“Shhh. You have to be quiet, Holly.” They made it through the grotto and up to the pool area outside. There was no one there. Yet. It was only a matter of time before party revelers decided to go skinny-dipping. “He doesn’t want anyone else to know that the two of you are meeting.”
“You’re moving… too… fast,” she complained, sounding like a petulant five-year-old who’d been drugged. “I feel… soooo… dizzy.”
“We have to hurry.” It was the truth. Nicole veered toward the left of the cabanas and picked up her pace. She still had Holly’s arm looped through hers, but the other girl kept slowing down and falling behind. “I don’t want Preston to leave,” she said, hoping that would urge the other girl to move faster.
It didn’t. If anything, each stumbling step Holly took seemed to be weighted down with concrete. “Me, either,” Holly whispered, the sound of tears choking her voice. “Don’t leave… don’t leave… don’t leave,” she chanted.
Holly seemed to become more lethargic, and Nicole was beginning to feel like she was dragging the girl through quicksand. She had to keep her cognizant, and the only way she could think to do that was to keep her talking.
“Holly, what is your last name?” she asked, because she needed the information for Nathan anyway.
“Last… name?” Holly sobbed, clearly falling apart emotionally. “I… I don’t have one.”
“Yes, you do. I need to know what it is,” Nicole urged as she eased them toward the pathway where Angela was waiting for them. “Preston needs to know what it is. Think real hard, Holly. We can’t get to him without your last name.”
“Oh, God,” she said, crying in earnest now as she honestly struggled to remember her surname. “I… It’s Holly… Holly… Davis.”
Nicole patted her hand. “Good girl.”
“Where’s… where’s Preston?” Holly’s breathing was labored, and she was leaning heavily against Nicole for support.
“We’re almost there.” She guided them down the pathway. Surrounded by lush foliage, they blended into the darkness.
“I’m… I’m not going to… to make it.” Holly tripped and could barely hold herself upright. “I… don’t… feel so good.”
Nicole was glad to see Angela just up ahead on the pathway. At least one thing had gone right tonight. “Holly, what have you taken?”
“Just… just my… pills.”
And unknown quantities of alcohol. Shit.
Before Nicole could catch her, Holly unexpectedly dropped to her knees, clutched her stomach, and threw up on the grass. She moaned as she continued to heave. All the while, Nicole prayed that the sound didn’t echo and prompt someone to investigate.
When there didn’t seem to be anything left in Holly’s stomach, she gave one last groan, then passed out cold.
Nicole stared in disbelief. How in the hell was she going to get Holly’s deadweight all the way to the Hummer where Nathan was waiting for them?
Right on time, Nathan left the party and headed upstairs. He stopped for a moment to make sure no one was behind him, then made his way to the front door of the house. With the entryway in his sights, he pulled off his mask and set it on a side table he passed, his mind already on the next phase of the escape plan and hoping everything went smoothly for Nicole.
“Are you leaving, Alex?”
His hand was on the doorknob, but the question stopped him cold. Jesus Christ! Where in the hell had Gwen come from? The only good thing about running into Sloane’s assistant was the assurance that she wasn’t following Nicole. Remaining calm, he turned back around to face her, an excuse for his abrupt departure already forming.
“I just got a call on my cell,” he said, as she stopped a few feet away. She was dressed as a sultry Mardi Gras vixen, her sequined mask in her hand, giving him a clear view of her very direct gaze. “I’ve got a problem with my Tokyo deal. I have to fix the contract and get it sent back immediately so everything is ready for signatures on Monday morning.”
“On a Saturday?” she asked, her tone tinged with skepticism.
He flashed her a smile. “International business never sleeps.”
“True,” she replied, and seemed to relax. “Is Nikki going with you?”
“No, she’s having too much fun at the party,” he said easily. “I’ll leave her here while I take care of business. I should be back in an hour or so.”
Seemingly satisfied, Gwen let him exit the house without further questioning. Even if she immediately reported his absence to Sloane, it would take them both a while to realize that he wasn’t coming back… and that he had Nicole with him. Longer still until they discovered Angela and Holly missing, too.
He walked toward where the Hummer was parked, which was around the corner from the front of the house, in a darkened area. The vehicle was still parked as he’d requested, with no other cars blocking his escape. Because of his delay with Gwen, he expected Nicole to be there with the girls, but she hadn’t arrived yet.
He swore beneath his breath, knowing that their chances of being discovered increased with each minute that passed. He wondered where Nicole was, and prayed she hadn’t gotten caught sneaking Angela and Holly out of the house. He worried most about Holly putting up a fight and blowing their escape.
Just when he thought he’d have to go searching for Nicole, and possibly abort their escape, he saw three figures come around the side of the house. As they neared, he realized that Nicole, now dressed as a court jester, and Angela were struggling to support Holly between them, straining to keep her upright as they hauled her unconscious form to the Hummer.
Rushing to meet them, he scooped Holly up into his arms and carried her back to the vehicle. Questions would come later, once they were safely out of the estate. As quietly as possible, he got all three girls situated in the Hummer’s cargo space and draped a dark blanket over them. For the moment, he was grateful Holly was passed out so there was no chance of her kicking up a fuss and blowing his cover when they reached the guard at the gate. As he rounded the front of the Hummer, his gaze scanned the vicinity to make sure the area was clear and there were no witnesses.
Using the spare key he kept in his wallet, he started the vehicle and headed for the main gate. The security guy waited for him to stop, then came up to the driver’s window, which Nathan rolled down.
“Everything okay?” the guy asked.
Judging by the other man’s relaxed attitude, Nathan was certain Sloane hadn’t yet discovered that the girls were gone. “I just have some business to attend to. I’ll be back.”
The guard gave him a nod, then returned to his post and opened the gates. Once they were clear, Nathan drove out onto the main road. He immediately called Caleb to give him an estimated time of arrival. His boss let him know that Angela’s parents had arrived and that Skye and Valerie were at his place to balance out the male-to- female ratio, and to make sure Angela felt comfortable. Nathan couldn’t bring himself to tell Caleb that they’d taken Holly-he’d find out soon enough, and they’d deal with the situation then.
He disconnected the call. Five miles away from Sloane’s estate he told Nicole they could come out, but should still lie low.
“What happened with Holly?” he finally asked.
“She passed out on me after throwing up,” Nicole told him. “She wasn’t very cooperative, either. I’m certain if she was awake she would be fighting to get back to Sloane.”
As if on cue, the young girl stirred and moaned. “Where… where are you… taking me?”
“You’re fine, Holly,” Nicole said gently, keeping her reply simple and vague. “Just relax and we’ll be there soon.”
“With Preston?” Holly asked, her voice raspy.
“Yeah, with Preston,” Nicole lied, obviously not wanting to upset the girl.
