“I don’t know, baby . . .”

“Do it,” she says, pushing as much assurance into her voice as she can muster.

Daniel looks back at her, his eyes swimming, before he finally sighs and nods. She gives him the address, knowing Alan hasn’t moved in the last six years and hoping his fiancée and her daughters haven’t moved in yet. Fear and dread fill her as Daniel throws on his blinker and makes his way to the closest exit.

Alan is bad, but he’s never tortured her or kept her in a dungeon. Right now, he is the lesser of two evils.

“You’ve never met him,” she says when she notices Daniel’s tightened grip on the steering wheel. He nods at her words but doesn’t say anything. “What time is it?” she asks.

“Almost one p.m.”

“He may already be drunk,” she says.

“Lynell . . .”

“You can’t do anything stupid, Danny,” she says, foreseeing a problem in their plan. “If he calls the cops, or if you guys get in a fight and get seriously injured, then we lose this.”

Daniel nods and a moment of silence glides over them before he takes another deep breath. “How am I supposed to just . . . look at him?”

“You won’t have to for long. He’ll leave if we give him money and point him to a bar. It won’t be suspicious. He used to disappear for days at a time.”

“I love you, Lyn.”

“I know.” He looks back and she meets his eyes. “For the first time in his miserable life, Alan can actually be of use to me. Maybe even save my life.”

“I saved your life,” Daniel bites back and immediately winces at his own words. “I’m sorry.” He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. “I just can’t stand the idea of you being near that bastard again.”

Lynell sighs. “It’s a good plan.” The only plan.

Daniel nods. “You always were too smart for your own good.”

She starts to laugh but then the car hits a pothole, jostling her slightly. Her laugh turns into a groan, and Daniel mutters apologies, turning back to the road.

“I’ll go in first,” he says a few minutes later. “I’ll take care of Alan and then come get you.” At Lynell’s expression, he quickly amends his statement. “I won’t kill him or hurt him too badly or do anything that may call attention to us, I promise.”

“Offer him money in exchange for the house for a night. He never turns down free cash.”

“I don’t have much.”

“Give him the car.”

“Lynell, it’s . . .”

“It’ll work,” she says.

“Then you’ll have to see him,” Daniel counters, chancing a glance at her again.

“If I’m not passed out by then, I—” she stops talking, hissing at another wave of pain through her body, this time originating in her feet. Nausea hits and she has to take a deep breath to fight it off.