Free Rock Star: The Deal (Book 3 of a Bad Boy Romance) by Kate Ward Page B

her.”
    “What?”
    “Having worked with these type of people, we can tell you right now. They would produce the girl if they thought they were going to lose the money. Anything over a million and they won’t risk it. They don’t have her.”
    “You are telling me I just dumped off money for nothing.”
    The phone began buzzing again.
    “It’s them. They have to be close. They must be able to see me.”
    I pulled away without answering the phone and it stopped ringing.

Chapter 9
    W hen the phone rang again I hesitated before picking it up.
    “Why are there two FBI agents in your car?”
    How the hell did he know that?
    “Listen, I’ve given you the money, just let Meghan go.”
    “I said no FBI or she would die. I see they have snipers on the money.”
    “Look. Take me. If you really want to make more money, take me. I’m worth much more than three million dollars.”
    “Brave, maybe stupid. I like it.”
    There was silence on the other end of the phone.
    “Hello?”
    “Let out the two FBI agents, then we will talk some more. Oh, and lose the earpiece and camera.” He then hung up.
    I pulled the car over. I spun around. “Get out. He knows.”
    “We’ve been instructed to—”
    “Get out!” I yelled. They stumbled out of the car, slammed the doors and I drove away.
    “Chase, what are you doing?” Agent Wakefield shouted over the mic in my ear.
    “He already knew about your men and the surveillance equipment. I’m done. I’m doing this my way now.”
    The last thing I heard was the agent protesting. I removed the earpiece and tossed it out the window, followed by the button that had the recording device. I knew the risks were high, but there was no way on earth we were going to get out of this for just three million. Someone had to have been in on this. How else could they have known about the men in the car, the snipers and the surveillance? I kept driving for another ten minutes before the phone rang again.
    “Go west on Carlton Highway. There you will see a red pickup truck near a convenience store. You have five minutes…”
    I hit the accelerator hard. The car lurched forward and I felt myself being pressed firmly back into my seat. I imagined agent Wakefield was probably yelling at his officers to follow me. To find out where I was going. To make sure that they didn’t lose sight of me. But all I could think about was: If this car breaks down on me Meghan is screwed. What if I don’t get to the truck in time? What will they do to her?
    I could see a smaller town. I was getting closer to a four-way stop. I glanced around for signs of the convenience store with a red truck parked outside. I blasted through the four-way stop, not giving any thought to the fact that I could have died right there and then. I heard tires squealing and horns being honked. Several people had dived back on to the sidewalk to stay out of the way.
    There was only two minutes left. Not enough time! What the heck was this person playing at?
    Stores were flying by, a blur in my peripheral vision. I swerved to miss a woman coming across the street with a stroller. This was beyond dangerous, it was insane.
    Were the FBI following me? I glanced up at the sky as I had seen a chopper. Was that theirs? What would happen when I got there? The FBI wouldn’t know where I was. They could kill both of us. Chase, this was the stupidest idea you have ever had to date, I thought to myself.
    Come on. Where the hell is this store? I was now out of the town. I started to think that maybe it was back there. Perhaps down one of the roads. Convenience store. Where the hell are you?
    Then I saw it. A red truck parked outside a 7-Eleven. Relief washed over me. I glanced at the clock. Five minutes had passed. I was over by a few minutes. Shoot!
    The phone rang again.
    “You are going to need to be faster than that if you want to see her alive. Now get out of the car, get into the truck. There is a set of keys in there. Head north on