Page 100 of Rescued Dreams

She tried to move.

“Amelia.”

“She isn’t dead, is she?”

She needed all her strength to get her arm out from under her, push herself up, and lean back against the side of the cage, facing the twins.

Relief washed over Maddie’s face, the cloth gag now around her neck. “Are you okay?”

Amelia shook her head.

“He killed Olivia.” Maddie gasped. “He hit her so hard there was blood all over her face. He put her in his trunk.”

Ella said, “He’s going to kill us, isn’t he?”

Amelia took a breath. “I’m not going to let that happen.”

She tried to sound certain when she was anything but. Who knew what Nicholas was doing to Cherry outside of the room? And Olivia? Was the officer really out in the trunk of his car, nothing but a cold body with no life in her?

Amelia inhaled a shuddering breath.

“Ridge will find us.” Maddie sat against the back of her cage, hands on her lap—still tied at the wrist. Ella was biting the ropes, trying to work herself free. Maddie said, “He’ll be here.”

A gunshot echoed through the house.

Maddie flinched.

Ella looked up from her ropes.

“Cherry.” Amelia winced. She needed to keep her feelings—and her fear—in check, even while she cried. He’d murdered a pregnant woman?

Nicholas came into the room, a gun in his hand down by his side. He had something in the other hand and took it to the window. He stuck the thing on the bottom of the window frame. Whatever it was looked like what Elam had used on the windows at the bank to keep the police from coming through them.

As she watched, he drew out what looked like a marker and wrotevibration sensoron the window. Backward, so she couldn’t read it. Like a mirror image—or something that could be read from outside. He bent and flipped a switch on the little thing.

He did the same with a couple of other windows in the room.

“Nicholas.”

He didn’t look at her.

“Nicholas, tell me you didn’t kill a pregnant woman.” She gasped. “Tell me you didn’t do that, and I’ll help you. We can leave here and run, and you can do whatever you want to me. None of them are involved.”

She didn’t know how to convince him.

God, help me. Please.

She needed a way to get through to him, but he was heading for the door again. He was going to leave, and she would lose her shot at convincing him to do the right thing for once in his miserable life.

“I love you!” She screamed the words as loud as she could. He wouldn’t be convinced. She didn’t even say it like she believed it.

He turned at the door. “You always were a liar.”

“Don’t leave me here. Take me with you.”

His eyes flickered, as if he was actually contemplating listening to her.

He felt more than heard movement behind him, and someone slammed into his back. Nicholas stumbled forward, falling onto his knees.