Page 104 of Seren

“I’ve got a screwdriver and my phone as a flashlight,” he assured me.

I hoped to God that’s all he needed.

“I’m here,” Saint informed us.

“I’m ready,” Sawyer said.

Within seconds, their phones turned dark and all I could hear were Sawyer’s sneakers pounding up the stairs until he reached the soft hallway rug where he ran to Martine’s office. The door flew open.

“I’m in,” he panted. The light of his phone switched on and then I heard papers being shuffled around. “The drawers are locked,” he said.

“Can you open them without destroying anything?” I asked.

“No idea.”

He lay his phone down. All we could hear was banging as he tried to force open a drawer.

“It’s been thirty seconds,” Grace said.

“Fuck,” Sawyer cursed.

“Keep going,” I urged. “Find something.”

“I’m trying,” he said.

“Grace said the container was small, so it could be anywhere.”

A drawer opened. More shuffling. Banging. Swearing.

“Try the middle drawer,” I said. “There might be a button to open the cabinet or other drawers.”

“I’m feeling for one. But nothing.Dammit.”

“One minute,” Grace said.

“Fuck,” Sawyer cursed.

“You’ve got this,” I assured him.

“I’m looking, but there’s just papers and folders,” Sawyer said. “And a copy of Mom’s will.”

“Take a picture of it,” I said, wanting to know what Martine was up to. My mother’s will appeared on Sawyer’s screen as he rushed to snap pictures of each of the pages before he was using it as a light again.

“Seren, there’s nothing else in here,” he said.

“What about the garbage? Or the bookshelves?” I asked, knowing the sudden fear in my voice was difficult to disguise.

More shuffling.

“Two minutes,” Grace said.

“God, dammit!” I yelled.

“Seren, relax,” Grace said. “Sawyer will find something.”

“Anything important is probably in his safe,” Saint said.

“Get to his closet. Check in there,” I said, knowing time was running out. “Saint, don’t you dare put the power back on yet.”

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