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I picked up Laura’s file, just as the camera glitched again. I sighed. For a millionaire like Brian Lavin, you’d think he could get his security system fixed. Unless… the thought sent a prickle of anxiety over my skin. Unless he didn’t want it fixed.
With that dark thought in mind, I flipped back through Laura’s file to the place where her extracurricular activities were listed. I scanned through the list. Tutoring kids in English, Math and computer science. I looked further down the list. Video year book editor in high school. Slowly, I closed the file and placed it down, looking at my phone and the glitchy video again. Laura appeared, holding Benji by the hand. They walked toward the sitting room, a gigantic bowl of popcorn and a blanket in their arms. Movie night with his murderer sister. Sounded fun. Still, the niggle at the back of my mind refused to let me rest. When they were gone from sight, presumably to the den to watch tv, I thought about those extracurricular activities. Laura was better with computers than the file pointed out. Video editing and graphics were needed for video year book. Video editing?
Her words suddenly replayed in my mind.
Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of Benji. Just don’t get in my way.
Realization filled me as I stood up, my chair scraping back roughly, and headed toward the door. I called Diesel on the way.
“What’s up?”
“How far are you from the Lavin place?”
“Not too far, but not close. Why, something wrong?”
“It’s Laura. She’s going to run.”
CHAPTER7
Laura
When you fail to prepare… just wing it. That had been my mother’s motto, and I didn’t know if it had served her well, but I was more precise in my preparations. I’d known for a long time that I needed to get Benji away from Brian. My first plan had failed, unfortunately, but this one wouldn’t. I had backup plans, and now, we were on Plan B.
Looping the security footage was child’s play, and after setting up a good reason Benji and I could be gone a long time in an unseen room, I ticked Bennet Archer off my list of things I needed to worry about. Brian was upstairs in his study, locked in. He didn’t know it yet, but when he tried the handle, he’d find out. I had a skeleton key for the house, and it had saved my life more times than I liked to admit.
Now, with the security footage showing a clear path, I bundled Benji into his winter clothes, pulled on the wig I’d bought just for this occasion, a ball cap, and a hoodie, and we made our way toward the gates. Brian had employed a security guard to wander around from time to time, mostly to chase the persistent press away. I tiptoed to the guard hut to see if the hot chocolate thermos, laced with sleeping pills, had done its job. Benji had delivered it with his adorable, lopsided grin, and the poor sap on duty had fallen for it.
I took his keys from his pocket.
“Are we stealing his car?” Benji wondered as I strapped him into the Ford Chrysler that the security guy had left just outside the front gate.
“Not stealing. Borrowing. He’ll get it back, I promise,” I said, hoping I was right. I got in the front, and started up the car, pulling out slowly, and driving leisurely through the residential streets. Hurrying didn’t look good, and going too slow was just the same. The key was to act like any other guy, eager to be home, but not wanting to flout the rules too much. Gradually, I worked my way through town. As I drove along Main Street, heading for the sign toward the city, I passed a familiar-looking SUV. The windows were tinted, so I couldn’t see inside, but I recognized it easily. Bennet? Why was he coming back at eleven at night? Panicking slightly, I drove past, wishing that the Chrysler had tinted glass, but then, it’s not really something a family man, security guard would bother with. I’d dragged the guy into the back of the office, where a small camp bed was set up. He was just sleeping. Maybe Bennet was just checking in? Or hell, maybe he was out on a date or something. Not everything had to be about me. I prayed I was right about the date, even though the thought of sexy Bennet with his tattoos and insightful, soulful eyes, looking at somebody over dinner, kissing her, going upstairs with her after, pissed me off. Why it should, I had no clue, except that he was hot, and I was horny. At the rate I was going, I’d be getting locked up in jail a virgin. I didn’t like to think about that what kind of target that’d made me in there.
“I’m tired,” Benji said, yawning widely. “Where are we going at this time at night, anyway?”
“The cabin. Remember I told you about? My dad’s old place. Not Brian, my dad, the one who died when I was little.”
I wove in and out of the traffic, getting onto the highway, and feeling marginally safer surrounded by other, similar looking cars.
“Right. The secret one?” Benji had always loved the story of my birth father. My mother had made him out to be a secret, and even kept his name off my birth certificate. Apparently, he’d been a bit wacky. A survivalist who kept several well-stocked ends of the world type places. One of them, my mother and I had gone there on the holidays sometimes, because we’d never had enough money to go anywhere else. He had lived off the grid, and my mother had respected his wishes and kept the property secret, even after he’d died. Only I knew where the cabin was, and now, his planning might just save Benji and I.
We got to the train station, and I parked in the furthest away corner, and left the keys on the wheel, praying that no one stole the nice, innocent security guard’s car. I didn’t even know his name. I pushed the guilt aside. I didn’t have room for sentimentality right now. This was life or death, and I chose life. Guilt could come later.
We hurried into the train station. As I passed by the tall glass doors of a side entrance, the sight of a jet-black SUV made fear cramp my insides. I strained to look at the plate, without slowing my step or showing that I’d recognized it. Crap. It was Bennet. He was here. Adrenaline pumped in my veins, making me shake and hold Benji’s hand too hard.
“Ouch, Laura, what are you doing?” he complained.
“I’m sorry, sorry, just hurry, ok?”
We made it onto the platforms. I’d bought the tickets on a burner phone I’d found in Brian’s office. Now, I scanned the waiting trains for the one I needed. I had just been going to jump on the train that would take us to our destination, but since Bennet was here, it was time for Plan C.
We got on a train. I strived not to swivel around, looking for Bennet constantly. As soon as we were on, we kept on the move, walking down it, as I waited for it to pull out. On the platform outside the window, I saw him. He strode down the walkway, peering into carriages. His gun was on display on his hip, and he had an earpiece in. Clearly, there were more of his team here, looking for us. Benji and I lurched forward as the train moved. My eyes stayed glued to Bennet. He’d stopped and looked frustrated. He ran a hand through his short hair, and let out a sigh that deflated his vast chest for a moment, and turned away. As he did, his eyes caught mine. His entire body tensed. I couldn’t break that contact point. I simply stared at him as the train shot passed, picking up speed. He broke into a run along the platform, eerily fast and steady. He kept pace with the train for a long while, his eyes on mine, right up till the platform ended.
As we sped away from him, and I lost his eyes, his features growing fuzzy, and then disappearing altogether when we turned a corner, I collapsed into a free seat, and pulled Benji down too, and sucked down a breath.
Sure, we’d just escaped him, but for how long? He knew what train we were on now, and I’d bet my life he was working his way to the next station as fast as he could. Bennet Archer played to win, and now the hunt was on.
CHAPTER8
