Page 92 of Lion’s Den

“If they discovered this place. Sedona, you were being held in the middle of nowhere, and you couldn’t remember much at the time David questioned you. You’ve recovered just enough pieces of your memory to help us pinpoint a couple of important locations.”

“Do you really think what I’ve remembered matters?”

“Don’t know. That’s why we need to look around.”

Sedona nodded. Why was she so afraid? Cam wouldn’t let anything happen to her, and neither would his friends.

They crossed the open area with Cam and Sedona in the center of the loose circle. When they reached the back door, Cam signaled Dario to go around front with Isaac.

Dario rolled his eyes, but gave a curt nod.

When Spencer and Rhys approached the back door, Rhys twisted the knob and shook his head. He crouched in front of the knob with his lock picks in hand and went to work. Seconds later, he stood and gave a little bow with a smirk on his face.

Sedona rolled her eyes. These guys were such jokers, which was a good thing considering the work they had done.

Rhys slid his lock picks away, stood, and opened the door a crack. After a moment, he slipped into the kitchen. She, Cam, and Spencer waited in silence for Rhys to return.

Five minutes later, he appeared in the doorway and pushed the door open wide. “No occupants,” he murmured. “I haven’t checked for electronic signatures, so be careful what you say while we’re in this building.”

Cam walked into the building with Sedona by his side.

She recognized the kitchen from her flight from the building and shivered.

“Cold?” Cam’s voice came out low.

She shook her head. “Nerves from being back here.”

“Recognize it?”

She nodded. The only saving grace might be the men who stood with her, including the pair at the front of the building. These brave men stood between her and any danger that still lingered. Her lips curved. The only danger lingering here was dust bunnies and maybe a mouse or two.

The kidnappers were in jail. Others Simpson or his boss might have recruited were at least smart enough not to use the same place twice.

But an empty building meant Julio was still being held somewhere else. Tears burned her eyes. Where was he?

She gripped Cam’s hand tighter. What price would they have to pay to free Julio?

Dario leaned toward Cam. “We need to get moving, sir.”

He gave a slight nod. “Spread out. Ten minutes max.” Cam led Sedona up the stairs to the room at the end of the hall with the closed door. He turned to her. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. The sooner they did this, the better. She didn’t want to lose her nerve in front of this brave man. That would just be embarrassing.

Cam tugged on a pair of thin rubber gloves. The knob turned easily under his hand. After pushing open the door, he stepped inside first, then motioned for her to join him.

He turned on the light and stared at the chair near a closet and the blue tarp spread out on the floor near the center of the room. The muscles in his jaw twitched.

Sedona tilted her head. Something was bothering him at the sight of that tarp and chair. “What?” she whispered.

“Show me what you did, step by step.”

She thought about insisting that he tell her what was on his mind and remembered her promise to ask questions later. Then, that’s what she would do. Question Cam later about the furious expression on his face when he saw the chair and tarp.

For the next couple of minutes, she reenacted every step, going from one window to another until she ended up in the bathroom with the window she’d climbed through to haul herself to the roof, catch a convenient tree branch, and made her way to the ground.

Sedona said, “I’ll be glad to show you how I crossed the roof and shimmied down the tree.

Cam shuddered. “No, thanks. I’ll take a pass on that.”