Deadly Game (Fortress Security #5)(56)

“Good. This place gives me the creeps. I’ve never liked the house. In the dark, this place is spooky.”

Brent clasped her hand and led the way to Alexa’s room. He felt Rowan’s slight hesitation in the doorway. The memories must be painful and close. “Where do we look?” he prompted Rowan.

“In the closet, behind Alexa’s clothes hamper. Heather loosened the baseboard.”

He wanted to spare her unnecessary pain by keeping her out of this room for now. Brent made a mental note to have this crime scene cleaned so Rowan wouldn’t have to deal with it. “Stay here and keep watch in case we have unexpected visitors. No need for both of us to trip over things in the dark.”

In the closet, he moved the hamper and eased the baseboard from the wall. Empty. “Nothing. Next place?”

“In Alexa’s playroom.”

He crossed to her side and nudged her back into the hallway. “Which way?”

“Left to the end of the hall.”

The room Rowan indicated was filled with stuffed animals, a miniature kitchen, a couple of toy boxes, and a couple bookshelves along with coloring books and crayons, dolls and dollhouses, all things he recognized from the boatloads of stuff his nieces and nephews played with. There was also a daybed covered with a comforter featuring pink ponies and princesses.

“If Heather left anything here, it will be inside the teddy bear on the bed.” Rowan snatched the bear from the bed and opened the Velcro flap at the back.

Brent shined the flashlight at the bear.

“Nothing. That’s the last place I know about where Heather hid stuff from Jay.”

He glanced around the room. “Is there a toy Alexa loves more than any other?”

“This.” Rowan snatched up the stuffed red dog that had been lying beside the bear. “Her first steps were to grab this dog. She sleeps with it.”

“Bring the dog with you,” he murmured. “Time to leave.”

“Fine by me. I hate this place,” she muttered.

Brent waited until they were outside in the backyard again before taking off the thin rubber gloves and shoving them into a pocket.

“You didn’t think I needed those?” Rowan whispered.

“The cops won’t raise an eyebrow if they find your fingerprints in the house.” At the back fence, he cupped his hands and lifted Rowan so she could hoist herself over. He quickly followed her.

The back of his neck prickled. He caught her hand as they walked through the same neighbor’s yard on their way to his SUV. When Rowan pushed the pace too fast, he wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her against his side. “Slow down, baby. Running attracts more attention than walking.”

“I feel like someone is watching us.”

“Me, too.” He quartered the area, searching for the best hiding places for someone to watch them. Unfortunately, there were too many to narrow the choices to one or two.

Brent guided Rowan to the sidewalk, glancing around as they approached the street. Nearby, an engine idled. Not able to pinpoint where the vehicle was located, he tightened his grip around Rowan’s waist and stepped onto the street with her.

Tires squealed.

Brent’s head snapped to the right to see a dark-colored full-sized truck dart from a driveway and barrel toward them.





CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR


Brent raced across the street with Rowan. A quick glance at the approaching truck and he wrapped both arms around her and dived over the side of the ditch. He twisted so he took the hard landing, keeping Rowan’s head tucked against his body to protect her as much as possible. They stopped rolling at the bottom of the ditch.

Brent glanced at his girlfriend as he palmed his weapon. “You hurt, baby?”

She shook her head, eyes wide.

“Stay here,” he whispered and climbed back up the embankment. He carefully peered over the top. No sign of the truck or its driver. However, some of the neighbors were turning on lights. He needed to get Rowan out of here before someone asked questions he didn’t want to answer. The neighbors might know Rowan by sight. Not hard to do since her picture had been plastered all over the news for the last two days along with the photos of the Maxwells.

Brent scrambled back down the slope and lifted Rowan to her feet. When she swayed, he tucked her against his side. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Shaken up. Who was that? Was it one of the kidnappers or someone else?”

“Not sure. We have to leave. The neighbors will be here any minute to see what’s going on.” Again, he wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her up the slope to the sidewalk. Once there, Brent quickly walked with Rowan to his SUV and lifted her to the passenger seat, all the while staying alert for yet another attack.

He drove away from the Maxwell’s neighborhood at the speed limit, not anxious to attract the attention of the people spilling out onto their porches.

Once he was on the main drag, Brent sped up. In the distance, he noticed flashing blue lights heading their direction.

“Do you think that was the kidnappers?” Rowan asked again, clutching the red dog.

He thought about that a moment, then shook his head. “Doesn’t make sense. They want you to find the record. Why run you down before they know if you have it? You’re the only one who has a chance of finding what they’re after without drawing the attention of the police.”