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“Yes. Go.”
I hit the corridor at a dead run. By the time I arrive in the front foyer, nearly two dozen men are already assembled in response to my alarm call. When Jack isn’t here, I’m in command. They all look to me for instructions.
“The prisoner escaped. Rome, check the CCTV. I want to know where she got out and which direction she went in.”
Rome sprints off to the control room.
Moses shoulders his way forward. “I took her breakfast. She was okay then. The door’s bolted. How did she…?
“We don’t know yet. As far as we know, she’s on foot so probably not got far. She has an injury. A scald.”
“She was buzzing for tea. Jimmy took it up.”
“When was that?” I ask.
Jimmy checks his watch. “About a quarter of an hour ago. She was fine then.”
“Did she say anything? Did you?”
He shakes his head. I can believe it. No one could accuse Jimmy of being chatty.
“I think I must have been the last to see her.” Megan is descending the steps behind me. At my raised eyebrow, she assures me that Jenna is fine. “I’ll get back up there straight away. Just thought I’d share what I know.”
“Go on.”
“I was on my way back up to your apartment. I heard a scream so I went to check. She’d scalded her hand on her tea. It looked sore. I got her to put it under the tap and left to get my bag. I forgot to bolt the door. My bad.”
I say nothing. There’ll be time enough for recriminations later.
“When I got back, the door was open and the girl was gone. I’m sorry.”
“That was no more than five minutes ago.” I know that because I saw her dash back into the room for her bag. “And you raised the alarm straight away? Yes?”
“Yes,” she confirms.
“Okay. Thanks.”Five minutes? If we’re lucky she might still be on the grounds.“Right, I need everyone to spread out. Search the property, every inch. She’ll be heading for the road, but we may manage to intercept her before she gets that far.”
My phone rings again. This time, it’s Rome. I answer.
“She climbed out of a first-floor guest bedroom, north wing. There’s a fucking sheet or something tied to the balcony. She headed east, into the trees.”
I relay the information to the men. It’ll help to focus the search. While they organise themselves to comb the grounds, I head round to the old stables to jump in a Land Rover.
There’s no avoiding what needs to be done. I drive out of the garage, dialling Jack’s number as I go.
He answers on the second ring. “Tony?”
I deliver the news.
There are a few moments of silence, then, “I need you to round her up, Tony. Get everyone on it.”
“Already did.” I swerve off the driveway and head across the grass in the direction of the trees Rome mentioned. A dozen men are already swarming among the pines. “We’ll have her soon enough.”
“When you do, take her back to the house but don’t go in. Wait for me outside.”
“You’re on your way back?”
“Yes. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”
