Thanks to Hollis, who’d fronted us the cash on behalf of Uncle Sam, so we had the emergency funds on hand for this moment.
“So, you’ve got Mitch’s death certificate, the key, and me ...” Audrey nervously wrung her hands together. “Do you need my handprint or eye scan or something now?”
The woman flicked her wrist, gesturing to a guard to hand her an iPad. “You weren’t here with Mitchell Langston, so we had to improvise on our typical procedures. He was rather convincing and had an interesting pitch.” She began typing on the iPad. “One second. Let me get it ready so you can activate your vault to unlock it.”
I reached for Audrey’s left hand, reminding her she wasn’t alone. She had Ryder and me with her. We’d get through this together.
At the feel of her ring still on her finger, my chest constricted. We may not have really been married, but something told me that the wedding band no longer felt like a prop to her. Crazy or not, it hadn’t felt like one when I’d picked it out.
Rhett might’ve been the reason behind the purchase, but that didn’t change what it meant to me. I’d still put my heart into it when I slipped it on her finger.
“Here you go. Sixty seconds to unlock the vault, or the contents remain with us. Time starts now,” the woman announced, handing Audrey the iPad and forcing me to let go.
Another countdown.Great.
“Why am I looking at piano keys on this thing?” Audrey asked, shooting the woman a nervous look.
“I assumed you’d know.” The woman checked her slim silver watch.
I hated not being able to help her. Hated watching her hands shake and knowing I couldn’t do a damn thing except stand there.
Audrey closed her eyes. “What song would you think I’d pick?” she murmured under her breath as if talking to a ghost. In this case, maybe she was.
“Forty-five seconds.” This play-by-play from the woman was not helping.
“It’s okay. You’ve got this,” Ryder reassured Audrey, giving the other woman a death stare at the same time.
Audrey opened her eyes and exhaled a deep breath. “How many chances do I get?”
“Just the one.” She checked her watch again. “Thirty-three seconds.”
Audrey nodded, then clenched and unclenched her right hand as her left one shook while holding the iPad.
I slipped my hand under it to offer support; then she caught my eyes and her brows slanted.
“Lace,” I whispered, reminding her of the story she’d told me over coffee this morning at the hotel—because talking about her panties had somehow become our thing. And I was good with that.
Now that I knew she used to buy lace underwear to help her nerves while performing, I was hoping she’d visualize herself in a pair to steel her nerves.
“Lace,” she said back, nodding in understanding, her confidence returning.
“Ten seconds,” the woman warned.
Audrey’s fingers hit the fake keys on the screen, and then, on the fifth note, the sealed door hissed before opening with a hydraulic groan.
“Just in time.” The woman took the iPad from her. “Too bad.”
“Oh thank God.” Audrey covered her face with both palms as Ryder looked inside the vault.
I pulled her into my arms, resting my chin on top of her head. “I knew you could do it,” I said as Ryder held up a flash drive and an envelope.
“Who’d have thought our conversations about underwear would save the world,” she said, pulling away with a half cry, half laugh.
“I predicted it,” I joked. “I called it a week ago when I walked in on you and—” I abandoned that thought, remembering Ryder was still present. I’d been caught up in the moment with her.
“Still her brother. Still here,” he reminded us, though a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Stillowe you an apology for breaking my promise,” I said once we were completely paid up and out of the maze, back up top in the land of the living. Breathing fresh air and no longer feeling like we were inside a crematorium.
