Chapter 9 - FIRE UNDER BLACKWOOD HOUSE
Ronan hit Victor before he could fire.
The gun discharged into the ceiling.
Stone shattered.
Marcus drove his shoulder into one attacker.
Ivy grabbed Emily and pulled her behind the wall.
“Run!”
“I can’t!”
“You can.”
Another gunshot.
Ivy dragged her toward the tunnel.
Then she smelled smoke.
Victor’s men had set the wine cellar on fire.
“Ronan!”
He turned.
Orange light flickered behind them.
“Move!”
The tunnel filled with smoke fast.
Marcus grabbed Emily.
Ronan took Ivy’s hand.
They ran.
A blast shook the ground.
Ivy stumbled.
Ronan caught her.
“Keep moving.”
“My shoulder—”
“I know.”
“You don’t know.”
Another explosion.
“Fine. I don’t know. Keep moving anyway.”
She almost laughed.
Almost.
They reached an iron door at the tunnel’s far end.
Locked.
Ronan slammed into it.
Nothing.
Marcus tried.
Nothing.
Smoke thickened.
Emily coughed.
Ivy looked at the wall.
“There.”
“What?”
“That brick.”
She pointed.
“It’s newer.”
Ronan kicked it.
The brick broke.
Behind it was a release lever.
The door opened.
Cold night air hit them.
They stumbled into an abandoned garden behind the estate.
Ronan counted heads.
“Ivy. Emily. Marcus.”
He stopped.
Victor was gone.
Marcus cursed.
Ronan looked back at the burning house.
Years of Blackwood history disappeared behind flames.
Ivy watched him.
“Are you okay?”
He laughed without humor.
“My house is on fire.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Ronan looked at her.
For once, the feared Ronan Blackwood looked exhausted.
“No.”
Ivy nodded.
“Me neither.”
Sirens approached.
Marcus looked uneasy.
“Police?”
Ronan shook his head.
“Too fast.”
Black SUVs appeared instead.
Victor’s men.
“Move!”
They ran toward the old greenhouse.
Bullets shattered glass.
Marcus returned fire while Ronan pushed Ivy down behind a stone wall.
She looked at him.
“How many enemies do you have?”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“A lot.”
“Helpful.”
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Ronan answered.
Victor’s voice came through.
“You destroyed a copy.”
Ronan went still.
“What?”
“The tape. You destroyed one copy.”
Ivy looked at him.
Victor laughed.
“Daniel was smarter than both of you.”
Ivy’s eyes widened.
Her father had made another.
Victor continued.
“And Vivienne knows where it is.”
The call ended.
Ronan looked at Ivy.
“Where would your father hide something?”
She thought.
Then her heart dropped.
“My mother.”
Ronan’s face changed.
“What?”
“The hospital.”
Ivy was already running.
“If Vivienne knows about the second tape, she knows about my mother.”
Ronan followed.
The phone rang again.
This time it was St. Anne’s Hospital.
Ivy answered.
A nurse was crying.
“Ms. Lancaster?”
May you like
“Yes?”
“Your mother is missing.”
