Page 9 of Under Fire in Big Sky

“He shouldn’t have been here,” Audrey said. “I tried to get him to leave.”

“I can keep quiet.” Dempsey looked between his assistant and the valet. “Whatever you’re doing, I won’t tell anyone. Just let me go.”

“You should’ve gone after Mr. Whitney when I told you to,” Audrey said. She turned to Henry. “We lock him in with her.”

The growing alarm in Olivia’s chest burrowed deeper.

Henry lowered his head. “But—”

“But nothing. Gloriosa is in motion. We’ve got to do our part. If we let Mr. Dempsey go, he’ll ruin everything. We need to get started in the Grand Ballroom.”

Henry knelt and opened the rucksack. Then he pulled out a chain, padlock, flares, and two jerry fuel cans.

No. They were going to start a fire.

“You can’t lock us in here.” Olivia eased forward, trying to get close enough to disarm them, but she was still fifty feet away. “You’re not murderers. Not yet.”

“Stop walking.” Audrey jabbed the gun in the air, finger on the trigger as she spoke.

Olivia halted.

“We’ll call 911 once it starts.” Audrey closed one door. “The fire won’t kill you.” She grabbed the handle of the other door.

“But the smoke could,” Olivia said.

Audrey bit her lip in response as though she hadn’t considered that.

“I assume you’re starting the fire next door.” Olivia gestured to the adjacent ballroom.

A grin tugged at the corner of Audrey’s mouth. “One of many fires.”

Olivia looked at Henry, hoping to get through to him instead. “Most people who are killed in fires die from the toxic gases, the smoke, and lack of oxygen. Not from the fire itself.”

“What if she’s right?” Henry asked.

Raising his palms, Dempsey wore an imploring expression. “Listen to him. You don’t want to hurt me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Sacrifices have to be made and you’re not innocent,” Audrey said. “You knew what they did. What they killed to build this place.”

Olivia turned to Dempsey “What is she talking about?”

He shrugged. “I—I don’t know.”

“Liar! Those investors decimated the last breeding ground of black-footed ferrets in Montana. They’re one of the most endangered animals in North America. Driven to the brink of extinction because of this monstrosity, that’s a playground for the wealthy. And you know it, Mr. Dempsey, which makes you complicit.”

“Olivia!” Eli’s voice came over the intercom. “You better be at this front desk in the next sixty seconds, or I’m going to tear this whole place—”

The intercom cut off as the power went out, leaving them with only the daylight filtering in from the hall.

“We’re in control here,” Audrey said. “I take it that was Pioneer over the intercom before we severed the landline.”

“Yes. If he finds out you locked me in here, he’ll track you down and make it his only mission in life to see that you pay. Dearly. He’s far more dangerous than I am. I suggest you let me go.”

“And I was just thinking about how I could give the fire department an anonymous tip to start in the ballroom wing first. But I guess I need to make sure Pioneer doesn’t find out about me instead. Let’s lock them in, Henry.”

“You’re sure?”

Keeping the gun trained on Olivia, Audrey glanced at Henry. “Every action, every consequence, every casualty is for a new dawn.”