Chapter 34
As Savannah’s hands held down the piano keys of that last chord, a palpable tension resonated even in her bones. Sawyer crouched down to her level and placed a gentle hand on her knee. Her breath was shallow. Focused. And a single bead of sweat clung to her jaw like a fuse waiting to fall.
“Savannah,” he said gently, “I need you to keep holding those keys down, exactly like you’re doing.”
“I am,” she whispered, barely moving her lips. “But my fingers . . . Sawyer, they’re cramping.” It was becoming painful, but she refused to give up. Not just for herself, but for Sawyer. Eggs. Hoot. And anyone else who was still in the building. Letting go was not an option.
“I know. I know. Just a little longer.” He leaned in. “You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve got this.”
She nodded once. Barely.
“Hoot,” Sawyer called. “Get over here.” The man was at their side in an instant. “I need you to get down by her feet. Help her hold that pedal down. That should ease some of the tension for her.”
“Good idea,” Hoot said, sliding his large body under the piano. Through the thin leather of her shoe, she felt Hoot’s large hand helping to keep her foot down.
Standing again, Sawyer peered inside the piano. He’d been around Savannah and had watched Brian work enough times during the course of the tour, so she figured he’d be familiar with some of the inner workings of the instrument.
“What do you see?” Eggs asked.
“Bomb confirmed. It’s tucked under the rack on the left side, low in the sound cavity.
Oblong. Wires running across the soundboard to the levers and those hammer things.
Under the ones Savannah is holding are microfilament trip sensors.
They’ll strike those pads if they drop.” Her stomach turned.
She understood what that meant. If she released those keys, the lever would fall, hitting the sensors. Then it would be game over.
“This is real,” she muttered.
“Can you disarm it?” Eggs asked.
“I can try.”
Savannah glanced out into the house. The space was emptying faster now.
It looked like law enforcement was coordinating a sweep of the building.
Probably looking for more bombs. Secret Service had vanished with the president.
The orchestra had dropped their instruments and evacuated the stage as quickly as they could.
They had the stage to themselves. Just them. The piano. And the countdown.
00:16:38
00:16:37
“Hoot, it’s safe to let go of the pedals. There’re no wires attached to the rods that control the pedals.” Eggs returned with a large toolbox, which he set on the floor near Sawyer’s feet. “Let’s get this lid off.”
While Sawyer lowered the lid until it lay flat, Eggs and Hoot each grabbed a pair of pliers and used them to yank the pins out of the two hinges holding the lid in place.
Then, with one on either side, they lifted the heavy piece of wood and walked it off the back end of the piano before setting it on the floor.
Sawyer removed the music shelf which held her iPad; the countdown numbers still displayed.
She was grateful he was careful not to bump the fallboard, so it didn’t slam down on her fingers.
He could obviously get a better look at the device now.
She stared at his side profile as he studied it and the wires she assumed were attached.
His brow had a deep furrow in it as he concentrated.
“The best course of action is to disarm the bomb but I think the easiest―and quickest―way is to take apart the levers and hammers over the sensor pads. Let the bomb squad take care of the rest.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Eggs stated.
“Halestorm, I need to know the easiest way to take the keys, levers, and those hammer things apart.”
“I can talk you through it,” Savannah said softly.
“All right.”
“You gotta remove the fallboard first.
“The what?”
“The lid,” she jutted her chin in the direction of the piece that covered the keys when closed. “There’s screws underneath the frame.”
“We got it,” Hoot and Eggs said, each getting down on the ground with screwdrivers to remove the screws holding it in place.
“Should we be worried about damaging the piano?” Eggs wondered.
“Hell, no,” Sawyer growled.
“Flint will take care of any consequences,” Hoot assured.
“Okay then. Once the screws are out, it should be easy to just lift it off.”
“Done,” Hoot and Eggs said at nearly the same time. Sawyer took hold of both ends of the fallboard and yanked it straight up. It broke free of the wooden blocks bracketing the keys.
“Now remove the screws from the action staff brackets.”
“English, Savi.”
“S-sorry. Those gold bracket things near the hammers. Once you remove the brackets, you can lift the whole thing holding all the hammers.”
The guys dove in and helped Sawyer remove the brackets. There were five of them, each with multiple screws. It took too many precious minutes to get them out.
“Just lift that whole part out,” Savannah instructed once the last bracket was off. Hoot took care of that part and set it aside. “Now it’s just a matter of lifting the key and lever out. They are attached so they’ll come out as one.”
“Seriously? It’s that easy?” Eggs asked.
“Yeah.”
“Six minutes,” Hoot called.
“I’m gonna do one at a time,” he told her softly. “Guys, you think you can help Savannah hold down the other keys?” They didn’t hesitate, which made Savannah’s eyes fill with unshed tears.
She noticed Sawyer take a deep breath before he grasped the key under her pinky finger on her right hand.
As if moving in slow motion, he then carefully lifted it out from under her finger.
Nothing happened. She let go of the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
He worked his way down the row until finally she was free and could lower her hands.
She slumped forward as relief hit her, her body trembling uncontrollably.
“Okay. You’re free. Let’s get out of here and let the bomb squad do the rest.”
Just as she was about to stand, Sawyer put a hand on her shoulder and held her in place. “Wait!” he yelled. “Haley’s saying a new message just popped up.”
“W-what does it say?” she asked.
“‘Don’t forget to bow.’”
“What the hell does that mean?” Eggs asked.
“It means we’re not done yet,” Sawyer stated. For a moment, she wondered what he meant, and then it hit her. There was another bomb. She thought about the word in the message. If she were to bow, she’d have to stand up. Oh, God! There was a bomb in the piano bench she sat on.
She assumed Sawyer came to the same conclusion since he dropped to the floor beside the bench. “Shit. There’s another one.”
“Can you defuse it?” Eggs asked.
“Let me have a look,” one of the bomb squad members said. Sawyer moved out of the way so the guy could see it. “This one’s a little different from the other one. Just a few snips should do it.”
“Oh, God,” she shuddered. She didn’t like that he’d used the word “should.” Sawyer, still on his knees beside her, grabbed her aching hand and held it tightly in his.
“Three minutes,” said Eggs once more letting them know how much time was left.
“I got this. Don’t worry.” Even as the bomb tech assured her, she still sent a prayer up that he did, in fact, have this.
The other bomb squad members worked on the first bomb while the one helping them grabbed a pair of wire snippers. “Only has two wires,” he said, then, “Done.”
In a flash, Sawyer was on his feet, lifted Savannah into his arms and sprinted from the stage through the house, before bursting outside into the fresh air. He didn’t stop until they were far enough away to feel it was safe to set her down.
He plopped himself down in the grass with her on his lap and held her tight. She was crying and barely able to hear him as he murmured to her, “It’s okay. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
“Oh, God, Sawyer. What the hell was that? I’ve never been so scared.” Her body shook. She couldn’t stop it.
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”