Page 75 of Ruin Me
Forty-five minutes passed before I finished going through all the files in the first cabinet. I glanced at Sam.
“Found anything yet?” I slid another drawer closed, trying not to lose hope while another worry piled onto the one that had ridden my back since Ife and I came up with this plan. Because there was a possibility I would leave here with nothing to keep Kent at the helm of Luxe Locations. Ensuring his future wasworth the price Ife demanded, and I would gain no pleasure in seeing our venture fail.
“I’m not sure, but I think I found something promising. In case this leads us to what we need, I’ll take pictures. You should too.” A flash followed his statement, followed by many more.
The next cabinet called my name. Unlike the first, this one didn’t open when I pulled the handle. I searched for a locking mechanism by running my hands along the surface.
“Sam? I’m having difficulty finding where to open this.”
He interrupted his search to join me. “Hmm. This might have the jackpot we’re looking for.”
“Because it’s locked?”
“Not just locked, but it has a hidden mechanism.” Sam ran his hands along the front and sides. “If it isn’t easily visible, then we’ll check the back.” His muscles bulged while he struggled to shift the cabinet.
Who knew papers could be so heavy?
My phone dinged.
Things are not going well. Hal’s getting ready to leave and I don’t think I can buy you more time.
“Shit!”
“What’s the problem?” Sam grunted under the strain.
“Our time got cut short by fifteen, twenty minutes tops.” I bit my lip as the pressure from Kent’s future pressed heavily on my shoulders.
My heart thumped against my ribs, drowning everything except my doubts.
“Found it.” Sam fiddled behind the cabinet until a soft click sounded. “Here you go. Don’t bother reading, just take pictures.”
“Right.”
He returned to the files he was working on and I turned my attention to the folders in front of me. The closest three confusedme. They were empty. When I checked the label, the blood in my veins iced over and the folder slipped from my numb fingers.
“Madison? Why don’t I see your camera flashing?” Sam asked.
Right. I was here to find evidence, but the empty files creeped me out. Regardless, I photographed the labels and placed them where they were. The next file sickened me and gave me hope. As I swallowed my bile, I sped through the files while taking photographs of the contents. There were so many. Awful images bombarded me, but I snapped picture after picture, knowing the more I had the better off Kent would be.
“Madison, if we want to get out of here undetected, we need to clean up and leave now.” Sam cupped my shoulder, and I jolted at the contact.
Sweat dotted my forehead, and my breathing came out in pants. I nodded and made way for him to put the cabinet back to rights. As we were finishing, car lights passed over the windows. Sam lunged at me and we fell to the ground.
I fumbled with my flashlight until I turned it off. “Do you think he knows someone’s in his house?” I whispered.
“If he doesn’t, he will when he doesn’t have to disarm his alarm. We’ve got to leave, now.” Sam grabbed my hand and we ran while crouched toward the garage.
I didn’t ask him any questions, though our destination was risky. If Hal’s headlights landed on us, we’d be lucky to only land in deep shit.
Sam paused at the alarm panel while I tried to control my shaking limbs. “Alright, the security system will be up and running in five seconds. Pray he hasn’t opened the garage by then because that’s our best exit point.”
“God, Sam, how the hell are you so calm right now?”
“Madison, I’ve survived war zones and special ops missions. Shit isn’t bad until it’s bad.”
“Right.” I nodded though I had zero confidence in my agreement.
How could I when prison bars filled my vision? Terror had my limbs in a chokehold and every movement was a constant negotiation.