“Yeah?” An exasperated low voice growled.
“Riggs.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“I need to speak to Annie.”
A pause. Then, “Who the fuck is this?”
“Is she okay?”
“You tell me who the fuck you are, asshole.”
“A friend of hers. Please. I need to know if she’s all right.”
“What makes you think I have her?”
“Give me a little credit. You don’t want to go back to prison, do you?”
“This conversation is over, pal.”
“No! Please, don’t hang up. I… I have money. I’ll give you whatever you want. Plane tickets. A car. Whatever. Just please don’t hurt her.”
“You must think I’m some kind of moron. How do I know you’re on the level?”
“You don’t. But the cops are after you. They’ll find you eventually. I don’t care about finding you. All I care about is Annie. Please.”
“I need a hundred thou. Cash. And a new car. Untraceable. Can you handle that?”
“Not until I know Annie’s safe.”
“She’s fine. She’s in the backseat of my car. Out cold.”
Dallas’s gut clenched. The son of a bitch had hurt her. This was not going to end well for him. He took a deep breath. He had to keep his cool for her. “I want to talk to her.”
“I told you, she’s out cold.”
“Pull over and wake her up. Until you can prove you have her and she’s okay, you get nothing from me.”
“Christ. Fine. Give me a few minutes.”
Dallas’s heart raced, and he prayed the line would hold. God only knew where Riggs and Annie were. They could drive out of cell phone range at any time.
After several minutes of agony, Dallas finally heard her voice. “Hello?”
It was her. He’d know that sweet husky Jersey accent anywhere. His heart leaped. “Annie. Oh God, Annie. It’s me. Dallas. I love you. I love you, Doc. Are you all right?”
“Touching,” Riggs said. “But she didn’t hear any of it. I took the phone from her as soon as she said hello.”
“You fucking son of a bitch!”
“Don’t get testy with me, boy. I have something you want, obviously. Who’d have thought the little bitch would rope another sucker into loving her?” Riggs laughed eerily. “I see she’s worth much more than I imagined. But I’m not one to be greedy. I believe the price was a hundred K and a car.”
“Done. Where can I pick up Annie?”
“I’ve done time, friend. I’m not stupid. You bring the car and the cash to me. Make sure the tank is full.”
“Fine. Name the place. You’re holding all the cards here, Riggs. All I want is Annie. But”—he forced the next words out between clenched teeth—“if you so much as touch another hair on her head, the deal is off.”