Page 82 of Trapped

“I’m not making much progress with him, and I was hoping you could give me some useful information about him.”

He gestured toward the back of the house. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t see me if I did. I was hoping that if I just came here, you wouldn’t turn me away.”

“Why don’t we sit down.”

“Thank you.”

She started down the hall, and Cash started to walk down the steps when two more men came out of another doorway on the first floor and moved quickly up on either side of Sophia, grabbing her arms.

Sophia cried out as they hustled her toward the room where Luntz had been sitting—acting as a goddamn decoy—pretending that he was totally alone.

Cash knew that now. He also knew something else. Luntz wasn’t an innocent bystander. He was up to his eyeballs in this, and he’d been prepared for trouble.

Cash didn’t recognize either of the men who had grabbed Sophia. But they looked like they’d been cut from the same mold as the security guards in the bunker. And they were wearing the same uniform.

So, were there other guards in the house?

And how was he going to get Sophia out of here?

Cursing his own stupidity for letting her put herself in danger, Cash tiptoed back up the main staircase. He’d thought it was safe for Sophia to come in here. Now he knew how wrong he was.

With his heart pounding, he looked back over his shoulder. He’d seen another set of stairs which led to the back of the house. Maybe that was his best bet.

Scrambling for a plan, he pulled out his Sig and hurried to the alternate stairway, then quickly descended. At the bottom he paused to make sure he was alone. No other men had materialized out of the woodwork, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.

Or they could be outside. If so, had they seen him come in?

Did he have surprise on his side? Or were they already looking for him?

He flattened himself against the wall and moved down the hall toward the family room. Through the doorway he saw that they had pushed Sophia into a chair and were grouped around her.

“He sent you,” Luntz growled.

“No.”

One of the men answered. “She was at the bunker. And you sure as hell weren’t part of the team there.”

“Shut up,” Luntz growled. “We’re asking questions, not giving out information.”

The man clamped his mouth shut.

“Where is he?” Luntz demanded.

She raised her chin. “I don’t know.”

“I don’t believe you.” For emphasis, he pulled back his hand and slapped her across the face.

She screamed.

“You’re going to tell us.”

When he saw Luntz strike her, Cash’s anger flared. Yet he knew that if he let emotions rule him, they were both going to end up in deep trouble.

“Where is he?” Luntz asked again, his voice menacing. “It will be easier on you if you tell me.”

Cash pulled the phone from his pocket and called Luntz’s number.

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