Chapter Thirty-Four
Rachel rushed out of the room and tried the other doors on the floor. They went up to another floor, and she tried each one. Some of them were locked, and she used the keys. Others were unlocked. She didn’t stop to wait and see if someone was going to come out. She had to get them all out.
She made her way along the next floor, unlocking all the doors, until she came to the one at the far end.
It was unlocked, and there was a woman in her early fifties standing by the window.
She must’ve been watching the commotion outside.
She spun around with a gasp as Rachel hurried in, her eyes wide in horror. Rachel held up her hands.
“It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to get you out.”
“But isn’t that dangerous?” The woman gestured toward the window. “With everything going on out there…”
“They’re here to help us. I’m getting everyone out. We need to leave.”
She still didn’t look convinced, hovering nervously by the window. Rachel could see the uncertainty and slowly stepped toward her.
“What’s your name?”
“Olive.”
“Olive?” Rachel couldn’t believe it. “You’ve been here twenty-five years, haven’t you?”
Olive blinked in confusion.
“What do you mean by that? How do you…?”
“You knew my mother. Mary Bell.” Rachel placed a hand on her chest. “I’m Rachel Bell, her daughter. You helped her to get me out of here.”
Her eyes widened even more, and then a little sob escaped. She clamped a hand over her mouth, and she began shaking. Rachel watched as she fought back tears.
“Little Rachel?” Olive whispered. “The beautiful baby Mary loved more than anything.”
“Yes. Daisy told me you were here for her. That you looked after her.”
“I did. She was such a sweet girl. I saw her as a little sister, an absolute delight despite the light dying behind her eyes. And I knew if she kept her baby here, she would likely never see it again.” Olive shuddered.
“I don’t want to think about what could’ve happened to you. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Rachel didn’t want to think about it, either.
“She was held prisoner downstairs until she died. Pike was not happy that she had run off as she had. She refused to yield and tell them where her daughter was.” Olive swallowed. “She died never saying if you were alive or dead.”
Rachel could feel her throat closing up. She couldn’t listen to any more. Not now. They needed to get out of there. She swallowed, but it didn’t do much to get rid of the lump.
“You can tell me more about her later. I’ve got friends here, and they’re going to get us out. All of us are leaving”
“All of us?”
“Including you.”
Olive frowned.
“But what about the debts? Pike won’t let…”
“He doesn’t have a say in it anymore. He’s going to jail and he’s never getting out if the law has anything to do with it.” Rachel held out a hand. “Please, Olive? We need to leave now.”
She could still see the hesitation. She couldn’t blame her; Olive had been in this place for so long he didn’t know anything better. But she couldn’t stay here for much longer. She hurried over and grabbed Olive’s hand, tugging the woman out of the room.
Several of the other girls were in the hallway, looking confused and scared. Rachel pointed toward the stairs.
“We’ve got to get out of here. Go down the back stairs and outside! The US Marshals and deputy sheriffs will take care of you.”
They didn’t need to be told twice. As one, they charged down the stairs.
Everyone apparently knew the steps had been there, but from the stunned expressions when Rachel caught sight of them, they hadn’t known that they led anywhere.
Nate and Daisy were there, urging them down the stairs and out of sight.
Daisy gasped when she saw Olive and hugged her tightly.
“Oh, my dear!” Olive pulled back and looked her over. “I was so scared for you.”
“You don’t need to anymore.” Daisy pushed her toward the stairs. “Go, quickly!”
Now that she was jerked out of her daze, Olive didn’t need to be told twice. She hurried down the stairs. Rachel turned to Nate, who was breathing heavily and covered in sweat.
“Where’s Sandra?”
“She’s outside. Sheriff Rogers joined us, and she’s been taken away.” He nodded, wiping his sleeve across his face. “He said they’ve gotten into the study and found the ledger.”
“What about the people who work here? Pike and Vane?”
“So far, the guards have been dragged outside. A lot of the patrons have scattered, but we’re not interested in them. But Pike and Vane have disappeared. Nobody’s seen them.”
That didn’t bode well. It meant they would have to be on their guard until they were found. Rachel didn’t want to go through the discomfort and fear of knowing they could still be gotten at because the two main men in this mess were still free.
“We need to get out of here,” Nate said, gripping Rachel’s shoulders. “We can’t stay here any longer.”
“I know.” Rachel clutched onto his wrists. “I’m so glad you’re here. I didn’t doubt that you would leave me.”
“Not a chance, Rachel.” He gave her a grim smile.
He rested his forehead against hers, and Rachel took a moment to regain her composure. Having Nate so close made her feel better. She needed that right now.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She spun around, Nate immediately pushing her behind him. Edgar Pike was at the top of the stairs, holding a gun and pointing it at them as he came toward them. He was sweaty with a cut above his head, breathing heavily, his cheeks bright red. His eyes flashed his fury.
“You ruined my business,” he snarled, advancing on them. “You are going to pay for what you’ve done.”
Rachel didn’t know if he was addressing her or Nate, but she didn’t care. She was more focused on getting away. Nate nudged her toward the stairs.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Calloway.” Pike pointed the gun at his head. “My finger is a lot faster than either of you.”
Rachel felt Nate reaching back for her hand, and she gripped it tightly. She could see the stairs out of the corner of her eye, but she couldn’t move. Pike was right; he could hit them as soon as she tried to move.
Then a movement behind Pike grabbed her attention. She stared as Sandra appeared, holding a burning lamp above her head. She had a fierceness in her eyes that made her look vicious.
“You ruined my life,” she hissed.
Pike turned as Sandra swung the lamp at him. Pike raised his arm and knocked the lamp away, breaking it on impact. It fell to the floor, spraying flames everywhere.
The fire caught against the rug lining the hallway, and soon the gaudy and dry rug was alight, flames jumping up at Pike, who sprang away with a yowl.
Nate charged forward and shoved Pike from behind, sending him staggering through the flames and onto the floor near Sandra. Sandra screamed and backed away, bumping into the wall.
“Sandra!” Nate shouted. “Get out! Now!”
With a strength Rachel didn’t realize the woman possessed, she launched herself at the stairs and disappeared from sight. Then Nate tugged at Rachel’s arm.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“What about…?”
“He’s not my priority. You are! Now come on!”
They raced down the stairs, Rachel almost toppling down to the bottom, before bursting out into the early morning sunshine.
There was no one around, but Rachel saw plenty of people milling around to their left.
It looked like the girls had been rounded up by the US Marshals and were kept an eye on.
Several of the men who’d evidently been inside were kneeling with their hands behind their backs, looking embarrassed and scowling.
But there was no sign of Isaac Vane.
“Nate…”
She broke off with a scream when someone grabbed her by the hair and hauled her back, making her lose her balance. Nate spun around, fumbling for his gun, but froze when Vane’s voice snarled out of the morning mist.
“Try anything, and I’ll make sure she’s dead before I am.”
Rachel was hauled upright, Vane’s arm around her neck, pressing at the base of her throat. Something cold pressed up against her head, and she shuddered. She didn’t need to look to know what it was. It was the barrel of Vane’s gun.
Nate moved his hand away from his gun and held his hands up.
“Let her go, Isaac. You’ve not got anywhere to go.”
“You think? If that lot see I’ve got a hostage, they’ll easily let me through. They can’t afford to let anyone get hurt.”
“They’ll more than likely shoot you because you have a hostage. It won’t matter either way.”
Rachel’s stomach twisted. She didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire. Vane’s arm was pressing harder on her neck. She lowered her chin to tuck it into a small space to give herself some breathing room.
“They’re not about to shoot. Not when the marshal’s wife is held hostage. You won’t take that chance, Calloway,” Vane sniggered, his voice flinty and full of venom.
“They won’t have to shoot, because I won’t miss.” Nate’s eyes never left the other man’s, dark anger brewing in his expression.
“Are you sure about that? Because if you get it wrong, you’ll become a widower. And even you won’t be able to cope with knowing that you killed your own wife.”
Rachel felt the gun moving away from her head, and she reacted.
She bit down on Vane’s arm, sinking her teeth through the coat and into his flesh.
Vane yowled in pain, and then Rachel kicked back, catching him in the knee.
A loud bang erupted near her ear, making her flinch, and then Vane fell to the ground.
Frozen, Rachel could hardly move. That gunshot had been so close to her ear that she couldn’t believe it had happened.
“Rachel!”
Nate grabbed her arm and tugged her out of the way before advancing on Vane, who was holding onto his injured arm.
There was no sign of his gun until Rachel caught sight of it in the snow near her feet.
Vane tried to roll onto his front, but Nate kicked him onto his back, pointing his gun into his face.
“I think I’ll be able to cope very well,” he growled, pulling back the hammer. “It’s very satisfying when you get the right target.”
Rachel’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted Vane to face his crimes, but she couldn’t look at him if he was shot.
She took a step back, her heart fluttering as she glanced at Nate.
He glanced at her, but instead of pulling the trigger, Nate put the hammer back on his gun and tucked it into his holster again.
“But it’s even more satisfying arresting someone when they’ve done something wrong. Especially when it’s like what you’ve done.”
“I’ll be out of prison soon,” Vane spat. “I’ll have the last laugh.”
Nate snorted and flipped the man onto his front, yanking his arms behind his back. He glanced at Rachel as he spoke.
“That’s not going to happen if I can help it.”