The Christmas Clue by Delores Fossen

something fast.
    “You’re not supposed to be down here,” the man added in a snarl.
    “We have orders to get last year’s Christmas disks,” Matt countered.
    “Why?”
    Matt shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”
    It was the gunman’s turn to study them. His iron-hard gaze went from the box-holding Matt to Cass. Matt shifted his position just slightly in case he had to go for his gun. Even though Cass had insisted that no one at the estate other than Dominic would recognize her, there was always the possibility that someone on Dominic’s staff might remember her from her short visit nearly a year ago. Matt didn’t want a shootout here inside the estate, but he wasn’t going to stand by and let this goon kill them, either.
    Time crawled by.
    Finally the guard snapped, “Make it quick.”
    Oh, they intended to do that. Matt nudged Cass into the vault ahead of him, and he stayed near the doorway so he could keep watch in case the guard decided to call someone to report them or in case he decided to take a closer look.
    Thankfully, Cass didn’t waste any time. She hurried along the long rows of shelves, mumbling the dates that she read off the spines of the plastic storage cases. She stopped, pulled out several and shoved them into the box that she took from him.
    “Hurry up!” the guard called out.
    And that barked order made Matt consider their next possible dilemma. What if the guard wanted to check the surveillance disks? The dates were close enough that he might believe they were Christmas disks, but if the man took a good look, Cass and he would be in real danger of being killed on the spot.
    Knowing what he had to do, Matt eased his hand over his gun so it’d be ready if he needed it.
    Matt went out ahead of Cass. “Don’t shut the vault door all the way,” he whispered to her.
    Their eyes met, and he saw that she understood. They might have to use the room for cover in the event of a shootout.
    Matt walked toward the stairs, keeping a close eye on the guard. He’d only made it a few steps when he heard another shout.
    “Buck?” someone called out. “Get in here now. I just found a switchblade on one of the morons decorating the Christmas tree.”
    The guard turned toward the voice. Cursed viciously. And he shot Matt a warning glance before he turned and left.
    Matt didn’t wait for his heartbeat to return to normal. That wouldn’t happen while they were in the estate, anyway. Cass and he started up the stairs.
    “Oh, no,” Cass mumbled.
    Matt immediately looked for another guard, but he soon realized it wasn’t a guard that’d caused her reaction. She was staring at the infrared monitor.
    “Molly’s no longer in the nursery,” Cass informed him. “There’s just one adult in there. Judging from her posture, it looks like Annette sitting in her wheelchair.”
    Matt had a look for himself. Cass was right. No small color mass to indicate a baby. He frantically looked through the rest of the house.
    There was no sign of Molly.
    “We’re going to the nursery,” Matt informed her. Yes, it was a risk, but someway, somehow he had to figure out what’d happened to his daughter.
    There was a guard in the hall. Not Buck, the one who’d held them at gunpoint. This was a bulky Hispanic guy who barely gave them a second glance. He was obviously a man on a mission because he was hurrying in the direction of the garden room. Even though the guy was likely cutting off their exit, Matt and Cass went in the opposite direction.
    It was like a maze to get to the nursery. Three halls. Three turns. At least a dozen rooms. Cass navigated them all from memory of studying the plans Hollis had given her. Along the way, Matt checked the jammer to make sure it was still working.
    It was.
    Thankfully the corridor just outside the nursery was empty and the door was ajar. With his hand still on his gun, he peeked inside, and came face-to-face with Annette Cordova.
    The woman wasn’t in a wheelchair. It was several feet