Blood Orchid (Holly Barker 3)

“If you can do that, help me.”

Together they struggled to their feet. “Let’s get out of here before somebody comes,” Grant said.

“Not the elevator,” Holly said. “The electrics may have gotten wet.” They were splashing around in a couple of feet of water. She pointed at a lighted exit sign. “There, the stairs.”

A moment later, they emerged one floor up into the upstairs lobby. The front doors were locked.

There was a small steel table and a chair in the lobby, as if for a guard to use. Grant picked up the table and hurled it at one of the glass doors, which shattered. A siren went off, and lights began to flash.

“Follow me,” Holly said. “I know how to get out of here.” She ran around the building and into the woods. There was a moon, and after her eyes had become accustomed to the dim light, she could see her way. “You with me?”

“Right behind you. Where are we going?”

Holly stopped. “What was the plan?”

“What plan?”

“The plan for Harry and his people to take this place? Where were they going to come from?”

“From all sides,” Grant said.

“Let’s head for the airfield. When the balloon goes up, Ed might try to get out that way.”

“Whatever you say,” Grant replied.

Holly set off at a trot, with Grant close behind. After two or three minutes, she stopped.

“What is it?” he asked.

Holly looked above her. “I’m looking for something.”

“What?”

“Just something. Hang on for a minute.” She knew she was somewhere close by.

“Holly, we’re in the middle of the woods. What are you looking for?”

“There; this is the tree. I don’t have a knife. Have you got one?”

Grant fished in his pockets and came up with a pocketknife.

Holly took it and began carving something in the tree trunk.

“That’s sweet of you, Holly, but I don’t think this is the time for you to carve our initials into a tree.”

“Not yours, just mine,” she said, pointing at an H. “Okay, we can go now. I want to go back to the guest cottage.”

“Why?”

“It’s on the way to the airfield, and I want Daisy with me. Come to think of it, my gun is there, too.”

“You take Daisy, I’ll take the gun.”

“We’ll see.” She stopped him at the road’s edge and looked around. “Come on!” She sprinted across the road and onto the golf course. It took her less than a minute to cross the course to the trees on the other side, and she stopped to get her breath.

Grant pulled up beside her. “Jesus, I haven’t run that fast in years.”

“It’s not much farther. Come on.” She jogged off in the direction of the cottage. There was still a light on in the living room, and she looked through a window before opening the door. Daisy was on her feet, alert.