Page 105 of Winter

“Go fuck yourself,” Inca growled, then winced as Knox stuck a hypodermic into her arm. Unconsciousness came quickly …

Belinda smiled at Knox. “Do me a favor … make sure you cause that bitch serious pain.”

Knox was stone-faced. “A knife in the gut will do that, I think I can promise. Get inside … we have a phone call to make.”

Belinda smiled as they walked into her house. “I still don’t know why we have to bring Olly into this.”

“Because,” Knox said impatiently. “With the storm, they won’t be able to bring in anymore police and I get to take my time with Inca. Now call your damn boyfriend.”

Panicking, Olly and the Winters made a list of where Knox might take Inca. “He’ll want to take his time,” Olly said, feeling sorry for Raffaelo as he said it. “So it’ll be somewhere that’s not easy to find, or which would be cut off in the snow.”

Olly got a map out and began to circle where he thought they might be when Raffaelo put his finger down on the place he’d first met his love—the Winter Mansion.

Olly shook his head. “It’s too obvious.”

But Tommaso agreed with his brother. “I’ll go with you.”

Raffaelo shook his head. “No, we need to cover as much ground as we can. I’ll go to the mansion.”

They decided Tommaso would go to Tyler’s house and the twins left Olly to search the town. He was about to leave when his cellphone buzzed.Belinda.He made an annoyed sound,

“Belinda, this isn’t a good time. I’m sorry.”

“He’s here.”

“Who’s here?” A flash of irritation took before what she said had sunk in.

“He says he’s going to kill me, Olly. Knox. He says he’ll kill me unless you come.”

Olly’s face hardened. “I don’t believe you, Belinda.” He heard a scuffle and Belinda cried out in pain. Then his stomach turned over as he heard his voice.

“Rosenbaum, I currently have a .22 caliber pistol pressed against your girlfriend’s throat. I will kill her unless you get here in five minutes. Do I need to tell you not bring anyone else, to come alone?”

“No.”

“Do it.” Knox hung up.

Olly took off, out into the storm and down the road. He parked and jumped out of the car, weapon drawn. The door was open. He went in, checking around him, his police training kicking in. He got to the living room and stopped. Knox was standing against the fireplace, smiling at him. His gun sat on a chair, away from his reach. Olly frowned.

“Hello, Chief.”

Olly glanced around him, never taking his weapon off Knox. “Where’s Inca?”

Knox laughed. “That’s just typical. Even now, with your girlfriend in danger, your first thought is of our lovely Inca. Inca isn’t your problem anymore, Olly. Soon, she’ll be no one’s problem.”

“Why did you call me here, Knox? When you could have gotten clean away?”

Knox’s smile dropped. “Loose ends.”

Olly’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s Belinda?”

Knox laughed. “Right behind you.”

And then there was pain, a searing, shocking blow, and Olly’s head felt like it had exploded. Olly dropped to his knees. Another blow, and then there was nothing.

Knox noddedat Belinda as he walked casually over to Olly and relieved him of his gun. Belinda beamed. “Did I do good?”

“You did good.”