Color Photographs, Chapter Three

Sadie’s heart lurched into her throat as she stared down the barrel of the pistol, into the stern face of the driver. She glanced back toward where Mr. Resnick sat only to see another large man climb out of the back of the car to point a gun at her. She recognized him immediately: Karson. He was a close friend of Meyer and often frequented their house to grab a meal or drink a beer.

“Really?”

“Get in the car,” Karson said.

Sadie glanced once more at the driver, then resentfully lifted her chin and stepped nearer to the car. As she approached Mr. Resnick gestured for her to go to the other side of the car. She wet her lips and walked around the back of the car, towards Karson.

The tall blond grimaced slightly as she approached, taking the gun off her. His voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. “I’m sorry, Sades, but I gotta search you.”

For a moment Sadie considered telling him to go jump off a bridge. She felt betrayed that someone who pretended to be her friend would turn around and wave a gun in her face. But, then, she didn’t suppose he had much choice. She knew all too well that Mr. Resnick could force people to do things they didn’t want to.

Sadie held her arms out from her sides, palms facing Karson. “Knock yourself out.”

“It would save Meyer the trouble,” he muttered under his breath. He stepped forward and gently put his hand on Sadie’s shoulder. “Turn around, please.”

“Cut it out with the nice guy act,” she said quietly as she turned around and put her hands on the back of the car. “Just do what you have to.”

“This isn’t my fault, Sadie. You have to believe me,” Karson answered, leaning close to her ear. He took her phone, being careful of his hands as he continued searching her. “I figure Meyer will probably kill me for doing this, but I know Mr. Resnick will if I don’t.”

Sadie glanced over her shoulder at his pleading face, wondering what he knew about Meyer that she didn’t. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d seen Meyer kill anyone before. She shook the thought off. Meyer’s folder didn’t matter right now. “What’s he planning?”

“I don’t know. He was—”

“We’re waiting!” Mr. Resnick’s voice bellowed from inside.

Karson pulled the pack of cigarettes out of Sadie’s pocket, then seemed to think better of it and put them back. He gestured toward the open door. “After you.”

She glanced at him, annoyed that he planned on sandwiching her in the middle between himself and Mr. Resnick. She didn’t want to be that near to Resnick, yet she figured she wouldn’t be allowed to have a seat near the door. It would make escape too easy. She took a deep breath and climbed into the car. Mr. Resnick smiled at her as Karson blocked her only escape with his bulky body.

“Hello, Sadie, dear.”

She glared at him. “Don’t pretend like you’re doing me a favor.”

“I’m giving you a ride out of the rattiest part of town,” he said.

“You pointed a gun in my face. Again.”

“Technically Lukas pointed a gun in your face, both times.”

Sadie looked up at the driver and realized Mr. Resnick was right. He was the same man who had come to her door earlier this morning, ordering her to come with him to go to Mr. Resnick, then pointing a gun at her when she refused.

“On your orders,” she said. She’d suddenly found her courage.

“Yes, because they actually honor my orders,” Mr. Resnick said. He scooted closer to her, putting his hand on her knee as she squirmed closer to Karson. “Which you’ll learn to.”

“I’m not your employee,” she said firmly, trying to remove his hand. His grip clamped down on her leg, and his other hand moved up to her face. He leaned in closer.

“Stop it!” She hit his chest.

He rose up on his knees, leaning across her body and pulling her closer to his side of the car. He started breathing heavier as she struggled under his arms. “Ooh, feisty.”

“Married,” she corrected, trying to dodge the kiss he planted on her neck. “Stop!”

“We’re both adults,” Mr. Resnick panted, unbuttoning his suit jacket.

“Get off me!”

“Mr. Resnick,” Karson cut in, putting his hand on his shoulder. “I don’t think you should—”

“Nobody asked for your opinion.”

“Stop it!” Sadie hit him again as he started groping her chest, aware that he was much stronger than she was. “Let me out of the car!”

“Mr. Resnick—”

“Lukas, stop the car,” Mr. Resnick shouted. He pushed Karson’s door open as the car came to a sudden halt, then started wrestling Karson out of the car. “Out!”

Sadie took advantage of the distraction and squirmed free, then threw the other door open and climbed from the car. She started running as soon as her feet touched the ground, but before she could make it more than a few steps Mr. Resnick was shouting at Lukas.

A moment later a large hand clamped down on Sadie’s ponytail. She threw her elbow into Lukas’ stomach as hard as she could, then whirled around and kicked him between the legs. He grunted loudly, then lifted his gorilla fist and slammed it into her face so hard she got dizzy.

Lukas grabbed the front of her shirt and hefted her off the ground, then carried her back to the car. He shoved her into the backseat, hitting her head on the edge of the roof as he did. She crumpled in the seat holding on to her head as he slammed the door and got back into the driver’s seat.

Lukas locked the doors just as Mr. Resnick climbed in and shut the door. Karson appeared a moment later, nose bleeding, and tried to jerk the door open. Maybe he was on Sadie’s side after all. She lunged for her door again, planning to bail out as Lukas stomped down on the gas pedal.

Before she could reach the handle Mr. Resnick jumped on her again, grabbing her arms and pinning them to her sides. He grabbed her chin and examined her face in the low light. “Eh, you got yourself hit, did ya? You deserved it, little whore.”

She jerked her head away from him, glaring as best she could. Her left eye was already starting to swell closed and her head throbbed. She lifted her chin. “Meyer will kill you for this.”

“Meyer won’t hear about this,” Mr. Resnick said. He dug his fingernails into her arms. “You’ll tell him that I came along and saved you as some thugs downtown were mugging you, and that’s how you got the shiner.”

“I’m not lying to my husband.”

“You will,” Mr. Resnick said threateningly. “If you ever want to see him again.”

“He’s not scared of you.”

“But you are,” Mr. Resnick said, as he kissed her neck once more. “And that’s enough.”

Karson stood in the middle of the road, cursing as Mr. Resnick’s car sped into the darkness. He panted for several long moments, trying to figure out where the blood dripping down his chin was coming from, wondering what to do now. He couldn’t just leave Sadie alone with those monsters, but he’d been bested by Resnick. There was little he could do without backup.

I should call Meyer, he thought. He’ll probably kick my ass worse than Resnick did, but he deserves to know. Maybe he can help her. Karson pulled his cellphone out and searched through his contacts for his friend, wandering towards the sidewalk as a car turned onto the road in front of him.

He lifted the phone and listened to it ringing as he watched the black car coming down the road quickly. He rubbed at his nose as he realized it was the only thing bleeding, trying to slow the rate the blood was running down his face. Suddenly the car slid to a stop right after it passed him, and the driver threw it in reverse.

Karson hung up the phone, throwing it back in his pocket so he could pull his gun. He’d had enough trouble for one night. He’d just shoot the next jerk that wanted to give him a hard time. He looked at the car suspiciously as the passenger’s window rolled down.

“Kars?” Meyer squinted at him from the driver’s seat. “What are you doing here? Get in.”

Karson breathed a sigh of relief and hurried towards the car.

“What happened to you?” Meyer asked as Karson got in the passenger’s seat, hitting the gas once more.

“Not important. Turn around.”

“No. I’m going to get—”

“Resnick’s got your woman,” Karson interrupted.

The car slid to a stop once more and Meyer glared at his friend in the dark. “What?”

“I was with him just a few minutes ago. He saw Sadie walking and picked her up. She didn’t want to go with him so he told Lukas to wave a gun in her face until she got in.”

Meyer cursed and began turning the car around. “Then what happened? Why did you leave her alone with those two?”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Karson said firmly. “Resnick started kissing on her and she told him to knock it off but he wouldn’t. I stepped in to make him leave her alone, and he hauled me out of the car and started beating on me, then the three of them sped off.”

Meyer was muttering a string of profanities. “Where are they going?”

“Don’t know,” Karson said. “I’d guess back to your place.”

“Why would they go there?” Meyer demanded. “That don’t make sense.”

“Pretty sure he planned on threatening Sadie ‘til she’s too scared to tell you what happened,” Karson answered with a shrug. “Don’t think he planned on you knowing anything happened.”

Meyer resumed cursing. Karson sat quietly in the passenger’s seat, still trying to make his nose stop bleeding, hoping Meyer didn’t turn his anger towards him. He’d played a part in getting Sadie into that car, even if he couldn’t help her get out. He was sure Sadie would blame him, anyway. He didn’t plan on Meyer finding out about his role until she told him.

They hurried to Meyer’s apartment, and the two men rushed up the stairs. Meyer cursed once more when they found it dark and abandoned. Karson took a deep breath, hoping Sadie was okay. “Let’s give them a few minutes, eh?”

“Yeah, so he can finish off with my wife?”

Karson grimaced. “It’s better than trying to chase them down when they’re heading here.”

Meyer cursed and sat down heavily on the couch, crossing his arms and falling into a brooding silence. Karson sat down carefully on the far end of the couch, seeing the danger in his friend’s eyes. Someone was going to die. He wasn’t sure how many people were going to, or how Meyer planned to do it, but this look didn’t enter Meyer’s eyes without someone ending up dead.

Karson hadn’t seen Meyer this angry since some of Reneve’s men had broken into his house and stole nearly everything he owned. The men responsible soon found their own houses burned down and shortly after were never heard from again—Karson helped toss one down an abandoned mine chute.

“Resnick’s dead,” Meyer said after an agonizingly long pause.

“I figured,” Karson answered, wetting his lips. “What’s the plan? I want to help.”

“Shoot him in the face as soon as I see him again?”

“In front of Sadie?”

“I don’t see why n—” Meyer trailed off. “I guess that wouldn’t be good.”

“No.”

“What do you suggest, then?”

Karson thought a moment. “I’ll hide when they show up, so he doesn’t think I’ve tipped you off. Pretend like you didn’t hear anything; play whatever his game is. We can plan until they show up, then finish making a plan later. Get a fresh start on it first thing in the morning.”

Meyer was silent for several seconds, then nodded. “You say Lukas helped?”

“It was—”

A sharp rap on the door made him fall instantly silent.