The floorboards outside the office door creaked, and they both froze like rabbits. Mia had never held so still in her life, and she was sure that Carter had stopped breathing he was so statue-like.
“I know you're in there, Carter.”
The voice was male and deep. Mia didn't recognize it, and from the way Carter tensed, he didn't recognize it either. There was an angry quality to the voice that made her blood run cold. The tone promised violence.
“You killed my daughter. Now, I'm going to kill you.”
Chapter 33
Mia
“You killed my daughter. Now, I'm going to kill you.”
The words were even and calm, yet so full of hatred that Mia winced. The man on the other side of the door wasn't nervous or afraid. He was calm and ready to deal out the justice he felt the world deserved. A justice with Carter dead.
The man started to pound on the door. It shook from every blow and Mia didn't know how long it would hold. It was a heavier door than she was used to, but the man outside was determined, and a little bit of wood and metal wasn't about to stop him. This had to be the man sending death-threats to Carter. He had to have found a way to turn off the security system and phones. She wondered how he'd gotten security to leave.
It didn't matter, though. He was here now. He was here and ready to carry out his threats.
Carter didn't hesitate. He went to the window, ready with a plan. He grunted with the effort of lifting the big window open. Once it was open, he pushed on the screen, letting it tumble to the ground. He poked his head out and motioned to her.
“We can jump from here,” he said, pointing down. Mia realized that Laura hadn't gotten all the hay put away as some was below the window. “The hay will break the fall, and it's only one story. We'll be fine.”
Mia was suddenly glad that Laura was so busy that she hadn't finished that chore yet. She looked out the window and stopped. She couldn't jump. Even just one story into a pile of hay.
“I can't,” she whispered.
“Yes, you can,” Carter told her with a gentle smile. “I'll be right here with you.”
The door shook, and a fragment of wood flew off it as a gunshot sounded. They both ducked, turning in time to watch a fragment of the door hit the floor. The door had stopped the bullet, but barely. The man outside was getting angrier now that the door hadn't given way.
“You killed her,” the intruder wailed, losing his calm as he slammed his body into the door again so hard the whole room shook.
“I can't jump,” Mia repeated, stepping away from the window.
“I'll hold your hand,” Carter coaxed, still smiling like he had all the time in the world. He held out his hand to her. “It'll be fine. I promise.”
Mia shook her head, and she let out a terrified gasp. “I can't jump. I'm pregnant.”
The words hit Carter like a slap. He stared at her, then down to her stomach, then back up to her face. The color drained from his cheeks. He hadn't been afraid of the intruder, but he was afraid of her words.
“YOU KILLED HER,” the man wailed, sending another piece of wood from the door flying. It would only take a few more hits, and he would be through. Mia held no illusions as to the fact that she was dead as soon as that happened. The death-threat sender knew she was important to Carter. She was just glad the kids were at school and safe there.
Carter ran around to the opposite side of the desk and tossed the leather chairs to the side as if they were made of plastic. He hopped back over the desk, and braced his shoulder against the heavy wood and pushed. It didn't move.
Mia hurried to his side and put her hands on the heavy desk to help.
“No,” he told her gruffly, pushing her hands off of it. He took a breath and braced his shoulder again. The seam on his shoulder ripped as his muscles tensed and he used every ounce of strength he had to push the desk.
The desk had to weigh a ton, but he moved it up against the door. He was shaking when he finished.
“YOU CAN'T STOP ME,” the voice cried. Anger and pain filled the words as he slammed into the door again. The door shook, but this time the desk held it in place. It wouldn't last forever though. All the man needed to do was keep hitting above the desk, and he would be inside.
Carter grabbed her hand, pulling her to the closet. He threw it open.
“Get inside,” he commanded. His voice was low and dangerous. “You should be safe. He doesn't want you. He doesn't know you're here.”
She moved inside the closet.