eyes were closed, pain etched into the lines of her face. Dad knelt at her side, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Mom—” Elle started toward her when Denton jerked her back.
“It’s not safe. Stay right with Agent Banks while I help. Understand?”
She nodded, though every part of her felt drawn to her mother. Denton’s words made sense. Elle didn’t have the brawn to help dislodge the beam.
Despite the number of people fleeing, a decent crowd of people and security worked the area, trying to put out the fire, to evacuate the crowd, to help those injured. Elle stood with Agent Banks by the service door leading to the kitchen. She wrapped her arms over her chest and coughed, her eyes burning. Sweat sprinkled her face from the heat of the flames.
Her poor mom. They had to help her before the flames singed her clothes and then consumed her.
Please, Lord, help her. Help everyone.
Across the room, two men helped a man hobble away, blood gushing from his leg. A woman with a gash on her forehead walked toward the exit, her eyes dazed. Tables were knocked over from where people had scrambled toward safety.
Tears popped into her eyes. What was going on? How had this happened?
Security guards grabbed fire extinguishers and tried helplessly to put out the fire. The flames continued to come, to grow.
A group of men used a table to leverage the beam atop her mother. Touching the metal would sear their skin. Denton had long since abandoned his jacket and tie. His white dress shirt was dirty, the sleeves rolled up, the collar unbuttoned.
Come on. Help her. Please.
But the beam was heavy. They needed more people to help. She grasped Agent Banks’s arm. “Please. Give them a hand.”
“I have instructions—”
“I know, but I’ll be fine. I’ll stay right here and won’t move an inch. I’ll tell Denton that I forced you to go. But please, you’ve got to help my mother.”
He stared at her a moment and then glanced at the group of men working to help her mother. Finally, he nodded. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“I won’t.” She bit her fingernail, trying to keep her anxiety under control before it consumed her. They would get her mom out. They had to.
Please, Lord. Be with us.
A hand clamped around her arm. She gasped, but no one heard her over the noise of the room. Before she could turn to see what was going on, someone jerked her backward, toward the service door. No. No!
She grabbed the door frame, using every ounce of strength to latch on. But the man behind her was stronger, his strength making her feel like a rag doll. She felt herself being pulled backward, the blackness of the room like an abyss.
Denton! Her gaze shot across the room to where he pulled her mom from the rumble.
In the blink of an eye, she would disappear. She had to do something.
Using all of her strength, she rammed her elbow backward. It connected with her captor. His grasp loosened for a moment. She lunged forward, back toward the ballroom.
The man reached for her, but missed. His hand caught her necklace instead. Her throat squeezed until finally the gold chain snapped.
“Help!” she managed to yell.
At once, Denton darted toward her.
“A man. Grabbed me.” She pointed behind her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, still gasping for breath.
“Someone stay with her!” he yelled before running into the kitchen. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
That had been close. Too close.
* * *
Denton glimpsed a shadow at the far end of the room. The outline of man, barely visible in the dim light. As soon as he spotted him, the man slipped out a side-door exit.
“Not so fast!” Denton shoved a service cart out of his way as he took off after him. He dodged around tables and kitchen equipment. His dress shoes fought for traction on the slippery floor, sliding around corners.
The man had a head start, maybe too much of a head start. He had to catch this guy before anyone else got hurt.
As Denton reached the door,
“Mom—” Elle started toward her when Denton jerked her back.
“It’s not safe. Stay right with Agent Banks while I help. Understand?”
She nodded, though every part of her felt drawn to her mother. Denton’s words made sense. Elle didn’t have the brawn to help dislodge the beam.
Despite the number of people fleeing, a decent crowd of people and security worked the area, trying to put out the fire, to evacuate the crowd, to help those injured. Elle stood with Agent Banks by the service door leading to the kitchen. She wrapped her arms over her chest and coughed, her eyes burning. Sweat sprinkled her face from the heat of the flames.
Her poor mom. They had to help her before the flames singed her clothes and then consumed her.
Please, Lord, help her. Help everyone.
Across the room, two men helped a man hobble away, blood gushing from his leg. A woman with a gash on her forehead walked toward the exit, her eyes dazed. Tables were knocked over from where people had scrambled toward safety.
Tears popped into her eyes. What was going on? How had this happened?
Security guards grabbed fire extinguishers and tried helplessly to put out the fire. The flames continued to come, to grow.
A group of men used a table to leverage the beam atop her mother. Touching the metal would sear their skin. Denton had long since abandoned his jacket and tie. His white dress shirt was dirty, the sleeves rolled up, the collar unbuttoned.
Come on. Help her. Please.
But the beam was heavy. They needed more people to help. She grasped Agent Banks’s arm. “Please. Give them a hand.”
“I have instructions—”
“I know, but I’ll be fine. I’ll stay right here and won’t move an inch. I’ll tell Denton that I forced you to go. But please, you’ve got to help my mother.”
He stared at her a moment and then glanced at the group of men working to help her mother. Finally, he nodded. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“I won’t.” She bit her fingernail, trying to keep her anxiety under control before it consumed her. They would get her mom out. They had to.
Please, Lord. Be with us.
A hand clamped around her arm. She gasped, but no one heard her over the noise of the room. Before she could turn to see what was going on, someone jerked her backward, toward the service door. No. No!
She grabbed the door frame, using every ounce of strength to latch on. But the man behind her was stronger, his strength making her feel like a rag doll. She felt herself being pulled backward, the blackness of the room like an abyss.
Denton! Her gaze shot across the room to where he pulled her mom from the rumble.
In the blink of an eye, she would disappear. She had to do something.
Using all of her strength, she rammed her elbow backward. It connected with her captor. His grasp loosened for a moment. She lunged forward, back toward the ballroom.
The man reached for her, but missed. His hand caught her necklace instead. Her throat squeezed until finally the gold chain snapped.
“Help!” she managed to yell.
At once, Denton darted toward her.
“A man. Grabbed me.” She pointed behind her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, still gasping for breath.
“Someone stay with her!” he yelled before running into the kitchen. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
That had been close. Too close.
* * *
Denton glimpsed a shadow at the far end of the room. The outline of man, barely visible in the dim light. As soon as he spotted him, the man slipped out a side-door exit.
“Not so fast!” Denton shoved a service cart out of his way as he took off after him. He dodged around tables and kitchen equipment. His dress shoes fought for traction on the slippery floor, sliding around corners.
The man had a head start, maybe too much of a head start. He had to catch this guy before anyone else got hurt.
As Denton reached the door,
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