Chapter 50

chapter

fifty

Nia’s breath caught. Gage had heard it too. The sound.

Before she could react, Gage quickly shut the closet door, shoved the clothes back in place, and slid the safe room door shut.

The mechanism engaged with a churn, making it clear the lock had engaged. But Gage didn’t look so confident. He leaned closer to the lock, his eyes narrowed.

“What is it?” Nia murmured, wondering what had him concerned.

“Usually, there’s something on the inside of these safe rooms that disables the external lock.”

“This one doesn’t have it?”

He studied it more closely. “It doesn’t look like it. I’m not sure if this is an older design or if Rob was in the process of replacing it or what. But it’s not here.”

“So that means if these guys have the code to get into the room then they can?” Her throat tightened as she said the words.

They exchanged a look.

What did they do now? Just stand here and wait? If so, for how long?

“This was originally a safe room.” Gage muttered, seeming to think out loud. He walked to one of the computers. “A lot of times, safe rooms are set up with cameras that show what’s going on in other parts of the house.”

“You think Rob set up cameras?”

“I think it’s a good possibility. With today’s technology, they could be hidden, and no one would even know.”

Just like the ones in her office, Nia mused.

He grabbed one of the mouses and wiggled it.

One of the screens lit.

Sure enough, it showed a collage of four different black-and-white videos.

Black-and-white videos that showcased various parts of the apartment.

Nia’s heart beat harder.

This could be their saving grace.

She skirted around the table at the center of the space and stood close to Gage. They stared at the screen, and Gage pointed at one video feed in particular.

It showed a man wearing dark clothing creeping around the living room.

Her eyes zoomed in on the gun in his hands.

Did that guy know they were in here? Had he seen them enter the apartment, and was he looking for them now?

Or was he looking for something else?

She couldn’t be sure.

At least Gage was with her. He had a gun. If it came down to it, maybe they stood a fighting chance.

Then another man appeared on screen.

Two intruders were in the apartment.

Nia watched as they explored the apartment.

Then they disappeared off the screen.

Nia’s gaze flickered to a different area of footage.

That was when she realized the men had gone into Rob’s bedroom.

Gage couldn’t take his eyes from the security videos. He needed to know what those guys were going to do next.

What if this was a setup? If Cormac had led them here and told them the code only to trap them?

His heart thrashed into his ribcage as he waited to see what would happen.

He fisted and unfisted his hands, preparing his muscles to act. To grab his gun if needed.

But for now, he would wait.

The two men crept around the bedroom.

They didn’t walk right to the closet.

That could be a good indication.

Gage heard Nia standing beside him, her breaths coming in shallow gasps .

He touched her elbow again, wishing he could comfort her.

But he didn’t want to offer false hope.

She glanced at him, not bothering to hide the fear in her eyes.

He didn’t blame her for being scared. Two men with guns stood close, with only a door separating them. However, this safe room, even if discovered, should protect them.

The guys walked closer to the closet.

Nia’s breaths became even more shallow.

Rob had a camera mounted somewhere over the closet. As the men got closer, their faces came into view.

“You recognize either of those guys?” Gage whispered to her.

Nia shook her head. “No. I don’t remember ever seeing them before.”

That probably meant they were hired help. That the person behind this had some money stashed away and could afford to hire people to do his dirty work.

As one of the men opened the closet door, Gage reached for his gun.

The safe room would keep them protected . . . but only if these men didn’t know the combination to get inside.