“You drugged him?” Lane shot a look at Annika. That explained his erratic behavior. “You won’t get away with it. I’ll tell them the truth. That he’s innocent.”

“My dear, do you really think you’ll get the chance? And why would you defend this baby killer?” She paused in front of them. “Went to Nam and shot up an entire village of innocent women and children. Didn’t you, Miguel? You were a killer then and everyone will believe you’re a killer now.”

Miguel turned to Lane. His eyes searched her face. “I tried to save them. Protect her.” He repeated it again. And again. As though if he said it enough Lane would believe him.

“It’s going to be okay, Miguel.” There wasn’t time to figure out what Annika was talking about or to convince Miguel she believed him. Lane’s eyes flicked to the door only a couple yards away. Could she risk making a run for it?

“You’re wasting your breath.” Annika went to the corner of the room and picked up a loose floorboard. She pulled out a black duffel bag and dropped it at Lane’s feet. “Here.”

“Wh-what do you want me to do?”

“Help me.” Annika’s lip curled into a sneer. “Open up the bag and get the crowbar. And just in case you think bravery will win you or your friend any chance at escape, please understand that your fates have already been sealed. Death can come in one of two ways. Quick. Or painful.”

Lane unzipped the bag and found the crowbar. The thought of using it to smash the gun out of Annika’s hand crossed her mind but quickly passed. If she missed, she wasn’t going to be faster than the bullet Annika had promised.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because if I’d done this right the first time, I wouldn’t be standing here.” Annika shot a scathing look in Miguel’s direction. “Take that crowbar and reach it up into the chimney.”

“What am I supposed to be doing?”

“Just keep poking around. You’ll feel it.”

The crowbar hit something. Not hard like stone but something pliable. She pushed a little harder and something dropped, bringing a cloud of ash with it.

“Very good.” Annika wrenched the crowbar from Lane’s hand and tossed it across the room. “Get back.”

Lane stepped back and knelt at Miguel’s side. Annika reached into the fireplace and took hold of another black duffel bag. She opened it to reveal stacks of money, along with passports. How? Then it struck Lane that this old mansion had belonged to Annika’s father before it was offered up as the new veterans’ home. That explained why Annika knew about the loose floorboard, but how long had that money been there?