“We need to be alert. We can’t assume that he doesn’t know we have two rooms,” Harper said quietly, barely louder than a whisper.

Dani nodded. Harper had already given her a gun. She held it in her lap, wondering if she could actually use it if she had to…wondering if she could really pull the trigger.

Harper pointed at the TV. “It’s time.”

It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She blinked several times, trying to focus on Harper, who was still pacing slowly, back and forth, pausing to listen every so often. Dani let out a heavy breath. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Harper felt the stress of the day—the week—begin to settle on her shoulders. She was tired enough, sleepy enough, to contemplate lying on the bed. Still, she continued to stand. She rolled her shoulders several times, then resumed her pacing. They had turned the light off in the bathroom too, leaving the room in pitch darkness. She’d finally opened the drapes a little to let in some light from the parking lot. Dani was in the chair; she’d put a towel down to sit on. She’d fallen asleep a couple of times, only to jerk awake again as if from some bad dream. Harper had almost told her to relax, to sleep if she wanted, but she didn’t want them to let their guard down. Not tonight.

He was coming tonight. He was arrogant enough to think that he could pull it off. And why not? He’d managed to snatch Dani without much resistance before and that was with four cops surrounding her. Yeah, she’d let her guard down. She’d been distracted. But not tonight.

She could feel it. The air was charged, her senses were alert…she was ready. But how would he do it? Would he silently creep inside? She had no doubt that he could unlock the door, chain and all. It would probably be child’s play to him after he’d managed the deadbolts at the safe house. Or would he do it loudly? Would he kick the flimsy door in with a loud crash? Would he hope to catch them sound asleep, too startled to put up a fight?

No. She imagined him slithering in, quiet as a snake ready to strike. He wanted Dani, not her. He would come with a knife, she guessed. He would kill her quickly. Get her out of the way. Dani would be screaming, but he’d silence her somehow. And he’d take her away before any of the other few guests even stepped out of their rooms, wondering what the commotion was about. Or maybe they wouldn’t even bother, not wanting to get involved, thinking it was only a domestic spat. Yes, that’s probably what would happen.