Page 17 of Steal Me

"I'm afraid not."

Erin, whose official job title I've forgotten, seems to know everything that goes on around this house. I picture her more like my husband's sergeant-in-arms, someone he trusts to keep his entire household staff in line. Even more interesting? I haven't seen anyone else in our tour, with all of them disappearing into God knows where after their greeting squad act on the front steps.

"Where's everybody?"

"Attending to their respective duties."

Oh, this woman is really good at answering my questions without actually giving me anything.

"I really need to use my phone, though. Would you happen to know where it is?"

"In the master's possession."

"And you don't think that's odd?"

"Not at all."

"What if I tell you I've been abducted?" I ask impulsively.

"It would have broken my heart to hear this," she answers without hesitation.

Oh?

"—if you were one of the others."

"Others?"

Erin's mask slips for the first time, and we both realize she's said something she shouldn't have.

"What do you mean by others?" I insist on asking.

Erin clears her throat. "I believe I'm needed in the kitchen at this time."

"No, you're not."

The other woman only bows, and I realize I'm not the only one who's good at ignoring what we don't want to see or hear.

"Please use the intercom if you need anything,madame. Good day."

My jaw drops when she turns without even waiting for me to say something back, and by the time I recover from my surprise, she's disappeared around the corner, and I...I have no idea how to find her.

Erin - 1, Me - 0.

For now.

But in the meantime...

I think it's time to make a proper assessment of my current...setup.

Main entrance: four security guards, two visible, probably two more I can't see. Metal detectors and cameras.

Not an option.

I wander past a side exit: alarmed, camera above, keypad entry.

Nope.

I head up the grand staircase and consider the second-floor windows. Is it possible to jump from here?

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