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A loud crash resounded from the room next door. Dawn!

“What happened? Are you okay?” Sierra called out. Seconds ticked by without an answer. “Dawn!”

“I’m okay. The chair turned over. I’m going to try to reach the brick.”

Thank You, God. Help me reach the tray.

She tried again to get her foot to guide the tray closer. This time it inched a smidgen forward.

Don’t rush it.

She pulled in several breaths and inched her foot beneath the tray. It moved closer to her hand. Inch by inch she worked. The pace was excruciatingly slow and went against every instinct in Sierra’s body. She was a take-charge person.

Zeke was always telling her she needed to ask questions first before she reacted when working a case. That wasn’t her. Maybe that was one of the reasons why she and Zeke had struggled with their relationship. She knew she loved him. Knew she wanted a future. Didn’t want to wait a second longer for that future to start.

He, on the other hand, needed to think things through from all angles. She understood that was because of what his father had done to the family by leaving them. Zeke had to grow up quickly. He told her once he didn’t want to make any mistakes. She’d told him she understood all that, but did she really? She’d tried to steamroll him into agreeing with what she wanted instead of waiting for him to catch up with her.

“I’m sorry, Zeke. I see what you need now.” God, please give me the chance to tell him.

Tears flooded her eyes, blinding everything. She turned her head to wipe them away on her shirt.

Get free. Then cry.

When her fingers reached the tray, they shook so much she was terrified she’d turn it over and out of her reach. Sierra forced herself to steady them.

“How are you doing in there, Dawn?” she asked while pulling in several calming breaths.

“I have it. I have the brick.”

“That’s great. I know it won’t be easy, but try to get your restraints free.” Sierra understood it would possibly mean Dawn would end up injured in the process. She hated that. The young woman had been through enough as it was. But time was running out. If the person working with Henry showed up here to finish off Sierra, they’d find Dawn. Both would end up in those barrels.

Get it together. Her hands weren’t shaking now. She stretched her fingers out and grabbed the first tool she found. It looked like some type of scissors.

Sierra glanced down at her wrists. Henry had double-locked them to the table. She went to work on the first lock. Using scissors was far different from the paperclip. As she stabbed one blade into the tiny lock, the point broke off.

“No!” She tried not to fall apart. Using the unbroken part of the scissors, Sierra eased up on the pressure she put on it. Still, the tip was too big to get inside the keyhole.

She studied the instrument tray. Another set of scissors came to a thinner point. She pulled the tray over close. It hit the side of the table and almost turned over. “No, no, no.”

She waited for the rocking to stop before she tried again. They were just too far away. She’d never be able to get to them.

Don’t you dare give up!

She steadied her breathing and took stock of what she had on her person. Earrings. The sapphire earrings Zeke gave her for her birthday. The post would fit the key lock.

Sierra leaned over until her fingers could reach the backing of the earring. Getting it free was challenging. When the earring dropped free, she caught it before it fell off the table.

“Okay, okay, let’s do this.” Sierra positioned the post between her thumb and forefinger and went to work.

Using such a small tool made it difficult to get her rhythm down.

Picture it as the paperclip. She closed her eyes and listened as she worked the lock. The unlocking sound was the sweetest of all. Tears filled her eyes. She fought against giving into them. There was still work to do.

One down. She started on the second lock. Now that she had her cadence down, it didn’t take long for the second one to release.

With her hand free, it made it much easier to work on the rest of the locks.

A bloodcurdling scream interrupted her work on the ankle locks.

“Dawn, are you okay?”

More screams followed. “My wrist. I think I broke it.”

“Hang on. I’m close to getting free. I’ll come help you.”

Muffled sobs were all Sierra heard. “Come on.” The last lock on her ankle was the hardest. It took multiple tries before it finally released.

She pocketed the earring, swung her legs over the side of the table, and tried to stand. Her legs collapsed beneath her. She hit the floor hard. Bit back a scream. She was still so weak from the medication she’d been injected with.

Sierra grabbed her shoes and slipped them on. Using the table for support, she pulled herself up. Once she was somewhat steadier on her feet, she headed for the spot where Henry had pressed to open the door.

She pressed. Nothing happened. “Come on.” It took several more tries before she found the right place.

The door opened. Sierra stumbled inside. The area had been converted to a bedroom of sorts with a small cot in the corner. Dawn lay on the concrete floor near the cot.

“I’ve got you.” She rushed to kneel beside Dawn. “How bad is it?” The wrist had already begun swelling.

“I think it’s broken.” Dawn looked up at her through tears.

“It’s possible. I need to get you free so that I can examine it.” Sierra freed Dawn’s ankles and her good wrist before turning to the one that was injured. “This is going to hurt,” she warned. Dawn braced. Sierra worked the earring post into the lock. Dawn bit down on her bottom lip to keep from screaming.

Everything she’d done to get them free had eaten up precious time they didn’t have.

“I know it hurts.” She freed Dawn’s injured wrist. Dawn clutched it to her chest.

Sierra looked around for something to secure the wrist.

The bed had a single pillow with a white pillowcase. Sierra worked quickly to remove the pillowcase and tear off pieces.

Dawn backed away shaking her head.

“We don’t have much time. Henry and his partner will be here soon. We’ve gotta get out of here. You can’t do that with your wrist like that. Let me wrap it.”

Dawn slowly relented. Sierra hated every bit of the pain she’d been forced to put Dawn through.

As she finished tying the wrap into place a sound from above grabbed her attention.

“What do we do now? We can’t stay here.” Dawn’s terror reached out to Sierra.

She ran through what she remembered of the basement. There hadn’t been an exit. She couldn’t risk them being captured again by Henry’s partner.

She searched around the room. There were no windows. Just what appeared to be cement walls all around.

Could she take the two predators down on her own? With her current weakened state, Sierra didn’t believe it was possible.

“I’m going to try and disable the door to this room so that Henry can’t get it open. She rushed out to the panel she’d pushed. The door began to close. Sierra barely made it back inside before it closed inward. If she could pull the cot against the door, it would buy them time.

She dragged it over. On the wall facing the torture room, she noticed some discoloration. “That’s got to be the panel for the door.”

Hurry, Sierra.

She pushed the discolored spot. A small compartment opened with multiple wires. Sierra yanked them all loose and prayed she’d done enough to keep Henry and his partner at bay. At least for a while.