Page 85 of Durango

“I’ll be right back,” Axel says to someone in the background. Footsteps echo in a hallway through the phone. “Okay, I’m alone now. Willow, did Durango show you how to pull up the security camera feeds?”

“Security cameras?” I ask.

Axel sighs. “Damn, Durango was probably trying to protect you by not telling you about them. But obviously, you need to know. He sent me a link and the password. I’ll send them to you and Reed now.”

“He’s getting a second bag,” someone says in the distance.

“Okay, I’m going to check on Willow. I’ll be back after that,” Axel says to someone. “Hey, that was CT. Okay, did you get the link?”

I impatiently watch my phone until the message comes through. “I did. Thank you.”

“Check those out. Reed, do you need me to head over?”

“Yes, that would be great.”

“Any idea how much longer Durango will be there?” I ask.

I click on the link. There are two cameras in the front and two in the back. Although how anyone would get to the back, I don’t know. The houses here are all touching, sharing walls, with no way in between.

“He’s getting a second IV bag. It will be a while. CT is with him now. I’ll let them know and head right over.” He ends the call.

One of the front cameras is aimed across the street. It shows a man hunched over with his back to the camera. He’s wearing a stocking cap, which is odd since it’s summer.

“That’s got to be him,” Samantha says, pointing at it. “It’s too hot for a hat like that.”

“Agreed,” I say. “If he would turn just a little so I could see his face.”

But it’s like he senses I’m watching, and he keeps his back to the house. The second front camera is aimed at the stairs to the door and doesn’t provide any additional angles on the man.

Reed goes near but not up to the front window. “I see him.”

I check one of the cameras in the back, and it’s aimed at the back door. The other back camera takes in the entire backyard, which isn’t much, but between the two cameras, you get the full visual of the yard. If anyone sneaks in that way, they will be seen.

I click to load the front camera again. But as the image loads, the man is gone.

“He went inside that house. He’s not our guy,” Reed says.

Samantha and I go to the front window. “You’re sure?” she asks.

“Yes, I watched him walk into the house.”

We all stare out the window, uneasy that Tyler could be out there. After staring at each camera for a few minutes, I finally give up and pocket my phone.

“Someone’s in the backyard,” Reed says, staring at his phone. He runs to the back door and double-checks the locks. “Go to the front door,” he says, herding us in that direction.

The back door flies open with the sound of crunched wood. I turn and lock eyes with Tyler. My stomach coils, and I think I’m going to be sick. Reed rushes toward the kitchen.

“Go out the front. Axel will be there shortly!” Reed yells.

Samantha grabs my wrist and leads me out the front door. We rush into the street.

A car coming toward us honks, and we both run to the sidewalk. The car slows, and the window is down. Axel is driving. “What’s going on?”

“Tyler came in the back door. Reed is in there and told us to come out front.”

“Shit. Get in.”

“Willow!” Tyler yells from inside.

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