Page 30 of Property of Anchor

“No,” he said calmly.“But you need to stop talking right now.”

Pretty sure finding a dead body gives me the right to ask questions,I thought bitterly.

“Are you at least going to call the police?”

“Doll,” Anchor growled, “I will answer your questions when we’re under cover.Not out here.”

My breath came fast, shallow.“The police?”I persisted.

He met my gaze.“We arenotcalling the police.”

There was something in his eyes.Something sharp and final.

I stopped arguing.

I let him carry me deeper into the woods.

I wasn’t sure if that made me smart… or stupid.

“My dad,” I gasped suddenly.“Can I at least say goodbye to him?”

Anchor frowned.“Why the hell would you need to say goodbye?You’ll see him in the morning.”

I blinked.“I mean, aren’t you—” I hesitated.“I can talk?”

“Yeah.But hold that for five more minutes.”

I swallowed hard.“Are you going to kill me?”

Piney barked a laugh up ahead.

“Only if you don’t shut your mouth,” Skull muttered.

Anchor didn’t laugh.He looked down at me, serious as hell.“I have no plans to hurt you, Pearl.But I need you to be quiet because I don’t know who might be listening.”

That landed differently.

They were scared, too.

Not just of me.Not just of being caught.They were scared ofwhoeverwas doing this.

“Where are we going?”I asked again, softer this time.

“I’ll show you.”

Eventually, we reached a small shed tucked into a clearing.Skull moved a stack of crates against the wall, revealing a metal door Idefinitelyhadn’t seen earlier.

A chill ran through me.

The guys moved smoothly, like this wasn’t the first time.The door opened with a groan, and a concrete tunnel stretched beyond it.

I looked at Anchor.

“What’s down there?”

He didn’t even flinch and put me down.“I guess it’s the morgue now.”

I shivered and he took my hand.