I glance at the board. “Are those laid out the way Ryven gave them to us?”
Jennifer nods. “Yeah, I just placed them up there, starting from left to right. They should still be in the same order.
“Okay, he said the rapist will be tonight.” I point to the man’s picture on our board.
“Looks like we better get ready for a stakeout.” Milly says, chewing on some bubble gum from the corner.
An hour later, we sit in our blacked-out suburban—one of three vehicles we rotate through—on the opposite side of the street a few houses up from the victim’s. Jennifer is in the driver’s seat, and I’m in the passenger seat, while Milly is in the back.
“How long are we going to have to sit here?” Milly groans from the back seat.
“Chill. We just sat down,” I mutter.
“Still no word from Thomas. I hope he’s okay,” Jennifer says, watching a car pass.
“No clue where he is,” I say flatly. “Would’ve been helpful though,” I try to make my words sound more convincing but I don’t feel guilt for his death. He made his bed so now he can lie in it.
There’s movement at the front door as a light comes on the front porch. “What’s he doing?” Milly asks, poking her head through the front seats.
I sigh. “You’re watching the same thing we are, Milly. Cut the commentary.”
She puts her back against the seat and crosses her arms in front of her. “Damn, why are you so bitchy tonight?”
I’m on edge right now. She doesn’t deserve to take the brunt of my anxiety. “You’re right. Sorry, Milly.”
I rub my hands along the top of my thighs.Nerves are getting to me. This is the first time we’re actually doing this, this way. This guy doesn’t deserve to be saved, but this is our only chance to know precisely where this cult member is going to be, and we need to take it.
Milly gasps, pointing at the tree line. “Look.”
Jennifer and I follow her finger to see two masked men creeping out of the trees, slowly heading toward the victim’s house. I take note of the two different colors of their masks.
Jennifer turns toward me. “I thought you said there would only be one.”
I shrug. “The file listed one guy. Maybe he needed backup.”
“Well, what do we do now? Are we going to grab them both?” Milly asks.
I shake my head. “No. I have a better idea.” This could go really wrong, but we have to try. I turn in my chair to look at both women. “What if we let them take him—follow them to the site, then grab one before it starts?”
Jennifer glances at Milly and then back at me. “That’s not a bad idea. I guess let’s watch how this plays out.”
An hour ago, we watched as both men walked into the home, but no one has emerged since then. It’s been too long, something’s off.
“Should we go in and see what is happening?” Jennifer offers.
I can’t stand the wait any longer. I retrieve my gun from the glove compartment and swing the passenger door open. If this goes sideways, there’s no backup coming. It’s just us.
Gun in hand, I cross the road toward the house. It’s silent tonight. No sound is coming from the roadway or the woods.
I press my ear to the door once I’m at the front of the house and listen for any screaming. There’s none. It’s quiet inside as well. An eerie feeling spreads through me, and my hands tighten on the gun.
I check the door handle, and it’s unlocked.That’s lucky.
Without making a sound, I enter the main part of the home. The floor creaks above as I shut the door behind me.
My head is on a swivel. Looking from side to side, I make sure nothing is going to ambush me. Then, finally, in the silence, I hear it. A soft whimper comes from down the hall.
Inch by inch, I stalk down the hall toward where the sound came from.
