Elizabeth's hand shook as she coiled the last section of Erin’s hair around the heated flat iron. After a couple of seconds, she slipped the loose ringlet around her fingers before allowing it to drape freely down the back of her daughter’s sapphire satin ball gown.
Erin and her partner were going on stage in a few minutes to perform their final number. Elizabeth usually enjoyed watching Erin dance, but tonight she couldn’t shake the disquiet that seemed to take root in her gut since the break-in two weeks ago.
The luxury hotel in the center of Baltimore that hosted the dance competition was so noisy, with masses of people herding from one part of the hotel to the other, it was playing havoc on her nerves. Crowds in general made her uncomfortable. She lost control in large groups of people, vulnerable to the threat of her two worlds colliding.
“Mom, are you okay? You’re making funny breathing noises.”
“Sorry, sweetie. I think I’m nervous for you and Alex,” she said, placing the flat iron back on the dressing table.
“Mom, we’ve got this. As long as I don’t trip during the foxtrot, we’ll breeze through.”
Elizabeth hugged her daughter tightly. “If you could bottle that enthusiasm, we would be rich.”
“It’s all how you look at it. Beat yourself up in practice and love the dance at the performance.”
Danny stuck his head in the doorway and held out a bottle of water to his sister. In the last week, the swelling had gone down in his cheeks, but the bruising still made her maternal instincts cringe.
“Hey, you look great. Alex said he’s ready to stretch if you are.”
Erin gave herself a quick check in the mirror. “I’m ready.” She picked up her shoes. “So, Mom, afterwards, some of the dancers are going for pizza. Alex’s mom said I could ride with them. Is that okay?”
No! The one syllable word shouted in her head. With as much calm as she could master, she choked out, “That should be fine. Is this a family thing or a kid-only thing?”
“I think everyone is going, so there’ll be a parent table and a kid table.”
She let out a breath. “Okay, that sounds fun. How about we meet you at the stage door after the award ceremony? Maybe between the three of us, we can get your trophy to the car.”
A huge grin appeared across Erin’s face. She gave Elizabeth a quick wave and left the room. Turning back to the dressing table, Elizabeth began collecting the assortment of makeup and hair products that was the life of a dancer.
“Mom, should I stay with you or follow Erin?”
Danny’s words seemed to get caught in his throat.
“If you are worried about Erin, then go with her. I’ll get this stuff packed up and meet you by the side door. We can go into the ballroom together.”
He stepped into the hallway then froze. “Oh, Mom, Erin invited Noah tonight. If you see him, please try to be nice.”
She bit back a groan. That man would send her poor nerves over the deep end. “I’m always nice, Danny.”
“Not to Noah. It’s like you don’t like the guy.”
She lowered her head and placed the last items into Erin’s backpack. “I like him. He’s just …”
Opinionated, arrogant, pigheaded. The list could go on and on.
“Just what?”
Elizabeth glued a smile on her lips. “I’ll be nice. Promise.”
They both headed out the door, but Elizabeth gave the room one last glance. Erin’s flat iron still sat on the dressing table. “Danny, go on, and I’ll catch up.”
She watched him until he turned the corner. Relax. They’re safe.
There were so many dancers and parents in the area, Danny and Erin couldn’t walk two feet without bumping into an adult. She needed to take a serious chill pill and enjoy the evening.
She tested the iron with the tip of her finger and placed it in her pack. She shut the door and headed down the long corridor toward the waiting area outside the ballroom. Even from this distance, she could hear the constant rumbling of dancers as they sat in groups playing cards, rested against the walls, or readied themselves to go on.
She spotted Danny, Alex, and Erin at the end of the long hallway and waved. Erin took a swig of water just as a man in a hotel security blue blazer tapped her on the shoulder. A chill prickled up Elizabeth’s spine. He was tall, way too tall, and angry. No one was ever angry with Erin. Whatever he said to her, Erin shook her head and scanned the area. Their eyes held for an instant before Erin pointed at Elizabeth. The man turned. The next instant, he grabbed her daughter’s arm at the elbow and began tugging her toward the stairwell.
“Erin!”
Elizabeth’s warning was lost in the noise. Erin yanked her arm free while Danny shoved the guy in the ribs. The dancers resting on the floor squirmed out of the way. A second man grabbed Erin from behind, lifting her off her feet, and swung her around behind him, placing himself between her and the guard. He said something to Danny, who joined Erin. A gun appeared in the guard’s hand and the stranger kicked it free.
Elizabeth was so intent on her kids, she didn’t hear anyone behind her until she was yanked to abrupt stop, hitting a hard chest. A man’s beefy arms grabbed her around her middle and lifted her feet off the floor. She twisted and tensed her muscles. Arching her back, she slammed her heel into the top of his foot.
“Fuck! You bitch,” he roared in her ear. “Try that again and I’ll break your fucking foot.”
He brought a cloth to her face, pressing it over her nose. Elizabeth jerked her head to the side and let out a loud screech. Twisting her body slightly, she brought her elbow up, striking him in the nose. All it accomplished was to make him angrier. He gripped a chunk of hair at the nape of her neck, wrapping it around his fist. He gave a hard tug.
The man wasn’t tall. With her heels, they were almost eye to eye. Elizabeth couldn’t remember much from Danny’s martial arts, but if he got her alone, it was over. She kicked back, striking him in the knee. He stumbled, losing his balance. For the first time in her life, Elizabeth thanked God for the ten extra pounds she carried. She used her weight to shove him to the floor, tumbling down on top of him. Before she could find her equilibrium, he spun her off him and stood, yanking her up by the hair.
The garlic scent of his heated breath and the overpowering cedar and spice of his cologne made her gag. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Erin’s backpack. Just as he brought the cloth back to her face, she gripped the straps and swung it with everything she had in her. The heaviest part of the backpack hit the side of his head but didn’t have any impact. He pressed the cloth back over her mouth and nose. The pain eased in her head and her eyelids grew heavy. An instant before she slipped into the darkness, an angry male’s voice bellowed on the other side of the void.
Noah!