Page 108 of The Last Dance You Saved
It instantly brought back memories of playing hide-and-seek as a kid with Spence, Lauren, and Adam, and the way we’d never found him. The way he’d been like a ghost, disappearing and reappearing with a smug look on his face, all the while keeping his secrets.
Anger swarmed through me. That he’d known my home better than me. That he’d used the advantage to play parlor tricks.
A chill washed over my spine, thinking of the man who’d tried to smother Lauren. How Adam had appeared in her room out of nowhere. The hidden passage went right by her bedroom.
Shit. Was he still here? Were we searching for him in Mexico when he was still in the house?
I picked up my phone and dialed Steele. “I need you here. Now.”
When he came running into the office, I put a hand to my lips and then silently pointed to what I’d found on the plans. His face turned grim, and we headed into the vault.
Steele pulled his gun from his holster, and I grabbed one from the wall. The Liliput was missing. I’d thought Sadie had put it back before she left, but maybe it was still in the room upstairs.
Between Steele and I, we found the switch behind the shelves that swung open the door to the first passageway. Well oiled, it didn’t make a sound, and I cursed myself all over again.
We made our way, floor by floor, through the narrow halls with our phone lights casting dark shadows along the walls. The passages weren’t dusty. No spiderwebs existed. They’d been used frequently and recently.
As quietly as we could, we cleared the spaces and ended in the hidden room in the attic. A brass bed with mussed sheets and a pile of recently used dishes proved someone had been here in the last few days. A simple, plain desk was strewn with computer cords along with a host of other electronics. Seeing them, Steele cursed.
“What?” I demanded.
“These are cloning devices for phones. If he’s used them on Lauren’s and Fallon’s phones, he could be following everything we’re doing.”
How could I have been so careless? Why hadn’t I demanded they use burner phones?
“Damn it, Steele.”
We left the secret room through a door that led into the attic space I’d known well as a child, playing amongst the leftovers of the Harringtons’ past. As we headed down the stairs, Steele said, “Give me your phone. I’ll make sure it’s clean, and I’ll find Lauren and scan hers as well.”
As he headed out of the house, I went back into the office. While I waited for him to return, fury built inside me. I stared at the plans with disgust, knowing my father had kept the secret of the passages for his benefit. Or maybe to see if we’d ever find them on our own. By doing so, he’d allowed the spider to spin its web, just like I’d allowed the monster in the gate.
When Steele walked in with a glower on his face, my heart sank.
“He was monitoring us?” I growled.
“Not you,” he said, placing my phone on top of the floorplans. “But Lauren. Which means he was probably monitoring Fallon’s phone as well. You’ll need to tell Sadie to get her a burner phone.”
“Fuck.”
“But it was actually good news.”
“How the hell do you figure?”
“I was able to use the link he established to backdoor him. I’m waiting for it to ping his location now.”
I stilled, hope flaring. “You’ve got him.”
“Not yet. But as soon as he sends a text or makes a call, I will.”
It was good news, but I hated that I couldn’t text my daughter to warn her. I couldn’t even be sure he hadn’t cloned Sadie’s while she’d been here, so I’d have to contact one of her brothers and get them a message that way. She wouldn’t like it any more than she’d like that I’d told Ryder about what had been happening here. Her text message to me once she’d found out had been scathing, but I’d done it for a good reason. I’d do it all over again if it meant keeping her safe.
I had to believe she’d forgive me for all of it once I told her my plans. Once I touched her again. She’d forget anything and everything but what we could be when we were together.
Steele’s phone vibrated in his hand, and as soon as he glanced down at it, a look of triumph took over his face. “We’ve got him!” The glee disappeared just as fast as it had arrived. “Shit!” The hope that had soared inside my chest crashed as he looked up at me with pure panic and said, “He’s in Willow Creek.”
For a moment, I didn’t believe I’d heard him right. The world went hazy, black swimming in front of me. Dread settled like a dead weight in my gut.
I reached for my phone, hitting Sadie’s number with a hand that shook. It rang twice and then went to voicemail. Even knowing Adam could be monitoring it, I called Fallon. It went straight to voicemail as well.
