Raegan remained calm, silently assessing her situation.
Outnumbered and outmatched by the two men and the unhinged Lauren, she knew her odds were slim.
Noting Raegan, the heavier manâs eyes lit up.
He found solace in Raeganâs beauty after witnessing Laurenâs disturbing appearance.
âSuch a beautiful girl,â he noted.
âPretty or not, just watch and donât make a fuss,â the tall man cautioned in a calmer tone.
âWait for the car, and once weâve moved these two, our work here is finished.
â
Raegan, overhearing their conversation, realized they intended to take her and Lauren to another location.
The heavier man expressed regret, âItâd be a real pity if this chick ended up dead.
â
The tall man, a cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth, scolded the heavier man, âSave it unless youâve got something useful to say.
â
Unfazed, the heavier man shrugged off the caution.
âWhatâs the worry? Theyâre just going to end up as unidentifiable bodies anyway.
â
Raegan was horrified by their casual mention of killing.
She deduced that their plan was to murder both her and Lauren, likely pinning their demises on Lauren.
Katie was the only person Raegan could think of who would have such intense animosity toward her.
Trying to contain her fear, Raegan offered a deal, âYouâre doing this for the money, right? Iâll pay you five times whatever youâre getting.
â
The taller man dismissed her offer with a sneer, citing their âprofessional ethics.
â
Raeganâs desperation grew, her voice filled with a plea.
âIâm serious, I can pay you a lot.
Please.
â
The heavier man seemed to waver, touched by Raeganâs tearful appeal.
He responded, âItâs not just about the money.
If we screw this up, itâs over for us.
â
Irritated by the heavier manâs chattiness, the taller man urged the heavier man to keep watch.
âCheck on the road.
Let me know when the carâs here.
â
With the heavier man gone, the taller one secured Raeganâs bindings once more.
Then, his phone rang.
He warned Raegan and Lauren to behave before stepping aside to answer the phone.
Meanwhile, Lauren, huddled and bloodied in a corner, her eyes suddenly sparked with a vengeful glint.
With a swift movement, she surged toward Raegan again, intent on violence.
âDie!â
But Raegan, who had managed to move her bound hands in front, defended herself from Laurenâs wild assault, exclaiming, âDo you want us both to die?â
Laurenâs stare was ice-cold as she faced Raegan, her expression terrifying with her teeth exposed in a fierce snarl.
âGuess what? Youâre the one whoâs going down alone.
Iâm off to a fresh start.
â
Lauren clung to the hope of a new beginning.
Her rescuer had promised her a plane ticket, a stash of cash, and a passport once she finished this job.
She dreamed of getting surgery abroad to heal her marred face and living comfortably ever after.
Raegan, fighting back against Laurenâs grasp, replied with a hint of mockery, âWow, you really havenât caught on, have you? They plan to get rid of us both.
â
âNice try, but Iâm not buying it!â Madness flashed in Laurenâs eyes before she burst into wild laughter.
âItâs just you whoâs in trouble today.
Theyâre going to get rid of you and then whisk me away.
Iâll get my face fixed and snag a rich guy to live the dream!â