Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT RACE
Emily burst out of the wine cellar door and into the servant hallway. She knew she couldn't use the main entrance—security guards loyal to Margaret would be posted at the front gate.
She ran toward the kitchen pantry, unbolted the small delivery door used by grocers, and plunged out into the pouring rain.
The cold rain instantly soaked her clothes, but she didn't stop. She ran through the muddy gardens, her shoes slipping against the wet grass, heading toward the perimeter wall where an old wrought-iron gate led out to the public road.
Behind her, flashlight beams cut through the darkness. The guards were already pursuing her.
"Emily!" a voice shouted through the storm.
She froze for a split second, hiding behind a thick oak tree. Up the main driveway, a sleek black sedan screeched to a halt, its headlights cutting through the heavy downpour.
The driver's side door flew open. Daniel stepped out, holding an umbrella, his tie loosened, looking frantically around the grounds.
"Daniel!" Emily screamed over the thunder, stepping out from behind the tree.
Before she could reach him, a dark SUV pulled up onto the grass from the side road, blocking her path. The doors slid open, and three men in raincoats jumped out.
"Get in the car, girl!" one of them yelled, reaching for her arm.
Emily ducked, dodging his grip, and sprinted directly toward Daniel's headlights. "Daniel, look out!"
Daniel saw the commotion. Dropping his umbrella, he sprinted across the flooded lawn. He tackled the lead pursuer just as the man caught up to Emily, sending both men tumbling into the mud.
"Get in my car! Go!" Daniel yelled at her, hauling himself up and throwing a heavy punch that knocked the attacker backward.
Emily didn't hesitate. She scrambled into the passenger seat of Daniel’s sedan, clutching the precious binder. Daniel sprinted around the hood, jumped into the driver's seat, slammed the car into reverse, and hit the accelerator.
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The tires spun in the mud before gripping the asphalt. The sedan shot backward out of the driveway, flipped around, and roared off into the storm, leaving Margaret's men and the dark SUV behind in a cloud of exhaust and spray.
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