Harry felt someone lying beside him,
and sighed, realizing that Laura had curled up next to him sometime
during the night. Turning his head, he watched her sleep, thought
how she looked like an angel - or perhaps a sprite, he revised.
With those almond eyes and that pointed little chin- he sighed
again, looking up at the dim bulb above them. It was going to
be difficult as hell to put her behind him when the time came.
But he had to. He had to give her the space she needed to grow
up, to become the remarkable woman he knew she could be.
A sound at the door brought him fully awake, and he moved away
from Laura as she woke as well. Signaling for her to remain quiet,
he pointed at the door. She nodded, and followed him.
Both were sitting against the wall, their hands behind their backs,
when the door opened. Flynn's two goons appeared, both carrying
guns. "On your feet," the one called Eddie told Laura,
reaching down to pull her up. Seeing her opening, she came up
quickly, hitting Eddie squarely in the stomach with enough force
to knock the wind out of him, sending his gun flying across the
room. Harry took advantage of the other one's surprise to kick
his feet out from beneath him.
Rolling to his own feet, Harry grabbed the second man's gun and
took Laura's hand, pulling her from the room, pausing only long
enough for her to lock the door behind them. Unless there were
more men than those two in there, the only obstacle to their freedom
now was Flynn himself. Watching cautiously, jumping at every shadow,
Harry kept Laura behind him as they moved through the warehouse.
The feel of the gun was almost a comfort - something he didn't
usually feel about the things. He much preferred using his wits
to get out of scrapes. Quite likely, if he'd been alone, he'd
have left it. But he wasn't. And he wasn't going to take any risks
getting Laura out.
They had to cross an open section of warehouse to get to the door,
and as they waited, they could hear Eddie and his cohort banging
on the door, calling Flynn, telling him that they had escaped.
Harry waited a moment, hoping that Flynn would choose to release
his men before trying to recapture them. Indicating that Laura
wait there, Harry ran across the open area to the doorway, still
hearing Eddie yelling, banging on the door. Why hadn't Flynn released
him yet, Harry wondered.
When he turned around to signal Laura to join him, he discovered
the reason. Flynn had his arm around Laura's shoulders, a gun
to her head. Harry froze. "Put the gun down, Harry and slide
it away."
"Let her go, Flynn. She's just a kid. If you hurt her-"
"Whether or not I hurt her is up to you- and her father.
Now, lad, I'll tell you once more. The gun." When Harry still
hesitated, his eyes on Laura's, Flynn pulled the hammer back on
the weapon. "Don't make me do this, Harry." Harry knelt
slowly and put the gun on the floor, kicking it away. "Good
lad. Let's go. And keep your hands where I can see them,"
he warned, letting Harry go ahead of him and Laura.
They returned to the door and as Flynn watched, Harry lifted the
bar to release Eddie and John. "Sorry, boss," Eddie
apologized. "We thought they were still tied up -"
"I didn't hire you to think. I hired you to keep an eye on
these two. Of course the first thing they did was to free themselves.
Your gun's near the door, John. Go get it and join us in the office,
please," he said pointedly. John swallowed heavily and nodded
before turning away. "Now, Harry, Miss Holt, after you."
Laura's movements were stiff as they moved toward the office that
Flynn spoke of, and Harry knew she was angry with herself. "It
was worth the try," he whispered.
"It was stupid," Laura returned as they entered the
small room.
"You're quite right, Miss Holt, it wasn't a very smart move
on either of your part," Flynn agreed, indicating the chairs
before the desk. "Please sit down. And I don't think I have
to remind either of you to keep your hands where I can see them."
He seated himself behind the desk, placing his gun within easy
reach as John returned. "John, why don't you get our guests
something to drink? Are you hungry? I have some food -"
"Guests?" Laura asked. "If this is how you treat
guests, Mr. Flynn, I'd hate to see how you'd treat an enemy."
"Really, Miss Holt. I know we haven't gotten off to a very
good start, but I'm hopeful that can change. Once Chalmers and
your father give me what I want, you'll both be free to go. There's
no reason why the next twenty four hours have to be uncomfortable
for you - unless you choose to make them that way."
Harry remained relaxed, his eyes glittering. "I'd call it
more than uncomfortable to be forced to sleep on a bare floor,
Flynn - with no food or water since before you kidnapped us."
John brought them something to drink as Flynn glanced at his wristwatch.
"It's time," he said, dialing the telephone on his desk.
To Eddie and John, he said, "Keep an eye on them. If they
try anything - " He spoke into the mouthpiece. "Chalmers."
Daniel glanced to where Mitchell was listening on the other line.
"You said we could talk to Harry and Laura, Flynn,"
Daniel reminded him.
"So I did. They're both right here. And quite well, I can
assure you. And they'll stay that way as long as you do what I
say." He rose and moved around, the telephone in his hand.
"You first, Harry." He held the receiver to Harry's
ear.
"Daniel?"
"Harry. Are you and Laura all right?"
"As well can be expected," Harry replied, aware that
Eddie's gun was at Laura's temple. One wrong word and he'd pull
that trigger.
"You take care of yourself - and her."
"Not an easy task, Daniel -" Harry said, only to have
the telephone withdrawn, and Eddie's gun on his temple as Flynn
held the telephone to Laura's ear.
"Daddy?" she asked, and Harry could hear the trembling
in her voice, the fear. Icy calm, Laura, my girl, he thought.
Icy calm.
"Thank God. Are you okay, honey?"
"I've been better, Daddy. Don't compromise, Daddy. Don't-"
Flynn brought the telephone to his own mouth. "Don't listen
to her, Holt. If you do, she'll be dead. You know what you and
Chalmers have to do - you have twenty four hours to get those
gems. I'll call you tomorrow."
Mitchell spoke quickly. "If anything happens to Laura, Flynn,
I'll hunt you down. There won't be anyplace you'll be safe."
"That goes for Harry as well, Flynn," Daniel added.
"Their safety is entirely in your hands, gentlemen,"
Flynn reminded them. "Good bye."
"What gems, Flynn?" Harry asked. "I've a right
to know what you've asked for ransom, I think."
"Chalmers and Holt are going to break into Philip Bryce's
house - and steal the delivery of rare gemstones that he got today."
"Holt installed Bryce's security system," Harry recalled.
"Should be easy enough -"
"It *would* be," Flynn agreed, "if Bryce weren't
going to receive an anonymous telephone call, warning him of a
plan to steal the gems." He grinned, and Laura shivered.
"Bryce will increase security even more than they are expecting
."
"You're setting them up," Laura realized. "You
don't want the gems, you want Daddy and Mr. Chalmers to get caught
committing that robbery and wind up in prison like you did."
"Very smart, lass. Time to return to your room -" He
picked up his gun and rose, indicating that they should do the
same.
"You can't get away with this, Flynn," Laura insisted.
"It won't work-"
"Ah, lass, but it will." He led them to another door,
exactly like the last one, but leading to another room. "You'll
find this one more comfortable, I should think. And I wouldn't
suggest trying to escape again. Eddie and John won't fall for
that trick again."
Laura preceded Harry into the room, turning as the door closed
behind them, placing her hands on the cold metal. The bar falling
into place echoed in the small room, and Laura sighed. "We've
*got* to get out of here and warn Daddy and Mr. Chalmers, Harry,"
she said, turning at last to see what had gotten his attention.
Where the last room had been devoid of furniture, this time there
was a table, two chairs, a narrow cot against one wall, - and
a second door. Laura flew to that aperture, throwing it open,
only to discover a small toilet. She lifted a disappointed face
to Harry. "I should have known it wouldn't lead anywhere."
Harry turned and went back into their cell, looking around. Something
wasn't right. "Laura, why go to all this trouble is he's
going to let us go tomorrow?" he asked.
"Because he's not going to let us go. He *can't*. At least,
not until Mr. Chalmers and Daddy are in prison somewhere. Harry,
there's got to be some way we can warn them that they're walking
into a trap." She looked so frightened, so worried, that
Harry pulled her into his arms and held her.
"We'll figure something out, Laura," he promised. Trouble
was, he hadn't the faintest notion of what that something might
be. Smiling, he said, "But next time, let's plan it a bit
better, okay? I don't think butting someone with your head will
work again."
Laura returned his smile. "I saw a chance, and took it. You
told me to do that, remember?"
"So I did. It was my fault that we didn't get out earlier.
I shouldn't have left you behind. I knew Flynn was somewhere in
the building. I was counting on his freeing Eddie and John before
coming to find us." He shook his head. "Your idea was
good - it was my implementation that was lacking."
"You were being cautious," Laura reminded him. "You
didn't want us both to be shot crossing that space," she
said. "I understood that. I should have been more careful."
She put her head on his chest, protesting softly when he drew
away and turned toward the cabinet in the corner.
"I wonder if there's anything here to eat?" Harry mused,
looking through the items he found.
"How can you think of food at a time like this?" Laura
asked. "My father and Mr. Chalmers may be facing prison and
all you can think of-"
"We have to eat, Laura," Harry reminded her. "Won't
do any good for us to starve ourselves, will it? Now be a good
girl and come over here and help me find something."
With a deep sigh, Laura joined him, ignoring his triumphant grin.
**********
Daniel looked up from the plans spread out on the desk before
him and watched Mitchell pace across the room and back. "You
say he increases security when he has a packet in the house. How
exactly?"
"He's got a tiered system. One level for normal circumstances,
mostly bells and whistles to scare someone off. The next level
has that, but it also locks everything down tight as a drum -
and the third level alerts the police to a break in at the same
time."
"You still have the master code to the system, don't you?"
Mitchell nodded. "It's the one thing Bryce can't change.
His own code, yes, but the master one, the one that shuts *everything*
down, only he and I know it." He ran a shaking hand through
his brown hair. "In order to disable the system, I have to
get close enough to the house - and if he's on the third tier,
there are motion detectors that will pick me up before I get within
twenty feet of that box." Sitting down, he looked at his
hands. "Daniel, I haven't cracked a safe in ten years. I'm
not even sure I can do it anymore."
Daniel poured them each a drink, then sat down in the other chair.
"What kind of safe does he have?"
"Standard wall safe. It's just that - the idea of Laura's
life being *literally* in my hands - She's the only thing in my
life that's worth a damn, Daniel."
Daniel looked into his glass. "I understand, Mitchell. Losing
her would be like losing a part of yourself. Something you'll
do whatever you have to in order to prevent."
Mitchell looked across at his friend. "You're thinking about
Harry, aren't you?" They had never discussed the secret that
Daniel had shared with him ten years ago after he'd been shot
and thought he was dying. Daniel had never brought it up after
he recovered, and Mitchell hadn't wanted to pry any further. "You
know, I wondered at first why a man who always swore that he didn't
need anyone else would take that boy under his wing. Took me a
couple of years to figure it out. You've never told him, have
you?"
"No. And I won't. You've heard him talk about his father,
Mitchell. Even now, I think he's still got enough anger in him
that if he knew the truth, I'd never see him again. I can't risk
that happening." Both men were quiet for several moments,
each lost in their own private thoughts.
"Let's get back to those plans, shall we?" Mitchell
suggested at last. "Those kids are counting on us to get
them out of there." Rising, his eyes met Daniel's. "And
we *will* get them out. Alive and well."
They had no choice. Because the alternative was something neither
one of them wanted to even think about.
**********
Laura watched as Harry tossed the playing cards they had found
against the wall in some strange game. She paced once, twice,
across the small floor. "Stop pacing, Laura," Harry
told her.
She pushed her hair back from her face. "I wonder what time
it is."
He tossed another card. "I've no idea."
Laura turned to look at him, hands on her hips. "How can
you sit there so calmly when Daddy and Mr. Chalmers might be-"
Harry sighed, tossing another one. "What good is it going
to do them if I wear myself out pacing the floor and worrying,
Laura?"
"Are you trying to tell me that you're *not* worried?"
She wrapped her arms around her waist. "Of course, I'm worried
about *my* father. You're just concerned about a friend."
"A friend," Harry repeated, looking at the card in his
hand. The King of Spades. For some reason, he'd always associated
that card with Daniel. "Daniel's more than a friend, Laura.
He's probably the closest I've ever had to family. Yes, I'm worried
about him." He got up and retrieved the cards. He knew he
needed to find some way to get Laura's mind off of what might
be going on outside these walls. If she'd been a few years older,
he'd have had no problem keeping her occupied. As it was, however-
"Has anyone ever taught you to play poker?" he asked,
returning to his chair.
Laura shook her head, frowning. "No."
He smiled, shuffling the cards as she watched. "Sit down,
then," he told her. "Because you're going to learn now."
To Be Continued-----