Another glance up at the house. The bedroom curtains on the second floor were wide open. That meant Gene had the hostages on the main floor or the basement.
Time to test his hypothesis.
Crouching low, Seth scurried along the foundation toward the basement window, hoping for a clandestine peek inside.
As he neared the small window, it creaked open.
Shit.
With his heart thudding, he flattened himself against the siding again, hoping like fuck that his decision to leave his gun in LA to avoid the hassle with TSA didn’t cost everyone he loved their lives.
Seth froze as he waited to see who emerged, coiled and ready to pounce. If Gene stuck his head out, he’d have to attack quickly. Lethally.
He’d only get the element of surprise once.
But it wasn’t his nemesis whose head appeared in the opening. It was…
Beck?
The good doctor extended one arm with a grimace, frantically clawing at the grass as he struggled to pull himself out the tiny window.
Seth lunged forward, relief sweeping through him at the sight of his friend alive and fighting. He grabbed Beck’s arm and tugged him free.
With a groan of agony, Beck rolled onto his back. He was sweating and shockingly pale. Blood soaked his shirt.
Seth’s heart sputtered at the sight. “Fuck! You’re shot.”
Beck’s voice was tight. “Noticed that, huh?”
Despite his obvious pain, the surgeon’s sarcasm was unscathed.
“Hard not to.” Seth automatically checked the wound on his left shoulder. The entry point was ragged and ugly. As he started to ease Beck onto his right side, the doctor stopped him.
“There’s no exit. The bullet is still lodged inside me.”
“Did you escape?”
Beck scoffed. “The cocksucker locked me and Carl in the basement.”
So the able-bodied men couldn’t protect the women or put up a fight. Coward.
“And Heavenly? Is she okay?” Seth demanded. “Has Gene shot anyone else?”
Beck shook his head, his eyes sharp and focused “I haven’t heard any more gun shots. Yelling, but that’s it.”
More relief. But Seth didn’t dare relax as he pulled out his phone. “You need a hospital.”
Beck’s hand shot out and gripped Seth’s wrist. “I’m not leaving.”
“Damn it, Beck. You?—”
“Will be fine. The bleeding has slowed. It hurts like a bitch, but I’m not gonna die. I’ll get patched up once we get everyone out.”
Seth didn’t bother trying to reason with Beck. He’d be wasting his breath. Besides, if the shoe was on the other foot, Seth wouldn’t budge either.
With a terse nod, Seth helped Beck sit up, propping him against the house behind a bush. “Tell me what happened. Where is Gene keeping everyone?”
“One minute Carl and I were watching football. The next, the son of a bitch clocked Carl with the butt of his gun. Knocked him out cold. He’s got a minor concussion. Then the asshole shot me, no fucking warning. He forced us down to the basement. Before that, Gene had everyone else pinned to the family room sofa.”
