She came suddenly awake, startled at the rocking beneath her. It took several seconds to understand she’d been dreaming, and jerking at her restraints in the process. She lay still awhile, letting her racing heart slow as she forced the nightmare away.
As she came more fully awake, she noticed a glimmer of light in her peripheral vision. Twisting her head, she saw a small, high window, the edge of a crescent moon silvering the frame.
She looked at the cuffs around her wrists and the chains leading down to the legs of the cot. She’d been rocking in her sleep, the cot lifting and slamming down against the concrete. Had Damon heard the ruckus? Would he come thundering down to punish her for disturbing him?
She listened hard, hearing nothing. As she lay there, an idea came to her. She was only tethered to a cot, not to eyebolts in the wall. What if…?
Callie began to rock again, this time in a conscious effort to lift one side of the cot. If she could lift the legs long enough to pull the chain from underneath… If she could get one wrist free…
It took a long time, with lengthy pauses in between as she listened for the slightest hint of sound from above. But finally, winded and sheened with sweat, she did it. She managed to slip the chain free of the cot leg holding her left wrist.
Her heart smashing in her chest, she brought her free hand over to the other and pulled the Velcro free. With shaking hands, she undid the other cuff and then her ankles.
She was free!
Silent as a mouse, she rolled from the cot and got unsteadily to her feet. She waited for the dizziness to pass. She took in her surroundings in the dim light of the moon, including the part of the room she hadn’t been able to see from the vantage point of her cot when the lights had been on. She scanned the space for any evidence of a camera or monitor, but saw none. Relieved, she moved stealthily around the room, looking for something she might use as a weapon.
But the space was empty, save for the cot and the sink. She did find a bucket and an old mop in a corner, but left it where it was. There was a small storage closet, but it was empty. Then she found it—a door! Did it lead to the outside? Did she dare go out there naked and unarmed? What would she find waiting for her?
Whatever it was, it was better than being trapped in this lunatic’s house.
She turned the knob with a trembling hand.
It was locked.
Sick with disappointment and too much adrenaline, she looked desperately around the empty space for a key. She spent the next several minutes combing the area for any possible hiding place, but found nothing.
Refusing to give up, she moved toward the basement stairs. She placed her foot on the lowest wooden step, which creaked beneath her weight. She froze, listening for any sound of movement upstairs. All was silent.
Slowly, carefully, she mounted the stairs, placing each bare foot carefully down. When she got to the top, she turned the doorknob, terrified that it, too, would be locked.
But it turned easily. She pushed the door slowly open, her heart beating so loud she was sure he would hear it. She stood still for several seconds, listening with all her might. But all she heard was the gentle chirping of crickets outside the silent house.
She tiptoed down the hall toward the living room. She felt her way toward the front door, fervently wishing she wasn’t naked. There was a light throw over one of the chairs. It was better than nothing. Grabbing it, she wrapped it around her shoulders. Then she glided to the front door and turned the knob slowly.
It was locked with a keyed deadbolt. There was no key in the lock.
“The doors are all locked, as are the windows. I possess the only key.”
Her heart fell, tears pricking her eyes. It was hopeless. She was locked inside.
Don’t give up! A voice whispered urgently in her head. Think.
Perhaps the key was nearby, tucked into a drawer or hanging from a rack. And then there was the gun. He’d said he had a gun! If she could find the weapon, she would hold it to the bastard’s head and make him give her the keys.
But there was no time for that. What she needed to do was escape, as fast as she could, and pray that she could find help nearby.
She looked around the living room, trying to think. Her eyes landed on the louvers drawn closed against one wall. She moved quietly toward them. Holding her breath, she cautiously flicked one aside. They covered sliding glass doors that looked out on a large swimming pool. The pool was lit by lights set beneath the water along the perimeter, casting an eerie glow into the darkness.