Page 81 of Evidence of Secrets

Laura tried again, putting more energy into it. Snap. The tie broke.

She grabbed the phone, quickly called the police and then Sam, who promised to call Hank. Laura was grateful she got ahold of them, but she felt the time they had to get out of the bistro was short. Laura looked at her watch. A half hour had passed. They needed to get out now.

“Jaimie, try to get up and see how you feel.”

Jaimie tried to stand and cried out. “I think I broke my ankle.”

“Okay, we’ll wait a minute and then try again. But we need to hurry.”

Ryan was still banging away in the storage room, which Laura was grateful for. They should be safe if she and Jaimie could get out without him hearing them. The police would be there soon. At least, in her mind, the plan would work.

* * *

“Sam,can’t you drive any faster?” asked Hank.

The call from Laura came just as he was leaving the office. Sam had called him back into the office, telling him the message from Laura was short. She was at the bistro and needed help. He and Sam were on their way. It was a short drive distance-wise. Mentally, not so much. His chest tightened like a vise. All sorts of horrible scenarios were going through his mind. Laura had to be all right.

“We’re almost there. You have the code to the doors?” asked Sam.

“Yes,” said Hank.

“You and I will go in the front. I’m not sure what is going on. Laura was whispering and cut the call short,” said Sam. “The police should either be there or right behind us.”

Hank wondered if this had something to do with someone breaking into the storage room and Levi getting hurt.

If someone hurt Laura, they’d be in a world of pain when he got there.

What was in the storage room that was so important? Whatever it was, he hoped they weren’t too late to help her.

* * *

It was now or never.Laura helped Jaimie up. She must have broken her ankle because she couldn’t put any weight on it. Jaimie moaned faintly but placed her arm around Laura’s waist and hopped to the freezer door.

She didn’t want to say anything to Jaimie, but it was getting harder to move around. Thankfully, they both had warmer clothes and shoes on, but it wouldn’t take much to succumb to the cold.

Laura poked her head out. The back door wasn’t far, and Ryan was still banging away in the storage room. They should be able to make it without him hearing them.

The room was slightly smoky. Why? Oh crap, Laura remembered the pie was still in the oven, probably burned to a crisp. The timer must have gone off while they were in the freezer.

The smoke would be a good cover until they reached the door.

Jaimie had her arm around Laura’s shoulders, and they slowly moved so as not to make any noise. They were almost at the back door when the fire alarm went off. Its screechingfire, firesound deafened her.

Ryan stumbled out of the storage unit covered in dust. He took one look at them and pulled out his gun.

They were going to die. Laura gently eased Jaimie over to the worktable. There had to be something on it to protect them. She looked wildly around.

Then, two things happened. Hank and Sam rushed in from the dining room, guns drawn. Ryan grabbed Jamie by the hair and held the gun to her neck.

“Step closer, and I’ll kill her,” Ryan shouted.

Ryan’s eyes were wild. Jaimie was forced to put weight on her broken ankle. Tears streamed down her face. Laura prayed he wouldn’t shoot Jaimie, but desperate men did desperate things.

“Throw down your weapon,” Hank yelled as he edged closer.

Ryan pointed the gun at Laura, then at Hank and Sam.

“You have no place to run,” said Sam.

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