Page 85 of Unseen Danger

Desk, filing cabinets. Some kind of office.

Gritty floor beneath her. The air that seeped into her nostrils smelled of wood and metal. A factory or warehouse?

Windows topped one wall halfway up. If she got closer, she could probably see out by kneeling. Hopefully without being seen herself.

She’d have to give it a shot.

She eyed the corner of a metal set of shelves. Should she break the zip tie now?

No, she’d better scope out the situation first, in case she needed to pretend she was helpless for longer.

Pretend. Laughter at the bluff she tried to sell herself bubbled in her throat. She swallowed it back. Probably would choke her with the tape over her mouth. That’d be an ironic way to go: Kidnapped woman dies of lying to herself.

Whatever. If she needed to bluff herself to get out of here, that’s what she’d do.

She leaned forward and pulled her feet under her. She managed to shift to her knees, teetering slightly as her vision tilted.

The rest of the drug should wear off in a few more minutes. By then, she needed to be ready for action.

She moved toward the windows on her knees, sliding one leg forward at a time. Every muscle in her body protested. Probably thanks to her fight with these thugs and the manhandling while she’d been out.

Voices reached her ears as she neared the windows. Male voices.

She ducked a little lower as she crawled forward, trying to make sure her hair wasn’t high enough to be spotted.

The voices grew louder. Were they coming to the office?

She reached the nearest window and stopped, ducking low.

“…wasn’t my mistake.”

“…told me to take her.”

The wall between her and the men muffled their gruff voices, keeping her from hearing every word. But there was no missing the frustration in their tight tones.

“…hot.”

“Didn’t…a looker.”

Wait. Were they talking about her? She leaned closer to the window just above her head.

“…we could have some fun while we wait.”

Her insides clenched. No doubt what kind of fun the jerk meant.

Panic surged up her throat. She’d choke if it kept climbing.

Use the fear. Use the fear.

But the fear gripped her too hard, quaking shivers through her body, launching flashes of memory she fought to keep at bay.

Phoenix would come. She’d rescue her. The PK-9 team would show up soon.

If they didn’t, Nevaeh was finished.

Branson couldn’t remember when he’d ever been so angry. Fury blazed a fiery trail through his veins as he stared at the Fun Land security footage Detective Larson was letting him watch.

What kind of men gunned people down in front of little kids? And roughed up women?

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