Chapter 30.

The front page of the newspaper announced Aniyah's arrest. The headlines read: "No Fourth Houston." Danny read on and learned Aniyah's true ident.i.ty. He spoke out as he read.

"How stupid could that dumb broad be? d.a.m.n! I should have gotten to her sooner. I would've been loaded with cash. Those freakin' crazy Houston women jacked up my plans and the Sanchezes aren't any better. The dumb-a.s.s aunt helped turned over her own niece to the Feds."

Danny read about how Tessa valued her family's name. "Value the money, broad," he yelled. He read on about where the Houstons resided at this time.

Danny grabbed a phone book and looked up the number for the Houston Estate. He called the estate and got one of the servants on the line. Pretending to be a magazine writer, Danny inquired about how to get in touch with the Houstons. He struck luck because he promised the servant a few dollars to give up their whereabouts.

He slipped on his clothes. He also took the knife he had used for his steak dinner, wrapped it in a cloth napkin, and left his hotel room.

Danny parked his compact car a little way back from the Houston Villa, hiding it behind a bunch of trees. He constantly wiped the sweat that drenched his face as he walked up to the house. No signs of people, he hurried up to the front door and noticed the door was ajar. As he slowly stepped inside the house, Danny listened for movement. Right away he heard footsteps coming from the right side of the house. He a.s.sumed it was probably the servants in the kitchen because the aroma of the morning breakfast still filled that side of the house.

Coming from upstairs, Danny heard Milandra's voice.

She called to her sister, "Noelle, are you ready?"

"Not yet," Noelle replied.

Danny took off his shoes and carried them in one hand up the stairs. In the other hand, he held the knife. He went into the room he heard the first voice coming from. Milandra was not in the bedroom; instead, she was in her private bathroom.

Danny gently sat his shoes down on the floor. He tiptoed into the bathroom. Milandra stood in the mirror brushing her hair, fully dressed in a cream-colored, two-piece linen suit. She looked in the mirror to see Danny behind her.

Milandra went to scream, but he covered her mouth with his left hand while he held the knife to her throat with his other hand.

"Shh," he said. "Make a sound and you'll be scarred for life."

Tears ran down her cheeks. Danny kept his ears and eyes open.

"Point to where the closet is," he whispered.

Milandra pointed to a huge closet inside the bathroom. Danny was about to open the closet when Milandra bit him on the hand. He nipped her on the neck with the knife. As quickly as she tried to scream, he placed his hand back over her mouth. This time, though, he applied lots of pressure. "I see I'll have to slice you and your sisters into pieces."

Danny shoved her into the closet and she fell on the floor. He shut the door and locked it.

Milandra placed her finger on her neck to feel for blood. She cried, "G.o.d, why is so much pain coming to my family?" She took a dark-blue scarf off a dress and placed it around her neck to absorb the blood.

Danny left the bedroom. He kept a close watch on his surroundings as he made his way to Noelle's bedroom next. She hadn't gotten dressed yet. He walked in on her and saw she was dressed only in a white-laced bra and matching panties.

Noelle noticed him and tried to run. She screamed, but Kenley couldn't hear her because of the ear buds in her ears. Danny ran after Noelle and tackled her to the floor. He lay on top of her, then kissed the back of her neck, absorbing the perfume she wore. He eased the knife down the side of her face. Touching her just enough not to cut her. Noelle felt his erection against her leg.

"Please, don't hurt me," she begged.

"Do what I say and maybe I won't," Danny whispered.

As much as he wanted to have her, he had to stick to his plans. "Get up and keep quiet. Move and I'll slice one of those pretty t.i.ts of yours."

Danny eased the knife around her right breast, making a full circle. Noelle didn't say anything. She stood up. He grabbed her from behind, covered her mouth, and stuck the tip of the knife against her right cheekbone. He walked her through the hallway into Milandra's bedroom.

Danny unlocked the closet door and Noelle saw her sister on the floor. Before she could say a word, Danny pushed her with force. She fell on top of Milandra. They held on to each other. Then, he locked the door again.

Danny was happy that things were going smoothly. One more sister, he thought as he went into the last bedroom. Kenley sat on the bed, still listening to her music. She sang along with one of Beyonce's songs. She wore a pair of pajama shorts and a sleeveless pajama T-shirt that resembled outerwear. He startled her when he s.n.a.t.c.hed the iPod out of her hand. The ear buds fell out of her ears.

Kenley looked up, staring directly at the tip of the knife. She tried to crawl backward on the bed, knocking her breakfast tray on the floor. The remainder of the juice spilled on the carpet.

"Who are you?" she yelled.

"It doesn't matter. You move another inch and blood will be all over this bed."

Danny moved in on her and rubbed her face with his hand. Kenley stood still. Her eyes popped wide open as she placed her hands against her chest.

"You remind me of Aniyah, Rosie, whatever her name is, when I first met her-fresh meat for a man."

"What is she to you?" Kenley mumbled, but hoped he wasn't planning on hurting her.

"My escort and my money ticket, before you broads destroyed that."

Kenley thought quickly. "My family has plenty of money. How much do you need? My oldest sister is in the next room. She'll go to the bank and get all the money you want."

"Your sister isn't going anywhere at this time. She's safely locked up where you're going to join her."

Danny pulled Kenley by her T-shirt to join her sisters, still pointing the knife. He tossed her in the closet.

Kenley cried when she saw her sisters sitting on the floor. "I'm so happy to see you both."

"As long as you all cooperate, no one gets seriously hurt," Danny said and locked the door.

Inside the closet, the women listened until Danny disappeared.

"What are we going to do?" Noelle asked.

"Stay calm," Milandra said.

"Who is this man?" Noelle wondered.

"He knows Aniyah. He says we caused him to lose his money," Kenley informed them.

"No such thing," Milandra said as she fanned herself. "I think I'm going to faint."

Milandra removed the scarf from around her neck. Kenley noticed she had been bleeding.

"Oh, he cut you, Milandra. You may need to see a doctor right away."

"Lucky he didn't cut me deeper or I would be bleeding to death. I'm just getting overheated from being in this closet."

"Sid and Nolan will be here soon. I pray they don't get hurt." Noelle panicked.

"We need a way to call them," Kenley said.

"Your birthday gift," Milandra said as she pointed toward the package. "Noelle, hand me that bag."

Noelle reached under a blanket and pulled out a birthday gift bag with green tissue paper on top. "What's in it?"

"I don't want my present early," Kenley said.

"Sorry, but I have to open it. It's a cell phone," Milandra said. "Listen out for the man."

Kenley went near the door and put her ear close to it while she studied what kind of cell phone Milandra had purchased for her upcoming birthday.

Milandra opened the box. She took out a hot pink cell phone.

Kenley was excited. "You got me the hottest phone. Thanks, Milandra." She started to take it out of her hand.

"Listen out for the man. This is no time to celebrate," Milandra whispered.

"Call Mr. Chavis," Noelle suggested.

"No! He can't help us," Milandra said.

"He's a lawyer, Noelle," Kenley said.

"I'm calling Nolan. He and Sid are supposed to be on their way here. They'll handle this fat-bellied man," Milandra said.

"Yes, Sid does have muscles." Noelle smiled.

"Nolan is used to lifting things. He'll take him out," Milandra bragged.

"We should be calling the police," Kenley said as she kept her ear to the door.

Milandra called Nolan.

"Nolan," she cried. "I'm bleeding. A robber cut me. He has locked my sisters and me in the closet."

"What? You're joking."

"Hurry and come."

"Did you call the police?"

"No, not as of yet!"

"Tell me. Is the robber still there? What closet are you in?" Nolan asked.

"I don't know where he went. We're upstairs in my bathroom closet. My room is the closest to the stairs."

Kenley recalled that Pete, the servant, was downstairs in the kitchen. She yelled.

"The help is downstairs. He has no idea the man is up here. I hope he doesn't go downstairs and hurt Pete."

Milandra paid her no attention. She listened to Nolan.

"Sid is in the car with me. Stay calm. I'll call the police. Be there shortly. Remember, don't do anything to make him go off on you," Nolan said.

"I think he's coming," Kenley shouted as she moved away from the closet door. Milandra turned the cell phone off and pushed it back in the bag. Noelle tossed the bag back behind the blanket where it was. They huddled together.

"Let's pray," Noelle said as she bowed her head.

Danny had made his rounds in each of their bedrooms. He trashed their rooms, emptying out the drawers. He tossed mattresses off the beds and went through their purses. He was furious that all together, he tallied up less than two hundred dollars. Milandra had the most money in her purse.

Danny held the knife in front of him-ready to attack them if they charged at him. He opened the door to see the three of them jammed together.

"Three rich broads and all I came up with was a hundred and thirty dollars? Where's the money hidden in this house?"

"I told you my sister can go to the bank and get you much more money," Kenley offered.

"I guess you broads will be here 'til dark. I'll drive one of you to an ATM machine. No banks."

He pointed the knife at Kenley. "Come over here."

Kenley didn't move. Tears began to run down her face. "Why?"

"You don't get to ask questions. Do what I say," Danny said.

"No, I want to stay in here with my sisters," Kenley cried.

"I see you want a mark for life!" he shouted.

Danny took the knife and jammed it into the wall. He stabbed a hole into the sheet rock.

Noelle pleaded. "Please let my sister stay here."

Milandra kept her eyes closed; she didn't want to look at the man. She had seen enough of his disgusting face. The scars on Danny's face made her realize he had been in many fights.

With the knife aimed at her, Kenley crawled toward him. Danny jerked her up by the arm and pulled her out of the closet. He tossed her around like she was a Frisbee. He locked the closet door again.

"Please, don't hurt her. She's only fifteen," Milandra yelled.