They were face-to-face in the darkness. Sam stopped thrashing, the air creeping back into her lungs. She nodded. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Let me go.”
“You’re going to help me. Understand? Eden has something of mine, and I want it back.”
Sam’s years of hostage training kicked in. “Of course. Anything you want. I’m happy to help you. But you have to let me go. Take the knife away from my neck.”
Kaylie jabbed harder, and Sam felt blood sliding down her shirt, over her collarbone.
“You aren’t making the calls here. Listen carefully. Adrian will come for you. You’re dead already. Before that happens, I need my daughter. You have to get my daughter for me. Do you understand?”
Sam nodded. Kaylie relaxed for a moment, and Sam took the chance, her right fist snaking out hard. She connected with Kaylie’s chin, and the girl dropped the knife. It clattered on the wood floor. Sam swung her left leg in a strong kick, shoving off and whirling around, but Kaylie anticipated the move and blocked it, then grabbed Sam’s leg and slammed her back against the wall. Sam punched her again, and they toppled, landing with a crash.
Sam started to shout for Xander, but Kaylie punched her in the stomach, hard, and she doubled over in pain. When she caught her breath and managed to stand and flip on the light switch, Kaylie was gone.
She slid down the wall, all the adrenaline leaving her in a rush. A moment later, Fletcher burst into the room. He took one look at her and turned white.
“You’re bleeding. What the hell happened?” He pressed a handkerchief against her throat.
“Kaylie happened.”
“Whitfield! Get up here.”
But Xander was already dashing up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Her neck was starting to hurt. She was sure it was only a minor cut, but it stung. And she felt as if she were going to throw up.
A daughter. Kaylie had a daughter. She was caught in the cult. And Sam was a dead woman.
Xander dropped to his knees beside her as Fletcher rushed off, gun drawn.
“Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m all right.” She was, though her hands were shaking. “She jumped me, stuck the knife in my throat then said she wanted my help. Hell of a way to get me to cooperate.”
“Where did she go?”
“Out the window, I guess. It’s a pretty big drop to the ground, but she was rather desperate.”
Xander helped her stand. She pulled the white cotton away from her neck. “Is it bad?”
He peered at her, lips in a tight line. “You won’t need stitches. Let’s get you bandaged up. Is your hand okay?”
She looked down to see her knuckles were abraded. “I’ll be fine. I’ll put some ice on it.”
Fletcher came back. “My people are on their way. She won’t get far.” He saw her sucking on her knuckles. “You beat the crap out of her?”
“I wouldn’t say that. She got in the last punch.”
He gave her a proud smile. “But you clearly connected with a few. What’s this?”
She glanced where he pointed. The bed was made, and the small stuffed lion was sitting in the middle of the spread. Kaylie had never gone to bed.
Fletcher picked up the stuffed lion. There was a piece of crumpled paper underneath. It looked to be a page torn from a book; the edges were ragged and the stock was much heavier than a notebook. He handed it to Sam. She read the words, made in a childish scrawl across the page, then handed it to Xander, who read it aloud.
“Dear Dr. Owens, I’m sorry. Thank you for being kind to me. I know you’re going to be able to find my daughter.”
Chapter
44
XANDER DABBED AT Sam’s wound with some Betadine, then put on a butterfly bandage. He was too gentle. She had to use her fingers to push it down to adhere to her skin, and her stomach turned at the pain.
“You okay?” Xander asked, his eyes dark with anger.
“Yeah. I’ll live.”
Fletcher examined Kaylie’s egress. “The window lock is busted,” he said. “She managed to get it open, then cut her way out through the screen. Dropped right out onto the roof, down the pear tree then over the fence onto the street. I can’t believe we didn’t hear her.”
“I can’t believe Thor didn’t warn us,” Xander said. “Thor! Komm!”
Fletcher was still wide-eyed, anger written across his face. He asked Xander, “Where’d she find the knife?”
“She had it on her, I think. When Baldwin asked to see her birthmark, she freaked out. It’s on the inner part of her thigh. She probably had the knife strapped there the whole time. Jesus, how did I miss it?”
Sam touched his shoulder. “Because I’m the one who patted her down, and I certainly didn’t put my hands between her thighs.”
He nodded, a short jerk. He was clearly furious with himself. She gave him a smile. “I’m okay, really.”
“You’re being awfully calm about this. She could have killed you,” Fletcher said.
“Apparently Adrian is coming to take care of that for her.” She told them the rest, trying hard to keep the fear out of her voice. When she got to the part about the daughter, the idea hit Sam like a bolt of lightning.