Deadly Game (Fortress Security #5)(55)

“You okay, baby?” Brent whispered in her ear.

Rowan realized she’d been standing in the same place since they walked inside. She nodded. “Just thinking how hard it will be to deal with Heather’s belongings. I’m not looking forward to it.”

“I’ll help and so will the Doucets and Murphys. You won’t have to face the task alone.”

“Thanks.” She brushed his mouth with hers. To deal with this house in a timely manner would take an army of volunteers. One thing at a time, she reminded herself. Her first concern was Alexa. The rest would be dealt with in time.

When she reached for the light switch, Brent caught her hand. He shook his head. Right. Turning on the lights would be a sure sign of their presence in the house.

Rowan frowned. How would they see to find the records? It was too dark to do more than stumble over things now out of place.

Brent reached into his pocket and pulled out two small flashlights. “Aim the beam at the floor so you can see where you’re going. As long as the light doesn’t pass over the windows, no one will know we’re here,” he whispered.

She flicked on the light and discovered the beam was razor thin but powerful. Hmm. More military-type equipment? She could use one of these herself when the electricity was off, a regular occurrence at her place.

“Be as quiet as possible.” Brent dropped a quick kiss on her mouth before releasing her and heading toward Jay’s office.

Rowan hurried after him, turning off at Heather’s doorway. She stood at the threshold for a moment, wondering where to start. Her sister stashed things in several places. Rowan felt a pressing need to find the information the kidnappers wanted and get out of this house. This place was spooky in the gloom and she saw items reminding her of Heather everywhere she looked.

She went to the walk-in closet first and shoved aside clothes on the right side. A loose board on the floor in the corner was one of Heather’s favorite places to hide things from Jay.

She pried the board up with the shoe horn her sister left for that purpose. Rowan aimed the light into the darkened cavity. A black velvet bag lay at the bottom.

Frowning, she grabbed the bag and opened the top. Inside were several pieces of jewelry Rowan recognized. They belonged to their mother. She hadn’t seen these pieces for years, had been afraid they were lost. Guess Jay hadn’t liked them and Heather hid the heirlooms to safeguard them.

Knowing the items were now hers and had nothing to do with their quest, Rowan shoved the velvet bag into her pocket. She shined the light into the darkened cavity again and saw an envelope with her name scrawled on it in her sister’s handwriting.





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE


Brent walked across Jay Maxwell’s office to his desk, picking his way through the mess left behind in the kidnappers’ wake. Drawers had been upended, the contents dumped on the floor.

He hated to move the piles of debris, but couldn’t afford to leave his shoe prints on the papers, a dead giveaway to Taylor that someone else had been in the place after the crime scene team swept through a second time. The Navy SEAL would guess there was a good chance Brent would return to the house. Guessing that Brent searched the house and knowing it were two different things.

Since the kidnappers hadn’t found the records in the desk drawers, Brent yanked on a pair of thin gloves and pulled the drawers out of the desk. One by one, he flipped them over to see if something had been taped to the bottom. No luck.

He did, however, notice that two of the desk drawers were shorter than they should have been. Crouching in front of the desk, Brent examined the desk wall with the flashlight.

A false back. Good workmanship, too. If Brent hadn’t been looking for this, he wouldn’t have noticed it. He felt along the edges. Near the top was a slight depression in the wood, about the size of a thumb print.

Brent pressed against the false wall and the panel moved slightly. By feel, he forced the gap to widen by sliding the panel to the left. Picking up the flashlight again, he aimed the light at the back of the desk.

A black book was propped against the wall. Satisfaction swelled inside Brent. Hopefully, this was what the kidnappers were after. He eased the book free.

He took a moment to flip through the pages, stopped on one. His jaw flexed. Maxwell was a fool to think the government agencies would overlook something like this. One of the alphabet agencies was sure to have noticed. Maxwell would’ve been behind bars before long. Instead, he and his wife ended up dead.

Brent closed the book and stood, sliding it deep into the pocket of his cargo pants. This was what the kidnappers wanted and Keith Phillips was the one who had taken Alexa. All he needed to do now was find out where the militia leader had hidden the girl and mount a rescue.

A noise in the hallway brought his attention to the door. His hand closed over the grip of his weapon. One heartbeat, two, and Rowan walked into the office, the light from her flashlight aimed at the floor.

“Right here, baby,” he murmured as she paused at the threshold. “Find anything?”

“Heather left me a letter in one of her hiding places. I haven’t checked the ones in Alexa’s room or playroom yet. What about you?”

“Maxwell’s black book. This is what the kidnappers were after.”

“Where did you find it?”

“Hidden panel at the back of the desk.” Brent circled the desk. “Come on. Let’s go check Alexa’s room and playroom, then we’ll get out of here.”