Her eyes widened.
Just then, an explosion rocked the house, knocking me backward and sending Annika’s chair sailing into the air and pitching her out of it. We both crashed to the floor, sheetrock and pieces of the ceiling raining down on top of us.
Dazed, I shook my head, focusing on Annika. “You okay?”
She nodded slowly, her eyes wide and frightened as she turned her head and stared out into what had once been the garage. “Someone just blew up the Escalade.”
Yeah.There was a huge, gaping hole in the wall of the surveillance room that connected to the garage. What had once been a shiny black Escalade was now a heap of deformed metal, charred plastic, and useless car parts. Small fires burned throughout the rubble.
There goes our ride.
Then realization slammed into me.
He’s already inside the property.
How else could he have set off an explosion?
Howhad he gotten inside? And how long had hebeeninside?
I thought back to the events over the past week, but the only change had been when I’d gone out to let the guards in a little while ago...
Had I somehow unknowingly let him in?
I knew all the guards personally. I’d worked with each of them before, so the guy couldn’t have posed as a Bratva soldier. I would have noticed a newbie. So how had he breached the property?
He may have coaxed one or more of the guards over to the gate after I’d gone back inside, maybe bribed them somehow. Maybe threatened them. And probably killed them.
Didn’t really matter at this point. He was already here.
And if it was Damien?
I swallowed hard.
Then I would deal with him.
I had to get Annika out of here.
A noise out in the hallway had me jumping protectively in front of her, jerking my weapon free and pointing it toward the doorway.
Tim skidded to a halt, his own weapon drawn and ready. “Jesus. You guys okay?” he asked breathlessly. “I was taking a shit and heard an explosion. What the fuck just happened?”
I lowered my weapon, shoving it back in its holster. “He got inside somehow. He blew up the Escalade.”
Tim swore. “Where’s our fucking backup? They sleeping out there or what?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t like this at all.”
Annika remained silent, her eyes wide and fearful.
“I’ll do a sweep of the house and take out any intruders. You get Annika to the cabin. I’ll meet you guys there.” Tim ran off.
I turned toward Annika and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Come on. Hop on my back. I’ll get you out of here. Your wheelchair was damaged from the explosion, and besides, it would only slow us down.”
Annika eyed her wheelchair with its bent wheel and broken rail. “My gun. I might need it.” She felt inside the broken chair, pulling out a small handgun and stuffed it into the front pocket of her sweatshirt. “Tim mentioned the cabin. I’ve never been there before, but I know it’s for emergency situations. Do you know how to get there?”
“Yes. I’ve been there.” I didn’t elaborate. The last time I’d been at the cabin, I’d had to interrogate and torture someone. It wasn’t something I was proud of and certainly not something I wanted to share with Annika.
I turned around, giving her my back. “Climb on. We have to go.”