Holmes’s house looked like every other house on the street. None of the houses looked like anyone was home, but they were all small, unfenced, and set far apart from the street, lined with scraggling trees. The problem was there was no easy way for Noah and the others to approach the house. Not until she got him to open the door; then they could come around from behind.
She glanced behind her and saw that Nate and Noah were running parallel and behind her through the backyards.
That meant Adam and one of his people were approaching from the other side, though she couldn’t see them.
She stopped in front of the house. Looked around as if she were lost, then walked up the narrow cement walk. Holmes’s yard was immaculate. The lawn was a sickly green color from the drought, but it was cut short and there were no weeds. The small porch had been swept, and matching pottery with cacti framed the door. The house was well maintained—the roof, for example, had a few new shingles, neatly patched.
Fastidious. Methodical.
She knocked on the door, then rang the bell. It buzzed loudly, which surprised her.
She had the distinct impression that she was being watched. At first she dismissed it as Noah and Nate getting into position, but she stepped back a foot and glanced around, not like she was intentionally looking for something, just casual.
But she saw the camera mounted under the narrow eave of the roof.
Holmes was watching her.
She wiped the sweat off her forehead, then stretched, which had the added effect of stretching her tank top tight over her breasts. Her cotton shirt was damp, which made her uncomfortable, but it would intrigue Holmes. She fanned herself and rang the bell one more time.
He was inside. Why wasn’t he coming to the door?
Then she heard footsteps. “I’m so glad someone’s home,” she said for Noah’s benefit. She kept her voice light, young.
The door opened. The security screen was still locked. She couldn’t see into the dark house, and the screen made it difficult to make out any details. “Hello?” she said. “I’m sort of lost. I mean, not really, I know I’m in the right neighborhood. My grandpa moved in last month, and this is the first day off I’ve had in forever. He told me his address was 11678 Diablo. But two street signs are missing. I’ve been to four houses, no one answers. Do you know where Diablo is?”
He didn’t say anything for a second. “I think I do.”
“Oh, thank you. I’m so hot. I can’t wait for winter, you know?”
He still didn’t open the screen. He said. “I think Diablo is the street two over from here.”
“Two over which way?” She turned, not completely putting her back to Holmes, but trying to get him to step out and point. “Two streets over parallel? Perpendicular?”
“Go to the corner, turn left, two blocks.” He looked around. “You don’t have a car.”
“I parked under a tree down the block, hoping someone was home to help.” She fanned herself. “Thanks.” She coughed.
“Hey, you want some water?”
“Oh, I don’t want to trouble you.” She coughed again.
“No trouble. Come on in.” He unlocked the screen and opened it.
“I don’t want to put you out.”
But she held the screen open, not giving him a chance to close and lock it.
“It’s not a problem.” Holmes was staring at her breasts. “You can stay here, I’ll bring it to you. Icy water.”
“Okay, thank you so much. I’ll wait right here.”
He walked away. She had the screen open, and turned her back to the camera, took out her phone, and whispered. “He’s going to the back. There’s a camera on the porch.” Then she saw there was a second camera. If he was watching, he would have seen her talking into her phone. “Shit,” she said, “two cameras.”
Noah and Nate both ran from the yard next door and toward the porch. Inside, she heard a door slam. “He knows,” she said.
She pulled the gun from her ankle holster and went inside. Noah and Nate were right behind her. Noah was talking through a mike in his sleeve to Villines. “We’re inside, need cover.”
Stairs went down to the dark basement. The door was open—this wasn’t where he’d gone.
Lucy gestured. Noah nodded, motioned to Nate to lead. Noah stayed at the top of the stairs—they didn’t know where Holmes was.
Lucy followed Nate down. It was darker than upstairs, but ground-level windows let in some natural light.
She smelled blood. Urine. Bile.
In the corner, a naked woman hung by her wrists from a hook on the ceiling.
No no no no!
Lucy made a move toward her, but Nate put up his hand and stopped her.
The basement had nearly as large a footprint as the house. Nate motioned to a switch on the wall. Lucy nodded, turned it on.
A weak light gave them more visibility. The basement was one large room and they quickly cleared it.
Nate said into his com, “We have her. Basement secure.”
He helped Lucy cut Marisol off the hook, then he stood guard because there was no word as to where Holmes had gone.
Marisol moaned. She was alive. Lucy said, “You’re safe. You’re safe, Marisol.” She looked around for something to cover her. There was nothing.
“Ana. My sister.”
“She’s safe. She’s in the hospital, she’s going to be okay. The babies—they are healthy.”