‘How many, Katelyn? How many others?’

Her answer nearly shredded what was left of Alyssa’s self-control. ‘Four.’

A commotion near the wall stole Alyssa’s attention, and when she twisted around, Cord had located the switch that rolled the bookshelf out of the way, but the door behind it was locked. Cord didn’t hesitate, kicking it in and leading the charge down the steps. She heard him yell, ‘Clear’ before several booming footsteps rushed down after him.

Anger heated Alyssa from the inside out even while her heart broke at the sight that greeted them.

Four girls, one of them Jersey Andrews, huddled together onto one mattress, their arms around each other, their faces streaked with tears. One of the girls sat slightly forward of the others as if she alone could protect them from whatever was happening. Each of them wore silk robes matching the ones discarded in the room where Rachel and Katelyn were discovered. Of all the houses of horrors she’d encountered in her career, this had to be one of the worst.

Alyssa approached the cell door. ‘Jersey?’

Holly’s petite friend lifted her head from where she’d been hiding her face in the crook of one of the other girl’s necks, and when she saw who was calling her name, she cried out, collapsing twice as she struggled to stand and move to the metal bars separating her from safety.

‘Oh my God. Mrs. Wyatt?’ And then she sank to her knees, the top of her head pressed into the bars as a torrent of anguished cries escaped.

Trying her hardest not to react to the bruises covering Jersey’s face, Alyssa reached through the bars and touched her hair, gently rubbing a hand through the strands. Twisting only her upper body, she turned and pointed to the officer closest to the stairs. ‘Find the damned keys! Now!’ she roared when he didn’t move fast enough to suit her.

Upstairs, the whines of men protesting their innocence filtered down to her, and a red haze clouded her vision. She sensed movement beside her, and she lifted her head to find Cord pacing as he waited for the man to return with the keys. ‘Tatiana Salazar?’

‘No. According to one of the guys up there, she stepped out about an hour before we arrived, and she’s not expected back before tomorrow. And they all claim to know nothing about her whereabouts.’

‘Damn it,’ she swore. ‘Where are those keys?’

Finally, the officer bounded back down, a set of keys jangling in his fingers. ‘Found them on one of the muscles up there.’

Alyssa moved her hand from the top of Jersey’s head and pushed herself to her feet so she could meet him partway, but she was too slow because Cord’s stride was longer, and he’d already snatched the keys away so quickly that it elicited an ouch from the officer when the metal teeth scratched across his hand. And then Alyssa was stepping back out of the way as Cord fitted first one key then another until he found the correct one. The second the cell opened, Alyssa rushed forward, catching Jersey, as once again, she collapsed to her knees.