Chapter 15 - Thirteen Minutes
“Lock the house.”
Daniel’s voice cut through every room.
Security shutters lowered over the rear service doors. The front gate began closing.
Rosa lifted Noah from the terrace and ran inside.
A dark SUV accelerated toward the gate before it could seal.
It hit the metal arm hard enough to bend it.
“Upstairs safe room,” Daniel told Rosa.
Noah started crying. “Daddy come.”
“I’m coming.”
Daniel kissed his forehead. “Go with Rosa.”
Rosa hesitated. “Daniel—”
“Please.”
She ran.
Two private security officers moved toward the front entrance.
The SUV stopped sideways across the drive.
No one got out.
Daniel watched the camera feed.
“Where are they?”
Rachel stood behind him on the phone with police.
“Units are four minutes away.”
The house lights flickered.
Then died.
Backup power kicked in, but the security feed went black.
Rachel swore. “They cut the network.”
Glass shattered somewhere near the kitchen.
Daniel grabbed the heavy flashlight from a drawer.
One security officer shouted.
A door slammed.
Then Daniel heard footsteps.
Not from downstairs.
From above.
He looked toward the ceiling.
The safe room was upstairs.
“Rosa.”
He ran.
At the top landing, the hallway was empty.
Then Noah screamed.
Daniel reached the west wing and saw the safe-room door closing.
A man stood inside it.
Marcus.
He had one arm around Rosa’s throat and a gun pressed against her side.
Noah was behind her, sobbing.
Daniel stopped.
Marcus smiled.
“You always were too slow.”
“Let them go.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you give me the offshore access key.”
Daniel frowned. “I don’t have it.”
Marcus tightened his hold on Rosa.
“Yes, you do. Your father built the account. You inherited the key.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Marcus looked at Noah.
The boy shrank against the wall.
“Then maybe you should remember fast.”
Rosa’s eyes met Daniel’s.
She did not look terrified anymore.
She looked angry.
May you like
Then Daniel saw her right hand sliding toward the emergency alarm under the shelf.
Marcus did not.
