The family that preys together…- 13

“I know where she lives. Meet me at Gino’s. We can eat and then deal with her.”

“That was fast, Spin,” Bryant replied. “Alright, I’ve got what we need for starters in my car. See you there in fifteen.”

After a good meal, during which they refrained from any mention of the project ahead, the brothers returned to their cars. At Bryant’s suggestion Crispin left his in the lot and they rode together to the girl’s apartment building. It was an older, solidly built place with two external fire escapes, each landing lit by an overhead light.

“Any idea which one leads to her apartment, or even which apartment is hers?” Bryant asked as he and Crispin pulled on gloves.

“She’s on the third floor; I watched where the elevator stopped. Give me a leg up and I’ll check what I can see, if anything, of the apartment opening onto this one.” Crispin nodded to the closer fire escape. Bryant paused, looking up at the neighboring building first to make certain no one was watching. Then he cupped his hands and Crispin stepped into them.

When he could reach the stairs Crispin tugged gently and the lower ones slid down quietly. “Well kept, well oiled, and not alarmed,” he murmured softly as he started up. At the door on the third landing he peered carefully through the window to find himself looking into a nice kitchen. The door was open on the far side and he knew this was her apartment. He could see the front door and sitting beside it was the gym bag she’d been carrying when she left the health club.

Pulling out his handkerchief he used it for extra padding so that he could unscrew the light bulb above the door. Then he waited for Bryant to join him. As it was his brother’s forte, Crispin waited while he dealt with getting the back door to the apartment open.

They slipped inside and Bryant closed the door silently, leaving it unlocked. Then they crossed to the door to the front room. They could hear the television; some comedy was on from the sound of it. Crispin cautiously looked into the room then shook his head, holding his hand up in the classic ‘on the phone’ gesture.

“Of course,” Bryant mouthed with look of amusement. At a gesture from his brother he stepped into the room. The girl’s back was to him as she sat on a sofa, her eyes glued to the television even as she chattered on the phone. In a matter of seconds he was behind her, one hand covering her mouth, the other wrapped around her throat, holding his fingers tight against the pressure points. She passed out before she could struggle enough to free herself from his grip or cry out.

After that it took no time at all to bind her hands and feet and gag her. Then Crispin hefted her over his shoulder, Bryant picked up the dropped cell phone, making certain it was off before pocketing it, and they left the way they’d come in.