The Last Second Read Online Free PDF

“Sorry. Gotta go.”
    Calvin, one arm resting on the dog’s back, nodded. “We’ll get there.”
    Griffin ducked back into the passageway, hurried through the tunnel. Just as he emerged from the basement, he heard several rapid shots coming from outside.
    Sydney . . .
    Griffin took the stairs two at a time. The ground floor was empty. Sydney had propped the extension ladder against the front door, undoubtedly to serve as a warning should someone try to enter—­she’d hear the ladder falling and know the entry was breached. Knowing she’d go for high ground, he raced to the second floor, found her in a front bedroom, her weapon gripped in her right hand. She stood next to the window, peering out through tattered curtains, yellowed with age.
    “What’s going on?” he asked, taking the position opposite her and drawing his own gun.
    “They’re aiming at the ground down by the wall. Three officers, fully automatic weapons. Considering they thought we were reporters, and don’t even know we’re armed, why not just shoot us? Spray the house with gunfire? There’s not a lot to stop it.”
    “Good question.” He thought about what Calvin said, about no bullets being found at an autopsy. “If I had to guess, they want to blow us with the house. Make it look like an accident.”
    The two of them stood like that for several seconds, watching, waiting, when she suddenly turned to him. “I wasn’t planning on dying this weekend.”
    “Same here.”
    “Any last words in case we don’t make it? You said you wanted to talk about—­”
    He heard Max and Calvin enter the room, and was grateful for the timely interruption. Calvin ordered Max to stay, then he crouched down next to him in the doorway, keeping his head below the level of the window.
    “That would be Calvin,” Griffin said. “Trish’s brother.”
    Sydney turned, stared at the man for a full second. “Oh my God . . . Trish? Get in here.”
    A moment later, Trish was barreling down the hallway. “What’s wrong? Did—­?” Her face crumpled when she saw her brother, and she dove into his arms. “I thought you were dead  . . .” She started crying. “Why didn’t you call me?”
    “I’m sorry.”
    A smile lit Sydney’s face and she looked over at Griffin. “Nice job, Griff.”
    More gunfire erupted.
    Griffin saw the dirt flying up at the base of the hill. Sydney was correct. They were purposefully shooting low.
    She pressed herself against the wall, away from the window. “This might be a good time to brainstorm, because I’m out of ideas.”
    “I could give myself up,” Calvin said. “I’m the one they want dead.”
    “No,” Trish said, burying her face in her brother’s shoulder.
    “If I did, they might let you all go.”
    “I doubt it,” Griffin said, “since they’re expecting to blow the house sky-­high and us with it. I’d just like to know what they’re waiting for.”
    “Just be grateful they are waiting,” Sydney said, then eyed Griffin. “You did disarm the bombs?”
    “Twice.”
    Her brows went up.
    “Technical glitch. Right now, we may have a bigger problem.”
    “Like what?” she asked, turning her attention back to the window.
    “Anger issues. Like what happens when they shut off the jamming device and the bombs won’t detonate.”
    “Oh good. Because death by long-­range automatic weapon is much preferred. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re outgunned and outmanned.” She glanced down at his Glock. “With thirty-­two rounds between us, I don’t think we’re going to last that long, even if they did move into range.”
    “You have a better idea?”
    “Get the phones working and call in the damned cavalry.”
    “It would have been nice to know we needed the damned cavalry before we got here,” he quipped.
    “Like they would have come?”
    She had a point. Their only evidence had been a dog sitting by a broken wall.
    He glanced out, eyed the wall where he’d first seen the dog, then