It was the first crack in her deadpan demeanor—she grinned. “You’re welcome.”
After checking all my cards and cash were still in my wallet, I pocketed it and my phone. “Which way is the exit?”
Both women looked at Jolyn over my shoulder.
I didn’t have time for games. Sidestepping Marley, I strode down the corridor. “Unless you all want to disclose your involvement in Walker’s disappearance.” I passed an open door, my gait faltering at the sight of a table laden with numerous guns and other types of weapons.That’s a sure sign of illegal activity.I kept going. “Or tell me more about this place in Alaska.” The next open door revealed a room full of computers, monitors, and an assortment of Urick Enterprises tech. I paused to scan the setup, finding it professional enough to make me think these women were well-funded. “Then I suggest you show me the way out…” I forgot whatever it was I was about to say. “What is this place?”
No one said anything for a moment, then Jolyn spoke. “A person needs decent headquarters when they’re trying to take down an empire.” Her tone was disturbingly nonchalant.
“Ah,” I said, not sure how else to reply. My heart double-thumped in my chest. She was willfully putting herself in danger, and I had firsthand experience to know it was life-threatening. Taking down an empire? I could only guess she meant her brother, but from the set of her jaw, I doubted she would tell me more. Thieving, guns, bulletproof Fiats… I couldn’t be caught up in whatever storm she’d created for herself.
“Good luck with that.” I needed to find Walker, and contact Kane and Brooke. “I’ll leave you to it. But if someone doesn’t show me the exit in the next minute, I’m going back for one of those grenades to make my own damn door.”
For emphasis, I straightened the collar of my borrowed shirt. The effect was lost by the sheer number of wrinkles in the garment, and the fact I wasn’t wearing a suit jacket or tie, but I’d mastered the maneuver when turning down pious CEOs. I knew it would still be effective.
None of the women appeared impressed.
“We have a bit of a conundrum,” Marley explained. “We don’t really want you to know where we are.”
“That sounds like ayouproblem.”
“Oh, it’s your problem too,” Alina said, then added, “Jolyn said we couldn’t put a bag over your head and dump you outside city limits.” The disappointment in her voice made the hairs on my arms stand on end.
“Definitely not,” I asserted with a glance at Jolyn. She rubbed her temple with two fingers, a sure sign of stress—stress I didn’t need to be a part of.
A thick metal door caught my attention on the other side of the living room done in browns, blues, and greens. I strode toward it. None of them stopped me. What did make me pause was the digital keypad beside the door, one that looked like it came straight out of last year’s Urick Enterprises catalog. These women didn’t mess around when it came to security.
“What if we blindfold you?” Jolyn’s voice came from behind me, and with it a memory of me suggesting a game—to remove each other’s senses one by one.
My heart banging in my chest, I turned to face her. From the high flush on her cheeks, maybe she remembered the same thing. “And do what with me?”
From behind her, Alina tittered. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Jolyn shot her friend a glare. “I could drive or walk you well away from here. Drop you somewhere you can get a taxi.”
“Walk,” I said immediately.
After a hesitation, Jolyn agreed with a small nod. “We can take the stairs.” Around the corner was another heavy metal door complete with a Urick Enterprises keypad. She punched in a six-digit code. I didn’t see enough of it to repeat the sequence. The metal door clanked open like a vault, revealing a stairwell. I hesitated.
“After you,” she said.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Why do I feel like if I walk through that door, I’ll be stuck in there until I die?” After everything I’d seen in this place, I didn’t think it was that much of a stretch.
With an exasperated huff, she stepped ahead of me. “It’s just some stairs,” she muttered under her breath.
“Wait,” Alina said. “You’ll need this.” She passed Jolyn a black silk scarf. “It’s light tight,” she said when I stared at it. “I should know.” Then she grinned. “Hey, do you use your vacation house on Vancouver Island very often?”
I paused inside the door. “Excuse me?” How the hell did she know about my cabin?
“Not the time.” Jolyn’s voice was as forceful as the metal door clanging behind us.
7
JOLYN
“What areyou doing in here, Jo?”
I winced at the nickname, my chest tightening because Emerson was near. “Don’t call me that.” He used the name because I hated it. I hated it only because he used it.
