Page 27 of Edinburgh Escape
Too keyed up to sleep, he paced through the flat, stopping at the windows overlooking the entrance and the street below. He stood to the side, careful not to expose himself to anyone who might be looking up.
Tourists moved along the sidewalks heading for the train station or the Royal Mile, eager to see more of the city or the Scottish countryside. The city was a vibrant blend of modern amenities and a stunning mix of architectural styles, including Celtic, Gothic, Renaissance and Romanesque. For a city established over nine hundred years ago, it had stood the test of time with grace and beauty.
Four men in dark clothing came into view, weaving swiftly between tourists as if they were on a mission.
Callum tensed as they neared the street-level entrance to the building housing Angus’s flat. When they arrived in front of the building, they paused, looked around and then entered.
Callum cursed and spun away from the window. As he sprinted for the guest bedroom, he cast a glance at his backpack and her suitcase on the floor in the living room. He didn’t have time to hide them, and it probably didn’t matter. They already knew Maggie was there. Somehow, they’d followed them there.
When he burst through the door, he called out in an urgent whisper, “Maggie. Wake up.”
Maggie’s eyes shot open. She focused on him and sat up straight. “What’s wrong?”
“Four men entered the building below. I think they’re on their way up here.”
She leaped to her feet. “Is there a back door we can go through? I don’t recall seeing one.”
Callum shook his head. “No, but Angus has a safe room hidden behind a wall in his bedroom.” He spun and stepped back out into the hallway.
The sound of footsteps clumping up the stairs made Callum’s heart beat faster as he led the way into Angus’s room with Maggie close on his heels. “Close the door,” he ordered.
Maggie shut the door. “Lock it?”
“No. We don’t want them to know we’re here.”
Two of the walls in Angus’s room were a soft French gray. The third wall was a feature wall of rich, dark wood, with four bands of gray stone stretching from floor to ceiling, giving the room a distinctly masculine and modern look.
Callum ran his fingers along the stones. The button was there somewhere. Angus had shown it to him the first time he’d visited his old friend after he’d renovated the flat.
A loud thump reverberated through the closed door of the bedroom. They were trying to break down the door to the flat.
As Callum’s finger rolled over what appeared to be just another stone in the feature wall, the far side of it sank in. He pushed harder. The latch released. Callum swung the entire band of gray stone mounted on a solid metal sheet, opening it like a door. When the gap was wide enough for a person to squeeze through, he grabbed Maggie’s arm and shoved her into the narrow enclave, barely large enough for two people to stand side by side.
Another loud thump sounded from the other room, followed by the crack of splitting wood.
Callum slipped into the space beside Maggie and pulled the metal door shut, easing the metal latch into the clasp.
He felt, more than heard, the thump of heavy footsteps entering the room on the other side of the feature wall.
A soft hand reached for his. He raised it to his lips, pressed a kiss to the backs of knuckles and whispered, “You’ll be grand. I’ll make sure of that.”
Chapter 6
Maggie clung to Callum’s hand, her breath lodged in her throat. How had those men found her? She’d been hyper-aware of her surroundings and the people around her since the attack at the train station in Crewe---except when she’d fallen asleep on the train beside Callum. Knowing he worked for Hank as a Brotherhood Protector, there to see to her safety, she’d trusted that he had been on alert for trouble as well.
She prayed that the wall of stone and metal separating them from the men on the other side of the room would be enough. She hadn’t been able to detect the button Callum had depressed to open the secret panel. He’d had to feel for it to locate it. Surely the men wouldn’t think to look behind a wood and stone wall.
The space was tight, giving them just enough room to stand. Sandwiched between the metal door and the back wall. All they had to do was wait for the men to leave. How long would they look around before they vacated the premises? Another thought followed that one, making her bite her bottom lip. What if they decided to stay, assuming she and Callum would return for their belongings? They might be stuck in that tiny space indefinitely. Did it have ventilation? Would they run out of air? Her pulse pounded so hard against her eardrum, she could barely hear the movement in the other room.
Callum gently squeezed her hand, bringing it up to his lips again to kiss the backs of her knuckles.
Maggie drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting the words he’d whispered so softly sink in.
You’ll be grand. I’ll make sure of that.
If the men found their hiding place, Callum would come out fighting. And so would she. One man couldn’t take on four.
Maggie’s mother had been adamant about self-defense. She’d driven Maggie to Bozeman once a week for months to have her trained. She’d never wanted her daughter to be at the mercy of any man. She almost laughed.
