“Copy.” Candace crept deeper into the building. She moved as fast as she dared, keeping an ear out for groans or cracks or other signs of structural stress as an inferno blazed not two stories above her head. The air was hot and thick. A faint haze of smoke crawled along the ceiling. Parts of the building creaked and moaned, no doubt ready to cave in.

She froze when someone yelped in pain just ahead, in a side area where the vault was likely located. With a slow breath, she slipped closer. Voices filtered through the air.

“We can’t just shoot a cop, man.”

“We can’t just leave him, either.”

“He knows too much.”

There was a bang and a crash in another room.

“Whatever we do, better do it before this place comes down on top of us.”

“P-please,” a familiar voice begged. Ari’s dad.

“Shit,” Candace whispered.

“What?” Ari asked.

She hesitated. “It’s the thieves. They got a hostage. Sounds like your pop.”

Ari squeaked and Candace winced.

“You have to do something!” Ari shouted.

“I know!”

“Please, Candy, he’s n—”

Candace tugged the bud from her ear. She couldn’t focus with Ari freaking out in her head.

It sounded like three perps. Maybe four. She could take four assholes. But they had guns . . . Bulletproof she was not. But this was Ari’s dad. She had to try! Even if his headass didn’t think the best of her. She tugged her hood back on, her vision having adjusted to the gloom.

“I-I was just searching for anyone who might be hurt! I haven’t seen your faces,” Mr. White went on.

Candace pressed the bud back in her ear to the sound of Ari demanding to know what was going on, her voice thick with tears.

“Babe, I need you—he needs you—to focus.”

Ari went silent except for a few sniffles. She was probably nodding even though Candace couldn’t see her. “Can you help him?” Her words escaped in a whimper.

“They got guns. I don’t think I can do anything.”

“Oh God . . .”

“Let the cops know what’s going on in here. One of theirs is in tr—”

“Just shoot him,” one of the thieves finally grunted.

Candace shifted to dart forward.

“Wait!” a second thug hissed.

Candace nearly toppled over as she went still.

“Don’t be stupid, man. Bad enough we’re leaving a body, but a bullet will mean an investigation. Knock him out and let the fire handle things.”

“No, no!”

There was a scuffle, along with groans as blows landed.

“Backup is on the way. What’s happening?” Ari asked. “Candy? Candy!”

“Break his leg so he can’t get out.”