Leah felt as if she were going to be sick to her stomach while she waited in the darkness, straining her ears to hear what was going on upstairs. All she could catch were the shrill tones of the home security system. Clutching the tire iron, she wondered if she should be prepared to defend herself. But against a gun? How? And for now, she knew her best defense was to follow Jon’s direction and remain silent. All she could do was pray.
Ralph made a sleeping noise that made her jump, but she felt certain that it wouldn’t be heard over the alarm still going on upstairs. After what seemed like hours, but according to her watch was more like thirty minutes, she heard the security alarm finally silenced. Still she was afraid to move and barely able to breathe evenly.
After another twenty minutes, she was relieved to hear the quiet squeak of Jon’s footsteps on the wooden stairs. Surely he wouldn’t come back down unless he knew they were gone. But why would they go without thoroughly searching the place? Or perhaps they didn’t know about the basement? But wouldn’t they have tried the door?
A flashlight suddenly illuminated the basement. She blinked at the brightness, squinting to see that Jon was approaching with a slightly relieved expression. Not for the first time, she thought how good-looking he was...how this could’ve been a lot more fun, under different circumstances.
“I think they’re gone,” he said. “At least from inside the house.” He let out a tired sigh as he sank onto the sofa.
“Could you hear much?” She struck a match to light the candle.
“It sounded like three guys,” he told her. “Cops, I’m sure. Krantz was there, too. But one of the cops was questioning Krantz. He demanded to know if Krantz had gotten a search warrant. Krantz claimed he had and then the other cop went out to his car to use his radio to call the alarm service. While he was gone, I could hear Krantz and his buddy scurrying around in a search of this house. He tried the basement door, too, but then kept on going to the other rooms. He was just trying our door again, but the cop who’d questioned him before came back in. He was furious at Krantz. Told him he was in hot water for not getting a search warrant and that he’d have to pay for the cost of the broken doors.”
“So there’s at least one honest cop?”
“Seems to be.”
“I guess that’s reassuring.”
Jon nodded. “I almost considered going out to talk to him, but I was afraid that Krantz would shoot me before I could open my mouth.”
“He probably would’ve, too.”
“Especially if he’s involved in a human-trafficking scheme.” Jon shook his head. “While I was up there by the door, I was thinking about that nasty business. What if Krantz really did kidnap those teen girls? What if he hid them in that warehouse my mom found? What if he planned to kidnap you, too?”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
“No wonder he wants us dead. We need a plan, Leah.” Jon looked intently into her eyes.
“I know.”
“I’d like to think we’re safe down here. But knowing Krantz tried that door and knows it’s locked, I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns to check on it.” Jon looked around. “In fact, let’s move stuff around and make it look like no one’s been down here.”
“But where will we go?”
“Upstairs,” Jon said as he started moving the furniture to make it look randomly stored. As he picked up Ralph’s box, the dog woke up. “It’s okay, boy,” he said gently. “Just relocating.” Before long, the basement looked like a storage room and they’d boxed their belongings and Ralph’s things and were heading up the stairs. Jon led the way with his flashlight, quietly opening the door and listening before he pointed her down the hall and toward a narrow stairway.
“First door on your left,” he whispered. “I’ll bring the rest of the stuff and lock this door again.”
Carrying a box of food and things, Leah tiptoed up the stairs and, feeling her way to the door on the left, she went inside and waited. She hadn’t felt particularly safe down in the basement, but at least it had a locking door. Now they were hiding in a room in a house where the doors had been broken open. Far from secure.
When Jon joined her, carrying Ralph’s crate and some other things, she felt a tiny bit better, but still scared. He closed the door and turned on a flashlight, keeping the beam low.
“What about the window?” she asked with concern.
He produced a roll of duct tape. “I’ll seal up the edges of this blind, but I think it’s pretty solid.”
While he taped off the window blind, she checked on Ralph. Although he was awake, she could tell his eyelids were heavy. Hopefully he’d continue resting peacefully.
“You can go ahead and light the candle,” Jon told her as he slid a desk nearer to the door. “I want to go see if I can make a phone call from the rock—”
“I want to go with you,” she said eagerly.
“I think it’s safer for just one of us to go—less chance of being spotted.”
“But what if they come back here?”
Jon frowned. “I can see the road from the rock. If I see them heading this way, I’ll shoot right back.” He pointed to the desk. “After I go, slide this in front of the door. If you hear anything below, just be quiet. I’m guessing Krantz wouldn’t think to come back up here and waste time looking where he’s already searched.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Leah wanted to beg Jon to stay with her. What would she do if he were caught out there—if he were shot? Wouldn’t it be better for them to stay together? If she heard the sound of gunshots, she decided she would slip out of the house and then, even if it seemed impossible, she would begin a cross-country trek to town. She wasn’t wounded like Jon was, and she was a strong runner. If she didn’t wind up in a swamp with quicksand, she might eventually make it to town. Maybe by morning. Sure, it was a long shot, but it would be better than hiding out here like a sitting duck. She reached down to pet the groggy dog. But she’d have to leave him behind.
To distract herself from these fear-driven thoughts, Leah started looking around the room. Carrying the candle with her, she went over to look at some painting canvases that were stacked against the wall. The first one was of a seascape—a very beautiful scene with rocks and beach and ocean. It looked like a spot about twenty miles north of them. The next one was of two little girls and a dog on the beach. Also very nice.
She had already been convinced that Jon was a good artist—after she’d sneaked a peek at the sketchbook he’d left with her down in the basement. But seeing these paintings, she realized he was very talented. She came to the third and last painting—a portrait of a beautiful woman. Leah pulled it up to see better, holding the candle closer to illuminate the colors.
The young woman had a creamy complexion and wavy auburn hair that curled around her bare shoulders. But it was those emerald green eyes that captured Leah’s attention. They were luminescent—and determined. There was no denying that this woman was gorgeous. She was also the same woman that had been a regular subject in Jon’s sketchbook. Leah had seen numerous drawings of her and based on the female name scrawled across each one, Leah felt certain this “Monica” was someone who had been very important to Jon. She was also fairly sure that Jon was in love with her.
A noise downstairs made her catch her breath and, quickly laying down the canvas, she blew out the candle and listened to the sound of footsteps moving through the house and into the hallway below. The steps stopped and it sounded as if someone were trying a door. Was it Krantz, back to check on the basement? But now the steps continued down the hall and up the stairs. If it was Krantz, why wasn’t he focused on the basement door? Why would he come up here? Had he seen the light of her candle glowing through the blinds? With her heart in her throat, she hoped she wasn’t about to scream.
“It’s me,” Jon’s voice called through the door.
Relief washing over her, she moved the desk away, quickly letting him in.
“Krantz was parked out there. Just sitting in his car, a couple of houses down. Too close to the rock for me to risk it.” He pushed the desk back in front of the door, wincing in pain when it bumped the bandage protecting his thigh.
“How’s your leg?” she asked with concern.
“Pretty sore.” He frowned. “We’ve got to get out of here, Leah.”
“I know.”
“But with all these cops crawling all over the place, it won’t be easy.”
“Maybe we should just lay low,” she suggested. “Wait until morning and see if there’s a changing of the guard. Hearing that one of the cops was mad at Krantz for breaking in here without a warrant makes me feel a tinge of hope.”
“And if he does come back, he’ll probably just check the basement.”
“And maybe he’ll be alone,” she said positively.
“Let’s move the bureau against the door, too,” Jon suggested. “Make it extra hard for him to get in here. Just in case.”
“Then we can take turns sleeping,” she told him as she helped him move the heavy bureau. “You should go first since you’re the one with the gunshot wound.”
He started to protest this, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. As if to drive home her decision she sat in the only chair—a comfy-looking club chair—pointing to the single bed against the wall. He sat down reluctantly. “I only want to sleep an hour,” he said in a weary tone. “Promise you’ll wake me up, okay?”
She just nodded.
“And if you hear anything downstairs—or the alarm goes off—just nudge me.”
“Isn’t the alarm disarmed now?”
“I’m guessing the police called the security company to have it reset. At least that’s what they’re supposed to do.”
“Okay. Well, get some rest.”
“I’ll try.” He leaned back onto the pillows with his sandals still on. “Although I feel wide awake now.”
“Try to relax,” she said quietly. Then, seeing that the portrait was still on the floor where she’d dropped it, she went over to pick it up. “I took a sneak peek at your paintings,” she admitted.
“Uh-huh.”
“You’re really good.” She studied the portrait before returning it to the stack, leaving it face out. “I can see why you’re questioning your choice of careers.”
“Really?” Jon sat up and peered curiously at her.
“Absolutely.”
“Well, thanks.”
“And you’re versatile, too,” she said. “Seascapes, children. And that stunning woman.” She glanced at him. “Monica?”
He nodded. “So you’ve met Monica.”
“Monica? Is she your girlfriend?” She tried to sound nonchalant as she sat back in the club chair, tucking her legs underneath her.
“Ex.” His mouth twisted to one side.
“Ex?” She studied him closely. Something about his expression wasn’t convincing her.
“Monica and I parted ways last summer.” He sighed and leaned back on the bed.
“She’s very beautiful.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did you part ways amicably?” she asked, knowing that it was none of her business.
“Not exactly.” He frowned.
“Were you in love?” she persisted quietly.
“I thought we were in love.” Jon closed his eyes, exhaling loudly.
“Sorry...you should go to sleep.”
“It’s just that she’s not someone I care to think about,” he said sleepily. “Moving on, you know?”
“Yeah, sure,” she mumbled. But the truth was she didn’t believe him. As she sat there staring into those beautiful eyes, she knew that Jon still loved her. No one could paint a portrait like that—of someone he confessed to have loved—and then just stop loving her altogether. It didn’t seem possible.
Leah didn’t know why this felt so disturbing to her, but it did. It felt as if that painting—as if Monica—had invaded their strange little world and just wrecked everything. Of course, she knew this was perfectly ridiculous. After all, what did she and Jon really have? Being trapped together by a madman who wanted them dead was hardly the foundation for a good relationship. And just the same, she felt so drawn to him. He was the reason she’d decided to take a beach run earlier today. Was that really just today? It felt like weeks ago.
But her hope when she’d quickly changed her clothes after her shift at The Willows had been to accidentally “bump into” that sandy-haired stranger and his little dog, Ralph. And although that had happened, it had turned into the biggest mess of her life. Not only had she endangered her own life—she’d endangered his, too.
She looked over to the green-eyed beauty watching the room with such regal tranquility. And then to discover that the woman who had probably been the love of his life looked like that. Well, it just seemed all wrong. Leah puffed out the candle and closed her eyes. She didn’t plan to sleep, but she knew she needed to relax a little. And she needed to pray.
When Leah woke up it was to the sharp siren sounds of the security alarm. She got out of her chair, crawling across the floor to nudge Jon, when the sound of a loud crash made her jump. She reached over to pet Ralph, soothing him and keeping him calm and hopefully quiet. But someone had intruded. Probably Krantz.
Jon got down on the floor next to her and she could hear him fumbling for something. With his hand cupped over the beam of the flashlight, he allowed enough light in the room for him to get his hands on the baseball bat and he handed her the tire iron, signaling silence as he turned off the flashlight.
Leah could feel her heart pounding wildly as she listened to the security alarm, wondering if the intruder was coming up the stairs. She suspected it was Krantz. He’d probably kicked down the basement door to investigate down there. Hopefully they’d left nothing behind to give them away. She peered at the illuminated face of her watch, shocked to see that it was already past five in the morning. They had both slept for about four hours.
Another loud bang made her jump again, but Jon reached over to grasp her trembling hand, holding it firmly as if to warn her to keep silent. And it was a good thing because a part of her was ready to scream like a crazy person. As if the thin thread holding her sanity together was ready to break—and then she would lose it. But instead of screaming, she felt hot silent tears slipping down her cheeks. When would this madness end?