The beam caught Madison struggling against a tall figure in a dark raincoat.

He had come in through the balcony.

“Let her go!” I yelled, raising my weapon.

I fired two shots toward the figure, but the rain and the shadows made it impossible to aim.

The bullets hit the doorframe, sending wooden splinters flying.

The man dragged Madison out onto the wet balcony.

“Natalie!” her voice faded into the sound of the wind and rain.

I scrambled over the sofa, ignoring the sergeant who was still firing wild shots into the dark.

I lunged through the open balcony doors into the freezing downpour.

The wind whipped my face, blinding me for a second.

Below the balcony, the courtyard was a chaos of flashing emergency lights.

But the figure was taking Madison down the spiral iron staircase toward the dark gardens.

I ran to the railing, ready to vault over.

My phone in my vest pocket began to vibrate violently against my chest.

I pulled it out, my fingers wet and slipping on the screen.

It was an unlisted number.