The Kiss that Sparked it All novel Chapter 2604

Elton's wrists were loosely tied, a clear sign they didn't take him seriously.

As he came to, he could hear his captors cracking dirty jokes in the van, their laughter booming through the confined space.

"These rich folks are a real hoot, thinking we're all dumb as rocks. Boss, you're the brains, just tossed out a hook and they couldn't wait to throw their cash at us," chuckled a man with a deep voice.

Elton kept his eyes shut, trying to discern how many people were in the van.

His initial plan had been to rescue the two kids if these goons took him, but he had to weigh his own capabilities. If the stakes weren't too high, he'd take action; otherwise, he'd have to patiently wait for the cavalry – the police.

He had faith in the force.

"Those knuckleheads would've called the cops by now. They just haven't shown their faces to us. How long have we been dodging the cops? You think I don't know them? They're scared stiff of spooking the quarry; they'll meet our demands for sure. Heck, if we knew it'd be this easy, we should've asked for more. Our guys could've had a bigger cut, then we'd all go out for a round of beers to celebrate!"

The man's voice oozed confidence, his words dripping with arrogance and disregard for law enforcement.

"Heh, Boss, always looking out for us. With you, we're never hungry," another voice piped in.

No wonder they were so dismissive of the police; these were seasoned criminals, slick as eels.

Elton frowned involuntarily; the knowledge that they were old hands at this game made him worry about their chances of escape.

In any case, if push came to shove, as long as his daughter got away, that was all that mattered. He was prepared for the worst when one of the thugs realized he was awake.

"Hey, old man, you think I'm a fool? Keeping your eyes shut so tight."

The goon was rude, landing a punch in Elton's gut.