Lost and Found Read Free Page A

sunlight caught it, there were blue lights in it, a much softer shade than the dark blue of his eyes. But there was no light to soften the darkness of him now.
    He drew in a deep breath, measuring the distance he'd have to cross before he reached the shelter of the building. Though the lawn had long since disappeared in a tangle of weeds, the space was still wide open. There was nothing to offer any concealment. There were no lights in the building and the kidnappers had no reason to suspect that they'd been found. They hadn't even bothered to post a guard. Still, crossing that open space was not something he liked. But it wasn't going to get any easier with waiting.
    He crouched low, making his body as small as possible before darting into the open. For the few seconds it took him to cross the forty-yard space, he was totally vulnerable, a moving target for anyone watching. He sprinted the distance, deliberately blanking his mind to everything but the need to get into the shelter of the building. If someone was watching, he'd learn it soon enough. Probably in a way he'd rather not consider.
    If anyone had been watching, they'd have seen little more than a shadow gliding across the lawn, a darker presence among the shadows already there. Almost as quickly as the eye could register that it was a man, he was gone, disappearing into the darkness that surrounded the big old building.
    Sam pressed himself against the rough wood of the wall, his breathing only slightly accelerated. He'd accomplished the first step, but he didn't take time to congratulate himself. The first step was the easiest. The hard part came when he got the girl. So much depended on whether or not he had to take her out as a deadweight. If she could help herself, even just a little, it was going to make his task easier.
    He loosened the coil of rope from his belt and stepped away from the wall. Directly above him was the balcony where he'd seen the girl. He was betting that it lay outside the room where they were keeping her. He swung the rope gently, loosening his arm, getting a feel for the weight of it. He moved back until he stood a few feet out from the balcony, once again in the open. He swung his arm once, twice, and on the third swing he let go, feeling the supple nylon slide through his gloved fingers. He held his breath as the rope sailed upward, pulled by the weight of the grappling hook on its end. The hook went over the edge of the balcony, hitting the wood with a quiet thud that sounded like a gunshot in the stillness.
    But he couldn't worry about the noise. He was committed now. He just had to hope that the gods were watching over him. He yanked on the rope, pulling up the slack until the hook caught on the edge of the railing, digging into the wood and gripping. Sam yanked again, leaning his weight into the rope. He knew the rope would hold but he didn't have any such guarantees about the railing. It was old and old wood had a nasty tendency to rot. But there was no give in the rope and he gave thanks that the builders had seen fit to put quality materials into the hotel.
    He slid his hands up the rope and tightened his grip. The muscles in his shoulders bulged as he pulled himself off the ground. His feet hooked around the rope, the rubber soles of his shoes gripping and assisting in the climb. He tried not to think about the fact that he was completely vulnerable. If someone chose to take a shot at him, there wasn't going to be a whole hell of a lot he could do about it.
    When his hand touched the edge of the balcony, he heaved a silent sigh of relief. He was really going to have to consider changing occupations. Being a stockbroker had its advantages. His other hand gripped the balcony and he pulled himself upward. Just a few more minutes and this was going to be all over but the shouting. With fifty thousand dollars in his pocket, he could consider the advantages of a new career in comfort.
    He swung his left leg over the railing. His foot