Page 51
“Detective, come on!”
Milo whispers at us again, adding a little more bite to his voice. I bend over and pick Charlotte up to carry her down faster.
“What is it?” I ask him, holding her tight.
“Black car on the corner,” he says. “Wasn’t there before.”
“Have they gotten out?”
“Doesn’t look like it. Keys?”
“Shit,” I whisper, biting my lip instead of censoring myself.
I set Charlotte down again, and she looks at me with confusion. “Stay right here,” I tell her, sitting her on the bottom step.
I start up the stairs, but quickly stop to look back at Milo. Am I really going to leave my daughter with this stranger — even only for a few seconds?
“We’ll be okay,” Milo says, reading my body language.
We. Milo and his daughter.
I look from him to the windows. Those men could walk up the sidewalk right now.
Make a choice, Anna.
I bolt up the stairs, running fast to fetch the extra keys I keep in my jewelry box on my bedroom vanity. The memory is faded. I haven’t seen or used them in years, so I run my fingers along the bottom drawer, feeling along the velvet lining for that tiny, familiar piece of metal…
I find the keyring, sighing with relief at the two small keys attached to it, and run back into the hallway.
I look down the stairs and my heart stops.
Charlotte is gone.
“Milo?”
I nearly tumble down the stairs, my eyes losing focus as fear takes over.
A shape appears in the windows around the front door, inching closer to look inside.
I jump into the living room to avoid detection, instantly colliding with someone kneeling in the dark corner. I gasp as instinct rolls my fists and prepares me for a fight.
“Shh! It’s me! It’s just me.”
Milo stands up, but I keep my fists raised.
“Where’s Charlotte?” I ask.
He gestures into the foyer, mouthing the word, “Closet.”
I relax my stiff hands. He saw them coming and hid her away. He protected her. My heart pounds.
“Looks like no one’s home.”
I flinch, hearing a muffled voice behind the front door.
“Nah, car in the driveway. They’re sleeping,” someone replies.
“Even better.”
