Sending him a frown, Hallene said, “You told her about the mansion basement?”
“I had to tell her how—”
“She doesn’t need to be terrorized any more, Sam.”
“For the love of ... I didn’t describe it. Just told her what happened to you after they dragged you away. She wanted to know how you escaped.”
“Let’s avoid the gritty details, okay?”
How could Hallene be annoyed at him? He sent her a look he hoped asked that specific question.
Phoebe started laughing, which broke the staring contest between Sam and Hallene.
“What’s so funny, Phoebe?” Hallene looked down at her with tenderness.
“Never seen you with a bloke. You two sound like you been knockin’ ’ips.”
“Phoebe!” Hallene sighed then said, “Sam was in Special Forces and trained for dangerous operations. I have skills I gained while hunting missing children. He’s been a godsend in finding you.”
“Wot skills?” Phoebe asked, seriously interested in Hallene’s every word now. “Mum said you ’elp people with their kids.”
“Tell her, Hallene,” Sam pressed before Hallene’s modesty sugarcoated what she really did.
Sighing in his direction, she clearly gave his words consideration and nodded. “I started an organization eight years back, which hunts for missing children of all ages, but we seem to search more often for the young ones. I trained with an elite operative because it was only me at first. I have a much larger staff of people in the field now. I also have intel connections, which is how I found you the first time.”
Phoebe’s lips parted. Her eyes rounded in surprise, but it was her softly spoken, “Wow,” that captured Sam’s heart. In that one word, he heard admiration for Hallene that would be a big block in building their new relationship.
Being the kind woman Hallene was, she would remain humble and use this opening to close the distance between them.
Sam just had to get them both out of here first.
“Was Sam the one who trained you? Thought you two met at the mansion.” Phoebe frowned. “Wot’s the deal with you two?”
“Oh, no,” Hallene replied. “It was another person. Sam and I joined forces to save you and someone his people are hunting. That’s all.”
Why did that hurt his heart?
Was that all they were?
Did he have any right to expect more?
“Keep tellin’ yourself that,” Phoebe said, returning to the mouthy teenager Hallene had alluded to when describing her.
“Let’s talk about how to get out of here,” Hallene suggested.
Phoebe’s face fell. “There’s a guard outside somewhere nearby.”
“What can you tell us about this building?” Sam asked.
“Looks like a smokestack from outside and someone converted the inside for an office or place to live.” Phoebe lifted a shoulder.
“How high up do you think we are?” Sam wanted her to say fifteen feet or less.
“I climbed four levels of stairs. Maybe sixty feet off the ground.”
Sam’s hope crashed. At sixty feet, they’d need a rope even if he could reach the windows inside this room.
Hallene didn’t look any more encouraged than him and switched topics. “Phoebe, did you see an older man who was also captured?”
