The sharp tip of the knife pressed against the base of Dezi’s throat, where her pulse beat wildly.
He held her like a shield between himself and Grimm.
Grimm held up his hands. “I won’t make any sudden moves. Just don’t hurt the girl.”
“Back up,” her captor gritted out.
Grimm took a small step backward. “Let her go.”
“I will when I don’t need her,” the masked man said, backing down the hallway in the opposite direction from Grimm and toward the kitchen. “If you want her to live, you’ll stay back.”
“I’m staying right here,” Grimm said. “But if you hurt her, all bets are off.”
The masked man backed toward another door at the far side of the kitchen, holding the knife to Dezi’s throat.
Dezi strained her neck to keep the sharp blade from sinking any deeper into her skin.
When the man reached the other door, he fumbled behind him for the doorknob. Once he wrapped his hand around the knob, he yanked it open and dragged Dezi across the threshold.
“Let her go,” Grimm urged. “I won’t follow you.”
“Damn right, you won’t,” the man said. As he opened the door behind him, he gave Dezi a sharp shove, sending her flying across the room and into Grimm’s arms.
Before the Delta could set her straight, the masked man disappeared through the door.
Grimm set Dezi at arm’s length. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I’m okay and will be all right on my own. Go get him,” she said. Her voice shook from surprise, anger and the fear of having a sharp point pressed to a major vein. “You can’t let him get away.”
“I can’t leave you,” Grimm said. “He might circle back.”
“Fine, then I’ll go with you.” Dezi squared her shoulders and marched through the door.
Grimm snagged her arm. “He also had a gun.”
She stopped in front of the door. “Do you?”
“Not on me,” he said. “I have one in my truck.”
“By the time we get it,” Dezi said, “he’ll be long gone.” She continued to stare at the door for a long moment. Then she turned toward one of the drawers and fished out a butcher knife.
Grimm stepped in front of her and took the knife from her hand. “Like you said, he’s long gone. Let’s see if he took anything. Then we need to talk to Molly and Parker and let them know someone broke into your room.
Her pulse still racing, Dezi followed Grimm back down the hallway and let him enter her quarters first. She followed close behind.
The sofa and side tables had been overturned, coasters and magazines slung in every direction. The cushions on the sofa had long rips in the fabric, and they’d been tossed across the room.
Grimm shook his head. “Every one of the cushions has been sliced open as if he was trying to make a point.”
“Or he was looking for something,” Dezi said.
Grimm moved into the bedroom where the mattress had been ripped and the comforter was in shreds. The drawers from her dresser had been yanked out and dumped on the floor.
“He was definitely looking for something,” Grimm said. “But what?”
“The only thing I own of value isn’t even a sure thing.” She patted her back pocket.
“You think he’s after the letter?”