Impulsive (42 page)

"Can you see the outer handle?" Jess asked, starting to
get a little nervous over the situation. "Maybe it's caught on
something."

Ty rubbed another spot clear on the window. "I can only see
the top part, but it looks okay."

"Well, something is keeping that door shut, and it's getting
hotter in here by the minute," Corey complained with a worried look.
"If I sweat off much weight, all my ensembles for next weekend's fashion
show will have to be altered."

Jess got up to tour the perimeter of the small concrete enclosure.
"You'd think they'd have an emergency phone in here, or a shut-off valve,
or an alarm button. I don't see anything but bare cement walls, wooden benches,
and steam vents." By now she was panting. "Is anyone else having
trouble breathing?"

"Get down on the floor," Ty told her. "Heat rises.
It should be several degrees cooler at ground level."

"Can you break the glass out of the door?" Corey
suggested helpfully. "Even if the opening is too small for one of us to
crawl through, it would let some cool air inside and make it easier for someone
to hear us if we all yelled for help."

"Honey, that's double-thick tempered glass," Gabe
informed her. "We can't pound hard enough on it with our bare fists to
break it." He tried anyway, succeeding only in bruising his hand.

"The hinges," Jess declared hopefully. "If we can
remove them, we can take the whole door off."

"That would work if the hinges were on the inside," Ty
pointed out. "This door opens outward, and the hinges are on the other
side."

"I'm getting dizzy," Corey said, scooting to the floor
to sit beside Jess.

The guys pounded on the door for several more minutes, shouting at
the top of their lungs. Then, their energy fast waning, they too had to seek
refuge on the floor.

"I wish whoever left that boom box on full blast would come
back to get it, or at least turn the damned thing down." This from Gabe,
who was breathing heavily. "It's no wonder nobody can hear us, with that
thing blaring."

Ty nodded. "Look, I don't want to be an alarmist, but we've
got to get out of here, one way or another, before we all succumb to heat
prostration, or whatever. We can't afford to wait and hope someone accidentally
comes to our rescue."

Gabe looked around. "What about the benches? They look pretty
sturdy, but if we could pry one of the slats loose, or one of the legs, we
could use it as a battering ram."

The fellows edged closer to examine that possibility. "Damn!
Not only are they bolted together, but they're bolted to the walls and floor,
too," Ty announced disgustedly. "I, for one, didn't happen to bring
my wrench along with me."

Corey started to sob. "Oh, Lord! We're going to die in here,
aren't we?"

"No, by God, we're not!" Gabe exclaimed. "I didn't
recover from arsenic poisoning just to croak in a steam bath! There's got to be
some way out of here. Now think, guys. Think!"

That was easier said than done, with the heat steadily robbing
them of their power to function, both mentally and physically. Now Jess,
despite her effort not to, began to cry, too. "This is just my luck. I
find the man of my dreams, get engaged, and check out before I can even select
a wedding gown."

Ty pulled her close. "Don't talk that way, Jess."

She couldn't help it. Tears flowed down her cheeks, to drip on his
chest. "You know what? When Corey first suggested that photo session as a
birthday present to you, I thought the idea was ridiculous. Entirely too
egotistical. Then I got to thinking that, with everything going on, if
something were to happen to me, you and Josh would at least have some nice
pictures to remember me by." She gulped back a huge sob. "Oh, Ty!
Poor Josh! He loves you so much. Losing you is going to break his heart."

"No it won't, because I'll be damned if I'm going to go this
way, roasted like some Thanksgiving turkey! We're going to get out of here, if
I have to claw my way through that metal door!"

He shifted, rising to his knees. Head hanging, he stopped to gather
his energy. "Jess?" he questioned, his tone tentative. "What did
you do with that key to the locker where we stored our clothes?"

She sniffled. "It's right here in the pocket of my wrap.
Why?"

"Give it to me."

She handed it over. The others watched as Ty began scraping at the
caulk around the drain cover in the floor beside his left knee.

"Ty, what are you doing? Even I'm not skinny enough to
slither through the drain," Jess told him, concluding that the heat was
affecting his brain.

"No, but this drain cover is metal. If we can pry it loose,
maybe we can use it to break the window. It may not work, but it's sure as hell
worth a try."

"At this point anything is," Gabe concurred, shoving his
fingertips through the holes in the grate and tugging upward. A couple of
minutes later, with a sucking sound, the cover gave so suddenly that Gabe
toppled onto his backside at the abrupt absence of resistance.

The girls huddled on the floor as the guys crawled quickly to the
door. "Hide your faces," Ty advised. "Safety glass isn't
supposed to shatter into slivers like regular glass, but you never know."

It didn't shatter, but it did crack as Gabe hammered the round
grate into it. After several whacks, he'd made a large hole in the glass.
Abandoning modesty, the men used their terry wraps to carefully pry enough of
the shards out of the frame to get a good shot at the second pane. They took
turns battering at it until it, too, fractured and finally gave way under the
pressure.

Cool air rushed through the hole in the window. They sucked it in
gratefully, in huge gulps, like thirsty nomads at an oasis pond. "Watch
the glass," Ty warned, as Jess and Corey crept closer. "Don't cut
yourselves."

After a brief rest, the men attacked the window once more,
enlarging the hole. When it was big enough, and enough of the pane had been
removed to make it safe to do so, Ty poked his head out. They heard him curse.
"There's a long metal rod stuck through the door handle."

He pulled back inside and stuck his arm out, reaching for the
obstruction. On the first attempt, it wouldn't move, but when he pulled the bar
in the opposite direction, it slid free. Though it still blocked their exit to
some extent, they managed to push the door open wide enough for each of them to
wriggle through. Mincing their way past the glass, they collapsed on the
nearest bench, a few yards away. Gabe knocked the boom box to the floor,
rendering it blessedly silent.

"I've just about had my fill of this," Ty proclaimed,
his wrath tempered only by his weakened body. "This was no accident,
folks." He pointed toward the door, and the heavy metal rod still holding
it part way shut. Not only had the pole been thrust through the door handle,
either end of it had been wedged behind the workshop-style shelves flanking the
door. Though filled only with towels, the shelving units were bolted to the
walls, creating a firm anchor for the pole, which appeared to be the bar from a
weight-lifting set. "I'll also bet my last dime that the heat controls
have been tampered with. Put on the highest setting."

"This really tears it," Gabe muttered, his dark eyes
shooting angry flames. "Messing with me is one thing; but now they've
threatened Corey's life, and I'm not gonna let it rest until I've found the
bastards. Then, they're dead meat, ground and pattied."

"My sentiments exactly," Ty agreed. "The problem is
finding them... before they get to one of us again."

Though they hadn't called him from New Jersey, Haggardy was there
to meet them when their plane landed at the Columbus airport. "Boy, bad
news travels fast!" Ty declared, upon seeing him. "I assume the New
Jersey police phoned you? Or did they just put it out on the Internet for
everyone's benefit?"

"No one called me," Haggardy said gruffly. "What
happened that I don't know about?"

Jess answered. "Ty and I, along with Corey and Gabe Rome, got
locked in the hotel sauna, to bake like Idaho potatoes. It was
deliberate."

"You can fill me in on the details later," Haggardy
said. "At the moment, I have to perform an official duty, and place Ty
under arrest."

"What?" Ty stared at the detective in disbelief.
"Haggardy, if this is some sort of sick joke, it's not funny."

"No joke," Haggardy stated. "Now, listen up.
Officer Agerter is about to read you your rights."

"Wait a minute!" Jess jerked on the detective's sleeve.
"What are you arresting him for?"

"Gambling. Placing bets against the Knights with a local
bookie, and failing to pay up."

The four friends gaped at him.

"No way," Gabe said. Corey nodded.

"That's absurd," Jess claimed.

"You can't believe that," Ty exclaimed.

Haggardy cuffed him while Agerter read Ty his rights. "Calm
down, James," the detective mumbled, leaning close so he wouldn't be
overheard. "We've got to make this look good, for whoever might be
watching."

Ty relaxed, and drew a shaky breath. Jess, not in on the
conversation, was as riled as she could be. "Haggardy, I'll have you
charged with false arrest!" She followed close on his heels as Haggardy
and two policemen led Ty out of the terminal, Gabe and Corey in her wake.
"You can't do this! Do you hear me?"

"You're going to get yourself arrested right alongside him in
a minute," the detective warned, "for interfering, if not aiding and
abetting."

Jess thrust her hands out, baring her own wrists. "Go ahead.
Do it. Even if you don't, I'm coming along to the station with you."

They had reached the police cruiser. One of the officers opened
the rear door, placed his hand on Ty's head, and propelled him into the
backseat. Haggardy waved her forward. "Get in, Miss Myers. And shut
up."

Only now did she hesitate. "I forgot about my car. It's in
the long-term lot. I'll follow you."

Haggardy speared her with a hard look. "Agerter, take her
keys and the claim ticket, and bring Miss Myers' car to the station." He
practically shoved her onto the seat beside Ty.

"We'll be right behind you," Gabe vowed. "Ty, don't
say anything until we can get hold of a lawyer."

Ty nodded, as Haggardy slammed the door and climbed into the front
passenger seat. The officer behind the wheel put the car in gear, and they were
off.

"What? No lights and siren?" Jess sneered. "I'm
disappointed in you, Haggardy."

Ty patted her arm. "Ease up, Jess. Let the man explain... if
he can."

Haggardy turned in his seat to face them. "While you two were
gone, we got an anonymous tip claiming Ty was betting against his own team.
Now, this in itself is bad enough, but when we contacted the bookie to verify
the rumor, he confirmed that several bets had been made by Ty. Furthermore, the
bookie wasn't pleased that Ty hadn't paid his debts, having lost a few hefty
bets. He's in arrears to the tune of ten thousand dollars to date."

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Jess exploded.

Haggardy ignored her interruption, and went on, "Of course,
all wagers were made by phone, money paid up front via certified check for the
first one, with any winnings left to ride on the next bet. Moreover, the bookie
couldn't swear the guy who called them in was actually Ty James, though he
thought the calls were legit." He paused. "In essence, you're being
set up."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that," Ty responded wryly.
"So tell me. Why? And by whom?"

"I'm not sure who. As to why, perhaps to get you out of the
picture and make Jess a more accessible target. Naturally, if you had both died
in that sauna, as you were intended to do, this would be a moot point. As it
is, I'm considering putting both of you in protective custody, for your
safety's sake. However, if we resort to that, our culprit will probably just
lie low until you surface, and the attempts will start over again."

"What about Corey and Gabe?" Jess asked. "All four
of us were together this time. Shouldn't they be protected as well?"

"If we decide that's the best route," Haggardy told her.

"What's your—"

Ty's words were cut off in mid-stream as the cruiser, slowing for
a traffic sign, was suddenly struck from the rear.

"What the—" Regaining his balance, Haggardy looked out
the window to see a car careening past them on the right. A few yards farther,
it plowed into a light pole and stopped.

"Hey!" Jess shouted. "That's
my
car!"
Automatically, she reached for the rear door handle, only to find there wasn't
one.

Haggardy leapt from the cruiser before it had come to a complete
stop. "You two stay here!" he directed them. To the officer, he
commanded, "Call this in, and get another cruiser on the way to take us on
to headquarters."

He loped toward Jess's wrecked car. Within a minute, he was back.
"Agerter hit the steering wheel. The air bag must have been disabled. If
he didn't break a couple of ribs, they're at least bruised. Says he couldn't
stop. When he pressed on the brakes, there were none. Which would lead me to
guess that our murderer is trying to cover all of his bases at once. If the
sauna didn't get you, the car would. Failing that, your arrest. This is one
busy felon."