Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Vienna pushed aside all thought and forced her mind to concentrate on her goal—just to make it to the closet. It seemed such a long way away, but she was determined to get there before she crashed altogether. She was positive someone was going to enter her room in an attempt to kill her. She wanted to be in that little space, in a position to at least try to defend herself if she was discovered, and she wanted to be able to identify who it was so she could tell Zale and Rainier.
The closet was built out of cedar and smelled wonderful. There was a sitting bench across from the shoe rack. On either side of it were full-length mirrors. The mirrors appeared to be built flat against the wall. Vienna had discovered that the wooden wall was a false one on the left side and that there was a space behind it supposedly to be used for storage. There was nothing back there, and she could see no one had been cleaning or dusting the space for some time.
Vienna dragged herself to the bench and lay in front of it, studying the mirror and sliver of an opening. She had to fit herself in just right, so that if she were discovered, she would have her arm free with a knife in her hand and enough room to strike out at an attacker. It was a puzzle, and she had to figure it out so she got it right before she wedged herself inside.
Weak, barely able to move her legs, she turned her body and backed into the space under the bench, going in at an angle. Her heart began to pound. She didn’t have claustrophobia. She went into very tight places as a rule. Small caves. Whatever was necessary to get where she wanted—or needed—to go. Her heart reacted because an enemy was close.
Her feet scraped against the wall. She had to go in on her knees if she could get into that position. It was a very tight fit. She was tall. She couldn’t exactly fold herself into the space. She used the wall and bench to help herself into the narrow opening behind the mirror.
Vienna found herself holding her breath, as if that would make her chest smaller and allow her to fit better. It was silly, but she did it anyway. As she settled into place, the tight fit holding her upright, she heard a man’s deep voice whispering. He sounded as if he was in the next room.
Her mouth went dry. She hadn’t heard the door. There was no squeak. The hotel really needed to have some kind of warning, a bell, something to alert the occupants in case someone broke into the rooms. Her arm was still under the bench, the knife in her fist. She had to find the strength to pull her arm silently into the shadowy space where she couldn’t be seen even if the glaring overhead lights were turned on.
It took great concentration to drag her arm across the floor, retracting it to the inside of her hiding place. She kept her fingers wrapped around the knife, although she honestly couldn’t feel it in her palm.
“We only have a couple of minutes before the camera comes back on. She’s in here. I saw her come in. Find her.”
That was very distinct. Every word. Vienna breathed in and out, refusing to give in to the need to close her eyes. Her eyelids felt very heavy and droopy. It was terrifying to think her lashes might come down and she wouldn’t be able to lift them again. She tried to stare into the bedroom through the slightly open door.
She went over the voice, every nuance, trying to concentrate on that in order to stay alert. Had she heard it before? Did she recognize it at all? She strained to hear or see if someone was in the bedroom. She hadn’t been able to close the closet door, so she hadn’t bothered to try. The closet was very dark. Although it was late, the balcony lights streamed through the sliding glass doors of the master bedroom so she could see a corner of the bed and a little bit of the floor.
A man’s shoes and legs encased in trousers came into view. She recognized the security uniform immediately.
“Are you certain she came up here?” a voice hissed from the other room.
“Yeah, just announce yourself. Have you heard of cell phones? She’s probably on her phone right now, calling for help.” The shoes began stalking across the room toward the bed. The man knelt on one knee and peered under the bed. She recognized Harold, the security guard who had been with Simon when the two men had come to get Charles and then again, when they’d ridden in the elevator up to her room, supposedly “guarding” her.