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Sam climbed out of the van. Trevor pulled Murphy’s blanket to the back of the van and stepped down. She appeared unconscious; he’d have to carry her inside.
Nic Acer joined him. “Let’s carry her on the blanket.”
“Good plan.” Taking two corners each, they pulled the blanket tight and slid Murphy from the van. A huge post and beam portico loomed over them, flagstone under their feet.
At the top of three stone steps, Sam held the front door open. Wiz led them inside, to an elevator, then to a basement suite. “This is the housekeeper’s room, so it’s got a bathroom. It’s at the back of the daylight basement, so there’s only one door out. There is an emergency escape window, but it’s alarmed with one of my systems.” Wiz pulled back the covers on a shaker-style queen-size bed. “She’s not getting away on her own. Although, if I were you, I’d zip tie an ankle to the bed.”
Trevor shook his head. As a civilian, Wiz could get away with that, but he couldn’t. They placed her on the bed and carefully rolled her off the moving blanket. Sam pulled the covers over her. “Rest well, Sharlene, so you’re healthy for the trials. I can’t wait to see you on the stand.”
Murphy didn’t react. Trevor still wasn’t sure if she was faking it, but it didn’t matter. She was going nowhere but jail and maybe WITSEC. A vaguely-remembered rule from his short Special Agent training popped into his brain. “Wiz, I’m sure you’re responsible for the security here, but indulge me. Protocol says we check for weapons or drugs near a prisoner.”
Wiz inspected the nightstands, then looked under the mattress. Michael searched the closet and Tom the dresser. Sam went to the bathroom, helping with the search. Trevor looked behind the curtains. As Wiz said, the window well had an emergency ladder, but the window sticker warned an alarm would sound when the window was opened.
When they finished, they gathered just outside the door. The narrow hallway had a door to the outside on his left and led to a gym on the other end. The other side of the hall held a mechanical room. Trevor leaned against the wall, adrenaline fading. “If someone can grab me a chair, I’ll stay here until Aviss or another officer relieves me.”
Wiz handed Tom a small white box. “No reason. Pop this up there on the wall.” She pointed at the top of the hallway on the far side of the door. “Point it down a bit…there.” She showed him the phone’s screen. “Motion sensor enabled. We’ll put another one above the door inside the room. Then we can wait in comfort upstairs. If we’re attacked, we either leave or come back down here for shelter.” Wiz handed another camera to Tom. He opened the suite door and reached high above the opening. Wiz checked her view. “Good. Let’s go.”
They walked past the elevator. On the left, cows grazed in an open pasture outside the gym’s large windows. Upstairs, the house was similar to Wiz’s but without the extreme security measures. A two-story living room with oversize leather furnishings and a giant rock fireplace flowed into a single-story dining room and giant kitchen with a breakfast bar. A stairway to the left led to an upper level, probably containing bedrooms above the kitchen.
“Who owns this one, Wiz?” Sam plopped on a couch.
“As you guessed, a client. Told me I could use the place anytime they aren’t here, which is ninety-nine percent of the time.” Wiz headed for the front door, Tom following her. “We’ve got first watch. Two of you replace us in two hours. Gazebo at the top of the hill is a decent lookout spot.” The door shut behind her.
Trevor exchanged amused glances with the others. “A woman of few words but many talents.”
“Without her, we’d have been dead a long time ago.” Michael sat on a chair across from Sam.
“Wasn’t dissing her.” Trevor’s phone rang. Healthcare number; maybe it was the hospital. He answered. “Mills.”
“Glad you’re alive, Mills,” Aviss said. “Before you ask, yes, I’m fine. Fried our electronics with some sort of electronic pulse before they started shooting. Vehicles, comms, phones, cameras; they killed everything. Sam okay? You got Murphy?”
“Sam and I are fine. Murphy took a bullet to the left shoulder. Appears to be a through-and-through. She’s bandaged and resting in a bedroom in a safe location. Claims they poisoned her and she needs a daily antidote, so she needs a secure medical facility sooner rather than later. She waived Miranda. It’s on video.”
“Of course she needs medical. I hope the woman is worth the trouble. Let me arrange that. Good job, Mills. Tell Sam she was great. Aviss out.” Her tone turned relieved at the end.
Trevor sat next to Sam, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her tight against his side. But she still wasn’t close enough. He slid her on to his lap, resting his cheek against her shoulder.
“Trevor, we’re not alone.” Regardless of her words, she put her arms around him.
“Don’t care.” He spoke for her ears only. “Need you close. Could have lost you.” She could have been hit rather than Murphy. Or a stray bullet from the battle around Aviss could have taken her out, or they could have crashed on the way here, or any number of horrific things. He wasn’t releasing her anytime soon.
Her arms tightened at his words. “I could have lost you, too. We’re so lucky.”
She said the last sentence louder. He couldn’t agree more. “It’s more than luck. You have the best friends ever. Thank you, all of you.”
Michael shrugged, waving off his concern. Nic smirked. “You rescued us, so it was our turn. Next time, you’ll owe us.” He winked.
“How about there is no next time?” Sam shuddered.
Trevor tightened his arms. “I couldn’t agree more.” He relaxed, resting against the couch. He couldn’t hold back a yawn.
“Take a nap.” Michael rose. “Nic and I got the next watch. Coffee?”
“Yeah.” Nic joined him, walking to the kitchen. “Place like this must have the good stuff.”
“Subtle, aren’t they?” Sam put her head on his shoulder.
Trevor grinned. “No, but I don’t care. I care that you and I survived, and we can move forward, together.” He couldn’t wait to pack up his DC apartment and move to Marcus, even if neither of their houses were inhabitable. He’d fix up one of them quickly enough. Maybe he could find a short-term rental.
