The two vans pulled inside the cannery, and everyone got out. Beeks rolled the big door closed, and Needles lit a gasoline lantern.
"Put him over there and tie him up," Souther said, pointing to a chair in a corner.
Beeks led Aaron to the chair and as he turned to grab a roll of duct tape to secure him, Aaron quickly slipped Michael's cell number into his shoe.
Souther walked over and went through Aaron's pockets.
"Did you call the cops?" Souther asked.
Aaron still struggled with his decision not to. "No," he replied.
"Good. Because you'd have signed your mother's death warrant."
Souther found Aaron's wallet and inside it a small snapshot. He held the photo up to the lamplight. It was the shot of Aaron's mother and father in the alpine meadow. There were very few photos taken of his parents together and to Aaron this one was priceless.
"Give me that!" he cried, straining against his bindings. "That's mine!"
Souther had gotten a brief look at the boy's mother back at the apartment, but it had been dark, and he could see that she was much more beautiful — and desirable — than he remembered.
"I can see where you get your good looks, kid," he said. "How old's the photo?"
"I don't know," Aaron said stubbornly. "I want it back."
Souther turned away and studied the photo. Ashley's large eyes looked straight into the lens, her lithe body was turned slightly toward the camera as she leaned into her man, her slender arms around his neck, a breast pressed lightly against his powerful bicep, a bare foot raised a few inches off the grass, her shorts and halter top seemingly airbrushed on. Souther felt a stirring in his loins as he took it all in.
"We'd better get moving," Needles said.
Souther took a moment to archive the delicious image… then he tossed the photo to Needles. Needles stared at Ashley for a long moment. Beeks took a look for himself over Needles's shoulder.
"Her name's Ashley Quinn," Souther said, using the name from the electric bill. "You know what to do…"
"We'll find her," Needles said.
"On your way out, drop by the apartment and clean up the mess on the stairs," Souther said.
"Will do," Needles said. He pocketed the photo then climbed into the white van and fired up the engine. Beeks opened the large roll-up door, then jumped in with him.
Souther called to Needles. "Don't lose that picture… I want it back."
Needles smiled to himself, thinking, Like that would ever happen.
Then the two thugs headed out into the city.