Chapter 6 - Someone in the House
Madeline grabbed the knob and twisted.
"Hello?"
No answer.
Her pulse jumped.
She pounded on the door. "Who's there?"
Footsteps moved down the hall.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Whoever had locked her in knew she was alone.
Madeline shoved the desk beneath the window and climbed onto it. The drop to the ground was nearly twenty feet. Below, wet stones lined the side of the house.
Not an option.
Then she noticed the old brass air vent near the floor.
Preston and Daniel had crawled through the service passages as kids. Preston once showed her the narrow maintenance corridor behind the upstairs walls.
Madeline kicked the vent cover until one screw tore free.
The footsteps returned.
A shadow stopped beneath the door.
Madeline dropped to her knees and pulled at the metal grille.
The doorknob turned.
She squeezed into the opening just as the door began to move.
Inside the wall, dust filled her mouth. She crawled on elbows and knees, fighting panic until she reached another loose panel near the linen closet.
She pushed through and ran.
Downstairs, the front door stood open.
Her car keys were gone from the kitchen counter.
So was the folder from the red room.
Madeline called Ruiz.
"Get out of there," the detective said. "Now."
"My keys are gone."
"Lock yourself in a room. Officers are on the way."
Madeline looked through the window.
Her car was still outside.
Then she saw movement near the boathouse.
A woman in a gray coat stepped from behind the trees.
Serena.
Madeline ran outside.
"Serena!"
Serena looked terrified.
"You shouldn't have come."
Madeline grabbed her arm. "Did you drug me?"
Tears filled Serena's eyes.
"Yes."
The word hit harder than Madeline expected.
Then Serena pulled a small flash drive from her pocket.
"But I was trying to keep him from killing you."
May you like
A gunshot cracked through the trees.
Serena dropped.
