She faced the wall as they continued in her direction, desperately hoping Lenny would continue past. She slammed her eyes shut and barely breathed when he stopped next to her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he shouted. "The neighborhood is having trouble with power this evening. Crews are working on the problem now. The generators will be up and running in a minute or two. Please stay calm."

Calm? Stay calm? Alexa was anything but calm as she clenched her teeth and eased to the left, attempting to skirt by. If she could just move past him... She clutched her trembling fists, fearful her legs would collapse out from under her. The inches of progress she made didn't matter, because Lenny took a step back and b.u.mped her shoulder.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Nodding, she advanced forward, not daring to look back as she attempted to squeeze by an elderly couple blocking her way. "Excuse me," she muttered, but they didn't budge in the chaos of the dark. Come on. Come on. She pressed her lips together and gave the older man a shove. "I'm sorry." She took advantage of the small opening and fled another few inches.

She had to get away. The generators could kick on at any moment. If Lenny spotted her, she wouldn't be going anywhere. He'd watched her every move since she walked through the door. His scrutiny had been easier to deal with when she'd pretended to sip champagne in the light and had a cop standing next to her. Now she was on her own.

"Hey, Len, I'm going to check on a couple things."

Alexa risked a peek over her shoulder to glimpse the vile man with the beard speaking to Lenny.

"I'll go find out what the f.u.c.k's taking so long with the lights." They merged into the crowd and vanished as quickly as they'd appeared.

Alexa pressed an unsteady hand to the wall and struggled to stay upright as a rush of relief left her dizzy. "I'm okay. I'm okay," she repeated into her mic, rea.s.suring herself as much as the men listening. With the coast clear, she pressed her body to the cool wall and slid her way around bent elbows and broad shoulders crammed into the tight s.p.a.ce. "I'm almost there." She let loose a quiet laugh-part nerves, part relief. "A few more steps, maybe twenty, and I'll be to the door I saw Blondie go in. I need to see who's in there and talk to Blondie, then I'm coming out. I'll be ready to go. One more door. Jack's going to be mad." She knew she was babbling, but she couldn't stop. "I'm sure you are too, but I have to do this. I can get on the plane tomorrow after I do this."

The door Alexa stared at opened, and another muscular man stepped out with flashlights in both hands. He made himself at home leaning against the wall. "No. d.a.m.n it. How am I going to get in that room?" Struggling with tears of frustration she closed her eyes, attempting to think over the wrench in her plans. Walking through that doorway wasn't an option any longer, but what about a window? The room had to have a window. "I'm heading outside." She turned and slammed into a broad chest. The force of the blow knocked her back a step. Her hands automatically went to her wig, making certain it stayed in place. "Oh, excuse me."

"Sorry about that."

"It's okay." She gave the college-aged kid a smile and kept moving as quickly as the crowd would allow. "I'm almost to the ballroom. I'll go through the French doors facing the back. I just have to get there without Eric seeing me." Why had so many people stayed inside, standing around in the stifling air? She glanced behind her, paranoid that Renzo, Mr. Lee, or Lenny was just a step away, and did a double-take. "Abby," she whispered. "Oh, my G.o.d, I see Abby." Alexa pressed a hand to her trembling lips, hardly able to believe it. "She's here. She's in the hall with Blondie, two other girls, and a bouncer."

Staring, unable to move, Alexa studied her sister. Pretty, vibrant Abby looked so different. The clinging, sleeveless black c.o.c.ktail dress-identical to Blondie's and the other young women's-accentuated a drastic weight loss-weight her sister's willowy frame couldn't afford to lose. Her once bright eyes were dull, and her lashes caked with too much mascara. Her long, black hair was pulled up in a ponytail, the l.u.s.ter gone from her typically gorgeous locks. What had they done to her sister?

Without thinking, Alexa rushed forward, back from the way she'd just come. She had to get Abby. She had to get her away before they damaged her more. "I'm getting my sister. Be ready to come in guns blazing because I'm not leaving without her." She glanced toward the stairwell cast in shadows. "We'll be waiting for you upstairs if I can get us there." It was better to find a hiding spot and hold tight than risk being stopped by Eric or one of the others.

It was over. Abby's nightmare was finally over. Alexa's eyes locked on her baby sister, determined not to lose her in the crowd. The bouncer said something close to Blondie's ear as the group of five walked closer.

"Just a few more steps." Alexa wiggled her fingers and licked her lips, gearing herself up for the fight of her life. Heart hammering, Alexa pushed forward through the crowd and locked her hand around Abby's thin arm as she pa.s.sed. Abby's surprised gasp barely registered as Alexa stuck her foot out in front of the bouncer.

"What the f.u.c.k?" He stumbled forward, dropping both of his flashlights as he tried to catch himself but fell to the floor, bringing Blondie with him.

Alexa capitalized on the moment of confusion. "Come on, Abby. Let's go." She yanked on Abby, propelling them back into the mob of guests. "Duck. Duck down and walk," she said as she shoved at the people in front of them. "It's hot in here," Alexa said into her mic. "It's really d.a.m.n hot in here. Come get us."

"Fawn!" the bouncer shouted, and Abby stiffened, her sweat-slicked skin trembling beneath Alexa's fingers.

"It's okay. Keep going, Abby. Keep walking with me. We're almost there." They were getting closer to the stairs.

Where were the agents? Where were Tucker and Jack? "It's hot in here. I have her. I have Abby." She glanced to her left. "Oh, G.o.d." Lenny and the bearded man were coming their way. Surely the authorities were going to storm through the door at any second and end this h.e.l.l. But ten seconds turned into twenty, then thirty, and they still hadn't come.

Alexa held her breath and skirted around more people, pulling her sister with her to the stairwell just steps ahead of Lenny. She hovered behind the thick post, struggling to catch her breath as she followed the beam of the flashlight along the walls, watching it move further away. She wiped at her sweaty forehead. The lack of air conditioning and sheer terror left her drenched. "We have to get upstairs."

"I'm afraid," Abby whispered.

"Jack's going to save us. He's coming. So are the police."

Tears streamed down Abby's cheeks. "I can't go."

Alexa clutched her sister's arm, afraid Abby might run back to the danger she was trying to save her from.

"They'll hurt Livy if I get away."

Fear flooded her system and sickened her stomach as she thought of her beautiful little girl. "They won't hurt Livy. Livy's safe with Jack's parents and Doug Masterson, Jack's old roommate. He's a cop, remember? They're taking good care of her." She had to believe that was true. Jack wouldn't have left Livy if he'd thought differently. He'd said so himself. "Livy's safe. Come on, let's get upstairs. We have to hurry."

They crouched and moved quickly up the carpeted steps. Alexa sighed her relief as Abby kept up with her of her own accord, but the moment was short lived as she spotted two beams of light bobbing closer to the stairs. By now, they must have figured out Abby had fled. It would only be a matter of time before men started combing the second floor. "It's hot in here. Swarm the d.a.m.n house already," she hissed into the necklace. "Tucker, what are you doing?"

Exhausted and running on adrenaline, Alexa grabbed Abby's hand as they hit the threshold of the second story. "Let's go." They ran pa.s.sed several closed doors, stopped at a random room, and stepped inside. Alexa shut the solid wood behind them and flipped the lock, but then quickly twisted it back. A locked door would give them away. Still clutching her sister's fingers, she leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths. She couldn't think over the pounding of her heart and the outright fear. "We have to get out of here."

"How?"

"I'm not sure yet." Steadier, Alexa moved closer to the large picture window overlooking the summer gardens, greedy for the bright glow of DC's distant lights against the sky. It seemed as if they'd been in the dark for ages. She glanced down at her necklace, ready to give the agents her phrase again, but yanked the pendant up instead. "Oh my G.o.d." The fake pearl was missing along with the microphone. How long had she been on her own? Had they realized she wasn't transmitting?

"What's the matter?"

Alexa looked into her sister's defeated, nervous eyes, wanting to shield her from their latest problem. "We have to call nine-one-one and get help. We need to hide until the authorities come get us."

"I don't think I can keep going." Abby's lips trembled. "I'm so tired, Lex."

Alexa wanted nothing more than to comfort the quiet stranger before her, but there wasn't time. "It's going to be okay." She rested a hand on Abby's shoulder, and her sister started to cry. "Oh, Ab." Unable to stand the soft, helpless weeping, Alexa pulled her into a hug for the first time in weeks and held on, struggling to concentrate on the relief of having her sister close, instead of Abby's bony ribcage pressed against hers through the thin fabric of their dresses. She must have lost ten pounds. "We're going to get out of here together. Jack's taking us to LA for a while. He lives there now. We're going to get you back on your feet. I promise."

"What if I can't?" she choked out. "What if I can't do it? I feel so...broken. I'm so broken, Lex."

"You can." Alexa eased back and took Abby's cheeks in her hands, staring into her eyes, willing her sister to absorb some of her strength. "I know you can. You're Abigail Harris, one of the strongest women I've ever met. Livy's been waiting for you. She wants her Auntie Ab back."

Abby gave her a watery smile, and Alexa fought against her own tears; a good cry would have to wait until later. "Let's go home, Ab." She needed Abby to hold on for just a little longer.

"Okay." She shuddered out a sigh and fingered Alexa's wig. "This thing's awful. It's so not you."

Alexa pulled Abby back for another quick hug. Despite her best efforts, a tear escaped as she grinned. The small glimpse of the Abby she knew gave her hope. "It's not my favorite either." She freed herself from her sister's grip and hurried to the phone on the nightstand. She yanked the receiver up and dialed nine-one-one, but there was no dial tone. "h.e.l.lo? h.e.l.lo? The line's dead. We have to-"

Footsteps crept down the hall, stopping outside the room next door.

Abby's eyes widened and her breath began to heave as she backed up. Alexa grabbed her hand as her gaze darted around the s.p.a.cious bedroom. They had to hide, and now, but where? She tugged Abby to the closet but stopped by the gargantuan wardrobe instead and yanked the door open. The s.p.a.ce was crowded with men's shirts and slacks. "Get in," Alexa whispered.

"What about you?"

"I'll hide in the next spot over."

Abby pushed herself in among the clothes.

Alexa closed the door and opened the next-suit coats, more slacks, and two large containers filled to the brim with socks. "c.r.a.p." She wouldn't be able to fit. Frantic now, she hurried for the closet but changed her mind at the last moment and dove for the bed. She shimmied her way under the tight fit of the frame, forced to keep her head turned to one side. Her back pressed against the mattress with each breath, and she fought not to panic in the tight s.p.a.ce.

The bedroom door opened a crack, and Alexa nibbled her lip, praying it would close just as quickly.

"Fawn, it's Blondie." Blondie stepped in the room. "Are you in here?"

Alexa balled her hands into fists and willed her sister to stay where she was.

"If you come out now, I'll make sure they don't punish you." Blondie walked by the bed, her black heels sinking into the plush, oatmeal-colored carpet. "Fawn?" She opened the closet door, and Alexa held her breath, desperately hoping it wouldn't occur to the buxom blonde to focus on the wardrobe at her back.

"You find her yet?"

Alexa recognized Renzo's voice. It was harsher without the fake charm he'd oozed throughout the evening.

"No."

"Hartwell's going crazy." Renzo's leather dress shoes stopped inches from Alexa's face. "Make sure you check all the rooms. Don't stop until you find her. She knows too G.o.dd.a.m.n much. f.u.c.k. She's gonna pay for this. She'll be on the first flight to the Orient. We'll see how she likes living over there. Ungrateful b.i.t.c.h." Renzo turned and disappeared from the room.

The light flicked on and Alexa blinked against the sudden brightness.

"Power's back on," Eric said. "You see the blond I invited here tonight or her pain-in-the-a.s.s friend?"

"We got bigger problems," Blondie said as her heels pa.s.sed Alexa again. "We can't find Fawn. If she gets her skinny a.s.s to the police, we're all going down. I knew Renzo shouldn't have trusted her with the files," Blondie spat.

Alexa stared at the ornately carved base of the wardrobe as she digested the conversations she was hearing. Blondie was part of the ring. All this time she'd thought her a victim too. She remembered the way Renzo grabbed her at Lady Pink.

"I'll help you look. Keep your eyes open for the blond. Her name's Jenny. Hartwell wants her."

"And what about Jenny's friend?"

"We'll have to take care of her. No witnesses. Let's go." The light went off, throwing the room into shadows again.

"Christina," Alexa whispered. Christina was in trouble. She and Abby had to get out of here and alert Detective Canon and Agent Terron right away. Straining her ears, she listened for voices and footsteps while she wiggled her way out from under the bed. She crawled to the edge of the mattress and cautiously peeked around the corner, half expecting Renzo or Eric to be standing there waiting to grab her or Abby. They were both sought after now. She eyed the open door wearily and hurried to the wardrobe. It would only be a matter of time before someone came back. She pulled the heavy wardrobe door open. "Okay, Ab."

Her sister sat huddled among the clothes, her teeth chattering as she trembled. Tears rained down in black streaks of thick mascara. Here was the frail stranger again, defenseless and completely broken. "Come on, Ab. We have to go."

"I can't."

Alexa held out her hand. "Yes, you can. Livy's waiting for you. We're so close. Please come with me."

"They're going to send me away."

"No, they're not." She crouched down, holding her sister's gaze. "I won't let them. You're mine. Mine and Livy's. They don't get to have you." She reached further in, waiting for Abby to take her hand, meaning every word she said. No one was taking her sister from her. "Please, Ab. Please." She glanced behind her, terrified that they would be discovered at any moment.

Abby reached out and clutched Alexa's hand. "Get me out of her, Lex. I think I'm going crazy."

"You're not going crazy. You've been through a lot." She wrapped her arm around her sister's bony shoulders and helped Abby free herself from the slacks.

"Not as much as the others. Not nearly as much. Business kept me from the worst of it."

What did that mean? The files Blondie was talking about? She wished she had time to ask. She yearned to let her sister talk it out, no matter how disturbing her experiences. "Hold on a little longer."

"Did you hear that?" a man's deep voice asked.

"Sure as h.e.l.l did," Blondie said.

Abby's breathing accelerated. "They're going to get me," she whispered. "They're coming to take me away."

"Shh. Shh, Ab." Alexa pulled them into the bathroom and prayed that whoever was in the hall would keep moving.

"Fawn?" Blondie called, now lacking the kindness she'd tried before. "Fawn? Where the f.u.c.k are you, little c.u.n.t?" The bedroom door slammed shut, making Abby jump. Alexa sagged against the cool white tiles lining the wall and closed her eyes. How the heck were they going to get out of here?

"They're going to take me." Abby slid to the floor and tucked her arms around her knees, consumed by a full-fledged panic attack. "She's worse than the men. I tried to protect the girls. I tried, but most of the time I couldn't. She hates me. She'll punish them. She'll hurt them to hurt me."

Alexa risked their safety as she closed the bathroom door and twisted the lock, then she knelt down next to Abby. She stared into her sister's tortured eyes and memories of their mother came flooding back. How many times had mom looked at her with the same hopeless expression before she gave up and took her own life? She couldn't let that happen to Abby. She couldn't bare the thought of walking into a bathroom and finding her sister's pale, lifeless body sitting in a sea of blood.

Abby dropped her face in her hands and wept.

"Abigail." Burying her own fears, Alexa squeezed her sister's arm and used the same scolding tone that always got Livy's immediate attention. "Abigail, look at me right this minute."

Abby's eyes met hers.

"I'm sorry for what you've been through. So sorry," her voice gentled. "You have no idea how much I wish I could make all this go away. I need you to take a few deep breaths and help me. I need you to help me get us out of here. We have to go to the police. They're right outside. Right outside, Abby, waiting for us. Please get up. Please."

Abby sat where she was, still shuddering and crying-a mess. She was so damaged. Somehow Alexa had let herself believe that Abby, her strong, sweet, vibrant Abby, would make it through her ordeal with fewer scars.

"Please help me, Abby," she whispered. So I can help you.

"The police are waiting for us?"

"Yes, Jack and his friend Tucker, and an FBI agent, the Baltimore and DC police. We've been searching for you, Ab. Not one day has pa.s.sed that we didn't spend looking for you."

"Jackson's back."

They didn't have time for this, but she couldn't afford to move forward until Abby was in control of herself. "Yes, Jack's back."

"You love him."

She nodded. "I always have."

"He's still hot."

Blinking her surprise, Alexa grinned. "He's not ugly. Wait 'til you get a look at his friend Tucker." For a moment everything felt normal-just sisterly boy-talk, but it wasn't. Abby was an emotional disaster. They were trapped in a second-story bathroom in the mansion of the man who'd profited from abducting her sister. "Come see Jack. He's been as worried as I have. Come meet Tucker. He's been amazing. Let's go home to Livy."

"Okay. I'm ready." She wiped at her face with her arm, smudging more mascara over her cheeks and temples. "I'm sorry. I know I'm a mess. I had to keep myself together for the girls. I did a pretty good job, but now you're here and I'm..." she shook her head. "You seem to bring out the cuckoo in me, Lex."

These small glimpses of Abby were wrenching. Alexa wanted her sister back.

"How are we going to get out of here?"

Alexa got to her feet and cautiously walked to the edge of the window. The stone porch rooftop overlooking the gardens was six or seven feet below the bathroom. "Out the window."

Abby rushed to her feet. "Out the window?"

"We don't have a choice." Alexa unlocked the window, ready to begin. Their luck would run out sooner or later. "It's now or never, Ab. We can do this. We have to." She slid the gla.s.s up, and warm muggy air rushed in, along with the clatter of a busy kitchen below. They had to be in the east wing. She pushed at the screen and cringed when the frame fell to the porch roof with a clatter. "Ready?"