Page 77 of Kane

With perfect timing, Leon exited the building.

Everyone held their breath.

There was no sign of Lyle.

Had Leon failed to convince him?

‘Come on, where the hell are you?’ Kane muttered, doing his best to keep his cool. This was a pressurized moment, and he knew that Cassie would be looking to him for assurance.

There was no way Kane was going to let himself boil over again. He’d learned his lesson. As a Daddy, he was there to be looked up to.

‘Boom, gotcha,’ Cage said, a slightly confused looking Lyle appearing at the apartment building door and beginning to walkdown the street with Leon. ‘I knew our fast-talking ER doctor wouldn’t let us down.’

‘He never does,’ Kane said. ‘Leon probably spun a yarn that was equal parts hilarious, outrageous, and just about believable. I don’t know how he does it.’

‘Me neither,’ Kane said. ‘And there’s no time to consider it either. Let’s move.’

Cassie and Katie got up to leave with the two Daddies.

This wasn’t going to happen.

No chance.

‘You two stay here,’ Kane said, his voice firm but full of compassion. ‘We need you two to be on the lookout for us. In case Lyle comes back early.’

‘But–’ Cassie replied.

‘No buts,’ Kane said, his tone seriously firm. ‘I mean it. I’m your Daddy and there is no room for compromise on this one. You wait here with Katie. You have an important role to play. Do it. Can I rely on you?’

Cassie and Katie both nodded obediently.

Kane and Cage exchanged glances and ran across the road.

It was time to get inside Lyle’s place and put the plan well and truly into action.

‘Jesus, this place… is disgusting,’ Kane said, noticing the trash strewn across the inside of Lyle’s apartment. ‘I almost feel sorry for the guy. Living like this can’t be healthy.’

Cage nodded.

The entry into the apartment hadn’t exactly been legal.

Cage knew all the tricks of the trade from his time working as a cop. He also knew that instead of going straight to the option of breaking the door down, there was a good chance that Lyle kept a spare key somewhere near the door.

It was remarkable how many people did it.

Even in big cities.

Cage had visited so many robberies that had essentially only happened because the homeowner had kept a spare key hidden in an obvious place.

Lyle, fortunately, was no different.

‘For some people, it’s them being naïve to the threat,’ Kane said. ‘But for this guy, I’m thinking it’s just arrogance.’

Lyle had wedged his spare key in a space inside his door mat.

Crazy.

But neither Kane nor Cage were complaining.