “Remind me why she’s here again. If this guy is meeting us here, why do you need her? We’ll just pick him up. Quick and clean.”
     
    “Do you know Parkman?” Sarah asked Waller. “He must be here. How about it, is Parkman around?”
     
    “I appreciate your cooperation,” Hank said to Waller, completely ignoring Sarah. “But I’ve worked with this guy Rod for many years. He’s a professional. The odds of just picking him up quick and clean are low. We have to do this right and for that, we need her. Now, are your men in place?”
     
    Waller nodded. He kept sneaking glances at Sarah but didn’t say anything more to her. She wondered if he recognized her from all the recent media attention she had gotten.
     
    “Good,” Hank said. “It’s three minutes to one, so get everybody ready. Howley is probably already here.”
     
    Detective Waller took one more look at Sarah and stepped away, disappearing in the throng of shoppers seconds later.
     
    Hank backed into the shadows, crowding Sarah. He lifted his lapel and said, “Everyone, be ready. This is it. First one to spot Howley, radio it in. And remember, he may have his own people with him. No weapons. I repeat, no weapons in the mall. Tasers only. Subdue and secure. Clear?”
     
    Numerous men chimed in, but Sarah could only hear a metallic reply from Hank’s earphone.
     
    Her hand went numb again. She shook it off and mumbled, “Not now.”
     
    The guards on either side looked at her. Hank half-turned. “What not now?” he asked.
     
    “Nothing.” She widened her eyes, smiled and shrugged for a brief moment like a crazy person.
     
    “What not now?” Hank asked again.
     
    “Vivian is trying to tell me something. I don’t like this. Something’s wrong here. It doesn’t feel right.”
     
    Hank scanned the crowd and adjusted his earpiece. “What doesn’t feel right?” he asked.
     
    “I don’t know. It just … feels off somehow.”
     
    “We have a minute left. This is no time for a conscience or nerves.”
     
    “I’m not talking about nerves, asshole. Rod wouldn’t do this. He wouldn’t kidnap Joan and then set up a meeting to exchange for me. He knows you and what you would do to him. Something’s not right. The more I think about it, the more it just feels off.”
     
    “You know, you’re right. This doesn’t feel like Rod. But desperate people do desperate things.”
     
    “Yeah, so why exchange for me? What does he want with me?”
     
    “You saved his life, didn’t you?”
     
    “So?”
     
    “He’s returning the favor.”
     
    Sarah shook her head. “No, he would do something else. He would contact your superiors or get his own team together to come after me. Hell, he could’ve organized a visit to your compound and broke me out if he wanted to. But kidnapping your wife? Doesn’t feel right. Too personal.”
     
    “You’re telling me this now because …” Hank scanned the area again and checked his watch. “This is it. It’s one p.m.”
     
    “It all happened so fast. The alarm at the complex, you putting me on the helicopter. I haven’t really thought about it until now.”
     
    “Well, it doesn’t matter. He’s going to show any second. We’re out of time.”
     

Chapter 5

    Since Sarah woke to sirens in her cell that morning, she hadn’t fully grasped the seriousness of the situation. A week in one room, solitary confinement with only a book, her pen,