Emotional paralysis took control. Had tonight been too easy? I shoved the nagging thought aside.

I made my way to Aria’s room. This time I had a key. Silence ruled the moment, for I didn’t need my niece to scream. Once in her room, I closed the door and tiptoed to Aria’s bedside. I covered her mouth, instantly wakening her.

“This is Shelby,” I whispered. “We’re getting out of here.”

She nodded and relaxed.

“Dress quickly. Don’t make a sound.”

While she slipped into clothes, I checked both phones in Marissa’s bag. Thank goodness, I had hers and Rudder’s. I handed Aria the bag. “Take this in case anything happens. Evidence is inside the phones to end these crimes.” I checked the time. “Denton and his partner are waiting on the first-floor entrance. Other FBI agents and police officers have the building surrounded.”

Aria blinked. “Mom or one of those guys will kill us.”

I shook my head. “I slipped sleeping pills into their drinks. The problem is I don’t have the password for the alarm system. At best guess, we have thirty to forty seconds before it jars them awake. We’ll take the stairs on the left side of the hallway. You go first, and don’t look back. Just keep running until Denton has you safe.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

I slipped Marissa’s purse over Aria’s shoulder, and I grabbed mine. “I love you. Keep praying.”

In the foyer, I opened the door to freedom and pushed Aria into the hallway. I raced behind her toward the steps.

“Aria, stop or I’m pulling the trigger on Shelby.”

Marissa’s voice slowed my niece. “Keep running,” I said.

Aria didn’t take another step. She faced me. “I won’t let Mom . . . Marissa hurt you.”

“That’s my girl.” Marissa rushed toward us with her gun aimed, yanked her purse from Aria’s shoulder, and grabbed mine.

“This is over.” I stepped in front of Marissa’s face. “Feds have the building surrounded. You have nowhere to run.”

“That’s what you think. Lee already told me. Head up the steps to the roof.”

“Please, let Aria—”

“Now!”

I climbed the steps behind Aria and recognized the whir of helicopter blades. The advantage of a top-floor penthouse and a landing pad made a getaway easier. How had this happened when I’d drugged them?

Where were we going? Why not kill me, then make her escape? Aria deserved much more from life than the hand dealt to her.

My mind twisted with my failure. Had I heard wrong? I’d believed God stood with me in finding the evidence to arrest my sister.

Aria opened the door to the rooftop, and a chopper sat on the helipad ready for departure. I expected the noise to be deafening, yet I still heard Marissa order us inside. Why hadn’t I planned for Marissa having a helicopter at the ready?

Aria and I slid into the rear passenger seats, and my sister took the left side beside the pilot and put on a headset. I hadn’t seen the pilot before now, a stranger. In seconds, we lifted into the air and headed northwest. Marissa waved a gun in front of my face and ordered both Aria and me to put on our headsets. We complied.