Linda held the pan protectively in her grasp and nodded. “We’re going to sneak downstairs and get out through the basement window I came in through. Then, we’re going to get the hell away from here. My car is just a little ways down the road,hidden behind some bushes. I parked and walked here.”
It all sounded so simple. If she was able to make it in undetected, surely we could make it out, right? The problem was that it wasn’t just me anymore. If we were to get caught, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if Linda was hurt in the crossfire.
I moved over to the bed and sat down, unsure of what to do. Linda joined me and bumped me with her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about me, Ayla. I’m a strong and capable old lady.”
“That’s for damn sure,” I said, smiling at her.
Her smile faded and she turned serious. “I heard the conversation between you and Vincent. Is all of that true about Declan and the secret FBI stuff?” When I nodded, her eyes bugged out of her head. “That is crazy. Who would’ve thought there’d be so much excitement in our little town?”
“This is not exciting,” I hissed low. “It’s dangerous. Vincent Deluca is part of the mafia and a killer. He won’t think twice about getting rid of us.”
She squeezed my hand. “Then, I say we get out of here. Your window plan could’ve worked, but mine will be better. Less chance of breaking something.”
“What if we get caught?”
We both knew what would happen if we did. Linda sighed but then lifted her head and smiled. “We won’t. Now, let’s go. Luckily, the old floorboards in this house don’t squeak.”
It was now or never.
I stared at the bedroom door, trying not to second-guess myself. When I opened it, my heart pounded so hard against my sternum that I thought it’d burst out. The whole house was quiet. I tiptoed to the stairs and slowly made my way down. Linda was as quiet as a mouse behind me, still holding her cast-iron frying pan.
Once at the bottom of the stairs, I glanced back at Linda, who pointed toward the hallway leading to the kitchen. Luckily, a wall hid the stairwell from the living room, so I had to assume that was where Vincent was.
I walked down the hallway and past a bathroom on my way to the kitchen. When I turned around to ask Linda for guidance, she was nowhere to be found. But then, Vincent’s hulking frame turned the corner, and he spotted me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded, marching toward me.
“I was thirsty,” I said quickly, waving a hand atthe refrigerator. “Surely, you don’t want me to die of dehydration, do you?”
I was lightheaded from all the adrenaline as I made my way to the kitchen cabinets. I opened them until I found the one with cups. I grabbed one out and filled it up with water, downing it within seconds. It wasn’t enough, so I filled another cup and drank it, as well.
Vincent stood in the hallway doorway, blocking my way to the stairwell. Linda was still nowhere in sight, but I was thankful he didn’t know she was there.
Vincent huffed with impatience. “Looks like I’m going to have to make sure you stay in your room.” He pulled out a handful of zip ties from his back pocket, and when his suit jacket moved to the side, I could see his gun holster. He had two on him. “Let’s go,” he growled.
I didn’t know what to do. If I ran, all he’d have to do was fire a gun and I’d be down. Plus, I still didn’t know where Linda was. I couldn’t leave her.
With a heavy sigh, I glared at him and set my cup in the sink. “Fine.”
However, before I could take a step toward him, the room echoed with the loudest clang of metal hittingsomething hard. Vincent’s legs folded underneath him and he went down like a rag doll, his body limp as he hit the floor. Blood oozed out of the gash on the back of his head and onto the white marble floor. Standing with the pan still raised in the air was Linda, who looked frozen in shock with her mouth gaping wide open.
I was stunned and couldn’t move, either.
Vincent did not move, but I was too afraid to walk past him to get to Linda. I’d seen a million scary movies in my time, and I could just imagine him grabbing my leg when I tried to pass.
“Is he dead?” Linda asked, still with a death grip on the pan.
I couldn’t see his chest moving, but that didn’t mean anything.
“I don’t know,” I said in all honesty. “It doesn’t look like he’s breathing. Do you happen to have your cell phone nearby?”
She nodded quickly, never once taking her eyes off Vincent. “In my pocket.”
“Why don’t you lower the pan and pull it out. We need to call the police.”
Linda slowly let out a breath and set the pan on the floor. “I can’t believe I hit him over the head. I don’t know where all my strength came from. It was the weirdest thing I ever felt.”
Her fingers shook as she tried to push the buttons on her phone. She only had one number pressed when a loud boom vibrated the entire house. Linda grabbed her chest and I shrieked as footsteps pounded against the floor.
