“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know. He drove off, so I figured he was on his way back to the hotel. This might be my only chance to warn Kay before he figures out that I know.”
Tank suddenly leaned forward, his attention fixed on the surveillance screens. “We’ve got action on the back of the house. Someone coming in fast.”
On the screen, a black-clad figure emerged from the trees behind the property. With no hesitation, the figure headed straight toward the house. A chill ran up Eli’s spine. He’d only seen that kind of single-minded determination a few times in his life. Paid assassins and sociopaths.
Eli sprang forward. “I have to get back in there.”
KAY AND MARA both sighed as the credits rolled on the romantic comedy they’d just finished watching. The hero of the movie had been a little too Hollywood-perfect, and of course the actress in the lead had been perfect and thin and blond. In other words, so not her life. But it had still been the perfect combination of sappy and funny. Exactly what she’d needed.
“I’m really glad you came,” she told Mara. They were both backed up to the wall with their feet dangling over the edge. Mara had ditched her socks an hour ago and her bright orange toenail polish was on display. Kaylee looked with dismay at her own feet, covered in thick black socks. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a pedicure. A little me-time was long overdue. Especially now that there was someone to admire the results.
“Me, too. I was sitting at home alone, feeling sorry for myself. This is way better. I think I know what I’m going to do now.”
There was a loud bang and then the sound of glass shattering. A
few seconds later, the alarm screamed out its distinctive warning.
“What is that?” Mara asked, sitting upright.
Unlike the last time the alarm went off, Kay instantly knew something was wrong. She sprang forward off the bed and grabbed Mara by the arm. She pulled her out of the guest room and into Eli’s room. Her eyes fell on the playpen in the corner of the room.
“Hope’s still asleep. Grab the baby!” Kay turned to lock the bedroom door behind them. It wouldn’t stop someone from getting in if they wanted to, but hopefully it would buy them a few extra seconds.
Mara rushed over to the playpen and leaned down to pick up Hope while Kay pulled open the closet doors.
She came up behind Kay and then let out a soft gasp. “Holy mother, are those what I think they are?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Kay yelled over the sound of the siren as she hurriedly typed the code into the keypad next to the door. A small section of the wall moved aside and she ducked inside. Mara followed and Kay slapped the button next to the door and the panel slid closed. Immediately, the sound of the siren was muffled.
“Where are we?” Mara asked.
Kay stood up and pressed her hands over her rapidly beating heart. “Eli’s panic room. He told me if the alarm ever went off again, this is where I should go.”
Mara looked around with wide eyes. “A panic room. Really?”
“Yeah. I just hope it was a false alarm.”
Kay looked at the panel in the wall that concealed the hidden door. She could only hope that if someone had broken in that they wouldn’t know how to break into the panic room as well.
She turned around and surveyed the room. Eli hadn’t shown her the inside when he’d given her the code and she hadn’t given it much thought. Now she was here and she had no idea what she was supposed to do now. It was a small room, about the same size as a bedroom. In the far corner there was a desk with two computer monitors and a phone. The sight of the phone made her realize she hadn’t brought her cell.
“Do you have your cell phone?” she asked Mara. She thought of hers, sitting on the night table next to her bed. If only she’d thought to grab it.
“I do. Should I call Matt? Or should we wait until they contact me? I’d hate to break his concentration at a critical moment.”
“Let’s wait and see what happens. Maybe this is a false alarm.”
Eli had told her to go straight to the panic room if the alarm ever went off again and to wait for him to come and get her. But how long was she supposed to wait? What if Eli was outside the door and needed help? How would she know?
“Wait, I just got a message from Matt.” Mara peered at the screen of her phone and then started typing. “I’m letting him know that we’re safe in the panic room.” Her phone beeped again. “They’ve got help on the way. He said for us to stay where we are until they come and get us.”
“Thank God!” Relief flooded through Kay’s veins, so fast and potent it made her dizzy.
She tiptoed closer to the door and placed her ear to the wall. Maybe if she could hear something it would tell her what was going on. Mara came closer, cradling Hope in her arms and rocking her slightly.
There were several loud pops similar to the sound of firecrackers. Except Kaylee was pretty sure no one was celebrating.