Out of the Night Read Online Free PDF

pointed at the floor. Then gently but firmly, he pulled it from her hand, checked the safety, and shoved it back into the front of his pants.
    "On second thought, it might be better if I was the only one who carried a gun."
    She shrugged. "Suit yourself, but then I'm going with you."
    They left the building and Mac paused on the sidewalk outside. Lanie knew he was listening for anything that might sound out of the ordinary. With anyone else, she might have scoffed at the action. After all, they weren't in familiar territory—how would they know what sounded normal and what didn't?
    But Mac was different.
More capable
was the description that came to mind. The way he'd handled the situation inside, had coped with finding all the bodies and yet remained calm, cool, and collected—it made her wonder what he'd done and seen in the Navy.
    When he started walking, she was struck by his skills. He moved without a sound, making her own attempts at stealth sound loud and jarring by contrast.
    He led them along the front, hugging the wall until they'd traveled the length of it, at which point he stopped and cautiously peered around the next corner. Apparently seeing nothing of concern, he gestured for her to follow as he continued around to the side.
    Here they found a four-foot-wide stretch of ground, cleared of trees, with patches of undergrowth insidiously creeping back. It was as if the rain forest, looming dark and silent beyond the clearing, was trying to reclaim its own. Lanie kept a wary eye open, expecting something to jump out at any moment.
    When they reached the back of the building, Mac again guided them close to the wall so he could see around the corner. When he gave the all-clear, they proceeded to the backyard.
    Like the side, this area had been cleared of trees and brush, but a huge metal cage, like one would find at the zoo, stood in the very middle.
    There appeared to be something inside, but with the growing shadows of dusk, it was impossible to tell exactly what it was. Moving closer, Lanie made out what looked like the statue of a gargoyle.
    Unfamiliar with the different cultural beliefs of the South Americans, she was unsure if the statue was religious or decorative, but she was intrigued by its appearance. It sat hunched on its disproportionately large hind legs like a big cat. All four legs ended in three-toed claws, and a row of sharp fins ran down its head and back. A caninelike muzzle protruded from its round face, with two three-inch fangs extending from its upper jaw. The oval eyes appeared too large for its head and gave the statue an almost demonic, alien appearance.
    As the sun sank lower in the sky, shadows danced across the cage, making the statue appear almost alive. Intrigued, Lanie tried the handle of the door.
    "Why would they keep a statue locked in a cage?" she mused, more to herself than to Mac. "I want to take a closer look." She searched for a way to unlock the door.
    "Look at it tomorrow, when the light is better," Mac ordered. "We still have half the grounds to search."
    She didn't even glance at him as she dragged her foot across the grass, feeling for a dropped key or some hidden mechanism. "Those men have been dead awhile. Whatever killed them is gone, or we'd be dead now, too." She paused when her toe hit something. Bending down, she moved the grass aside and found a small remote-control box. Picking it up, she saw an on/off switch. "I found it."
    "Wait," Mac hollered at her, but it was too late. She'd already flipped the lever. The sound of a bolt shooting back echoed ominously in the silence, causing the hairs on the back of Lanie's neck to prickle. She tensed, expecting something to spring out of the cage at them. Beside her, Mac stood with his gun ready.
    Time seemed to stop as in the distance a bird cawed and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves of the surrounding trees, creating a gentle rustling sound.
    Lanie gave Mac a withering look for scaring her and moved past him to the