reached into the trunk again and pulled out a rifle, which he gave to Matt, and a coil of rope that he put over his left shoulder. Then he nodded, and headed off, appearing to be following Chase's path. In just a few seconds, he was out of sight.
Carrie got a bad feeling when she watched Matt, rifle in hand, duck and run for the edge of the building.
"Sweetheart, where did Adam go?"
Carrie turned her head to look at Jake. She caught just the wisp of an expression, quickly masked when he met his wife's gaze.
"He's going around to the front of the building."
"Why?"
"Ginny, sweetheart? We have to just trust him, now."
It seemed as if they looked at each other for a long time. Finally, Ginny nodded. Jake bent close, kissed her lips, and then pulled her into his arms. She hugged him, then turned around so that she could, with Carrie and Brian, face the building.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Carrie couldn't help but keep checking her watch. That deadline Lockwood had given her loomed large and close. Twenty minutes gave way to fifteen. When there was nearly only ten minutes left, Carrie noticed movement, and had to squint to see what was happening.
"Well boy howdy, what's Adam doing up there?" The sheriff appeared briefly in the window directly above Carrie's bedroom. And then, as he opened that window, as he looked out, and down, and seemed to be measuring the rope, Carrie understood. Adam disappeared for a moment and then returned, hat removed, gloves on, rope looped around his right hand.
"Jesus Christ, he's holding that rope the way he would if he was going to ride a bronco," Brian said.
"Tell me he isn't going to do what I think he's going to - " Ginny stopped mid sentence.
It happened so quickly, Carrie nearly couldn't wrap her head around it. Matthew flattened himself against the wall of the building, now just a few feet away from her apartment, rifle in hand. He looked up at his boss, and when Adam nodded, he nodded in return.
They moved in perfect synchronicity. Adam eased himself out the window, stood on the ledge, turned, and faced the building. Then he jumped.
He arced out and down and, feet first, shattered the window as he hit it, disappearing inside Carrie's apartment. The rope snapped out, the end sailing up into the air. Matthew moved, gun at the ready.
Before he could reach the shattered portal, two shots exploded from inside the apartment, one on top of the other. She and Ginny both jumped, and then Carrie felt everything inside her go cold, even as Ginny screamed.
Carrie felt Brian's arms wrap around her and hold her close. His silent message was clear. He wasn't going to let her go anywhere near that building until they knew that everything was all right.
Matt lowered his rifle and seemed to wilt for just a moment. Then he straightened and appeared to be talking to someone inside the apartment.
And then Adam appeared at the window, apparently whole and unharmed.
"Oh, thank you, God." The soft exclamation echoed Carrie's sentiments exactly. Ginny moved to go to him, but Jake held her back.
"Let's just wait a minute, honey. Wait for his signal."
Matt was talking on his cell phone. Movement on the street to her right and slightly behind her caught her attention.
It was the EMT vehicle that was attached to the Lusty Fire Department. Carrie's heart was pounding in her chest. Matt had called for the paramedics. She felt her heart clutch as dread began to build inside her.
Her cell phone vibrated in her hand and belted out that Kelly Clarkson tune.
Carrie's hands shook as she answered the phone.
"Chloe!"
"Hey, little sister. I'm okay. Well, mostly. Here's Chase."
Her sister didn't sound okay, not completely. But she was alive, and lucid, and Carrie closed her eyes in relief as she waited for Chase to speak.
"It's over, sugar. We're going to bring Chloe out for the EMTs to have a look at her. Bastard clocked her in face, and she lost consciousness. I'm going to hop out the window and Adam is going to lift her out and give her to me. I want you to meet us right there at the van. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay. Chase? Thank you."
"Hell, I didn't do much. Now hang up so I can bring your sister to you."
It didn't occur to Carrie until they were at the clinic that there might have been a reason the men kept her