Page 45 of Wayward

Sam’s leaning against the wall next to the door. “Who wants to do the recon?”

“Recon?” Easton asks.

“I’ll stay here with Haley. Calvin, I don’t think you should go. I know you can walk softly but . . .” Sam twists the handle. There’s a muffled noise, and the door opens.

“Don’t be mad at me Haley, but I’ve defaced a book.” Sam holds open the book with a ripped corner missing. “I pushed some paper into the lock keeping it from latching all the way.”

“Zane and I are going. The rest of you stay here,” Calvin says.

“He’s right. They’re both quiet when they walk, and Calvin’s good at combat. I’m faster, but I’m not going to blend well here. I have certain other assets. Go.” Haley touches my leg and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek.

“I’m going too,” Easton says.

I look at Calvin and back at Rockwell’s clown feet. They might have helped him win some gold medals, but the bloody things echo.

“I can be quiet.”

Calvin shrugs and cocks his head to the door.

“I’m leaving the paper in the lock so you can get back in,” Sam says, then silently pulls the door shut behind us.

The Viking takes the lead. I’m next, and Easton takes the rear. There’s a trickle of sweat running down my neck, even though a breeze blows through the corridor.

“Silent but like we belong,” Calvin whispers. Which might work as long as we don’t run into any of the security team from theRosewood. He takes us back to the beginning of the hallway and turns away from the door. Ten feet in, we have a choice to make?down a flight of stairs, through a door to the right, or up the stairs. The current of air shifts, and the scent of food rises from the floor below.

No one has said what or who this Esmeralda is, but if she’s the house manager, she’s bound to be around the kitchen.

“Down.” I point.

Calvin shakes his head and points up. But then there are footsteps coming up the stairs and Easton opens the door and yanks us both through it with him.

Chapter 20

Set a Course

Easton

Igrab Zane by the arm and give him a firm yank into the room. Calvin moves on his own, even though I’m holding on to his arm as well. I don’t even check what’s in the room behind us. It could be full of guards, Holloway, or Z himself. It doesn’t matter. It’s better than being exposed to whoever is coming down the stairs.

Calvin shakes me off his arm and closes the door with a silent click. The room’s dark, and it takes my eyes a minute to adjust. There’s a massive antique desk facing into the room, with a green-shaded lamp. Behind the desk is a wall of bookshelves.

It’s different from the other rooms we got a glimpse into on the way in. It’s all western decor, leather furniture. On the far wall, there’s a low sofa with a table behind it. The light’s pretty dim, but there are at least thirty framed photographs in different sizes. I pick one up. It’s a view of Central Park from a building, the balcony’s cement railing in the foreground.

The scrape of a shoe on the floor spins me around.

“Sorry,” Zane whispers. He’s by the desk.

Calvin’s by the door, on guard, waiting for it to open to choke whoever is behind it to death with his bare hands.

Zane moves behind the desk and motions us over. “Come on. If someone comes in, we should hide.”

Calvin glares and puts his finger over his lips. He’s listening to whoever is moving around in the corridor. We all freeze until he nods. “Anyone who comes in here, we’re going to need to fight them,” Calvin whispers back. “We’ll stay here for a few minutes, see what you can find.”

Zane clicks on the desk lamp. There’s no computer, but a collection of fountain pens in a case sits in front of other supplies. Zane tries the drawers, but they’re locked.

With the light on, I can see the pictures behind the desk more clearly. They’re all landscapes. A few are artsy black and white; others are color.

My stomach twists. I can pick out exactly where most of them were taken. I don’t like being anything like the Zambrano family. But I can’t change that I was raised in privilege. That’s the past. I pick up a picture. It’s definitely London, Oxford maybe. Another one is a ski resort in Switzerland. I’ve been there once. One of the times that Emily dragged me along to go skiing.