“I thought you said you knew where it was.”

Wait, that wasn’t a whisper anymore and it wasn’t Wilder’s voice.

Without a second thought, she pushed open the bedroom door.

And all the air left her lungs. “Micah?” She tried and failed to make sense of what she was seeing. He stood at Maggie’s dresser, one drawer halfway open, clothing spilling out. She stepped farther into the room. “What are you doing he—”

Her last word was lost to a shriek as a heavy arm grabbed her from behind and then a hand clamped over her mouth.

“Easy, that’s my sister.” Micah’s nostrils flared.

A voice, low and menacing, sent a chill coursing through her, each word slow and deliberate. “You said you knew where it was.”

She struggled against the man’s hold, panic warring with her confusion. And then a burst of anger so hot she bit the man’s hand and jerked her head to the side. “What are you doing, Micah? What could you possibly be looking for?”

His movements turned frantic as he returned to digging through the drawer. “There’s a ring in here. I heard them talking about it.”

“What? Why—” The man’s hand found her mouth again.

“You can make this easy or you can make this difficult. Your choice.” His slimy voice curdled her insides.

“I’m sorry, Syd. I didn’t mean for you to get dragged in—”

“Shut up and find it so we can get out of here before anyone else shows up.”

Micah opened a third drawer. “Why don’t you let go of her and help me look? Try the vanity.”

She didn’t so much as feel a muscle twitch from the man behind her. “And give her the chance to call for help?”

“I told you, they all left for the hospital. I watched them leave. I saw the ambulance.”

And so he’d decided to rob the house? Find some ring? What ring? How could he? How could he?

As if he could hear her question, he ignored his accomplice and spoke up again, yanking on another drawer. “I didn’t want to do it, Syd, but I told you they were impatient. You think they let me leave Chicago alone?”

Understanding finally reached through her alarm. The loan shark or whoever it was he’d gotten mixed up with—the man holding her must be a lackey.

“Harmon said he’ll take the ring as payment if it’s really worth as much as I think. I know it’s bad, but look at it this way, Neil was probably going to give it to you anyway.”

What?

“Just stay calm and let me do this and then I’ll leave.”

She’d heard enough. Fury tore through her and she lifted her foot and brought it down on the man’s. His hold slackened only the tiniest bit but it was enough. She twisted and jammed her knee against his groin, his shock freeing her elbow just enough to—

The man wrenched her arm and stopped it before impact, her scream colliding with his growl. No, she was not letting this happen. She struggled, screamed.