Chapter 34

CHAPTER

THIRTY-FOUR

Heidi pulled her knees to her chest and hardly allowed herself to breathe.

Someone was standing outside the office.

The knob rattled. A second later, the door opened.

Her worst fears were confirmed: Someone was inside the office with her. Someone with heavy steps. A man.

The next few minutes would determine her future.

She pressed her eyes shut, wishing she could disappear. But that wasn't a possibility.

The man paced closer.

Who was here? What was he doing? For some reason, she didn't think it was Rafferty. It seemed as if Rafferty would walk in with a purpose. Come straight to the desk.

This person seemed to be checking something out. Had someone noticed she was gone from her room? Was this person looking for her?

She hadn't moved anything in the office. If this man was searching for anything out of place, nothing should alarm him. Heidi only hoped he didn't walk to the other side of the desk.

As the footsteps moved, she pulled her eyes open again.

Something above her caught her eye.

She blinked in surprise.

Something was taped to the bottom of the desk.

A legal-size envelope had been secured with masking tape there.

Her heart skipped a beat. Why would an envelope be taped there?

She knew: to conceal its contents.

She had to see what was inside.

Later.

The footsteps came closer. Closer.

Then the man paused behind the desk.

The office chair concealed her. But all he had to do was to pull it out and . . .

She swallowed hard. She didn't want to think about it.

Instead, she studied the man's legs.

This wasn't one of Rafferty's men. They always wore the same utility-style cargo pants and boots.

This person wore black dress slacks and pristine leather shoes.

She couldn't see his face. Not without leaning out and peering up—and she couldn't chance that.

Whoever it was, he lingered by the desk.

What was he doing?

Why didn't he just leave?

Then he slowly began to pull the chair out.

Stephen stood behind a cluster of trees looking at the shack in front of them. His muscles tightened so much that they ached.

How much longer could he stand here and wait? He and Gage had examined the area for cameras. They'd found several and had made sure to avoid them.

They'd checked out the barn. Inside, two SUVs had been stashed in the shadows.

They'd put a tracker on both vehicles, so if anyone left, they could follow.

But that didn't tell him what was going on inside the shack. The cameras were aimed at the door to the place, so they couldn't afford to get close.

He hated not knowing what was going on. The proactive side of him wanted to act, to do something. But experience told him to wait.

He glanced at Gage, grateful that his colleague was more level-headed right now. "What's our plan?"

"We're going to need to play this by ear." Gage's gaze remained fixed on the distance. "If we walk out there and Rafferty is watching, this whole operation will be over."

Stephen glanced at his laptop again, wishing he could hear whatever Heidi was hearing. But their signal was still gone. The microphone they'd planted on Heidi had done no good.

Gage seemed to read his thoughts as he said, "We just need to give it a little more time. Then maybe someone will show their hand."

As if right on cue, the door to the shack opened. A man Stephen didn't recognize stepped out, dressed in cargo pants and a black T-shirt.

"Who is that?" he muttered.

"Never seen him before," Gage said. "Let's see what he's doing."

The man paced a few steps away from the shack.

Then he paused and scanned the area.

Stephen slipped behind a tree.

Had this guy received intel indicating Stephen and Gage were out here? Was he looking for them now?

If so, he and Gage would have to figure out another plan before they all got killed.