The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 17

The van jostled along, heading out of the city.

Noella noticed they were headed towards Imperial West Hospital, and thought, “Well, ain’t that a stroke of luck! These goons are giving me a free ride.”

“Who sent you?” she demanded.

The kidnapper let out a sleazy chuckle, his face full of creep.

“Listen, girlie, we ain’t lookin‘ to harm ya, but you had to go and get greedy, eyeing stuff that ain’t yours.” he taunted.

“We’ll just dump ya in some mountain area, and don’t you worry, you won’t be seeing the light of day again! Lucky for you, you’re easy on the eyes. That pretty face of yours could bring in a good chunk of change up in the hills. Pop out a few chunky kids, and you’re golden.”

Noella swiftly reached for the small knife tucked at her waist and conked out a few of the kidnappers, then pressed the blade against the driver’s neck.

“Who sent you? My patience is wearing thin.”

The driver, shaking like a leaf and gripping the steering wheel, stammered out, “Oh please, have mercy! We’re just hired guns! It was Belinda! She forked over a cool hundred grand for us to whisk you away and sell you off in some mountain dump!”

Belinda hadn’t said that Noella could fight!

With a nonchalant “Drive to Imperial West Hospital,” Noella might as well have been the Grim Reaper sharpening his scythe. The driver nearly lit the steering wheel on fire getting her there.

As soon as Noella got out, she shouted at the guards at the door, “They kidnapped me!”

The guards had seen her coming and going from Imperial West Hospital and knew her as the pretty granddaughter of the Schnabel family who was also a chess whiz.

The hospital guards were special forces soldiers pulled from the ranks for duty. They were used to standing guard.

Hearing Noella’s cry for help, the special forces guys stepped up and quickly subdued the bad

guys.

“Thanks,” said Noella.

“Don’t mention it, Miss. Get inside. Mr. Marcel has been fussing over you for ages. We’ve got this!”

They all thought highly of Noella, a real looker who was polite and smart to boot–a true Schnabel family gem.

No sooner had Noella stepped into the ward than she heard Marcel’s robust voice, “Where’s my

13:13

she was on her

take your medicine today?”

eyes lit up at

from building three is

was dodging the subject of

over the daily meds to

Grandpa. Be good.”

downed the bitter pills and pulled a face. “Disgusting! Why are

and had lunch with Beckett.

Marcel she kept mum about the kidnapping ordeal. She could

to the nines. I’ll

Thanks, Grandpa.”

excited, led her to another ward. “Come on, let’s go play some

the day. Tavian used to make Marcel lose at chess all the time. This

was beaming with smiles, Heh, his granddaughter was a

with admiration. Judging the player by the play, Marcel’s

Tavian offered, “Noella, if you ever run into trouble, come to Tavian. I’ll fix it for

it. “Who needs your

you kick the bucket or not. My word carries more

fossil! Noella, go play. I’ve got to

to Tavian

stepped out, her smile vanished, replaced by a chilling aura. She sensed the presence of an assassin.

and entered the green–lit emergency corridor, pulling out her silencer–equipped pistol and disappearing into

the Schnabel

door, flinging herself at

news!! saw Noella being

her $3 million watering can crashing to the ground in pieces.

you talking about?”

commotion, came out of the study with

to buy Noella a castle in

on

asked with a stern face, “Where did you see that? Why didn’t you call us? Why didn’t you

so scared and I ran home to tell Mom and Dad.” Yvonne sobbed, displaying her cracked phone and bruised

to a shopping spree, a nice meal, and

out his phone and called the

at three in the afternoon? What

mean, Jasper? Of course. I was at the hospital taking care