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FROM THE MOMENT VIC woke, she felt something had gone bad. What something, she hadn’t a clue. She sat up in bed and shook Xavier. He was still in pain from his torture by both Anton Popov and his vicious wife. So naturally he snapped at her.
“Don’t snap at me! I’m sensing danger, which I intend to root out. However, you should stay in bed, since you are clearly still in pain.”
He pushed himself up so he could rest against the headboard. “If you dare leave the house without Tubs, I will lock you in the basement for a month!”
“I’m not certain where the danger is, but I sense a grand storm coming.”
“Poetic, but not the least bit useful,” Xavier snapped. “Do you have any hint as to what has gone wrong?”
“None-what-so-ever.”
“Then perhaps we aren’t in danger at all.”
Vic paused. “I think you’re right. It’s someone else in our house that is in terrible danger.”
“Well, when you figure it out, wake me up. I’m still recuperating.”
Vic ran to the hall. First room she checked was Jacko’s room. She stared at the empty bed. Had someone kidnapped him?
Just then Jacko entered from the bathroom. “Bloody Hell, Vic! Why are you always barging into my room? It’s highly annoying!”
“Why don’t you wear pajamas, instead of sleeping in the nude,” Vic countered and ran from the room.
Taking no chances, Vic tapped lightly on David’s door and waited for him to answer. Just before she was about to pound on the door, it opened. Instead of him inviting her in, David stepped into the hallway and closed the door softly behind him.
Vic frowned. “Is there some reason we can’t talk in your room?”
He sighed. “Both my son and daughter had nightmares last night.”
“What were the nightmares about?”
“You don’t want to know,” David assured her.
“Actually, I need to know,” she insisted, “because I think something bad is really going to happen.”
“I sure as hell hope not,” he whispered. “Maddy had a nightmare in which Claire shoots Danny and me in the head, then steals Maddy away to the asylum where she lives.”
“I promise you that we will not let that happen.” She then hurried down the hall bellowing for Gregory. When she finally ran into him at the door of his room, she asked to use his phone.
“It’s five in the morning!” Gregory snapped. “Who are you going to call at this hour?”
“I’m hoping someone at the asylum will answer. I need to confirm Claire is still locked up at the asylum.”
Gregory quieted. “What has you worried?”
“When I woke this morning, I felt we had a very serious problem on our hands.”
“Is Xavier all right?”
“He still needs more rest, but the danger isn’t towards him. Maddy and Danny both had nightmares throughout the entire night in which Danny and David are shot in the face by Claire and Maddy is taken back to the asylum.”
“Oh dear! That is quite possible.”
“What do you mean?”
“I failed to mention the matter because I feared you would demand to go the asylum, and I honestly don’t believe you and Claire should ever speak to each other again. There is simply too much animosity between you.”
“I agree, which is precisely why I haven’t visited her. So, what important event happened that you failed to tell me about?”
“She has married the doctor, and he has declared her completely cured. Which means she is no longer considered an inmate. She has free rein to go wherever she wishes.”
“Bloody Hell! Wake up Tubs and make sure this place is locked down. I’m going to move David, Maddy, and Danny to Vivian’s house.”
“Have you asked her permission to do so?”
“No, but once I explain the situation, I have no doubt they will help. They are both very good women and their ability to shoot intruders is well-established. And in the meantime, I need you to ensure this house is locked down solid!”
“Don’t you dare tell me how to do my job!”
“I apologize for suggesting any such thing. We cannot forget how clever Claire is. It’s very likely she has been planning this since she was first incarcerated.”
Gregory nodded and sighed. “I agree they would be safer at the other house. Claire shouldn’t know of any connection to that home and ours.”
“Let us pray she doesn’t,” Vic stated and hurried back upstairs.
David had evidently returned to his room to console the children. Then a different scenario came to her thoughts. What if Claire was in there already? What if she had cut a hole in the roof?
She ran to her and Xavier’s room and loaded two guns.
Xavier was up at once, getting himself dressed. “What’s happened!” he demanded.
“Possibly nothing yet, but we need to get David, Danny, and Maddy to Vivian’s house, now.”
Now carrying five hidden guns, Vic knocked lightly on David’s door. He opened it and said, “The children are still frightened. I’ve tried to calm them, but I’m having no luck.”
She pressed her finger to her lips to silence him and then picked up Danny, leaving David to carry Maddy. They quickly ran to Vivian’s house. Vic had expected to waste a great deal of time getting in the house, but the door opened at once and their butler Jonas ushered them in.
“Gregory has shared the situation to me,” Jonas explained. “If you would not be offended to stay in my suite, I believe you will be much safer there. Claire would never conceive of you hiding in the butler’s room.”
David thanked him and followed him to a beautiful suite.
Vic laughed at once. “Jonas, the only person in our house who has a nicer room than this one is Gregory’s.”
“Thank you for the compliment. Do you plan to stay here, or will you return to your house? You shouldn’t be going back and forth. If you need to communicate, it should be by phone.” Jonas gripped Vic’s hand. “I will check on them frequently since it will not seem odd for me to enter my room. I assure you that the soldiers and I will protect David and the children.”
Vic gave Jonas a hug and then hurried back to her house before the sun rose.
***
DURING BREAKFAST SHE explained to the boys that David took Maddy and Danny on a ship to France for a week.
“Why didn’t anyone tell us?” Cannon asked.
“Because David wanted to surprise them with this fabulous trip.”
“Why didn’t they want to take us too? We would like to see France as well.”
“We’ll go this spring, if you wish.”
***
A WEEK PASSED AND NO one tried to break into their home. Still, she didn’t bring David and his children back from the other house. Honestly, she felt as uneasy as she had on the first day. Not surprisingly, Vic never went anywhere without at least three loaded guns.
She would ring up David every night. She was careful what she said, since she knew all too well that the women in charge of putting through the lines heard what was said as well.
“I really have to get back to work,” he admitted.
“Sorry for the false alarm,” Vic muttered.
“I’m not angry with you. I just have a mass of unhappy dental care patients. If I don’t return soon, they will never use me again.”
“Hopefully, Claire has gone back to the doctor. She needs to move on and forget about her past, including the children.”
A violent scream occurred on the operator’s side and then silence.