Page 5 of No Escape

“I didn’t,” I answered. “A couple of days later, I asked Father Armando if he knew what might be fun to do in the area, as I was out of ideas. He asked me what I’d already looked at, and I admitted that I’d tried to get us booked at Zachetti’s castle. He didn’t say anything about it but promised he’d help me find a suitable spot for us to gather. A few days later I received an email from Dante Zachetti inviting us to the castle for exactly the days we needed. I suspect Father Armando was instrumental in that, but he won’t confirm it. It was a little odd, but since Gio was really stoked about it, that made the decision easy. I figure we’re all game to give it a try, right?”

“Yes, of course, but it means we’re going to be taking on the same challenges that even the brightest technical and scholarly minds in Europe purportedly couldn’t solve,” Mom said. “That seems quite daunting.”

“True. But one way or the other, it will definitely make for a cool adventure.”

“I think it sounds fascinating, Lexi.” The astute lawyer brain in Dad seemed excited about the possibility. “I’ve never done an escape room, but you know me. I’m always up for a good puzzle, as is your mom. Right, Clarissa?”

“Of course.” My mom patted his knee. “It just seems an unusual way to meet Slash’s parents. But we’re here, aren’t we? So, bring on the puzzles.”

That was one thing about my family. For as long as I could remember, we’d always had game night at our house. Puzzles, cards, board games, all of it. When my brothers and I were younger, we had game night several times a week after dinner. As we got older and more homework and after-school activities piled on, family game nights had become fewer. Then my older brothers, Rock and Beau, left for college, leaving me alone with my folks. We still had game nights, but they were rare until I’d left for college. In a strange moment of nostalgia, I realized how much I missed it.

“You’re really good at puzzles, Dad,” I said. “Which, not coincidentally, makes you an excellent lawyer.”

“Why, thank you,” he said, grinning at me. “But your mother is the real puzzle beast. Honestly, I think you and your brothers got your smarts from her side of the family.”

I stared at him taken aback by his comment. Dad thought I got my smarts from Mom? Sure, she was intelligent and wicked good at puzzles, especially word games and crossword puzzles, but she’d always been so focused trying to push me into activities like ballet, dating, and girly things that I’d kind of forgotten she’d graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She hadn’t ever used her degree, as far as I knew, but the more I thought about it, she did have amazing success with people, fund-raising, and getting her way. Maybe leveraging her social skills and extraordinary good looks was just a strategy to get people to underestimate her.

Interesting I’d never considered that before.

“Regardless of what happens, our castle experience should be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for certain,” Slash was saying.

I agreed 100 percent. Iloveda good challenge. Plus, I hoped everyone would be so busy exploring the grounds and trying to solve the puzzles, no one would have much time to talk to me, ask me questions, or want to discuss my upcoming wedding plans.

Our driver pulled up to the airport departure area and helped us unload our suitcases from the trunk. Slash gave him a tip, and we schlepped our suitcases into the airport, decked out for the holidays. An enormous Christmas tree stood in one corner, decorated with hundreds of silver and gold balls and blinking white lights. Christmas music played over the loudspeakers. Everything was in the full festive spirit of the holiday.

As we headed toward the Alitalia airline counter to check our baggage, I pulled up behind a guy in a full Santa Claus suit, including boots, hat, and coat. Apparently, Santa was headed to Italy, too.

My dad, Mom, and Slash came up behind me. Slash pulled his suitcase and one of my mother’s enormous ones. Dad had his suitcase and my mom’s other one. Mom carried her large carry-on and purse. She happily peppered Slash with questions about Italy this time of year, and I smiled a bit, glad that she seemed to be having a good time already. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all. She came to stand beside me, reaching over to brush a strand of my brown hair off my shoulder.

“Italy at Christmas,” she said. “It will be lovely, Lexi.”

“I’m sure it will be.” I reached into my purse for my passport, accidentally elbowing Santa in the side. My elbow hit something hard, and pain zinged from my funny bone down to my wrist.

“Ouch,” I said, rubbing my elbow. “Dude, you’ve got some hard ribs there.”

Santa glanced over his shoulder at me, his eyes narrowing. “Shut up.”

Jeez. Ho, ho, ho,not. Guess Santa wasn’t in a good mood, and…he was also sweating profusely. I couldn’t believe he planned on traveling all the way to Italy in that suit. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to elbow you. It’s just kind of crowded in here with all the Christmas travelers and—”

Santa suddenly whipped an automatic weapon out from beneath his red coat and fired several rounds toward the ceiling.

“I said shut up!” he roared at me.

Holy holiday!

This Santa wasn’t packing presents.

Chapter Four

Lexi Carmichael

I froze, shocked by the incongruity of Santa Claus with an automatic weapon.

For a split second, the world narrowed to just the two of us. A loud roaring noise filled my ears, and although my brain screamed at me to run, my eyes were locked on his, my feet rooted to the floor.

“Drop!” someone shouted from behind me, but the voice seemed to take a long time to reach my ears, so when I finally heard it, it sounded more likedrooooooooooooop.

My mom, who was standing slightly diagonal to me and just behind Santa, immediately dropped to the floor, covering her head with her hands. But everything in my vision had changed to slow motion, so it seemed to take her forever to fall, as if I could see every moment of her movement occurring in a split-second time frame.

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