Read Dangerous Grounds for Free Online

her by the elbow, jerking her to her feet. “Open the register.”
    “There’s nothing in it.” Her fingers fumbled with the key. The register sprang open and displayed an empty drawer. “All the money is in the safe and the deposit bag is in the back.”
    He jerked her away from the register and toward the back room.
    Madison’s blood pounded so hard from fear, she was sure he could hear it. When they reached the back, he forced her onto her knees beside the safe and she went to work opening it. Her fingers trembled as she spun the dial.
    The safe swung open and the man started grabbing fistfuls of cash, stuffing them into his bag. Then he dumped the till money, all ready for the next day, in as well.
    It’s just money , she told herself. He’ll be gone in a minute, and then it’ll just be missing money .
    She glanced up at him to see what the holdup was. The holdup . She almost let out a hysterical giggle at her own silent joke. He stared down at her with those same cold blue eyes.
    “Turn around and lie down on your stomach.”
    She blinked at him, a new terror seizing her. “Why—”
    “Just do it!”
    She turned around and slid forward on her stomach. The tiled floor rubbed like ice against her naked skin and she started to shiver. Oh God. He was going to tie her up. Or rape her. Or…kill her. She heard him take the safety off.
    “Sorry, honey. Wrong place, wrong time.”
    Madison went numb and closed her eyes, beginning to pray.
    “Madison!”
    Is this what almost dying does to you? Makes you hear voices?
    “Son of a bitch!”
    She opened her eyes as the man behind her cursed. He grabbed her purse off the desk and bolted out the back door.
    The next second Gabe came running into the backroom, a gun in his hand.
    “Gabe?” She pulled herself off the ground. “He ran out the back door!”
    Gabe’s gaze ripped from her near-naked body as he tore after him. A second later Eric came through the front door and into the backroom.
    “Madison.” He whipped off his jacket and flung it around her. “Here, sit down while I call the police.”
    She slipped on his jacket and edged her shaking body into the chair at her desk, laying her head on her hands. Oh God. Oh God. He’d been about to shoot her. She knew it.
    When Gabe returned a moment later, she looked up, hoping he’d be dragging the robber behind him. He gave a grim shake of his head.
    That meant he was still out there. The man who had been about to kill her two minutes ago remained free.
    Madison stood, her legs unsteady.
    “I’ll be right back.” She pushed Gabe out of the way and locked herself into the tiny bathroom. She had the urge to vomit but couldn’t seem to make it happen. Instead she turned on the water and began rinsing her face.
     
    Gabe waited outside the door, relieved to see her come out a few minutes later. He did a quick check, trying to figure out if she might lose it or get hysterical. She appeared calm and collected, though. Funny, he wouldn’t have expected that from her.
    She glanced around. “Where did Eric go?”
    “He’s out talking to the police. They’ll be back to interview you any minute.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “How did he get in? Did you lock the door?”
    “Yes!” She shook her head. “I have no idea.”
    There was no sign of forced entry. Gabe glanced over at the bathroom she’d just come out of, an uneasy feeling in his gut. It was entirely possible the robber had gone the wait in the bathroom until he’s alone route.
    He turned back to Maddie and really looked at her, not just the passing, agitated glance. His gaze drifted to her bruised cheek and he clenched his fists. The blood pounded in his veins and his vision blurred. Somehow he managed to keep his voice neutral when he asked, “He pistol-whipped you?”
    “Is that what it’s called? I always wondered what that term meant.” Madison smiled and then winced in pain. “Yeah, I guess he did.”
    Unwillingly, his gaze took in