things: The man was reaching for another gun strapped to his ankle, and Ian didn't want to kill anyone.
The man raised the gun, his finger on the trigger.
Ian brought the bar down hard, piercing the man's belly. Blood splashed up over Ian's hands as the man cried out, the gun dropping from his fingers as he passed out. Ian yanked the bar back out and tossed it aside, gathering the two guns and stepping over the dying guard. His mind felt strangely numb, as though he was seeing everything play out in slow motion. Knowing the man would die but unable to watch, he closed the bathroom door and hobbled across the room, fresh stripes of pain twisting his ribs and head.
"God forgive me," he whispered, shoving the guns under the pillow and laying back on the bed. He needed to rest, just for a minute. Then he'd find his way out.
A minute later, he was asleep.
Chapter 11
Exhausted, Betsy slid down the cool dirt wall and aimed the flashlight beam on a map. It felt like she'd been walking for hours, but there was no sign of Ian or even anyone suspicious that might lead her to him. The tunnels beneath the ranch were cold and eerily quiet, the lack of sound and companionship getting to her more than anything else. If Ian was down here, there was no way she'd find him by herself. She needed help.
If she'd followed the landmarks correctly, which she wasn't at all sure of, the tunnel that began directly in front of her should lead to the access door under the mansion. Exhaling long and slow, she forced herself to get up and started down the dark passageway. Swinging the light from side to side, she moved as quickly as she dared, trying to be quiet. Then she saw it - a sliver of brightness piercing the dark several feet ahead.
Panic was her first reaction, because down here, there shouldn't be any open doors or light penetrating. Either someone had entered or left the tunnels there recently, or a door had been left open - something no one who knew about them would dare to do. Her heart beating fast, Betsy switched off the light and hugged the wall, inching slowly closer. By the time she was near enough to peer around the corner, her mouth was so dry and her pulse so quick she could barely swallow.
Half-expecting a large hand to reach out for her, she leaned against the corner and twisted around until she could see. Her eyes widened as she took in the jagged edges of rock that framed a small, crudely shaped opening. There was no door, but on the other side of the opening she could swear she saw...
Shower tile?
Her instincts told her the area was empty, and she moved toward the opening, flashlight held ready as a weapon. Stopping just outside the portal she waited, listening for any sound at all before stepping through into a large shower area she recognized as her brother's.
"What on earth has he been up to?" she mused softly, making her way to the bathroom door. She pressed her ear against it, listening for several seconds before pulling it open.
The place felt deserted, and her panic subsided as she went through the living room and got a glass of water in the kitchen. Remembering the cell phone, she tried to call Harley again, but he still didn't answer. Gulping down more fluid, she brought up the text messages Derek's goon had sent her earlier, and pressed the button to reply.
"I'm here - where are you?" she typed in, hoping he'd take the bait. Expecting a quick reply, she stared at the screen for several minutes, sipping water as a clock ticked somewhere in the next room.
The minute she gave up and laid the phone on the counter, it buzzed. Snatching it up, she read the words on the screen with a grin.
"Upstairs, mansion. Hurry."
* * *
Ian set the phone on a low table near the door, glad it had woke him up in time to get the text from Derek. Looking around for a weapon, he settled on the thick wooden dowel that served as a closet rod. He considered getting one of the guns, but he didn't
The man raised the gun, his finger on the trigger.
Ian brought the bar down hard, piercing the man's belly. Blood splashed up over Ian's hands as the man cried out, the gun dropping from his fingers as he passed out. Ian yanked the bar back out and tossed it aside, gathering the two guns and stepping over the dying guard. His mind felt strangely numb, as though he was seeing everything play out in slow motion. Knowing the man would die but unable to watch, he closed the bathroom door and hobbled across the room, fresh stripes of pain twisting his ribs and head.
"God forgive me," he whispered, shoving the guns under the pillow and laying back on the bed. He needed to rest, just for a minute. Then he'd find his way out.
A minute later, he was asleep.
Chapter 11
Exhausted, Betsy slid down the cool dirt wall and aimed the flashlight beam on a map. It felt like she'd been walking for hours, but there was no sign of Ian or even anyone suspicious that might lead her to him. The tunnels beneath the ranch were cold and eerily quiet, the lack of sound and companionship getting to her more than anything else. If Ian was down here, there was no way she'd find him by herself. She needed help.
If she'd followed the landmarks correctly, which she wasn't at all sure of, the tunnel that began directly in front of her should lead to the access door under the mansion. Exhaling long and slow, she forced herself to get up and started down the dark passageway. Swinging the light from side to side, she moved as quickly as she dared, trying to be quiet. Then she saw it - a sliver of brightness piercing the dark several feet ahead.
Panic was her first reaction, because down here, there shouldn't be any open doors or light penetrating. Either someone had entered or left the tunnels there recently, or a door had been left open - something no one who knew about them would dare to do. Her heart beating fast, Betsy switched off the light and hugged the wall, inching slowly closer. By the time she was near enough to peer around the corner, her mouth was so dry and her pulse so quick she could barely swallow.
Half-expecting a large hand to reach out for her, she leaned against the corner and twisted around until she could see. Her eyes widened as she took in the jagged edges of rock that framed a small, crudely shaped opening. There was no door, but on the other side of the opening she could swear she saw...
Shower tile?
Her instincts told her the area was empty, and she moved toward the opening, flashlight held ready as a weapon. Stopping just outside the portal she waited, listening for any sound at all before stepping through into a large shower area she recognized as her brother's.
"What on earth has he been up to?" she mused softly, making her way to the bathroom door. She pressed her ear against it, listening for several seconds before pulling it open.
The place felt deserted, and her panic subsided as she went through the living room and got a glass of water in the kitchen. Remembering the cell phone, she tried to call Harley again, but he still didn't answer. Gulping down more fluid, she brought up the text messages Derek's goon had sent her earlier, and pressed the button to reply.
"I'm here - where are you?" she typed in, hoping he'd take the bait. Expecting a quick reply, she stared at the screen for several minutes, sipping water as a clock ticked somewhere in the next room.
The minute she gave up and laid the phone on the counter, it buzzed. Snatching it up, she read the words on the screen with a grin.
"Upstairs, mansion. Hurry."
* * *
Ian set the phone on a low table near the door, glad it had woke him up in time to get the text from Derek. Looking around for a weapon, he settled on the thick wooden dowel that served as a closet rod. He considered getting one of the guns, but he didn't
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