The metal pole to the side of my jaw cracked, and the feeling of the lighter’s flame to my ear nearly made me crack.
But these sonsofbitches weren’t going to break me.
Caulfield would be back.
And I would be ready for him…
Chapter 23
Eddie
The gate clangs shut behind us with a finality that makes my stomach drop. Robbie and I walk up the long, winding driveway, our footsteps crunching on the white gravel, the sound too loud in the quiet evening.
“So, this is cool,” I say, trying to sound casual.
“Oh, yeah, totally,” Robbie replies, even in a moment like this struggling to keep things totally serious as he sees right through my attempt. “Sweet crib!”
We both giggle, which actually makes us more convincing as naïve airheads lost in the woods. Or at least I hope it does.
Caulfield's mansion looms ahead… modern and grand, all sharp angles and glass walls that reflect the setting sun like fire. It's spacious even from the outside: wings spreading out on either side, manicured lawns rolling away into the shadows of encircling woods.
Immediately, my mind turns to Daddy. How long would it take to find Viktor in a place this big? Assuming he's even here. The thought sends a fresh wave of nerves through me, my hands clammy despite the cool air.
Alexander might think that Viktor is here, but until we get eyes on him, it’s all speculation. I can’t even bring myself to think about what we’ll do if we don’t find him. All I know is that I’ll never give up, not when my Daddy is concerned.
We reach the massive front doors—double height, sleek wood with polished brass handles. Before I can knock, they swing open. A security guy stands there before us. He’s tall, built like a fridge, earpiece coiled around his neck. His eyes narrow at us, scanning head to toe. "Who the hell are you?"
Robbie squeezes my hand once—much needed reassurance—then steps forward, voice small and shaky. "Um, hi. Our car broke down a couple miles back. We're... lost. Phone's dead. Can we use yours?Please?"
The huge man crosses his arms, blocking the doorway. “There must be a mistake here. Unless I’m very much mistaken, this ain't a phone booth. Strictly private property. Turn the hell around."
I feel my pulse spike. If he turns us away now, the plan's dead. "Please," I add, making my voice waver. "We're tired.Scared. Just a quick call for a tow?"
He hesitates, radio crackling at his belt. He's about to respond when a voice echoes from inside—smooth, commanding.
"Problem, Jones?"
The guard steps aside. Harry Caulfield appears at the top of the grand staircase that sweeps down into the foyer like something from a movie. He looks exactly like the photo I saw of him. Boy, he really does rate himself highly. Even from here I can tell that he thinks his shit doesn’t stink.
Caulfield is in a tailored shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, glass of amber liquid in hand. His eyes land on us, and I see it—the creepy gleam, like a cat spotting mice. He descends the stairs slowly, smile widening. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"
The guard straightens. "Lost boys, sir. Car trouble. Want to use the phone. I told them to get their asses off the property."
Caulfield waves him off. "Of coursethey can. Can't turn away damsels in distress. I wouldn’t have okayed them in unless I wanted to help." He sends the security away with a flick of his fingers, then turns to us, all charm. "Come in, come in. You both lookexhausted."
Robbie and I exchange a subtle glance as we step inside…he's hooked. Just like we hoped. His reputation as a party-loving politician, always surrounded by "admirers," made this predictable. But to see that it’s actually working is just perfect. Caulfield can't resist two pretty boys showing up at his door.
But rather than get over excited, I focus myself to make sure that this first step toward finding Viktor isn’t also my last. I look around and see that the foyer is huge—marble floors, high ceilings with chandeliers dripping crystal, modern art on the walls that looks expensive but soulless. Spacious doesn't cover it… it's cavernous. Hallways branch off in multiple directions, stairs curving up to balconies.
Finding Viktor in this maze?Daunting.
"Tell me what happened," Caulfield says, leading us deeper into the house.
"Our car broke down about two miles back," I say, keeping my voice shaky. "We're lost. Tired. Just need a phone to call for help."
He nods sympathetically, but his eyes linger too long on our legs, our faces. "Poor things. Tell you what… use my health suite to freshen up first. Shower, relax. Then we'll get you food, water, and I'll arrange a ride home personally. Sound good?"
Robbie nods eagerly. "Thank you so much, sir."
