Page 188 of To Die For

It was quiet, too quiet for Devine. He glanced at Shore and could read the same thought crossing his mind as well.

They made their way through the kitchen and living areas on the main floor.

Campbell came back on over Devine’s ear mic. “Two flights up we have received thermal images of five armed guards clustered outside the panic room, which is at the end of the hall. Steel door built into the wall on invisible hinges. We have another image of one person inside the panic room. It must be Glass. There is no one else in the house. Use extreme caution. They might have booby traps set.”

“Roger that,” replied Devine.

They reached the stairs and peered upward. Two flights away was their goal. And five heavily armed men were standing between them and Danny Glass.

Devine placed his foot on the first riser and then froze. He had looked down in time to see hovering a millimeter in front of him a slight disruption of dust molecules. If the bottom of his pant leg moved at all, it would hit it.

Shore noted this, too, and looked urgently at Devine. “Trip laser?”

Devine nodded and said quietly, “Move to my left, kneel down, and pull my pant leg back. Slowly.”

Shore did so and Devine eased off the first riser and studied the challenge.

“Okay, follow me,” he finally said.

He climbed on top of the stair rail, which was attached to the wall. Keeping one hand against the wall he made his way up the rail till he had cleared about a half dozen risers. Shore was right behind him. Devine slipped an infrared light from his belt and shone it onthe steps below. The first three risers all had trip lasers. The rest of the staircase was clear. He made his way quietly back onto the stairs, and Shore just as silently followed. Both men looked at each other and let out relieved breaths.

They reached the first landing, made the turn, and headed up again, after checking the risers ahead of them for more traps.

When they neared the top landing, Devine put up a hand and they both halted.

Devine whispered into his mic. “At top landing. Update.”

Campbell came back on. “Five men still outside the panic room door. They are crowded together in the center of the hall.”

Devine passed this info along to Shore. Then he said into his mic, “Engage the diversion in five.”

“Roger that,” said Campbell.

Devine counted to five. When the sirens coming from outside shattered the quiet, they heard footsteps above them and the chatter of suddenly excited men.

Using this noise as cover, Devine and Shore raced up the steps in parallel, turned the corner, and pointed their weapons at the men scrambling around in front of them at the end of the hall.

“Federal agents, put down your weapons,” roared Devine.

The men made the mistake of not putting down their weapons, and instead fired wildly.

Both Devine’s and Shore’s guns barked and their aims were precise. The five men dropped to the floor dead or dying.

Devine called out, “Danny? Danny Glass? It’s Travis Devine.”

They heard a muffled voice that seemed to be coming from behind the wall.

Devine and Shore quickly searched the dead men. Shore held up a small key fob he’d found in one of their pockets.

“Try it,” said Devine.

Shore hit the button and a part of the wall swung outward. Revealed in the doorway was Danny Glass.

“Betsy?” he said anxiously.

“Safe.”

“Thank God. And thank you, Devine.”

---