Page 11 of Rescuing You

And where was Heba? Obviously, she knew nothing about Leila’s capture and imprisonment. If she knew, she’d help her.

The desk drawers held nothing helpful.

She studied what lay across the top of it. Beneath the single lamp, there was a map.

She opened the top drawer again, feeling around for something she thought she’d touched before. Yes. A lighter.

She lit it, keeping her body between the flame and the window, and bent to look.

Why have a paper map? Who used maps anymore when everyone had GPS on their phones? Someone had drawn circles around intersections.

Her breath caught.

It was a map of Munich, the city that had been her home for years.

Had Baba used this to find her?

She hadn’t thought about the fact that, even if she did manage to survive a second escape from Iraq, she couldn’t go home. She’d need to start over in a different city in a different country, and with a different name.

The life she’d built was gone forever.

The life she’d let herself dream about with Michael…gone forever. How could she renew ties with him after changing her name and disappearing?

Her feelings for him had grown far past friendship, though she hadn’t realized that until now, until she knew she’d never see him again.

The thought sucked the air from her lungs.

No. There was no going back. She’d started with nothing before—no money, no name. No Michael. She could do it again.

She left the map of the city she’d loved and hurried to the door.

She turned the knob and pulled.

But it didn’t open.

No!

It was locked.

Just like her room, locked from the outside, only this was keeping people out. Why?

She hurried back to the desk, thinking maybe she could find something to pick it. In her haste, she forgot to be careful. Forgot to be silent. She bumped into the desk and knocked the lamp over. It hit the floor. Didn’t break, but the sound felt deafening.

“What was that?” The words carried through the window.

Somewhere nearby, a door slammed.

Then footsteps.

They were coming!

She righted the lamp, hoping to get it back in the proper spot, then ran to the window. She jumped on the sill, dropped outside, and hung on by her fingertips.

Her feet dangled, searching for the ledge.

Come on, come on…

Any second, someone would check the office. Or maybe check her room.