Blake’s gaze left him as she went to the bedroom with the most vulnerable Bennet first.
The hallway had four rooms branching off from it before it forked to the right for the guest bathroom and laundry room. The back door was past the last room. Liam disappeared around the corner, the hallway sensor light flashing on low as he went. It was the only source of light as Blake went into the kids’ room.
When things became more settled Blake, planned on giving Clem and Bruce their own room but for now, she shut the door behind her, sidestepped Clem’s stuffed animals, the bottom of her twin-sized bed, and a cluster of Barbies on the floor until she was at Bruce’s crib. His zoo-print onesie had always made Blake’s heart feel warm, but seeing it now, the low light from the rocket-shaped lamp in the corner making most of the room visible, and Blake’s stomach went to ice.
Why were the men here?
“Endure the squirmy parts.” Blake’s mother’s words sounded in her head again.
Blake went to work.
She started to reach for Bruce but bumped the baby monitor mounted to the crib. It gave her an idea. She kept her voice low, hoped the sound machine would keep her muffled enough to keep the boy asleep, and leaned close to the speaker.
“Lola. Lola.” Blake reached into the crib. Bruce didn’t startle at her touch. She got straight to the point. “Lola. Men with guns are here. Liam’s at the back door. Be quiet and go to my room.”
It was dramatic but urgent. Lola was a light sleeper, so hopefully that would get her going.
Bruce, thankfully, wasn’t as easy to wake. Blake had him against her with minimal noise coming from him. She knew that wouldn’t last long the more she moved.
Blake walked past the Barbie pile and opened the door as slowly as she could. Movement opposite her almost pulled out a yell in reflex. The same must have been true for Lola. Her eyes were wide as she finished opening her bedroom door all the way.
Bless the woman’s speed.
She was still clutching the receiving end of the baby monitor, but she understood her assignment.
Blake nodded toward the primary bedroom to her right.
A heavy thud sounded from her left.
There was no time to investigate.
Lola was quick and quiet as they went to the bedroom at the opposite end of the hallway. As soon as they cleared the doorway, she had the door shut and locked.
“The bathroom,” Blake whispered. Another locked door between them and the intruder would make her feel better. Plus the room only had one window, and it didn’t open.
Sounds from the hallway became louder. If there had been an element of surprise on Liam’s behalf, it was undoubtedly gone. Neither woman commented on the escalation. They were focused. Lola took Bruce, and Blake scooped up Clem. As soon as all four were in the bathroom, Blake started moving. She took the blanket she had grabbed from the bed and threw it in the garden tub. Clem went in next. She started to stir. Lola put a hand on her stomach and started patting, Bruce was still asleep against her shoulder. The motion-sensor light next to the vanity cast shadows over Lola’s face. She was terrified.
Blake hated it.
That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to give out the facts.
“There were three men outside near the trees,” she whispered. “Liam called in backup, but then someone started coming in the back door. At least two of the three outside were armed.”
Lola had, as far as Blake knew, never been in a violent situation like this. She didn’t own a gun, she had never been in a fight, and the most chaos she had endured had to do with the children she was currently guarding.
But now, she was a diamond.
Her voice was even as she asked a practical question.
“Do we have guns?”
Blake shook her head.
“Liam has the only one in the house.”
Fate was interesting.
No sooner than she answered, the house was rocked by a sound that Blake had hoped never to hear.
