Page 110 of Forging Caine

Antonio grabbed me, fear covering his face.

Elliot swore under his breath. “Call them. Tell them to get—”

“Already done. There are people on their way.”Cristian’s men will be there in less than five minutes. They’re safe. Now focus, Sam.“Listen, Elliot. I’ve got to be quick. Fiori kidnapped us. We’re at his house, but he’s just killed one of his conservators and we’re afraid we’re next. I’ve found at least five paintings from the pawnshop here, and we have a conservator who’s been involved in the smuggling trade.”

“Can you get out?”

Antonio mouthed a quickI love you.

“We’re going to try. All the evidence is in this house, Elliot, but you need to get a team with a lot of firepower in here and fast.” I waved my hand at Jason, who was listening at the door, and held the phone out so Elliot could hear. “How many bodyguards work here and how many are loyal to Fiori?”

“Three bodyguards, another eight security, twenty staff. But loyal enough to be an issue? Maybe two of the bodyguards.”

“Did you get that?” I asked.

“I did.”

“Elliot…” I turned away from the others, needing to keep this quiet. “If I don’t make it, thanks for everything. Absolutely everything.”

“Don’t say that. I couldn’t bring your dad home, but I’m sure as hell bringing you home.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

I hung up and handed the phone to Antonio.

“Here’s the plan.” Jason guided us to the bay window. “Quiet as possible inside the house. There’s a side door that lets out facing the pond. One guard mans the door, plus a security camera.”

“We can’t just go for a walk and disappear into the woods?” I asked. “That was our original plan.”

Jason frowned at me. “Signore Fiori just murdered someone in front of a group of people, which includes you. You’re notjustgoing anywhere.”

Good thing Jason had arrived.

“There’s another guard coming on duty in fifteen minutes. I’ll intercept him, disable him, then take his position during the shift change. Then you can come through that door and we make a run for the pond. There’s a ten-foot high security fence surrounding the property, but if we go in a straight line from that door, past the left of the pond, through the woods, I dug a hole under it this afternoon we can fit through. It’s about two hundred metres to a neighborhood and we can call the police.”

Antonio pulled out his phone. “I can call the police now.”

Jason turned the frown on him. “That’s how the last conservator died. If the police are called to this residence, your chances of survival go down. If they’re called anywhere else, your chances go up.”

Two dead conservators. What would happen to Cam-ron if we left him? “We need to get Cam-ron out of here.”

“No.” Jason started for the door. “You two are my job, not him.”

“I’m not leaving without him.” I looked at Antonio. “If we leave, he’s next. I can’t let that happen. Not only because he’s the most valuable witness we’ll have against Fiori, but it’s—”

“The right thing to do.” Antonio stroked a hand down my back. “I’m with her. If your job is to get us out of here, it has to include him.”

Jason placed his hand on the door handle. “If we end up dead, it’s going to be his fault.”

Chapter 38

Antonio

SamanthaandIcreptalong the hallway behind Jason toward the center of the house, rather than to the smaller staircase at the end. Cam-ron’s room was in the wrong direction for us, but it was the only choice.

It was eight in the evening, but the house was eerily quiet. It should have been bustling with staff preparing beds, late dinners and drinks, or movies. Cards. Entertainment. There should have been laughter in a house this beautiful.

Jason stopped to knock quietly on a door.

---