Chapter 21 #2
The declaration knocked the breath out of Nash. And poured acid into his veins. He couldn't fathom the pain her father's involvement would cause Lena. His right hand squeezed his phone, still recording the devastating conversation. His left hand fisted.
A few more beats of silence passed. Emil's laugh crackled through the tension.
"She really hoodwinked me. I've never actually met your daughter.
" He laughed again. "I had no idea that was her.
My aunt hired her as a dog-sitter. Wow, I'm impressed.
People told me she and Cassidy were close.
I guess she wanted to get to Cassidy and knew I'd make that difficult if I knew who she was. " He laughed again.
"I don't see the humor in this," Charles said.
"Your daughter is cunning. I find that entertaining."
An exasperated sigh followed.
"Emil, if you don't have a fool-proof plan for getting those jewels back tonight, then we need to demand Chester give us more time. I can get some . . . people here who can help. But it will be several hours—"
"Not necessary. I have men. On my yacht.
They can handle this sort of thing." A theatrical sigh.
"This was my first jewel heist. And until tonight, it was as much fun as I thought it would be.
" A tsking sound. "I can send my guys in to get the jewels.
But I can't guarantee the safety of the women.
These guys are more sledgehammers than scalpels. "
A sickening, heavy silence filled the room and spilled into the hallway. Nash sensed Lena's father was trying to make a decision—whether to prioritize the jewels over his daughter's life and the life of his niece.
"I have a buyer. I can't back out of this deal. Send your guys in. Get the jewels. Tell them to try not to hit Cassidy or Lena."
"I can't guarantee that," Emil said. "Just so we're clear."
"Just get the jewels," Charles said.
Lena's head throbbed in time with the sickening cadence of regrets marching through her foggy thoughts.
Cassidy squinted at her. "You don't look good. Do you think you have a concussion?"
Lena blinked away the grogginess—or tried to. She stared at her wrists and ankles bound in duct tape. "Yeah, maybe. But I'm all right."
Her feet were bare—her impractical high heels lost in the chaos after the wreck.
"Lena, I . . . I'm so sorry. If I hadn't come out here with Emil—"
"Don't apologize, Cass. Not right now." She forced a weak smile. "Let's just find a way to get out of here."
From somewhere outside, Frank and Manny's laughter filtered into their small storage shed prison.
Her memories of the last half-hour were a bit muddled. But she grasped the basics. Ed Chester, Emil's business manager, took half of the stolen jewels from Emil. Because, of course he did.
And now, Chester thinks Emil will bring him the other half of the jewels to save Cassidy and her.
Lena wasn't holding her breath. Emil was no knight in shining armor.
Her anger at Emil for stealing the jewels in the first place—and starting the chaotic, deadly dominoes falling—burned in her chest.
She pulled at her duct tape restraints. I can't believe this is happening.
Dear God . . .
Praying felt right, but the words still wouldn't form. Was it her fear? Frustration? The possible concussion?
Deep breath. One more deep breath.
Dear God . . . I know I'm not alone. Please keep us safe. And please keep Nash safe. Show me what to do.
She glanced around the musty space filled with surfboards, discarded beach toys, life jackets, and beach chairs. The items filled two freestanding shelves. The freestanding part could be useful. Moonlight shone through a single window at the far end. A plan started to form.
They needed to get rid of the duct tape bindings.
"Find something to get this tape off," she whispered to Cassidy. "Look for something sharp."
The duct tape secured them to flimsy beach chairs. Running would be impossible. But slow, awkward scooting around the shed? Inelegantly feasible.
Lena inched around the first shelf, hoping for something really convenient. Like a knife. Or a pair of scissors. The half-inflated flamingo, ice chests, and questionable collection of expired-looking sunscreen offered no aid in her escape plan.
"Hey," Cassidy whisper-yelled. "A piece of metal roofing." She pointed with her toe. "Leaning against that wall."
Lena craned her neck to eye Cassidy's discovery. "Yeah, looks sharp enough." Thank you, God! "Let's try to cut off the duct tape."
They both made a snail-paced, ungraceful journey to the discarded metal roofing. Lena eased herself to her knees, the chair sitting on her back like a turtle's shell. She worked the duct tape around her arm up and down along the edge of the metal roofing, sawing the tape away in less than a minute.
With one hand free, sawing the tape from her other arm was less awkward. And faster.
Finally free of the chair, she helped Cassidy with her bindings.
"Okay, Cass, here's the plan. I'll distract the guards.
You go out that window," she said, pointing.
"Run for the road. There's only one main road out here, and Nash's team will be looking for us.
I know they will. You have to get to them as soon as possible and tell them what's going on. All of it."
"Lena—"
"It's a good plan, Cass. These guards aren't Navy SEALs or anything.
But they're both bigger than we are. And they're armed with more than sand shovels.
We can't overpower them. But with all the stuff in here, I can keep them distracted long enough for you to get out the window and run.
You're faster than me. And I've seen these guys try to run. You can easily outrun them."
"I don't like it," said Cassidy. "I don't like leaving you here."
Warm confidence deep in her bones made Lena smile. "I'm not afraid anymore, Cassidy."
"What do you mean?"
"Too much to explain. But I've let fear control my actions too much lately.
I can do this. Besides, we don't have much choice.
I don't trust Emil to save us by trading the jewels, but even if he tried, Chester might want to kill us all to cover his tracks.
Nash and his team will be looking for us since we didn't show up to meet Jason and Knox, but I don't know how long it will take them to find us. We need to do what we can on our own."
Cassidy's eyes bulged at her explanation. "Um . . ." She swallowed, looked at the window, then back to Lena. Her eyes softened. Then she enveloped Lena in an uncharacteristic bear hug. "I'm so sorry I got you into this. I'm so sorry."
"I know, Cass. It's okay." She allowed her heart to enjoy the reconnection with her cousin for a moment before she untangled herself from Cassidy's sudden, emotional embrace. "It's okay, Cass. Really. But we don't have much time. You need to get out the window as fast as you can."
Cassidy looked at the window again. Finally, a slow nod. "Okay. But be careful."
Lena grabbed Cassidy's wrist. "When you see Nash later, if I don't . . . If something happens to me, tell him it's okay. Tell him it was my plan. And tell him I'm not afraid to do the right thing anymore. And that I'm not alone."
Cassidy raised an eyebrow. "I don't—"
"He'll understand what it means. Just tell him." She tugged her toward the window and carefully slid the glass open—praying it didn't squeak—for Cassidy to slither through.