AN HOUR EARLIER

Bethany was still tied up on the cold floor, her hands sore from the tight ropes. No one had come to her aid. She kept hoping Fred would set their differences aside and help her. But hope was fleeting.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed against the concrete. The door creaked open, and a man stepped in with a smug grin plastered across his face. He ripped the nylon bag off Bethany’s head.

She jerked back, gasping for air, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Squinting against the light, she demanded, “Who are you?”

“Shut up and listen,” the man barked. He pulled a tablet from behind his back and...