Page 8 of Captured Pawn
“No, I bet they don’t. Mr. Knight must have forgotten that I don’t have problems with locks either.”
I probably should have kept that comment to myself, although it was the truth. All I needed to do was wait until the house was quiet tonight and I should have no problems picking the lock and getting out of this joint.
Still, I had to ask. “I would at least like my phone.”
Uncertainty fluttered across her face. “I don’t have it, but I’ll ask Mr. Nick. If he wishes you to have it, I’m sure he’ll have the men pick it up for you.”
Of course he would. I wondered if he had to tell them to take a crap every day or to remember to breathe.
There was nothing left to say. “Thank you for bringing up the food,” I mumbled.
Her kind smile was back. “You’re welcome, miss. Maybe you should take a hot soak in the whirlpool tub. I’m sure it will make you feel better.”
She turned and left as quietly as she’d arrived. I held my breath, hopeful until I heard the key in the lock, clicking my renewed captivity.
If only soaking in the tub could solve my problems.
* * *
There was no clock in my room so it was impossible to know exactly what time it was, but between knowing that the sun went down around eight and the grandfather clock I could barely hear off in the distance marking the passing hours, I guessed it was around midnight.
The witching hour. The time I’d decided I would make my move to get the hell out of here.
After I’d eaten some of the snacks Maggie had brought, I’d taken her advice and soaked in the oversized tub. It had been the first peace and quiet I’d had since Matty’s last call. My life had been full of making arrangements and trying to hold it together since then.
I’ll go to my own grave before I admit it, but Nick had been right. I needed this alone time. To cry. To be angry. Hell, I’d even taken a short nap, only waking up when the water got too cold.
But since the sun had gone down, the hours had dragged by. I felt trapped—like I wanted to jump out of my skin. I was a workaholic. I had pretty much kept our family business running singlehandedly while going to the University of Rhode Island full time. I’d earned my business degree, with honors. When I wasn’t at work or school, I was at the gym, or jogging, or biking in the historic district.
I couldn’t pick a worse time to be idle. With nothing to do but think… worry… mourn… wallow.
Fuck it. Even if it wasn’t midnight yet, it was close enough. I needed to get the hell out of here so I could use the cover of night to hitch a ride home before they woke up in the morning.
In case someone was watching my window from one of the balconies, I kept off all of the lights as I peeled off the fluffy robe I’d borrowed from the back of the bathroom door. I had no choice but to put on my one and only bra, panties, and black dress. If only someone had done me the courtesy of bringing me the stray shoe I’d lost getting out of the SUV. Without it, it made more sense to go barefoot rather than hobble on one high heel.
Picking the simple lock on the bedroom door was like child’s play. Euphoria at setting myself free was short lived, when I found a sleeping goon sitting on a straight-backed chair in the hallway. I’d luckily been quiet enough I hadn’t woken him, but he was situated in a way that would make getting around him difficult, so I moved on to plan B.
I closed my bedroom door quietly, making sure to lock it again before heading toward the French balcony doors. I had investigated earlier and was pretty sure there was no alarm system wired to the door, but even with a low probability, my pulse went up as I picked the lock before pressing down on the handle to slowly open the door.
Only after I knew there would be no alarm did I finally exhale the breath I’d been holding. I knelt down, being careful to stay below the balcony banister to remain hidden for as long as possible. While I’d gained some advantage by not having to sneak through the dark house to escape, I was now forced into avoiding the property’s many security cameras. I’d been able to detect several earlier in the day, and knew for each one I saw, there were probably two others hidden.
While I was technically only on the second floor, the house’s vaulted ceilings meant a longer drop to the ground than a normal second story window. Lucky for me, my room was near the swimming pool and a tented cabana was only a few feet below. I suspected it wouldn’t hold my weight, but I hoped it would at least break my fall.
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I finally left my hiding spot to climb on top of the railing, swinging my legs around to the outside of the banister. I didn’t dare hold there long. It was go/no-go time, and I went. My initial contact with the canvas roof of the cabana was smoother than I had anticipated. The fall to the hedge of bushes next to it as I crashed to the landscape was much less graceful.
Sticks and branches scratched my arms and legs as I flailed from my back, trying to roll off the hedge to the grassy ground. I tasted coppery blood in my mouth where I’d accidentally bit the inside of my cheek in the fall, but it was a small price to pay for my freedom.
The cool grass felt good under my bare feet as I finally gained my balance. I hunched low, crawling along the hedge, using it as cover as I circled around to the front of the house.
It was time to decide. I knew the front gate was locked and well monitored, so which side of the property was the best place to find my freedom?
CHAPTER4
Nick
“We’re running out of time. Maybe we should get the lawyers involved.”
Christ, I hated when my brother second guessed me.
