"I'm not sure, sir. The kids and Mrs. Martinez are in the panic room off the kitchen. Other than that, I haven't seen anyone except the guards at the gate, but I heard Lany in the office. I'm not even sure what happened to Burke. He arrived with me, but I haven't seen him since."
"Where are you?"
"I'm in the hallway panic room. I'm gearing up."
"Stay there. We'll be there in five minutes."
I snorted. "This is going to be over in five minutes."
Jerry's sigh was heavy. "Fine, but don't get shot."
"I've already been given that order from Skip, and he scares me more than you do."
Skip held my heart in his hands. Jerry could only fire me.
"Just be careful."
"Yes, sir."
I hung up and then went to the armory. I pulled a vest on and then started grabbing ammo and extra guns. If Sal and the others had been taken hostage, I doubt they still had weapons on them. If I could get any of them a gun, they could help me fight this battle.
When I started to turn, I spotted the rope and an idea began to form in my mind. I needed to get inside that office, and I thought I’d just figured out a way to do it.
I grabbed the rope and then hurried up the stairs to the second floor of the panic room. I cautiously opened the door and looked out, checking to make sure the master bedroom was clear. When I didn't see anyone, I stepped out, shut the door again, and then made my way to the guestroom above Sal's office.
I walked carefully across the room and opened the window. I peeked out to make sure no one was patrolling the grounds below, at least no one who shouldn't be there.
There was no one at all.
I tied one end of the rope to the heavy wooden bed frame and then walked back over to the window. Okay, Skip said no getting shot. He didn't say anything about doing something really stupid.
And this was really stupid.
Epically stupid.
I grabbed the rope and then climbed out of the window. I moved until my feet were flat against the side of the wall and I had the rope with both hands. Holding on as tightly as I could, I began slowly walking myself down the wall until I was level with the first floor window, but to just one side of it.
I reached up and tapped my comm unit several times with different spacing between each tap. It was the code we used to let the guys on our team know we were coming in. I just hoped someone was listening.
I leaned toward the window, trying to get an idea where everyone was. I sucked in a breath when I got my first good look of the inside of Sal's office.
This wasn't good.
Lany, Brodsky, Joe, Clarke, Brant, and Marcus were all sitting on the floor against the wall, their hands behind their backs. Burke lay prone on the floor right in front of them. Sal was tied to a chair in the middle of the room, and Detective Burnett was working him over with his fists. Blood and bruises covered most of Sal's face, giving me a good idea just how long the guy had been at this.
What surprised me most was the other man in the room, the one who kept pacing back and forth next to Sal's desk. Him, I hadn't expected, but I had to wonder how Jean had ended up working with the detective. How did they even know each other?
It didn't really matter, not right now. All I cared about was the fact that they were holding my friends hostage. I could beat the shit out of them after I freed everyone.
I took a deep breath then pushed myself out with my feet and swung myself toward the window. I closed my eyes and ducked my head as I went crashing through the glass. At the last second, I released the rope.
Someone screamed as I hit the floor and rolled several times. I heard a gunshot as I came to a stop, grabbed my pistol, and brought my hands up, aiming for Detective Burnett, as he was the bigger threat.
"Drop the gun!" I shouted.
Burnett pointed the gun at Sal. "You first."
"Not gonna happen."
