Page 12 of Under Fire in Big Sky

He bolted past the lounge and gym and pool. Next was the backlit door to the spa. Someone ran out, nearly colliding with him, and he had to scramble out of the way. The door flew open again as several more employees and two guests hurried into the hall along with smoke that was emanating from the spa.

Eli caught hold of a woman in scrubs. “What happened inside?”

“I don’t know. One minute everything was fine and the next there was a fire coming from one of the treatment rooms.”

Why hadn’t smoke detectors gone off or any sprinkler systems activated?

“Pull the fire alarm. Then get away from this place until you can get a cell phone signal and call 911,” he said, and she nodded.

He dashed around the corner and spotted four bodyguards posted outside a conference room that was bathed in sunlight from windows overlooking an immaculate lawn and pond. As Eli approached them, the men went into full protection mode.

Two guards held out their hands, keeping him back.

“Can we help you?” one asked.

“I need to speak with Mr. Chip Whitney. It’s a matter of life or death.”

Coughing on the smoke, Olivia put her arm over her nose and mouth. The sprinkler system didn’t turn on. Just as she figured, unfortunately. But the fire alarm finally sounded.

She recalled Audrey’s evil grin as she spoke about setting multiple fires.

The hotel was massive. There was no way of knowing when help might reach them.

If help would reach them.

Do something, Adani.

More than two lives were hanging in the balance. The baby growing inside her needed her to think of something. To try anything to get out of this.

Olivia hustled to the door that connected to the adjacent ballroom. Maybe they could get in and break a window before the fire spread too far.

It was locked.

The handle wasn’t hot yet. She took off her belt, pulled out the small knife disguised as part of the buckle, and got to work picking the lock on the door.

Sliding the blade on top of the bolt, she pressed down while jiggling the latch with her other hand. The smell of smoke irritated her lungs. They had to reach a window in the other room; otherwise, they would be trapped with no way out. Finally, the bolt slipped out of place.

She swung the door open to a roaring fire. It was too late.

Flames had swept across the carpet, cutting off any chance of reaching the windows. Audrey and Henry must’ve doused the room in gasoline.

Heat pressed down on her. The crackle of hungry flames filled her ears like white noise.

She slammed the door closed.

Soon the flames would reach the fabric-paneled wall, the only thing separating their salon from the inferno.

As she backed away, coughing and gagging, she watched the gray smoke bleed into the room. Seeping in between the panels. It also flowed under the double doors that led to the hall.

“Oh, my God,” Dempsey muttered. “We’re going to die.”

“Take off your jacket.”

“What?”

Olivia marched up to him and took it off him herself. Grasping his arm, she hauled him over to the table. She set his jacket down and thrust a bottle of water into his hand.

“Saturate your suit jacket.”