Untethered

33 | Determination

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: CHAPTER 32 WAS PRIVATE

~*~*~

Julie shifted from one foot to the other, her eyes darting back and forth down the long row of storage units. Her breath was coming fast, and Danny was on the verge of smacking her to get her to chill out.

"Danny," she whispered urgently, "how much longer?"

"Shut it, Jules," he grunted, "I'm trying to concentrate."

"Someone is going to come!" her voice went up an octave, grating on his already tenuous control.

"Julie, I swear to God, I will shoot you here if you don't shut your fucking mouth."

That did it. Her mouth slammed shut, but she was still shifting around anxiously next to him. Still, it was better than listening to her nag him to death. He doubted they would find anything here, but it was better than nothing. When she came back with the slip for the storage unit, he was less-than pleased. He was hoping for a lot more, but it couldn't be helped.

The bitch got herself caught. She was lucky Emma hadn't called the cops, and he was lucky she'd left his name out of it. For that reason alone, he managed to control his trigger finger.

His eyes shifted in her direction. Something was off with her, though. Admittedly, it might have something to do with her life being under constant threat, and not being able to use her used-up pussy to weasel her way out of it. Still, he was keeping a close eye on her. She was wound way too tight to be trustworthy. He almost wished for the cold, conniving snake he used to know. At least she was predictable.

Blowing out an exasperated sigh, he reached for the large bolt-cutters. Security in this place was laughable. There wasn't even video surveillance except at the entrance, and no guard on duty. They cut through the lock with ease, and it fell to the ground with a dull "clunk." He quickly pocketed it, and motioned her to follow him.

"Come on," he bit out after shoving the cutters into the small duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He pushed the door up and waited for her to move. When she just stood there, he grabbed her arm roughly, jerking her inside, startling her out of wherever her mind was. "You losing your nerve, Jules?"

"N-no," she stuttered, digging her thumbnail into the cuticles on her other hand.

Stepping close to her, he leaned forward until they were eye to eye, and mere inches apart. "Get it together," he ground out. "If you can't snap out of it, I will end our little partnership. Permanently. Do you understand?"

"Ye-yes," she nodded, her head jerking like a bobble-head doll that was on the dash of a car, bouncing over a rough gravel road.

"I don't know what your problem is, but I will not let you fuck me over this time," he warned. "Start looking through those." He indicated a pile of boxes toward the back of the unit. Once he was satisfied that she was busy, he headed over to some file boxes in the middle.

~*~*~

Danny lifted his cap, pushing his sweat-drenched hair back, before replacing it. The temperature inside the little metal box had to be at least a hundred degrees. His already bad temper was rising with the heat, and lack of results. Smashing the top onto another box, he stood up from a crouch.

"Well?" he snapped in Julie's direction.

"Nothing," she answered feebly. Her shirt was stuck to her body and every line of her bony frame was visible through it.