Fatal Response by Jodie Bailey

Author:Jodie Bailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-06-04T19:05:46+00:00

ELEVEN

Jason grabbed Erin’s hand and drew her with him into the dayroom, his mind working to put together an exit strategy. “Is there another way out?”

“Emergency exit off the kitchen.”

Shoving her ahead of him, he let her lead the way to the door. She hit the bar full strength and the impact bounced her backward into Jason’s chest.

The door alarm shrieked, but the door remained tightly sealed. “No way. Come on.” Erin muttered words barely loud enough for Jason to hear, then heaved herself against the door again. “It’s blocked.”

Adrenaline shot lightning bolts across his skin. He eased Erin to the side and threw his full weight against the door. No movement. They were trapped.

He needed time to think, but the wail of the door alarm impeded rational thought. “Towels. Grab all of the dish towels and shove them under the door.” It wouldn’t help for long, but it should buy them a couple of minutes.

Unless someone lit a match. As strong as the stench was in the front office, the air in the hallway outside the door had to be saturated. If they were truly locked inside, there was a chance an explosion was imminent. Either that, or whoever had trapped them intended to leave them to die of suffocation.

Erin complied and returned quickly, her face pale and her expression tight. “Those towels aren’t going to buy us much time. We either have to get the door open or we have to find another way out of here. I can smell gas in here now. It’s getting thicker.” She reached around him and turned off the stove, then the coffeepot.

Jason pulled his cell from his pocket. “We’re going to need outside help.”

“No.” Pulling her own phone from the leg pocket of her uniform, she shut the device down and held it up, indicating Jason should do the same. “Cells, computers, anything electronic is a no-go. They can set off an explosion. Remote chance, but I’m not willing to take it until we have no other choice.”

“Well, you’d better come up with something quick.”

Erin ducked into the office, but was back as quickly as she’d left. She pulled her shirt away from her face. “Landline’s dead. And I have a Wi-Fi signal, but no internet. Somebody’s cut the lines.” The tension in her voice betrayed her fear.

Jason was beginning to feel it too. The towels at the doorway weren’t enough. The back of his throat burned. The shriek of the door alarm had taken a physical, pounding residence in his head and the gas multiplied it. If they didn’t get out soon, his brain was going to mush into uselessness.

This was his fault. Instead of doing his job and keeping her safe, he’d stayed by her side, soaking in her presence, feeling like he’d come home. He’d failed her tonight because he’d been distracted by their very personal past instead of being focused on her very tenuous present. “This guy’s slick. He’s always searching for the next opportunity. We stopped him at your house, but this time I—”

“Don’t start blaming yourself.

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