“There’s smoke,” Levin said.
I followed his gaze and saw the thin haze of dark smoke in the sky. My chest tightened as I took it in. Vincent sat forward and peered at it from between the front seats.
“You don’t think…” he murmured.
“She’s OK,” I whispered. “She has to be.”
Enzo turned in the direction of the smoke, following a long gravel driveway through some trees before the trees gave away to an open area where an old red barn stood.
I swallowed thickly as we rolled up next to Enzo’s car and tumbled out.
The scene before us left me weak in the knees.
“Where’s the house?” Levin demanded as he stared at the smoldering pile of ash that stood where a house once stood.
Enzo and Cole exchanged worried looks as E stared at what was left of the house with parted lips. Fox turned and looked at us, a wild look in his eyes.
I couldn’t stop myself as I moved forward, step after step leading me to the ashes and embers.
When I reached the edge of the burned structure, I looked down to see the basement. What was left of it anyway.
“You can’t go down there,” Vincent said from beside me.
“If she’s down there. . .” I choked out.
“We’ll go with you,” Enzo said, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze as rain drizzled down on us.
Cole was already scrambling over the edge and making his way down. I swallowed and pulled myself together and followed him, everyone else falling in line.
Within minutes, we were standing on a thick layer of ash as we searched for the way into the secret basement.
“Here,” E called out, shoving aside a charred beam and revealing a doorway.
We made it over there quickly. The stairs were badly burned.
“Be careful,” Fox warned.
I didn’t say a word. I simply took the first step into the abyss, my phone out and flashlight on it turned on.
When I reached the bottom, I looked up at the guys. Vincent came down next followed by Levin. Then the horsemen. With our lights on, we moved slowly through the burned hallway.
“Door,” Cole called out.
We paused outside it, my heart in my throat.
It looked like most of the place down there was brick. At least the halls were lined with brick.
Dragging in a deep breath, I kicked the metal door in, my gun drawn and flashlight on. We all had so much light that the room immediately illuminated.
“Fuck,” Enzo said softly.
He was seeing what I saw.
A badly burning body tied to a bed.
“No,” Vincent whispered.
Levin said nothing as I stepped forward to the body.