He turned to Sara. “Wait here. I’m going to try and open the window. Cover me.”
She nodded.
Ben had to step on some plants to get close to the window, and he hoped the Jensens didn’t mind. Once next to the window, he listened and heard nothing. He holstered his gun and pulled a pocketknife from his pocket to pry the screen off. Once it was free from the window frame, he set it on the ground under the window.
Carefully he pushed up the window, expecting it to protest and be difficult. Thankfully, he was wrong. The window opened easily. Pushing the blinds up, he peered inside the room. Something was on the bed. He sucked in a breath and squinted.
Two children were on the bed, both bound and gagged. He had to get in.
He carefully stepped back to Sara.
He filled her in on the situation, whispering. “They are bound and gagged. Let your sergeant know that I am going to try and get them.”
“Lainie’s nephews. You sure that’s wise?”
“I think it’s the only way to save them.”
Sara chewed on her bottom lip, moved away from the house back to the fence. She climbed over, then she keyed her mike and let the sergeant know.
Ben didn’t wait to hear his objections. He feared that it would make a lot of noise when he slid under the blinds, but he had no choice. The boys were clearly in danger.
He pushed himself up and in, realizing he’d be an easy target at first. The boys squirmed, and he was certain that he’d scared them. He pushed his body in, landed on his hands, then scooted the rest of the way inside.
Standing as quickly as he could, Ben put a finger to his lips, trying to put the boys at ease and quiet their frightened murmurs. He heard voices in the other room. Someone was searching for something. He couldn’t pause to listen. Two pairs of frightened eyes stared up at him from the bed.
He scooped one off the bed and shoved him out the window. Sara was there and ready to take him. Ben was glad she’d come. To her credit, she didn’t hesitate. She holstered her weapon and took him. It appeared to Ben that the boy knew her because his body relaxed as Sara took him.
Ben held up his finger to indicate that he would return for the next one. She nodded and disappeared around the corner with the boy.
Ben retrieved the second boy, and by the time he shoved him out the window, Sara was back. With the boys gone, Ben stared at the bedroom door. What should his next move be?
Eyes wide, the man jerked toward Lainie. Over his shoulder she could see the other man staring at her from the kitchen.
Lainie’s gun was up and on target.
Thornton threw his hands up. “Whoa, whoa! Don’t get excited.”
“Excited? You’ve ransacked the house and you’re beating up my brother. You need to step away from him now. Archie, move away.”
He scrambled away from the man and toward Lainie.
“And if you think I won’t shoot at the slightest provocation, you’re wrong. You, come out of the kitchen.”
“You might want to put your gun down,” the man in the kitchen said. He disappeared momentarily and then appeared around the corner with his gun drawn, pointed right at Archie.
Lainie didn’t hesitate. Like shooting a target at the range, she pulled the trigger twice, hitting the man center of mass and he crumpled in the hallway. His gun fired into the floor before it fell from his hand. He grunted in pain.
Though half deaf from the sound of gunfire, Lainie brought her gun around quickly as Thornton reached toward his waistband. “You’re dead if you draw that weapon. I’m not playing.”
Surprise and fear sparked on the man’s face. He brought his hands up and said nothing.
“Where are the boys, Archie?”
“The bedroom—”
There was the whoop of a siren from outside, and a voice came over the PA. “This is the Long Beach Police Department. Exit the house with your hands up.”
Lainie didn’t take her eyes off the big guy to grab her phone. She needed him unarmed. “You heard that. Backup is here. And your friend likely needs help. With your left hand, take your gun out and drop it on the floor. When he does that, Archie, pick it up and then get the other gun.”
