Blood Orchid (Holly Barker 3)

“Out where?”

“Outside Blood Orchid, ready to storm the place at my signal. At least I hope he is; that was the plan. I didn’t have time to tell you everything in the car. As soon as we figured out who Shine was, Harry went into action, getting warrants and marshaling resources.”

“You think he got your signal?”

“I was yelling loud enough, wasn’t I?”

Then came the sound of running water.

“What’s that?” Grant asked.

“The sound of running water,” Holly replied. “Do you think that was what Ed meant by ‘emergency mode’?”

“Oh, shit,” Grant said, and as he spoke a sheet of water made its way across the floor of the vault. They heard the sound of another valve opening, and more water began to pour in.

“Why the hell would anybody want to put water into a vault?” Holly asked. “Apart from drowning us, I mean?”

“I think the vaults at Fort Knox can be flooded. Maybe that’s where they got the notion. Any ideas?” Grant asked.

Holly stepped around him and nuzzled close. “Put your hand in my pocket,” she said.

“Is sex all you can think about at a time like this?”

“The left-hand pocket,” she said. “Get ahold of my car keys.”

“You want to drive somewhere? That’s okay with me.”

The water was up to their shins now, and rising fast.

“There’s a handcuff key on my key ring,” Holly said.

“Oh,” Grant replied, groping in her pocket. “Got them.”

Holly turned around and backed up to him. “Now, unlock my cuffs and don’t drop the keys.”

Grant dropped the keys.

“I told you not to drop them!” Holly moaned.

“I’m sorry, they were slippery.”

She put her back against the wall and slid down into a sitting position, then began groping around the floor for the keys. Sitting down, the water was up to her chin. “Don’t just stand there, help me!”

Grant sat down beside her and joined the effort.

“Got them!” Holly said, and her mouth filled with water. Leaning against Grant, she struggled to her feet. “Can you stand up?”

“I’m trying,” he said.

“Lean against me.”

He managed to get to his feet.

“This time, I’ll do the unlocking,” she said, feeling for Grant’s wrists. After a moment she got one of his cuffs off.

He took the key and unlocked her cuffs and his other wrist. “There,” he said, “that’s better.”

“Not much,” Holly said. “What do we do now, the backstroke?” The water was waist deep and rising.